September 2008 Archives

I began B.G.A.H because ever since childhood I have been fascinated by ghosts and the paranormal. There is a reason for this which I would like to write about.

It is my belief that spirits are all around us and that sometimes they appear to us, either intentionally or perhaps we catch them unawares as they go about their daily business.

I am quite sure that some people are much more likely to encounter the paranormal than others. This is because they are sometimes able to "tune in" to the spirit world.

They possess an ability which I think that I, and some members of my family have. This ability to "tune in" is not with us constantly but seems to happen in certain places that, for some reason, have a strong attraction for paranormal activity.

My family and I lived for many years in such a place.

Some of the most well known ghosts in Britain are of people who once had royal blood flowing
through their veins (and sometimes flowing out of necks after losing their heads!).

All of Britain's great houses, castles and palaces can claim a ghostly royal or two.

Mary, Queen of Scots, is said to haunt several locations. She had a pretty miserable existence because, despite being the Queen of Scotland, she spent most of her life as a prisoner of her cousin, Elizabeth I.

Mary was constantly moved from one grand prison to the next, in order to foil catholic rebellion. She seems to have left her unhappy presence in some of these places.

Birmingham grew rapidly during the 19th century and the city fathers built some rather impressive civic buildings to reflect the confidence and vigour of Britain's "Workshop of the World".

Some of these buildings, like the newly renovated Town Hall, are said to harbour the ghosts of some of those proud Victorian gentlemen (top hats, whiskers and all).

The Town Hall was opened in 1834 as a venue for popular entertainments and the often rumbustious political debates of the day (Prime Minister Lloyd George had to be smuggled out in fear of an angry mob, Gordon Brown be warned!).

An early star attraction at the Town Hall was Charles Dickens, who knew how to spin a ghostly yarn or two. What would Dickens have made of the many accounts of "real" ghosts being seen at the Town Hall?

Like everybody else I have a purse full of plastic cards. The only one I really enjoy taking out is the one that gains me entry to the historical houses that belong to The National Trust. This wonderful and very important organisation owns hundreds of properties all over the British Isles.

From tiny pubs in remote villages to vast country mansions, The National Trust is there to maintain and preserve our rich heritage. No matter where you live there are fascinating places within easy reach. You will not be surprised to hear that some of these creaky old houses are haunted.

At the foot of the Lickey Hills, just south of Birmingham, lies Rubery, a pleasantly rural village that has a history stretching back to Roman times.

It seems a settlement originated here because of a large ford in the river Rea. Footsore roman soldiers and their thirsty horses would rest here on their way from the salt mines (at Saltley, would you believe!) to the roman baths at Droitwich Spa. Nearly two thousand years later the salt road still exists and is now a nature trail.

The village has at least two famous historical visitors. Ann Boleyn, Henry V111's unfortunate second wife, lived for a while at Rubery Manor (now long since gone). Dick Whittington, London's famous mayor, lived nearby before setting off with his equally famous cat. I've even heard that Buffalo Bill once set up camp here with a tribe of red indians. The oldest pub in Rubery is the Cock Inn, which in Victorian times was a farmhouse.

Every year thousands of men, women and children would descend on the area to pick hops. The Cock Inn was a favourite destination for these labourers after a hard day in the fields. They would gulp down vast quantities of the potent, locally brewed ale. One can only imagine the drunken brawls and shenanigans that must have gone on here.