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| Ghosts Archive 1966 |
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First Published March 17 1966 AT 323 Penhill Drive, Swindon a house once occupied by a woman spiritualist, the nerves of the Tucker family have been stretched to breaking point by weird supernatural apparitions. They claim they are living in terror and wish to be re-housed by Swindon Town Council as soon as possible. Already the Tuckers' son, 22-year-old Victor who was pinned to the wall and paralysed with fear has left to live somewhere else. And when Mrs Gladys May Tucker, who has three children told her strange story to an Evening Advertiser reporter it sounded just like something out of Edgar Allan Poe. The family had even found a cat's head in the garden. The Tuckers' nightmare life began just before Christmas. Mrs Tucker told me: 'It's terribly nerve racking I can tell you. We want to get out of here as soon as possible. I saw the shadow of a man on the landing in the day time but I did not mention it to the family, because I did not want to frighten them.' Her daughter Beryl, 29, who has been to see a nerve specialist said: 'I woke up early one morning and saw a shadow of a man on my bedroom wall. I have also seen strange lights on my bed and the wall and noises in the house late at night. I dare not sleep in my own room. 'One night my brother Victor came home and was pinned to the wall with fear. He was paralysed with fear. He screamed, woke me up and then I screamed and went into mum and dad. Victor was as white as a sheet and we had to give him some brandy. He does not dare to come into house now for more than a short time.' Victor has left home to live with his married sister in Swindon and all the furniture in his room is packed away. In the household no ornaments adorn the mantlepiece or shelves - the Tucker family aim to leave at once. The only person who has not experienced these supernatural happenings is the father, 67-year-old Mr Edgar Herbert Tucker, a storekeeper at a Swindon factory. Now Beryl and Mrs Tucker sleep here,' he said, and I am empty and Mr Tucker sleeps downstairs on the settee in the living room. 'I can't get a decent night's sleep here,' he said 'and I am worried about the health of my wife and daughter. I know that my son will never set foot in his room again. I have seen nothing but I definitely sensed something one evening before my wife and daughter had mentioned it.' It was just over two weeks ago when Victors experience brought the whole affair into the open. On Monday two days later Mr Tucker got in touch with the council for an investigation. Since then the police called, a council official has looked at the house and an SEB official called to check everything. He having encountered similar experiences, sympathised with Mr Tucker, who is not satisfied with the council's action. He intends to take the matter to the highest authority in the land Ð even the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Neither Beryl nor Mrs Tucker dares to stay in the house alone and they avoid going upstairs. 'We were in the hall one day and saw a clothes brush swinging backwards and forwards on its hook. The other brush was absolutely still,' said Mrs Tucker. They have heard noises in the night, watched a door handle move up and down independently, heard doors banging and found bedroom windows wide open when locked the night before. Mrs Annie Reilly, 39, housewife of 21 Wheeler Avenue, Swindon,who once occupied the house said: 'I am a spiritualist. I believe that people do not die after death, nor do animals. When I lived at Penhill Drive my Alsation dog Karl and my cat Tub died. I was fond of them both.It could be that they have come back. I saw them there after their death, walking in the house. In her opinion the house was not haunted. She had not thought there was anything strange about her animals coming back to visit her when at Penhill. When I told her about a shadow on the landing window she said: 'That is where Tub used to sit.' Her husband had buried him in the garden. When I called on Victor at his sister's home he declined to make any comment on his experience. His father had told me that he had never wanted a priest to exorcise the house. He did not think that it would make any difference. The Rev A A Allan, vicar of St Peter's, Penhill, said: 'I don't know the details but obviously if I were asked to go along and say prayers I would be only too pleased to do so.' A Civic Offices spokesman said today: 'We have received from Mr Tucker, a complaint of unusual happenings in his house and the matter is being investigated. Mr Tucker has asked for an exchange of tenancy and this will be considered by the Housing Committee. He and his family have been living at this address since August 1964.' Back to 1966 index |
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