28 July 2004 BGS Newsletter Issue 73
Welcome to the seventy-third edition of the Borley Ghost Society Newsletter. My sincere thanks for all the good wishes and prayers for my health. I am most humbled and very grateful. Today marks the anniversary of the nun sighting by the four Bull sisters in 1900.

Ellic Howe and Borley

A recent programme in the British ITV series Secret History (screened 28 June 2004) detailed the sexual propaganda used by the Germans and the british during the Second World War and while it centred on the activities and work of Daily Express journalist Sefton Demler, another contributor was Ellic Howe, who was responsible for locating sets of the unique font of German lettering that enabled the British to produce seemingly authentic leaflets that were an important part of British propaganda.
This was the same Ellic Howe who, as an Oxford graduate friend, went to Borley with Harry Price in June 1937 to set up the Base Room and to make a careful and thorough exploration of the haunted rectory, ringing every movable object with a chalk circle. Later, as the evening wore on, they made abother careful tour of the rectory and then decided to spend the night there. After some time, they both heard tapping noises followed by two loud thumps and the sound of a slamming door. An immediate search revealed no explanation for any of the sounds. For a time too, they watched the house from the outside without any result. The night had turned chilly and they decided to return to London.
Subsequently, I met with Ellic Howe on a number of occasions: like me, he said he had been a member of Harry Price's Ghost Club and he took part, at my invitation, in the special meeting I organized at the Savage Club to celebrate the centenary of Harry Price's birth; I also persuaded him to address the club on two occasions and during the course of several conversations he told me that he witnessed movement of small objects at Borley which Price could not have caused, incidents that took place in the Blue Room and elsewhere when the rectory was deserted. Ellic Howe told me he knew Harry Price well, as indeed he did, and he considered it to be out of the question that Price should have put on such a show for his benefit - even if it had been possible for him to do so, and he always maintained that as far as the phenomena that had occurred while he was present was concerned, there was no way that Price could have been responsible.
Ellic Howe was an interesting man who was also a memeber of the Order of the Golden Dawn and indeed, he wrote a brilliantly researched book on the subject, The Magicians of the Golden Dawn (1972). - Written especially for the Borley Ghost Society by Peter Underwood

1909 Church postcard from Paul Adams

I was shocked to hear from Eddie that you have had surgery for cancer. Please accept my very best wishes for a successful & swift recovery. I hope the attached images give you the feelgood factor. I picked up this postcard of Borley church on eBay which was written by someone staying at the Rectory in 1909. It was posted at Sudbury at 7pm on September 24th 1909 to an address in Yorkshire. It reads as follows as far as I can make out:- This is the church that Mr Bull is Rector, I came here last Mon (Monday?): It is very pretty all round about, and we are having lovely weather. I am having a very jolly time and enjoying myself immensely. With much love from your loving (Anna or Annie). The return address is The Rev. H. Bull, Borley Rectory, Sudbury, Suffolk. It would be interesting to see if anyone in the BGS or Andrew Clarke's Foxearth Society know who this person was. As she was having a 'jolly time' it dousn't sound to me as if she was in service there rather a guest. Eddie, I'll bring this along when we meet up on the 6th so the card can return from whence it came 98 years ago!! Best wishes, - Paul Adams

Rectory Lights

Please find attached the [next] essay on the window lights at the Rectory. It covers the railway theory in more detail & also addresses a few other issues which came to light after you posted Parts One and Two earlier on this year. I think that we have covered this particular aspect of the Rectory haunting more thoroughly than it has ever been studied before. The Borley apparitions are next. Eddie & I are going to Borley on the 6th August to map out the locations where all the reported apparitions have been seen over the years, including Eddie's 1972 photograph which we intend to take a modern version of from the same viewpoint. - Paul Adams/ Edward Brazil

Scott Cunningham Report, part two

I've updated Haunted Borely Rectory: Do you see what I see? [The second part is titled] The Charading Ghost Nun of Borley Rectory I've changed the beginning of the report to include links to pictured narratives of several charades. I have about 6 additional pages ready to be posted at this time, each page concentrating on either a certain charade or the charades in a given room. Also, I have . . . . one new drawing to submit as the other pictures are already on your server. - Scott Cunningham

Face in the grill

I live in the uk in Ilford Essex i have been there for about 17 years, im 27 years of age I have been intrested in psychic studys and the paranormal for about ten years, I am a member of the london ghost club and also a member of the ghost club society peter underwood which is of great intrest to me, i do some investigations in haunted locations around the uk including treasure holt and some churches, borley rectory has been of an intrest to me for some years, i managed to take a few pictures in the grounds of the church and was allowed to take a few pictures inside with permision of the local people. I took one picture in 2003 which may be of intrest to you, alan murdy of the ghost club may have already showed you this image, however i will send it with this email, I met up with Edward Babbs the other month just for a chat about his book, he was a truly intresting gent. I hope this is enough information for you. - Dean White

Girl in the window?

Look closely at the picture Borley Rectory Southeast Gate. Can you see her! Wonder who she was? Maybe the maid who fell throught the window in the blue room? Any chance you think it looks like your mom? That photo of Borley [may have been taken] when she resideded there! Or a maid? The 'maids' hat may be sunlight on the hair, which is worn short, as your mother did also. Your right we don't know the year. Isn't it recorded anywhere when the Southeast picture was taken, there were only two taken I think. I thought one way to date the photo might be to date the costume of the girl, which appears to be that of a Victorian maid. The thing is I think the costume was updated and brought into the 20th century. If I could do it I would research the dress of maids in England in the 30's but then again I do remember reading that Marrianne and Lionel did not have the money for a maid, is that right? Would be interesting if it was Mrs Dytor. I had the feeling I'd seen her before, too but I forgot about this picture. She has that same little baby face, and although the dress is slightly different, I'm sure she had a change of clothes. So, did she really quit after seeing the nun? Do you think the year then was in fact 1929? That would make it the year the stockmarket crashed. I wonder if this 'nun' appears at times of tragedy? Has anyone else made this sort of assumption or is that just ridiculous. Any track record of tragedies following 'nun' appearances? - Barbara Clements
[You have definately found someone in the window, but it looks far more like a maid than my mother. We also have to consider, "WHEN was this picture taken?" Mom had a maid for awhile at any rate....... "The household in 1932 consisted of four adults, including Mrs. Dytor the nurse maid.]

Another look at Eddie's ghost

Please find attached a short essay I have put together following Eddie's request in the latest newsletter for comment on his churchyard photograph by other BGS members. For me this is such an important photograph & I simply wanted to make it clear what I think about the picture. "I am convinced that Eddie’s photograph does indeed show a supernormal figure & as such it ranks in my opinion as the most important Borley photograph to date." - Paul Adams

Did M.R. James visit Borley?

Eddie Brazil: I just wanted to say your M.R. James essay is a first class piece of work & you have put forward a compelling argument for James visiting Borley. I thought the dialogue between James & Bull was a great touch. As for the churchyard photograph, in my opinion it is one of the most important Borley photographs of all time, if not the most important. The fact that it has not been published in at least one of the major Borley books of recent years is a crying shame. - : Paul Adams

Rare old church photo and 1916 photos/description

To Eddie Brazil: Thanks for the note about the photograph of Borley Church [in the last newsletter]. By the time [the old picture] came to me it was a photograph of a photograph and a lot of the detail has been lost. I'm hoping the original may turn up. We have quite a number of local postcards of around 1900 where the subject is framed by trees in much the same style; the most notable of which is a wonderful study of Western End. Others I can think of are of the road outside Cavendish Hall, and of a cottage in Peacocks Lane, in Cavendish. We have a dated photograph of Borley church of 1897, which was taken in winter near the same spot, and one has to judge by the size of the Yew trees in the churchyard that the two photographs are roughly contemporary. The picture is definitely pre-'haunting' because the tree in the foreground had long gone by the time of Harry Bull's death. Besides which, the yews had also grown into huge, poorly tended beasts. Before the first world war they had been meticulously tended by the gardeners at the Rectory, but after then were just given an insufficient yearly trim, and tended to make the place a bit dark and spooky. - Andrew Clarke

Hi Andrew: . . . .Yes, on second thoughts i think you are right on the photo.I didnt realise it was a picture of a picture.Also i wasnt aware that the churchyard was more extensivly surrounded by trees than today.It was perhaps the only way the photographer could have shot it.I wonder if he or she took many others of the church or the rectory? What would be interesting is to compare it with some photographs i sent Vince . . . . ..It was facimilies of the pictures and notes,some hanwritten of the RCHM survey of Borley church.They describe the building, the furnishings and the yard and are dated [1914] . Lastly i wonder if you read my essay on M.R.James and Borley which was in this months newsletter? If possible could you let me know if you or your freinds at the Foxearth historical society have heard of any stories or history relating to ghosts in the Belchamp area? If you read the essay you wil understand why.Many thanks and keep in touch. All the best Ed.- Eddie Brazil

Eddie: I'd be most interested in the [1916 Church description you sent Vince]. I am getting in touch with a number of collectors of local photographs at the moment to try to build up the reference collection, and I'm hoping for more of the rectory and church. They are bound to turn up as the place was a beauty spot long before the 'haunting', and many people visited the church to look at the Waldegrave memorial. The village post office sold a range of postcards. I was interested in the M R James connection with Borley last year, and read through the entire M R James collection of ghost stories. What I was looking for was any stories that could have been added by the Bulls to the pot-pourri. I was surprised at such a close hit as with the Belchamp demise of the hero of Count Magus. (see 'Bullsheet'), but it did not suggest any influence on the Bulls. Besides, the Ghost Stories were at their most popular between 1903 and 1939, when the Bulls were either elderly or deceased. Even though Price heard the stories in 1929, they were recounted to others before then, and it is more likely that they were heard by them when they were young. I think I've found the original stories that the Bulls adapted. I'm just short of a ghostly gardener called 'Old Amos' and I shall have them all. One point you may have missed is the location of the crossroads. Here is the relevant bit......
"On reaching England, it appears that Mr. Wraxall landed at Harwich, and that he resolved at once to put himself out of the reach of some person or persons whom he never specifies, but whom he had evidently come to regard as his pursuers. Accordingly he took a vehicle—it was a closed fly—not trusting the railway, and drove across country to the village of Belchamp St. Paul. It was about nine o'clock on a moonlight August night when he neared the place. He was sitting forward, and looking out of the window at the fields and thickets —there was little else to be seen—racing past him. Suddenly he came to a cross-road. At the corner two figures were standing motionless; both were in dark cloaks; the taller one wore a hat, the shorter a hood. He had no time to see their faces, nor did they make any motion that he could discern. Yet the horse shied violently and broke into a gallop, and Mr. Wraxall sank back into his seat in something like desperation. He had seen them before. Arrived at Belchamp St. Paul, he was fortunate enough to find a decent furnished lodging, and for the next twenty-four hours he lived, comparatively speaking, in peace. His last notes were written on this day. They are too disjointed and ejaculatory to be given here in full, but the substance of them is clear enough. He is expecting a visit from his pursuers—how or when he knows not—and his constant cry is 'What has he done?' and 'Is there no hope?' Doctors, he knows, would call him mad, policemen would laugh at him. The parson is away. What can he do but lock his door and cry to God? People still remembered last year at Belchamp St. Paul how a strange gentleman came one evening in August years back; and how the next morning but one he was found dead, and there was an inquest; and the jury that viewed the body fainted, seven of 'em did, and none of 'em wouldn't speak to what they see, and the verdict was visitation of God ; and how the people as kep' the 'ouse moved out that same week, and went away from that part. But they do not, I think, know that any glimmer of light has ever been thrown, or could be thrown, on the mystery. It so happened that last year the little house came into my hands as part of a legacy. It had stood empty since 1863, and there seemed no prospect of letting it; so I had it pulled down, and the papers of which I have given you an abstract were found in a forgotten cupboard under the window in the best bedroom."
The only direct way you get to Belchamp St Pauls from Harwich is via Sudbury, Rodbridge, and Borley. The crossroads, the only one before you get to the T junction in Pentlow that takes you to Belchamp, is the one in Borley where the gallows once were sited, near to Rodbridge. (there is one in Foxearth, but M R James is describing open country here) All the rural vicars in East Anglia knew each other. They met at diocesan meetings and visited each other assiduously. Few were wealthy enough to do the 'season' properly at Bury, Cheltenham or Bath, so they engineered lots of social occasions for their children to fraternise. That is why there was such a fine croquet/Tennis lawn at Borley Rectory. I would be surprised if the James' did not know the Bulls. I suspect that, if you read Henry Bull's diary in the Essex Records Office, you will find them getting a mention. I should add that M R James did not believe in ghosts. The stories were designed to amuse teenagers at the campfires of summer camps. They have a great many truths, but they are much more about the wickedness of destroying, or decrying, antiquities, or about the terror of insanity, and they contain the comforting idea that retribution will come to those that do not respect our heritage. M R James wishes a ghastly fate on the sort of people he dislikes. The ruthless modernisers, the insensitive, the exploiters. On your last point, are there any local ghost stories about Belchamp. Well, yes there are, but they concern a pub and lodging house in Belchamp Walter nearby. Some brothers (surname Plumb) decided to hold a séance and OuiJa board session in the Eight Bells pub. Strange things started happening, mainly poltergeist effects, and they continued to happen. pictures dropping from wall, that sort of thing. They became very alarmed. The pub closed soon afterwards (I think it was the 1980s) and became a private house. -
I really don't think they can claim any sort of copyright over the materials which are clearly sourced from 'The Monuments of North West Essex'1914 (Inventory of Ancient and Historical Monuments-Commissioned by H. M. Government 1908 on buildings before 1714)which is out of copyright (and was government-funded). And in any case, you are not using them commercially, but making them available for study. The handwritten notes are fascinating. It is a shame they left all that detail out of the book. The photographs were splendid, those yews were bizarre! note how well the churchyard was tended then Here is a very nice picture of the Waldegrave memorial for you to substitute. I already have reproduced extracts from the book on the Foxearth site (http://www.foxearth.org.uk/BorleyMiscellany.html) and I suspect Ill add some more when I get time. Well-done Eddie, and Vince too. It is a nice addition to the site. Thanks Andrew Clarke

Associate Activities

Herewith a few news concerning some interesting cases (incl. Borley - of course!).
This March I arranged, together with my good colleague the Rev. John Dening and two befriended and highly sensitive mediums, two séances at the allegedly haunted "The Bell Hotel" at Thetford (Norfolk). The landlord kindly allowed us to use the presumably haunted rooms no. 10 and 11 for these séances. He, as well as his staff, seemed to be honestly interested in the various psychical manifestations and openly informed us on their own and by guest reported experiences.
The hotel - especially the two above mentioned rooms, but also some parts of the cellar, the bar and the corridor to the restaurant - seems to be visited by the apparitions of a monk (various historical connections to a nearby monastery are on record) as well as by the former landlady Betty Ratcliffe. The séance at room no. 11 was the most eventful. Besides the mediums reporting some interesting impressions (of a cavalier and of a maid), we observed also some physical phenomena (such as the temperature of the room dropping six degrees Celsius in fifteen minutes - all windows closed -; the curtains moving on several occasions, hearing some whispering or static noises and observing rapid changes in the existing electro-magnetic field).
For your interest please find herewith joined a photograph of Betty Ratcliffe as well as an atmospheric photograph of "The Bell Hotel". Copyrights of both photographs remain with me. On the second day I had an intriguing meeting with two witnesses of some rather strange apparitions at St Mary's church in Woodford (Northamptonshire). Inside the church is exhibited a photograph depicting a possible paranormal manifestation. Some schoolboys visited the church on 30 July 1964, and when having some photographs developed that they had taken inside the building, found the image of a person kneeling at the altar on one of them.
I arranged a conversation with the local historian (who is keenly interested in paranormal manifestations) and the reverend of the parish on the history of the church and the site to get some clues on the identity of the reported apparitions. Unfortunately the archdeacon refused the assistance of mediums.
I [have] had a longer conversation by phone with Rev. John Dening concerning his visit in June to Borley church together with the above-mentioned two mediums. Near the pulpit the female medium went into trance and established contact with the former rector John Deeks (1642-1660). Based on the spiritual approach of the attendant group they seem to have been successful in helping him to move towards the light. The puritan and ill reputed John Deeks as a possible source of the psychical manifestations is mentioned also in the well written and detailed study "Borley Rectory - The final analysis" (page 144) by Edward Babbs and Claudine Mathias. I quote: "All in all, we feel that it is likely that John Deeks may have been our man and we repeat that in our view the clairvoyant's impressions seem to have been of considerable significance and should no be dismissed likely."
With my best wishes. - Andreas Trottmann, Switzerland


I went to the Hotel Del Coronado. Have you ever heard of the Kate Morgan ghost there? She committed suicide after being deserted by her husband, back in 1888, on the steps outside leading to the beach. Shot herself in the head. I took a lot of pics at the hotel, one of them shows a woman in what appears to be a long dress and a shawl. Do you think it looks like this? I'm wondering if I got a picture of her. How can I have 'such luck' if you think it is only someone going to a ball or a wedding? Haha. So in other words, you think not a ghost? Btw, didn't see anyone dressed like that, and I walked around for hours. There were no balls or weddings at that time, either. The dining rooms and courtyard were in use by general traffic only. I hope I haven't brought back 'anything' from the Hotel Del Coronado, btw. Since I've been back I have awoken to the sound of someone speaking in the living room, not! Also, the sound of rattling and knocking on the front of the house. I thought it could possibly have been the mailman but I checked right after the sound occurred and no mailman in sight, althought the mail was there. I really don't want 'visitors' darn, went through that in my childhood and its most unpleasant at times. In fact I think the whole thing of enjoying the company is a way of giving in, because there ultimately is nothing else you can do. I have come to realize my mothers house is haunted, and can you believe it I lived there for 20 years and didn't really get it. I can be pretty slow sometimes.... It's common to hear a voice speaking your name, my mother and my nephew have both admitted to hearing this. We also heard the sound of dishes smashing and late at night when no one is up the sound of the tv playing an old movie, (like from the 30's or 40's) on. My niece experienced this one, I heard it many times. I tend to visit my mom in the day and so I bypass it now. I like to read about this stuff, and even visit it, (I'd love to take the San Diego ghost tour sometime) but not wanting to share abodes. You know, looking at the experiences I've had at my moms house, I wonder if they are not the actions of my grandfather, grandmother and great aunt. The old movies at night would definitely be my grandmother. The poke in the shoulder is pretty much like my grandfather or my great aunt, who are brother and sister and both did do that. I wonder if we all end up sitting around as ghosts, my personal opinion is we might and wait there for the judgement day, I know many don't believe that way but it is my personal religious belief of such and others are free to decide for themselves whatever. Yet it does seem we end up as ghosts, or at least some of us. - Barbara Clements

July sees the launch of a new collection of state of the art laser and inkjet prints of Simon Marsden's work for sale through THE MARSDEN ARCHIVE. For further information on these archival prints, prices and payment methods visit www.marsdenarchive.com under the heading ARCHIVE PRINT SALES. You can also search www.simonmarsden.co.uk for updated information on sales of his limited edition photographs, books and greetings cards. Email: info@marsdenarchive.com Tel/fax: 00-44-(0) 1507-313-646

Letters to the editor

I love paranormal, live in a haunted house that is 106 years old. Married, mother of three children. I work full time as a purchasing assistant. - Josie Blades

I am a retired school administrator. I would like to visit Borley next spring. - Arnold Borley

i live in nottingham england and have allways been interested in the borley story and am a regular visitor to this site. - Owain Gill

i enjoy these things - Marie Davies

I have just had Mr Babbs' book bought by a friend for my birthday and am rather pleased with it on a first inspection. He seems to have carried out quite a deal of careful work and there looks to be much of interest in it. I did notice that in Chapter 11 the author quotes extensively from my [ Alan Gregson and Anthony Gregson] letters, but no mention is made of their source. He must have used them from the website, but what I was wondering was whether he had approached you for permission to quote from them? He certainly never contacted me, but I rather suspect he would have been more likely to get in touch with you, if this was done at all. I was rather irked that I was not mentioned as, being the correspondent to whom the letters were addressed (and who tracked [both Gregson brothers] down after much spade work, after all!), I would have thought courtesy alone dictated. I would be interested to hear your opinion. By the way, there have been a couple of copies of Tabori/Underwood's 1973 book "The Ghosts of Borley" going quite cheaply on eBay in the UK - might be worth watching for members? . . . . please continue to keep up the good work. - Richard Lee Van den Daele

The other day we went to visit borley church the graves of the bull family i was thinking would it be ok if i cleaned the bull familys grave up and to make them look nice and put fresh flowers on the graves, its such a shame to see them without any flowers on and just to keep them tidy, but i dont know who to ask. could you help me - Karen Fowler
[Ask the churchwarden - in the house just across from the church - but do NOT mention the Bulls by name! Or the ghosts!]

Borley Rectory "home page"
Founded October 31, 1998 by Vincent O'Neil to examine without prejudice any and all existing records and research related to the alleged haunting of the rectory and church of Borley, Essex, England. It is not the purpose of the Society to cause undue hardship, embarrassment, or discomfort to the present residents of Borley.