8 Team Members and 24 Guests – Write up by Team Member Kit Brewer.
A welcome return to this great venue in Sheffield. With so many keen ghost hunting guests, it was going to be a good night.
On my initial lone walk around I felt quite sick on the top floor near the police motorbike and noted that there was quite a bit of external street noise from outside. Something to take note of for the rest of the investigation.
During the Health & Safety walk-round with the museum staff I felt queasy again by the police bike and adjacent display room, with a pain in my head and small of my back & felt suddenly quite cold. The bike is used as a simulator ‘ride’ during the day but was supposed to be switched off at the mains at night. However it did turn on when the button was pressed. Museum staff were not sure how it was still on. Could this prove to be paranormal? Or just a forgotten switch left on? We’ll see!
Once we split into our 2 groups, myself, Linda and Sammi took our guests upstairs, splitting again into another 2 smaller groups to do vigils on the top and first floor. Our group tried a Ouija board session in the Fire Department display room with interesting results. The names ‘Jerry’ and ‘Ernie Ferry’ came through. Both seemingly police officers. When asking out for what year it was, one guest felt a ‘hand’ on her shoulder. Another guest felt suddenly warm. The year ‘1932’ was spelled out. Also the letters ‘VIP’ several times. Asked “Did the Queen visit you?” The answer was a resounding YES.
On checking, later, it would appear that the Queen Mother, and Mary, Princess Royal did both visit the area in 1932 and 1937. Visits which would, of course, have involved a great many serving police officers at the time.
Switching to the top floor now where Sammi’s group had got a fair bit of activity with the K2s etc, one of our group, a medium, told me that during the initial welcome talk on the 1st floor, she had seen a man standing by me and had received the name ‘William Lewis’. Not a name I am personally familiar with. She was not sure if he was associated with me or the building. Having looked into it, I could not find anyone of that name associated with the building. At least 3 other guests picked up on the name ‘James’ who appeared to be a boy aged around 8. Possibly died in or around the building in a fall which broke his neck. A guest also picked up an a lady ‘Sarah’ who may or may not have been related to the boy. We sang nursery rhymes and hope to play back the voice recorder soon to hear if any response was received from that via EVP. – Watch this space!
The rempod was pretty active when we called out by the police bike. I cannot clarify whether or not this may have been caused by wiring beneath the carpet to the ‘ride’ mechanism of the bike during the day time. Although it wasn’t going off continually, it did seem to be in response to our calling out. I asked the museum staff about the bike and was told that the police officer whose bike it was, had been killed in an accident on the bike. This may well explain that feeling of sickness and cold I and some other guests had experienced when close to it. Who knows!
Interestingly, during the break time when I spoke to the guests from the other group, some of them had also picked up on the names ‘James’ and ‘William’. Two characters who seemed to be making their presences known to all this evening.
Another name that came through via some glasswork was ‘Edward Stephen Marsh’.
Ann Marie’s group had some interesting responses via the paranormal music box and shadowy figures were seen via the night vision goggles. The number ’22’ was heard via the voice recorder and shortly afterwards the number ’24’. There were 24 guests. Was spirit counting us out maybe?
When we took our group downstairs to the police cell area, one guest received comforting reassurance via the Ouija board about a family matter. Then, along with a smell of urine & faeces (!!) the guests seemed to be communicating with a vagrant called ‘Trevor’. The K2 in the room was going off, as was the rempod in the corridor outside. There was also a loud bang at one point which we could not explain.
At the end of the evening which seemed to pass very quickly, all the guests seemed to have enjoyed themselves. Many saying they would definitely return to investigate with us again, which is fantastic to hear.
Next event is at the fabulous Armley Mills in Leeds. Always an unnerving venue, even by daylight. Dare you join us after dark to be locked in? Tickets are still available. Get involved!