Lil

We went to Oxford together and in the long vacations I used to go and stay with him at Borley. I had lots of small adventures at the rectory, stones falling about, my boots found on top of the wardrobe, etc., and I saw the nun several times and often heard the coach go clattering by.

But the big adventure that would have been worth your while recording was one time when I missed a big French dictionary which I had been regularly using for some days. Nobody could find it. But one night, I was awakened by a big bump on the floor, and there was the dictionary, with its back a good deal knocked about, sprawling on the floor. My bedroom door was locked.

But the big adventure that would have been worth your while recording was one time when I missed a big French dictionary which I had been regularly using for some days. Nobody could find it. But one night, I was awakened by a big bump on the floor, and there was the dictionary, with its back a good deal knocked about, sprawling on the floor. My bedroom door was locked.

With all these paranormal adventures occurring in his youth, maybe it's no wonder Percy Shaw Jeffrey was a little nonchalant about a mysteriously animated duster. But Percy wasn't the only owner of Bagdale Hall to experience the unexplained, and the reports of strange activity continued even into the post-war years when the hall became a hotel.

With all these paranormal adventures occurring in his youth, maybe it's no wonder Percy Shaw Jeffrey was a little nonchalant about a mysteriously animated duster. But Percy wasn't the only owner of Bagdale Hall to experience the unexplained, and the reports of strange activity continued even into the post-war years when the hall became a hotel.

A waitress working at Bagdale was surprised one night when the chef asked her why no one was attending to a gentleman in the dining room. Perplexed, the waitress asked the chef, ''What gentleman?'' Looking again, the chef was shocked to discover that she was correct. The dining room where he was certain he had seen a man seated only moments before was empty.

A waitress working at Bagdale was surprised one night when the chef asked her why no one was attending to a gentleman in the dining room. Perplexed, the waitress asked the chef, ''What gentleman?'' Looking again, the chef was shocked to discover that she was correct. The dining room where he was certain he had seen a man seated only moments before was empty.

In recent years, another maid had quite the scare whilst changing the sheets in one of the hotel's bedrooms. Hearing noise behind her, she jumped around, startled, only to come face to face with a ghostly figure in old-fashioned clothes.

In recent years, another maid had quite the scare whilst changing the sheets in one of the hotel's bedrooms. Hearing noise behind her, she jumped around, startled, only to come face to face with a ghostly figure in old-fashioned clothes.

So frightened that she had to look away from the figure, yet more shock awaited her, as she looked back to the bed to discover that the sheets she had just laid out there had mysteriously vanished.

So frightened that she had to look away from the figure, yet more shock awaited her, as she looked back to the bed to discover that the sheets she had just laid out there had mysteriously vanished.

According to Paul McDermott's book Whitby Ghosts and Legends, the then current caretakers of Bagdale Hall not only accepted the poltergeist activity occurred, but shared with the author that they named the poltergeist Geoffrey.

According to Paul McDermott's book Whitby Ghosts and Legends, the then current caretakers of Bagdale Hall not only accepted the poltergeist activity occurred, but shared with the author that they named the poltergeist Geoffrey.

Now, nowhere in his book does McDermott mention the intriguing former owner of Percy Shaw Jeffery, but surely the caretakers choosing the same name as the former owner for their poltergeist is too much of a coincidence. Sadly, we are not enlightened as to whether they plucked the name out of thin air, or whether they attribute the odd events to the spirit of the former owner.

Now, nowhere in his book does McDermott mention the intriguing former owner of Percy Shaw Jeffery, but surely the caretakers choosing the same name as the former owner for their poltergeist is too much of a coincidence. Sadly, we are not enlightened as to whether they plucked the name out of thin air, or whether they attribute the odd events to the spirit of the former owner.

After all, having had such an interest in the paranormal in life, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine that he might enjoy coming back to haunt his old home. Percy Shaw Jeffrey isn't the most famous resident of Bagdale Hall, nor is he the most popular contender for the cause of the hauntings.

After all, having had such an interest in the paranormal in life, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine that he might enjoy coming back to haunt his old home. Percy Shaw Jeffrey isn't the most famous resident of Bagdale Hall, nor is he the most popular contender for the cause of the hauntings.

No, that title goes to a much earlier resident, to whom the sightings of another apparition is attributed, a rather grisly apparition whose headless form is seen roaming around the upper floors and perambulating the stairs. And this spectre is thought to belong to the swashbuckling adventurer, Brown Bushel.

No, that title goes to a much earlier resident, to whom the sightings of another apparition is attributed, a rather grisly apparition whose headless form is seen roaming around the upper floors and perambulating the stairs. And this spectre is thought to belong to the swashbuckling adventurer, Brown Bushel.

It is perhaps no wonder that a man as indomitable in life as Brown Bushel wouldn't let a little thing like death get in his way, and it seems to have taken the lack of a corporeal body for Brown to have finally settled down and returned to a life, well, existence anyway, rooted in one spot, his ancestral home of Bagdale Hall.