The following page should, of course, have really fallen into the category of 'Ghosts At Work' (found elsewhere in these archives), but we find that - coming to now check our files - the W.M.G.C. has been involved in so many 'shop' related cases over the years.... well, the subject surely now merits a section of it's very own!?  

As with any allegedly haunted situation, the 'shop ghost' can seemingly manifest in a myriad different ways..... from  the likes of 'footsteps' in a Sandwell furniture emporium, to eggs mysteriously being placed on individual steps of a staircase in a Walsall 'greasy-spoon';  we believe that we've pretty much come across it all!, possibly!!  Laugh!!!  In fact, we now find that we have been involved with so many different cases in this particular genre that quite a few will probably not be listed here - for the sake of brevity and eye-sight - or, at least, as with the aforementioned, only touched on in passing, perhaps? 

We hasten to add that - as with all of the matters mentioned on this website - the W.M.G.C. are not reporting on general stories heard, willy-nilly, from around the region, but matters that we have 'personally' been involved with (albeit to varying degrees) at different points throughout the club history........  

 

One of the groups most recent 'retail-related' adventures came as an invite from the owners of the shop in question in 2009.  The group was initially contacted and asked to investigate the site by its owners in the early Autumn, but news of the haunting was carried by a local newspaper prior to our being able to visit the site.  This coverage served to alert another local group to the matter, which resulted in their conducting their own investigation at the shop before the W.M.G.C. could react to our own invite.

It should be mentioned that a lot of the alleged activity at the shop concerned was reported as being 'picked up' in conjunction with 'sensitive' or 'psychic-types', so the data concerned has to surely be treated accordingly.  Activity reported at the site included the regular smell of cigarette smoke, which is said to have been experienced by a number of people visiting the building at the same time.  This activity had been ascribed (by one sensitive) to the spirit of a man called Edward and - when the smoke is now subsequently detected - 'he' is politely asked by staff to conduct his anti-social habit elsewhere...!!  Laugh!!  And, apparently, this is said to work!!

The sound of footsteps have been heard by more than one person in empty rooms above the shop and a feeling of being watched from a first floor, rear window reported by people using the nearby car park. On one occasion - but one occasion only - one of the owners says she looked back at the property to see a vague face staring down at her from the aperture in question. The shop was locked and completely empty at this time. During the investigation held by the other local group, one of their members also spoke of seeing someone passing a ground floor window at the rear of the premises....

It goes without saying that any spooks associated with the shop were impeccably behaved at the time of our investigation and not even the slightest whiff of a Woodbine was detected!  Laugh!!  Such is the lot of the 'objective' investigator, however!!!

As in the case mentioned above, the sound of supposedly inexplicable 'footsteps' feature in a lot of hauntings.  In the Sandwell matter noted at the very beginning of this page, this was the 'only' phenomenon reported at the site in question...... the sound of someone seemingly walking across the floor of completely empty rooms situated above the shop floor.  Also, as in a lot of other hauntings, the activity concerned only seemed to manifest sporadically - with considerable 'gaps' in time in between each 'manifestation' (for wont of a better word).  At the time that the group became involved with this case in the mid-90's, one such spate had recently begun, it seems, leaving the shop owner utterly perturbed and somewhat rattled........!

Even more perplexing - potentially - is a case of 'ghostly feet' reported to the group at one store in the Walsall region.... no footsteps, just a pair of 'disembodied feet', seen climbing the last few steps of an open staircase and disappearing from sight around a bend at the top.....  We were told that most of the staff at this former mens clothing store had witnessed this phenomenon, along with partial, fleeting apparitions on the shop floor itself and some mild examples of poltergeist-like-disturbance.  A staircase also features in another haunting at yet another shop in the Walsall area - though this phantom is said to be much more subtle, only making it's presence known in the form of a 'disturbing atmosphere', mid-way up the stairway.  Speaking with people who knew the property over the space of many years, we were told that the site had seen an outbreak of poltergeist activity during the 1970's - seemingly beginning after a specific event occurred at the building - though this kind of phenomenon is something that more recent owners say they have had no experience of whatsoever.....?  

Footsteps and staircases again feature in an allegedly haunted site that the W.M.G.C. have a succession of records of, dating back through various owners, to the early 1970's.  The shop itself has completely changed - with regards to it's usage and purpose - with each, successive owner, but the alleged phenomenon has steadily continued!  In our earliest reference, it seems that a considerable amount of poltergeist-like activity was experienced by staff on the shop-floor itself, along with disturbing feelings and footsteps on a stairwell in the delivery / stores portion of the property.

 

For many years simply regarded as a site of potential interest, we were personally 'introduced to the shop' by a reference from a friend - a regular customer at the store - who informed us: "There's definitely something going on there.... get your skates on!!" Laugh!!! A brief 'skate' later and the, then current, staff were more than happy to fill us in on their experiences!  Laugh!!

What had (as mentioned) seemingly begun as a fairly minor poltergeist effect had, over subsequent years, developed into something more tangible and had transmogrified into more of a 'haunting' scenario.  Then current staff had apparently been seeing the figure of a girl in period costume around the premises, accompanied by the more usual movement of stock, footsteps, uncanny feelings and so on. One person interviewed by the group said that she had the distinct impression that someone had been standing close-by, one day … and had turned to find the figure of the girl right next to her!!!  On being discovered, the girl is said to have simply vanished before the witness' eyes!!!!

Contact with a more recent manager of the store provided us with further information, including an apparent increase of activity mentioned in conjunction with the stores area stairwell and staff room.  We were told that people working in the shop never liked going into the regions concerned unaccompanied....  Supposedly,  a number of other shops in the general area of the site in question are also said to suffer from peculiar happenings, though, as the W.M.G.C. have never been involved with these places in a first-hand capacity, we are not really in a position to comment on their respective stories currently.          

One of the most interesting cases to come to the attention of the W.M.G.C. concerned a property in a Black Country town, which was allegedly the site of much poltergeist-like activity, reported over the space of some 2 years.  Our involvement began with comparatively 'small beginnings' - a brief reference being passed on to a group member during an unrelated matter - and, upon following up this lead a little while later, the club was made to feel most welcome and repeatedly allowed to visit / investigate the site.   What is of key importance with this site is that quite 'remarkable incidents' occurred during the above-mentioned visits, 'in front of' W.M.G.C. members and on 'numerous' occasions.......

 

As a brief introduction to the store itself, it should be mentioned that (according to local, contemporary folklore) the previous occupants of the premises had also, supposedly, reported ghostly activity during the time of their residency.  (This could not be verified by group members, it has to be said, as no contact details could be found for the previous business / staff, etc).  It was suggested by our contacts that 'neighbouring' businesses and shops had also suffered similar activity;  a fact potentially supported by data mentioned to the group a number of years later, during a wholly unrelated investigation!  (Though, more on that to follow, below).

With regards to activity at the shop, we were told that a catalogue of - seemingly quite typical - poltergeist effects had been occurring, including both the movement of objects (in front of numerous witnesses), degrees of 'mischievous behaviour' and displays of remarkably destructive intent. The latter is said to have occurred with such force and apparent determination, that it genuinely caused upset and fear of physical harm in many witnesses.

Rather than make a 'list' of some of the incidents that were simply 'told to group members' here, we shall mention some of 'our' experiences while visiting the site.... all quite 'typical' of the day to day occurrences reported at the store:

During our first ever visit, a group member was speaking on his mobile phone, when a large, permanent marker pen was clearly seen to fly across a section of the shop-floor (by him) and hit a rack full of stock.......           

On another visit, a group member was conversing with staff when a bottle of pop was heard landing on the floor about 10 or so feet to his right.  On a recording running at the time, a female staff member is clearly heard to say:  "Oh, where's that come from?....... It's XXX's pop".  A medium size, half filled plastic bottle of coke had landed in an area between the right end of the shop counter and a nearby section of racking.  A short while later and the group member and a staff member are looking at some lighting in the store when a metal bracket is heard, seemingly flying across the room and striking a metal rack.  Again, a short while later and a 'clump' noise draws the attention of two witnesses to an area of the shop floor and, as they look, a pair of boots are witnessed falling to the ground, having hit one of the floor-to-ceiling pillars.

During the same visit, the group member present is walking with a female staff member when 'a knife' flew past the left hand side of his head - missing him by a matter of inches! (It was a blunt, eating-style knife of solid metal. By weight alone, it would have delivered a fair 'knock' if it had hit him!) The knife dropped - in a natural arc - and landed on the floor in front of the member. Perplexed, he joked that "Someone is 'trying to knife him!" and, on retrieving the knife, finds that its blade feels slightly warm.

A matter of mild irony occurs during out next visit to the site, when we are told that some maintenance men are working inside the shop and it would be preferred that they did not find out about the strange goings-on there.  However, within minutes of our being told the latter-mentioned, an energy saving bulb - from the ladies toilet - is shattered against the High Street window of the shop! There were approx. 7 - 9 witnesses in the immediate area at time, but no one saw the bulb in flight!

While equipment is being set up for a recording session, the previously mentioned 'flying knife' is requested - for use as a trigger object - but, despite a search, it is not currently found in its normal place.  The decision is made to proceed without the knife, but - while kit is still being set up - the knife falls to the floor between shelving on the shop floor and a boot (one of those which gets thrown around a lot!) hit the door to the premises, landing just inside the doorway. Again, the handle of the knife is found to be mildly warm.   A little while later and two group members and a staff member hear a loud clatter from one end of the shop floor. A sizeable screwdriver has apparently been thrown onto the top surface of a table situated at the right hand side of the staff room door - directly in front of the shop floor door - causing the sound heard.  The screwdriver seemingly belongs to one of the maintenance men currently working at the counter. He had supposedly only just put it down on the counter!

 

During the same visit, staff members and one of the maintenance men are standing around the counter area chatting. (2 W.M.G.C. members are situated in the back of the store). A male and a female staff member are standing side-by-side, with the maintenance man - directly facing - conversing with them.  Suddenly, a red, fleece top is said to have 'flown up' - from behind the staff - travelling right over their heads! (A rack containing such items is situated directly behind them).  Again, not long afterwards, a pack-a-mac style coat is found to have been rolled up in it's carrying pouch and is now hanging from it's carrying cord, around the neck of one of the mannequins in the shop window.  Staff ask club members if we have possibly put it there - as some form of experiment, perhaps - but one of the group says that he noticed it hanging in that position earlier in the afternoon. The coats concerned are situated - not rolled up - on a free standing rack near the end of the counter.......

Throughout the history of 'the disturbances', at least 3 vicars have visited the site, along with numerous psychics / mediums and even a Hindu holy-man.  As mentioned previously, some of the activity is decidedly prank-like - and, as such, moderately amusing and entertaining - while other reported effects can only be construed as 'downright dangerous'!  Customers to the store have been struck by quite heavy objects - plastic bottles full of liquid and so forth - while other have had 'near misses' with the likes of ceramic mugs and glass milk bottles!!  One regional manager actually refused to work at the site any more, after being struck forcibly in the back of the head by a heavy boot travelling at speed!  Even considering the milder aspects of the destruction reported, entire racks of stock have been damaged (clothing sprayed down with the contents of a fire extinguisher and such), furniture and electrical equipment regularly damaged and literally scores of light-bulbs smashed, showering the work / shopping area with shards of glass.......!

For once, it seems that we can possibly offer some form of definitive ending to the above case, however, as, within recent years, we are told that the ministrations of a local vicar - working in conjunction with a psychic - has now, officially ended the activity concerned!?  The matter has been the focus of at least one mention in print (a book written by the medium concerned) and a number of newspaper and magazine articles.

Returning to possible evidence for other haunting activity in the general region involved, we have to skim forward a couple of years to an interview being carried out with a Willenhall lady, primarily concerning a presumed haunting at her home.  As frequently happens, during the course of a visit, the subject of experiences related to other sites was broached and the woman begins relating details of peculiar activity connected with one of her previous work-places......

It transpires that the woman used to be a stock supervisor at a store a very few yards from the site covered above and a considerable amount of inexplicable activity appears to have been reported from the 'stores' area of the shop.  She was told never to lock up the store by herself, but had done so on a couple of occasions when the need had arisen.  The task was always carried out with some trepidation.  

On one occasion - approaching Christmas-time - she had been walking through the stock room when a pair of heavy fire doors had burst open, of their own volition, and a nearby Christmas tree was thrown to one side after flying up in the air.  She had the clear impression that something was travelling towards her..... saying that she could literally feel the force of it's approach.    Needless to say, she had done what anyone would have done in that position.... and exited the building as quickly as her legs could carry her!!!

There were rumours within the working community that a 'white lady' was said to haunt the store - though no suggestions seem to have been made as to 'why' that particular 'ghost-motif' would be experienced there......?               

Yet another vague reference - that quickly developed into something infinitely more substantial - began with a 'friend of a friend' story involving a large, popular 'superstore' situated in the Black Country area. The case concerned started with a group member being informed of 'something strange' seemingly appearing on store security cameras over the 2008 / 09, New Year period......

 

In the late hours of New Years Eve, the alarm system at the store in question was triggered twice. A response team was dispatched to the site on both occasions - approx. 4.5 hours apart - but nothing was discovered to account for the tripping of the alarms and the system concerned was re-set on both occasions. On the following day, security officers checked over the CCTV footage for the store and discovered an 'anomaly' present on the recordings corresponding to the entrance area of the store. Initial reports reaching the W.M.G.C. mentions circular, smoke-like effects seen passing in front of the camera and a 'definite' figure on the footage.

In the days that followed, a group member spoke with the general manager of the store and we were asked to visit them and view the footage concerned.  During this conversation, it was ascertained that the store had a reputation for 'strange goings on' among the staff members and that the ground on which the store stood had once belonged to a local celebrity.  This was of particular interest to the group, as we had been aware of an alleged haunting associated with this land for many years.

On viewing the footage concerned, it was noted that data noted in the initial report was somewhat erroneous.

At 10.20 pm on New Year Eve, a peculiar effect appears on footage obtained by a (foyer based) camera (mounted above / left of foyer to store doors) which is pointing towards the external doors from foyer to car park area. The effect concerned is a vague distortion in the left hand side of the footage. Not identifiable as transient mist / smoke effect - i.e. drifting past camera, etc - but a semi-transparent distortion that gives an impression of moving around slightly in the same portion of the image.

Unfortunately, the image is not of the best quality and actually trying to identify the focus of the distortion to any real extent is hindered by the pixelation of the image, which appears especially bad around where the effect is appearing.

After some minutes of this effect remaining on screen, the doors leading from the foyer into the store itself - automatic, on a PIR sensor - are seen to open and close of their own volition. With the (recording) camera mounted above and to the left of the doors concerned, the action of the doors is clearly seen reflected in the glass of the foyer / car park doors immediately opposite. It is the action of the doors opening and closing that sets off the building alarm system. (The response team are subsequently seen on the footage entering the building, etc).

Viewing the rest of the footage on fast forward, the distortion effect appears again later on in the recording, and the foyer / store doors are seen to open and close again at 2.46 am (New Years Day) - once again resulting in the security team attending the premises.

The general manager tells us that CCTV specialists had been out to look at the camera in the days following and could not explain the effect. No faults were found with the equipment and nothing was found on the camera lens, etc.

At this point in our visit, a member of staff - who has worked at the store (on and off) for thirty years - was interviewed. He said that, many years ago, he had been in the store overnight to supervise a maintenance crew conducting repairs. After the crew had finished, he had let them out of the building (some time around 2 a.m.) and had busied himself with chores to while away the hours until security arrived around 6 a.m. At one point, he had been on an upstairs landing in the store and had seen the figure of an elderly gentleman standing nearby. He could make out a woolly, brown coat and grey trousers - and a large bunch of keys hanging from a ring fastened to his belt. He had called out to the man - thinking it was a workmate who had come in early - but the figure didn't respond and walked away, out of sight. He had gone to look for the man, but couldn't find anyone on the premises.

A day or so later, a work colleague bought a book into the store dedicated to local history and, on leafing through the book, the above-mentioned witness saw a photograph of the previous owner of the store site. He identified this as the man he had recently seen… the figure in the photograph wearing a large ring, loaded with keys, attached to his belt.

On a later occasion, he had been working in the store overnight and had felt a chill suddenly come over him. He apparently turned around and saw a mist-like effect travelling along the aisle towards him. He had immediately fled the scene and took refuge in the canteen area. On later returning to the shop floor he had witnessed a number of Kit-Kat chocolate bars seemingly fall off a shelf of their own volition.  On describing the mist-effect he had seen, he likened it strongly to the distortion caught on the CCTV footage.

We were told that, over the years, a number of people had experienced different things at the site, another ex-staff member (named) having reported seeing a figure whilst working in the store overnight. An Asian staff member is said to have been working in the foyer at one point recently - serving a customer - when a number of shopping trolleys had apparently moved on their own. The customer is said to have fled the scene.

At this point during our visit, there is a suggestion that the face of a woman has been seen on the CCTV footage by certain staff members, so the tape is duly re-viewed again. No sign of a woman wearing a bonnet is seen - no effect suggesting such an image found, etc - and it is discovered that a recording from a second camera covering the foyer area (including the region covered by the first cam) has recently been wiped clean......

 

Another intriguing - and most peculiar - shop-related matter came to the group via a reference, in late 2004, from an historian friend, who told us of a peculiar experience (then recently) reported to them by a local business owner.  Apparently, the gentleman concerned - we shall call him John - and his mother were standing in their shop one day and had both seen 'something inexplicable' pass across the entrance hall of the property.  Needless to say, we were intrigued by the reference and paid a visit to the site concerned the very next day.

At the time of our initial visit, John was not on the premises, but his mother, Sue, was looking after the shop. After introducing ourselves and explaining the purpose of our visit, Sue was happy to explain what had occurred during their shared experience.

Firstly, it should be explained that the shop itself is an old house, with the entrance leading off a street into a passageway (possibly some 10 feet in length) with the main floor of the shop through a doorway at the direct, opposite end of the passage. As you enter the passageway from the street door, there is a staircase up to the first floor to your immediate right. As you walk past the stairway, along the passage, you eventually come to a door on your left, which leads into a square, front room to the shop (usually containing stock, etc). Directly opposite the doorway to this front room is a short passageway which leads to a cellar door (under the stairs) and another ground floor room.

At the time of their experience, both Sue and John had been standing at the counter of the shop, facing towards the entrance passage. Sue says that they were dealing with a customer at the time, when a 'figure' stepped from the entrance passageway into the front room of the shop. She described the figure as 4.5 to 5 feet in height and appeared to have been made out of something which resembled 'smoke'. It was in the shape of a human figure, but she said that you couldn't determine the sex, etc. She believed that it appeared to be stooped over and dark in appearance. She and John had immediately looked at each other, as if in a 'Did you just see that!?' fashion.

She then informed us that a couple of visiting Spiritualists had said that there were a man and a woman present in the front room of the shop (into which she had seen the figure walking). The psychics said that the female was associated with the former owner of the shop, while the male was possibly associated with John himself. Apparently, when he was told the latter, John has seemingly found himself being pushed from the chair he was sitting on.

Sue said that their business had been housed in these premises since the late 1960's and the building had, over the years, been utilised for different purposes. There was a rumour that someone had hanged themselves, upstairs, in the property during the Victorian period.

Almost 2 weeks later, another visit was made to the shop and, on this occasion, we were able to speak with John about his experience. This time, it was Sue who was not on the premises. Without any form of prompting from us, John related his version of events, which, he said, had occurred around 12 to 18 months earlier.

The figure that John had seen was described as being around the height of the visiting group member, which is approximately 5 feet 10 or 11 inches. He described the figure as being in the shape of a man and seemingly made from wisps or swirls of smoke. Regarding the latter, he said that this had been 'ectoplasm'..... but he hadn't know what ectoplasm was at the time of the sighting(?)

While explaining the experience, it was interesting to note that John clearly described the figure as travelling in the 'opposite' direction to that described by Sue. He said that the figure had 'come out' of the front room of the shop, across the passageway and into a room directly opposite (at the end of the short, cellar passage).

After seeing the figure, he said that neither of them had actually said anything to each other for some while.  John later offered the information that 'occult practices' had taken place in the building in the past and repeated the hanging story initially mentioned by Sue.

It is needless to mention that the most intriguing aspect of this story are the discrepancies between the two, key witness statements.  It is intriguing to note that this is, frequently, a fairly common aspect of  'ghost sightings'.... the reasons for which may be numerous and not so clear-cut as one might initially imagine, perhaps.  It would be easy, of course, for some to suggest that the above story is a work of pure fiction - leading to the irregularities in the witness testimony.  However, looking at this objectively, is it really too much to ask anyone intending to bother to fabricate any form of story to actually 'put their heads together' long enough as to invent something that they could both recall accurately?  Remember, it has not been suggested to group members that the shop itself is 'haunted' in any way... and, if deceit were intended, surely more would have been made of such a situation - more effort made to 'bolster' the situation - and it seems that the only people ever to have been told about the matter was our historian acquaintance and, now, W.M.G.C. Members!?

The realm of ghost sightings is littered with tales of apparent 'group-ghost-encounters' where each of the witnesses involved seem to have seen something noticeably different to each other......  In some instances, some of the people within the given group witness the same thing, while others report having seen something totally different..... while others present at the same time and facing in the same direction see nothing at all......?  Of course, the devout sceptic can have a field day with such data - while a more open-minded soul might, perhaps, look towards theories regarding ghost sightings as being something not actually seen with the naked eye per se, but appearing as something 'projected' into the minds eye of the recipient and thus being left open to a degree of 'personal' interpretation, possibly?

 

Whatever the foundations behind this incident, it is interesting to relate that the shop involved falls into an area that has long been of interest to group members.  (An area mentioned in other articles on this site).  To recap, it is a particular section of a Black Country town where  quite a number of haunted sites are situated - in relatively close proximity to one another - with many of the ghost sightings reported seemingly involving descriptions which appear to tally with one another (despite no blatant connections between each of the sites involved and coming to the group from unrelated sources, years apart!?)

With this in mind, it is stunning to note that the 'form' described by Sue above, most definitely relates to other sightings reported from the region by other (again, seemingly unrelated) people over a considerable space of time.....?

In 2008, club members conducted an investigation of a popular clothing and accessories shop in the Wolverhampton area.  Staff members had contacted us independently around that time, to relate tales of peculiar goings-on in the property, and a quick conversation with the 'powers that be' soon led to an invite.

The shop manager told us that, some years ago, during her first week at the shop, she found herself being 'pushed backwards into a chair', whilst serving a customer. She described the sensation as if someone had invisible walked through her and knocked her backwards. Seeking the (then) manager of the premises, she had said: 'This place is haunted, isn't it?'

'Well…… we didn't want to tell you….!' Came the sheepish reply!

Since this point, she has experienced a number of other peculiar happenings at the shop, including the sighting of a man in a black suit and white shirt in the kitchen area.

Staff members have reported movement of stock, display stands rotating on their own - stopping and starting - and a clock falling from a wall with it's moorings still intact. A smell of cinnamon has been detected at times and a girls voice heard; possibly relating to the figure of a young woman seen standing near the changing rooms one Saturday morning.

One recurring incident at the shop is the top floor light being found 'on' when they lock the shop up for the night. Prior to leaving the building, staff instinctively check that all lighting has been turned 'off' - but still, often, the top floor lights are found switched 'on'……?

Once again, we try and end this section with a rather 'pleasant' sounding matter and refer to a story sent in to us in mid-2004.  The experience concerned was simply one of those one-off encounters that you tend to hear a lot of - an innocent 'snippet-in-time-style-scenario'.

Our correspondent was visiting a small shop in Blackheath - a place she was wholly familiar with, as a regular customer - when she saw the figure of a man pass close by a member of staff who was busy stocking shelves......  The staff member reacted as the figure passed, despite having seen nothing at all of the man - only 'sensed' his passing by, seemingly - and our witness pointed out that he had walked quickly into the back room of the tiny shop......

Mystified, the girl checked the area concerned, a small room with only one way in and out, but there was no one to be seen!!!  The figure had completely vanished!!!

 

The witness described the man as wearing what appeared to be a black cloak and a black, slouch hat - exactly the same as a character she recalled from seeing in her childhood..... the rather famous figure from the 'Sandeman Port' bottle labels!  She informs us that she never failed to keep an eye out when she visited the shop subsequently - hoping for a repeat performance - but she had not seen the enigmatic figure since.......

A visit to the shop in question by a group member revealed that the above experience had occurred some 7 or so years previously, but it was an event that they weren't likely to forget, under such circumstances!  While no one else appears to have seen the figure concerned, or any other, for that matter, staff did admit that small, peculiar things did happen on the premises - such as the movement of objects.......

So.... the next time that you happen to 'pop to the corner shop' for a bottle of milk and some chocolate digestives..... be sure to keep you eyes peeled, as you never really know what might be going on around you!!!  Laugh!!!