GHOST HUNTING THE WINSTANLEY HALL

The m o s t Georgina
enduring phantom is believed t o be a nun. May and Winstanley entered a roman catholic convent, t h e
orderofthesacredheart.Ayearlater,Maysuccumbedt o
ubtce.sourislIn 1922, Rosemary Winstanley, aged 8, was walking het corridor from t h e bathroom t o the nursery when she nocitedafiguredressedinwhitemovingsomefeetahead.
Puzezdl , R o s e m a r y f o l l o w e d t h e v i s i t o r u n t i l i t w e n t i n t o t h e Governess'sroom.Sheaskedthenannywhoitwasandwas
toldnottoworryaboutit.
Several yearslater,severalofthechildrencontractedmeasles,soitwasthoughtprudent toisolate themintworoomsofthenurserywing.Bessie,thenurseymaid,wouldoccupy
the governess's room and a bed was set up. One-night, terrifying screams disturbed much. o f t h e household. Bessie h a d suddenly awoken t o s e e a young female a t t h e side o f h e r
bed.Shehadalongwhitedressorrobe,andherfacewasobscuredbyaveil.
I t was later found out that May Winstanley was a novice nun a t the time of her demise and wouldhavehadwhiterobes.Shealsodiscoveredthatthegoverness'sroom(205)usedto belongtoMay.
Thenextknownsightingoccurredin1973.AlanJarvishadrecentlytakenthepositionof caretaker.Onawinter'sdusk,around5pm,hewassweepingthecorridoronthetopfloor whenhenoticeda petitefiguredressedinwhite.Alanaskedwhatshewasdoingwhenthe figure approached him in afluid manner. He dropped his broom and ran along the corridor then down the stairs in record time. It was quite a while before he dared return that eveningbutwhenhedidtherewasnosightofanyone.Afewdayslaterheencountered themagainwhenhefeltlessintimidatedbutwary.Therewasa dozenmoresightingsand Alan took the sensible attitude that whoever it was had as much right t o be there a s him. Apartyofpsychicsspentthenightinthebuildingin1989Theorganiserbroughta video cameratofilmtheproceedings.Theeventsofthenightincludedalargeman,possiblya preacher;aladysittingbya piano;twoladiesinrichballgowns;a 'toff'typecharacter;and a moving misty effect on the top floor. Also witnessed was t h e weird spectacle of invisible hands'playing'withthehairanddressofoneoftheladiesinthegroup.At4am,2ofthe party retired to t h e staff room, waiting for the caretaker. They were almost dozing when theyweredisturbedbya seriesofloudbangsechoingthroughthebuilding.Neitherfelt compelledtoinvestigatebutfeltthatthepsychicshadstirredthingsupabit.