1772. “An authentic, _candid, and circumstancial_ narrative _of the_
astonishing transactions _at_ Stockwell, _in the county of Surry, on
Monday and Tuesday, the 6th and 7th days of_ January, 1772,
_containing a series of the most surprising and unaccountable_ events
_that ever happened; which continued from first to last upwards of
twenty hours, and at different places. Published with the consent and
approbation of the family, and other parties concerned, to
authenticate which, the original Copy is signed by them._”
This is the title of an octavo tract published in “London, printed for
J. Marks, bookseller, in St. Martin’s-lane, 1772.” It describes Mrs.
Golding, an elderly lady, at Stockwell, in whose house the transactions
happened, as a woman of unblemished honour and character; her niece,
Mrs. Pain, as the wife of a farmer at Brixton-causeway, the mother of
several children, and well known and respected in the parish; Mary
Martin as an elderly woman, servant to Mr. and Mrs. Pain, with whom she
had lived two years, having previously lived four years with Mrs.
Golding, from whom she went into Mrs. Pain’s service; and Richard Fowler
and Sarah, his wife, as an honest, industrious, and sober couple, who
lived about opposite to Mr. Pain, at the Brick-pound. These were the
subscribing witnesses to many of the surprising transactions, which were
likewise witnessed by some others. Another person who bore a principal
part in these scenes was Ann Robinson, aged about twenty years, who had
lived servant with Mrs. Golding but one week and three days. The
“astonishing transactions” in Mrs. Golding’s house were these:
On Twelfth-day 1772, about ten o’clock in the forenoon, as Mrs. Golding
was in her parlour, she heard the china and glasses in the back kitchen
tumble down and break; her maid came to her and told her the stone
plates were falling from the shelf; Mrs. Golding went into the kitchen
and saw them broke. Presently after, a row of plates from the next shelf
fell down likewise, while she was there, and nobody near them; this
astonished her much, and while she was thinking about it, other things
in different places began to tumble about, some of them breaking,
attended with violent noises all over the house; a clock tumbled down
and the case broke; a lantern that hung on the staircase was thrown down
and the glass broke to pieces; an earthen pan of salted beef broke to
pieces and the beef fell about; all this increased her surprise, and
brought several persons about her, among whom was Mr. Rowlidge, a
carpenter, who gave it as his opinion that the foundation was giving way
and that the house was tumbling down, occasioned by the too great weight
of an additional room erected above: “so ready,” says the narrative,
“are we to discover natural causes for every thing!”
Mrs. Golding ran into Mr. Gresham’s house, next door to her, where she
fainted, and in the interim, Mr. Rowlidge, and other persons, were
removing Mrs. Golding’s effects from her house, for fear of the
consequences prognosticated. At this time all was quiet; Mrs. Golding’s
maid remaining in her house, was gone up stairs, and when called upon
several times to come down, for fear of the dangerous situation she was
thought to be in, she answered very coolly, and after some time came
down deliberately, without any seeming fearful apprehensions.
Mrs. Pain was sent for from Brixton-causeway, and desired to come
directly, as her aunt was supposed to be dead;--this was the message to
_her_. When Mrs. Pain came, Mrs. Golding was come to herself, but very
faint from terror.
Among the persons who were present, was Mr. Gardner, a surgeon, of
Clapham, whom Mrs. Pain desired to bleed her aunt, which he did; Mrs.
Pain asked him if the blood should be thrown away; he desired it might
not, as he would examine it when cold. These minute particulars would
not be taken notice of, but as a chain to what follows. For the next
circumstance is of a more astonishing nature than any thing that had
preceded it; the blood that was just congealed, sprung out of the basin
upon the floor, and presently after the basin broke to pieces; this
china basin was the only thing broke belonging to Mr. Gresham; a bottle
of rum that stood by it broke at the same time.
Among the things that were removed to Mr. Gresham’s was a tray full of
china, &c., a japan bread-basket, some mahogany waiters, with some
bottles of liquors, jars of pickles, &c. and a pier glass, which was
taken down by Mr. Saville, (a neighbour of Mrs. Golding’s;) he gave it
to one Robert Hames, who laid it on the grass-plat at Mr. Gresham’s; but
before he could put it out of his hands, some parts of the frame on each
side flew off; it raining at that time, Mrs. Golding desired it might be
brought into the parlour, where it was put under a side-board, and a
dressing-glass along with it; it had not been there long before the
glasses and china which stood on the side-board, began to tumble about
and fall down, and broke both the glasses to pieces. Mr. Saville and
others being asked to drink a glass of wine or rum, both the bottles
broke in pieces before they were uncorked.
Mrs. Golding’s surprise and fear increasing, she did not know what to do
or where to go; wherever she and her maid were, these strange,
destructive circumstances followed her, and how to help or free herself
from them, was not in her power or any other person’s present: her mind
was one confused chaos, lost to herself and every thing about her, drove
from her own home, and afraid there would be none other to receive her,
she at last left Mr. Gresham’s, and went to Mr. Mayling’s, a gentleman
at the next door, here she staid about three quarters of an hour, during
which time nothing happened. Her maid staid at Mr. Gresham’s, to help
put up what few things remained unbroken of her mistress’s, in a back
apartment, when a jar of pickles that stood upon a table, turned upside
down, then a jar of raspberry jam broke to pieces.
Mrs. Pain, not choosing her aunt should stay too long at Mr. Mayling’s,
for fear of being troublesome, persuaded her to go to her house at Rush
Common, near Brixton-causeway, where she would endeavour to make her as
happy as she could, hoping by this time all was over, as nothing had
happened at that gentleman’s house while she was there. This was about
two o’clock in the afternoon.
Mr. and Miss Gresham were at Mr. Pain’s house, when Mrs. Pain, Mrs.
Golding, and her maid went there. It being about dinner time they all
dined together; in the interim Mrs. Golding’s servant was sent to her
house to see how things remained. When she returned, she told them
nothing had happened since they left it. Sometime after Mr. and Miss
Gresham went home, every thing remaining quiet at Mr. Pain’s: but about
eight o’clock in the evening a fresh scene began; the first thing that
happened was, a whole row of pewter dishes, except one, fell from off a
shelf to the middle of the floor, rolled about a little while, then
settled, and as soon as they were quiet, turned upside down; they were
then put on the dresser, and went through the same a second time: next
fell a whole row of pewter plates from off the second shelf over the
dresser to the ground, and being taken up and put on the dresser one in
another, they were thrown down again. Two eggs were upon one of the
pewter shelves, one of them flew off, crossed the kitchen, struck a cat
on the head, and then broke to pieces.
Next Mary Martin, Mrs. Pain’s servant, went to stir the kitchen fire,
she got to the right hand side of it, being a large chimney as is usual
in farm houses, a pestle and mortar that stood nearer the left hand end
of the chimney shelf, jumped about six feet on the floor. Then went
candlesticks and other brasses: scarce any thing remaining in its place.
After this the glasses and china were put down on the floor for fear of
undergoing the same fate.
A glass tumbler that was put on the floor jumped about two feet and then
broke. Another that stood by it jumped about at the same time, but did
not break till some hours after, when it jumped again and then broke. A
china bowl that stood in the parlour jumped from the floor, to behind a
table that stood there. This was most astonishing, as the distance from
where it stood was between seven and eight feet, but was not broke. It
was put back by Richard Fowler, to its place, where it remained some
time, and then flew to pieces.
The next thing that followed was a mustard-pot, that jumped out of a
closet and was broke. A single cup that stood upon the table (almost the
only thing remaining) jumped up, flew across the kitchen, ringing like a
bell, and then was dashed to pieces against the dresser. A tumbler with
rum and water in it, that stood upon a waiter upon a table in the
parlour, jumped about ten feet and was broke. The table then fell down,
and along with it a silver tankard belonging to Mrs. Golding, the waiter
in which had stood the tumbler, and a candlestick. A case bottle then
flew to pieces.
The next circumstance was, a ham, that hung on one side of the kitchen
chimney, raised itself from the hook and fell down to the ground. Some
time after, another ham, that hung on the other side of the chimney,
likewise underwent the same fate. Then a flitch of bacon, which hung up
in the same chimney, fell down.
All the family were eye-witnesses to these circumstances as well as
other persons, some of whom were so alarmed and shocked, that they could
not bear to stay.
At all the times of action, Mrs. Golding’s servant was walking backwards
and forwards, either in the kitchen or parlour, or wherever some of the
family happened to be. Nor could they get her to sit down five minutes
together, except at one time for about half an hour towards the morning,
when the family were at prayers in the parlour; then all was quiet; but,
in the midst of the greatest confusion, she was as much composed as at
any other time, and with uncommon coolness of temper advised her
mistress not to be alarmed or uneasy, as she said these things could not
be helped.
“This advice,” it is observed in the narrative, surprised and startled
her mistress, almost as much as the circumstances that occasioned it.
“For how can we suppose,” says the narrator, “that a girl of about
twenty years old, (an age when female timidity is too often assisted by
superstition,) could remain in the midst of such calamitous
circumstances, (except they proceeded from causes best known to
herself,) and not be struck with the same terror as every other person
was who was present. These reflections led Mr. Pain, and at the end of
the transactions, likewise Mrs. Golding, to think that she was not
altogether so unconcerned as she appeared to be.”
About ten o’clock at night, they sent over the way to Richard Fowler, to
desire he would come and stay with them. He came and continued till one
in the morning, when he was so terrified, that he could remain no
longer.
As Mrs. Golding could not be persuaded to go to bed, Mrs. Pain, at one
o’clock, made an excuse to go up stairs to her youngest child, under
pretence of getting it to sleep; but she really acknowledged it was
through fear, as she declared she could not sit up to see such strange
things going on, as every thing one after another was broken, till there
was not above two or three cups and saucers remaining out of a
considerable quantity of china, &c., which was destroyed to the amount
of some pounds.
About five o’clock on Tuesday morning, the 7th, Mrs. Golding went up to
her niece, and desired her to get up, as the noises and destruction were
so great she could continue in the house no longer. Mrs. Golding and her
maid went over the way to Richard Fowler’s: when Mrs. Golding’s maid had
seen her safe to Richard Fowler’s, she came back to Mrs. Pain, to help
her to dress the children in the barn, where she had carried them for
fear of the house falling. At this time all was quiet: they then went to
Fowler’s, and then began the same scene as had happened at the other
places. All was quiet here as well as elsewhere, till the maid returned.
When they got to Mr. Fowler’s, he began to light a fire in his back
room. When done, he put the candle and candlestick upon a table in the
fore room. This apartment Mrs. Golding and her maid had passed through.
Another candlestick with a tin lamp in it that stood by it, were both
dashed together, and fell to the ground. At last the basket of coals
tumbled over, and the coals rolling about the room, the maid desired
Richard Fowler not to let her mistress remain there, as she said,
wherever she was, the same things would follow. In consequence of this
advice, and fearing greater losses to himself, he desired Mrs. Golding
would quit his house; but first begged her to consider within herself,
for her own and the public sake, whether or not she had not been guilty
of some atrocious crime, for which Providence was determined to pursue
her on this side the grave. Mrs. Golding told him she would not stay in
his house, or any other person’s, as her conscience was quite clear, and
she could as well wait the will of Providence in her own house as in any
other place whatever; upon which she and her maid went home, and Mrs.
Pain went with them.
After they had got to Mrs. Golding’s, a pail of water, that stood on the
floor, boiled like a pot; a box of candles fell from a shelf in the
kitchen to the floor, and they rolled out, but none were broken, and the
table in the parlour fell over.
Mr. Pain then desired Mrs. Golding to send her maid for his wife to come
to them, and when she was gone all was quiet; upon her return she was
immediately discharged, and no disturbances happened afterwards; this
was between six and seven o’clock on Tuesday morning. At Mrs. Golding’s
were broken the quantity of three pails full of glass, china, &c. Mrs.
Pain’s filled two pails.
The accounts here related are in the words of the “narrative,” which
bears the attestation of the witnesses before mentioned. The affair is
still remembered by many persons: it is usually denominated the
“Stockwell Ghost,” and deemed inexplicable. It must be recollected,
however, that the mysterious movements were never made but when Ann
Robinson, Mrs. Golding’s maid-servant, was present, and that they wholly
ceased when she was dismissed. Though these two circumstances tend to
prove that this girl was the cause of the disturbances, scarcely any one
who lived at that time listened patiently to the presumption, or without
attributing the whole to witchcraft. One lady, whom the editor of the
_Every-Day Book_ conversed with several times on the subject, firmly
believed in the witchcraft, because she had been eye-witness to the
animation of the inanimate crockery and furniture, which she said could
not have been effected by human means--it was impossible. He derived,
however, a solution of these “impossibilities” from the late Mr. J.
B------, at his residence in Southampton-street, Camberwell, towards the
close of the year 1817. Mr. B------ said, all London was in an uproar
about the “Stockwell Ghost” for a long time, and it would have made more
noise than the “Cock-lane Ghost,” if it had lasted longer; but attention
to it gradually died away, and most people believed it was supernatural.
Mr. B------, in continuation, observed, that some years after it
happened, he became acquainted with this very Ann Robinson, without
knowing for a long time that she had been the servant-maid to Mrs.
Golding. He learned it by accident, and told her what he had heard. She
admitted it was true, and in due season, he says, he got all the story
out. She had fixed long horse hairs to some of the crockery, and put
wires under others; on pulling these, the “movables” of course fell.
Mrs. Golding was terribly frightened, and so were all who saw any thing
tumble. Ann Robinson herself, dexterously threw many of the things down,
which the persons present, when they turned round and saw them in motion
or broken, attributed to unseen agency. These spectators were all too
much alarmed by their own dread of infernal power to examine any thing.
They kept at an awful distance, and sometimes would not look at the
utensils, lest they might face fresh horrors; of these tempting
opportunities she availed herself. She put the eggs in motion, and after
one only fell down, threw the other at the cat. Their terrors at the
time, and their subsequent conversations magnified many of the
circumstances beyond the facts. She took advantage of absences to loosen
the hams and bacon, and attach them by the skins; in short, she effected
all the mischief. She caused the water in the pail to appear as if it
boiled, by slipping in a paper of chemical powders as she passed, and
afterwards it bubbled. “Indeed,” said Mr. B------, “there was a love
story connected with the case, and when I have time, I will write out
the whole, as I got it by degrees from the woman herself. When she saw
the effect of her first feats, she was tempted to exercise the dexterity
beyond her original purpose for mere amusement. She was astonished at
the astonishment she caused, and so went on from one thing to another;
and being quick in her motions and shrewd, she puzzled all the simple
old people, and nearly frightened them to death.” Mr. B------ chuckled
mightily over his recollections; he was fond of a practical joke, and
enjoyed the tricks of Ann Robinson with all his heart. By his acuteness,
curiosity, and love of drollery, he drew from her the entire confession;
and “as the matter was all over years ago, and no more harm could be
done,” said Mr. B., “I never talked about it much, for her sake; but of
this I can assure you, that the only magic in the thing was, her
dexterity and the people’s simplicity.” Mr. B. promised to put down the
whole on paper; but he was ailing and infirm, and accident prevented the
writer from caring much for a “full, true, and particular account,”
which he could have had at any time, till Mr. Brayfield’s death rendered
it unattainable.