I’m always up for a ghost story, and have covered several strange happenings that I uncovered in Victorian newspapers in these very pages.
Tales such as the Plaistow Ghost, and the Wolstanton Ghost have been covered in these pages, whilst I’ve even made a full video on 50, Berkeley Square, the supposed most haunted house in London.
The other day, as I was combing through the pages of The Illustrated Police News, I came across the following story in its edition of Saturday the 17th of August 1889:-
A “HAUNTED HOUSE” AT GREENWICH
A remarkable “ghost” story comes from Greenwich.
It appears that Mr. Peter Bothwick, in the employ of the South Metropolitan Gas Company, has resided for three years with his family at a house in Horseferry Road, Greenwich, a four-roomed house.
Mrs. D Bothwick had been troubled by hearing inexplicable noises, which her husband tried to explain away.
The previous tenant, who occupied the house for twenty-nine years, states that he never heard any noises, but his wife often complained to him that she had heard sounds like children falling out of bed.
LOUD RAPPINGS HEARD IN THE HOUSE
About two years ago the Bothwicks were away from home, and a neighbour states that during their absence he heard loud rapping in the house.
Twelve months later, in July, 1888, Mr. Bothwick was in the country for a holiday, and on the 25th there were in the house Mrs. Bothwick, Mrs. Stedman, and Mrs. Lloyd.
THREE LOUD BLOWS
At ten minutes to eleven, these three were in the back sitting-room, which is divided from the passage by a wooden partition running to the top of the house, when they heard three hard blows as of a man’s fist on the cellar door.
Much alarmed, they rushed off to bed, and heard no more that night.
On Mr. Bothwick’s return, he put a new floor to the cellar, making it even with the passage.
A YEAR LATER
All went well until July the 25th of the present year, the anniversary of the former manifestation.
At twenty minutes to ten at night there were in the house Mrs. Bothwick and Mr. and at Mrs. Lloyd, while a Mrs. Parkinson was in the next at house, adjoining the passage.
The three persons first named heard loud raps on the partition, and Mr. Lloyd went out, but saw no one, and searched the cellar with similar result.
The rapping continued, sometimes appearing to be on the partition and sometimes under the stairs.
NOTHING IN THE CELLAR
It turned out that Mrs. Parkinson was not the person rapping, and on Mr. Lloyd giving a rap on the wall he was startled by hearing at the cellar door, close to his elbow, three knocks, which shook the partition, and were almost sufficient to knock the cellar door down.
He opened the door on the instant, and searched the cellar, but found nothing.
He knocked again, and in reply there came three terrific knocks on the cellar door, which Mr. Lloyd had just closed.
He immediately opened it again, and nothing could be seen, although a lamp in the passage shone into the cellar.
Shortly afterwards, Mr. Bothwick and Mr. Parkinson, who had been out together, returned home.
The knocking continuing, they made a careful examination of both houses, but found nothing unusual.
THE POLICE ARRIVE
Half an hour a later two police officers arrived, and stayed some time.
The knockings continued as before, at one time on the cellar door, at another on the stairs or at different parts of the partition.
The people who were in the house also state that they distinctly heard footsteps on the floor above the passage, but on going up could see no one.
The police considered the matter a practical joke, but could not suggest how it was done.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE GHOST
Meanwhile, the knocking, which could be plainly heard on the other side of the road, had attracted a large crowd, and one of the men volunteered to communicate with the “spirit.”
A conversation somewhat to the following effect ensued:-
“Are you a man?”
No answer.
“Are you English?”
Three raps, supposed to mean yes. o
“Are you a woman?”
Three raps.
“Are you in great trouble?”
Three raps.
“Have the people in this house harmed you?”
No answer.
“You are troubling this house a deal?”
Three raps.
“Did your friends harm you?”
Three raps.
“Did they kill you?”
Three tremendous raps.
Mrs. Bothwick here exclaimed, “For gracious sake, let the man go away .”
NO FRIVOLOUS QUESTIONS
He remained, however, at Mr. Bothwick’s wish, and continued the questioning, with the result that the interrogator pronounced that a woman was troubling the house on account of some crime committed many years ago.
The “ghost” would not answer any frivolous questions, such as “Will you come out and have a drink with me?”
THE KNOCKINGS SUBSIDE
About midnight, the knocking began to subside, and the crowd dispersed, but the Bothwick family would not go to bed.
Mrs. Bothwick lay on the bed for an hour or so with her clothes on, and Mr. Bothwick sat on a couch till he went to work at six next morning, and two young men stayed with him.
The rapping gradually died away, and ceased altogether about one o’clock.
THE BOTHWICKS MOVE HOUSE
The Bothwicks determined not to remain in the house, and on the following Tuesday removed to Haddo Street, sitting up on nearly all the intervening days until midnight.
Two ladies, who appeared to be interested in the subject of spiritualism, called before they removed, and said they should have liked to hear the rappings.
One of them said that she did not suppose the “spirit” would trouble anyone till next year, but it might, as it had been spoken to.