Raikes Hall Ghost Investigation ...
With thanks to the following - Stephen Mercer of http://www.supernaturalevents.co.uk/ who runs the most excellent and informative tours, Andrea C Thomas and her lovely Husband of http://www.raikeshallblackpool.co.uk/ and of course me ! https://www.facebook.com/Juliette-W-Gregson-Photography-206453256037395/ Click the links for more Information about what lies in the depths of history and heritage !
HASSRA Formed in 1935 has traditionally served government departments concerned with health and social security, becoming the Health and Social Security Recreational Association in 1969, but now simply known as HASSRA - and they organize some rather brilliant events...
First a little history about the Hall which is also Grade 2 listed.
Raikes Hall was built in 1760 by William Boucher. Originally a family home with servant quarters, stables and gardens the Hall became a convent in 1860. Myths exist to this day of one of the Sisters of the Holy Child drowning in the lake within the gardens. Could this be the nun that has been seen walking through the Hall or in the bowling green at the rear of current Raikes Hall? I wonder if anyone on the tour last night felt or saw anything when being brave outside in the dark...
After the convent closed the grounds were used for the Blackpool (Horse) Races and from 1871 the lands were owned by Raikes Hall Park, Gardens and Aquarium Company who created the Royal Palace Gardens, an attraction which included an Indian Lounge, a theatre, a ballroom, skating park and much more - see below for some rather vintage images - to the upper right was the driveway entrance - the Salvation Army formally Blackpool Grammar School now stands there. Off center is what now remains as the public house.
With the opening of many other Blackpool attractions including the original
Winter Gardens, visitor numbers decreased and sadly the Royal Palace Gardens
closed and the land sold to housing developers. Today, the Raikes Hall public
house is all that remains. Did you come across the ghost of a man who roams the cellars or hear the screams that have
come from the gardens...
Below a view from Blackpool Tower that shows how vast the land was...
From the Preston Guardian - June 12th 1869 - On Sunday evening last, as some of the inmates at the convent of The Sisters of the Holy Child" were out walking in the grounds adjoining the Convent house, on Raikes-hill, Blackpool, they discovered what seemed to be a bundle, floating in a pond. Having got it out, it was found to be the body of an infant. The police authorities were communicated with, and on Tuesday an inquest was held on a body, at the police-station, Blackpool, before M. Myres. Esq., coroner, and after the evidence had been given, the jury returned a verdict that "The child found in the pond was stillborn."
HASSRA Formed in 1935 has traditionally served government departments concerned with health and social security, becoming the Health and Social Security Recreational Association in 1969, but now simply known as HASSRA - and they organize some rather brilliant events...
First a little history about the Hall which is also Grade 2 listed.
Raikes Hall was built in 1760 by William Boucher. Originally a family home with servant quarters, stables and gardens the Hall became a convent in 1860. Myths exist to this day of one of the Sisters of the Holy Child drowning in the lake within the gardens. Could this be the nun that has been seen walking through the Hall or in the bowling green at the rear of current Raikes Hall? I wonder if anyone on the tour last night felt or saw anything when being brave outside in the dark...
After the convent closed the grounds were used for the Blackpool (Horse) Races and from 1871 the lands were owned by Raikes Hall Park, Gardens and Aquarium Company who created the Royal Palace Gardens, an attraction which included an Indian Lounge, a theatre, a ballroom, skating park and much more - see below for some rather vintage images - to the upper right was the driveway entrance - the Salvation Army formally Blackpool Grammar School now stands there. Off center is what now remains as the public house.
Below a view from Blackpool Tower that shows how vast the land was...
From the Preston Guardian - June 12th 1869 - On Sunday evening last, as some of the inmates at the convent of The Sisters of the Holy Child" were out walking in the grounds adjoining the Convent house, on Raikes-hill, Blackpool, they discovered what seemed to be a bundle, floating in a pond. Having got it out, it was found to be the body of an infant. The police authorities were communicated with, and on Tuesday an inquest was held on a body, at the police-station, Blackpool, before M. Myres. Esq., coroner, and after the evidence had been given, the jury returned a verdict that "The child found in the pond was stillborn."
Below a more recent image taken by myself that shows the Salvation Army building ...
Below some of the group that participated in a seance with a few ladies and gents experiencing drops in temperature, being nudged and poked by someone or something..
Would be delighted to hear of anything else that happened during the investigation - do feel free to drop a line.
A bit more information for you...Mr Butcher, apparently, was a rather shady character who dragged himself from poverty into riches overnight, under suspicious circumstances. There was gossip about his surreptitious visits to the beach in the small hours, following a shipwreck containing the ‘wealth of three sisters’.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Thornber, however: “Fame, moreover, adds that providence did not permit this dishonesty, in appropriating the property of others, to go unpunished.”
Butcher’s son was, apparently, mentally ill. As Thornber continues: “He shunned the light of day, and was tormented with the horrible fancy that an industrious cordwainer had taken up his abode, and laboured at his daily task, within his body.”
Novel, you've got to admit.
Indeed - nice to add the information the archive - thanks for that :O)
ReplyDeleteI managed the Raikes Hall pub for a while and rumour had it that there was a now closed "secret" tunnel that ran to the Number 3 pub. I often got the feeling that someone else was in the cellar whenever i went down there to change a barrel and often heard strange noises
ReplyDeleteWe shall be returning in the near future - interesting to note from a few prev owners/employers - about what happens - and more or less the same tales !
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHi, i was at the HASSRA evening. I purposely did not read anything or know anything before the evening. When i first arrived upstairs i didnt like the bar area....also outside i didnt like the back of the bowling sheds near the advertising sign especially. I felt a dragging feeling. I didnt like the end of ghe building when i looked up either....i believe that to be the other side of the locked door now after the event. I didnt get much down in the cellar until the ouija session. I was all of a sudden really cold as though i was in a fridge or worse. I couldnt breathe. I felt rooted to the spot i was observing from and held my arms in a cross over my chest as id heard somewhere that if you feel scared of spirit do this to protect..havent got a clue how true that is though. Upstairs seance felt a different kind of cold and i could smell an old leather smell. I didnt see anything nor did the tools ie crystals work for me...i seemed to go on intuition and my own feeling.
ReplyDeletesome of the history does explain your feelings I think , I will be returning to gather some more info and a follow up after speaking with Andrea :O)
ReplyDelete