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What Was Your First Interest In Fortean Topics?

i had a cheesy book of the world's greatest mysteries or some bollocks, aged about 10 in the 1970s - the chapter on SHC fascinated me, I can still remember the photos. I also got Chariots of the Gods at a charity shop not long afterwards, and a book of practical witchcraft that I got at a jumble sale at my catcholic primary school around that time. Enquiring minds want to know! My older brother saw it and made me destroy it before I had the chance to try seeing into the future. I got The Amityville Horror when it came out.
I hate Nick Cave, whatever. Was a big fan of Scooby Doo though, and also enjoyed the three investigators, and ghost story anthologies.
 
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As a tiny kid we used to go for walks around Beamish and The Forges. We walked for miles but often picnicked in summer by the stream by a little bridge next to Beamish Hall. I was told by mum and dad that the hall was haunted by The Grey Lady and I would always try and see peep through the gates to see her. Then I’d get distracted by hares running around the next field and then we’d go and have a look at the pigs in the farm up the road.

I later figured out that talk of Grey Ladies around these places are probably an early form of property security designed to put off superstitious ne’er do wells.
 
The Newby Spectre.

Saw a picture of it in a book I borrowed from the library at about 7 years of age. Was so horrified I buried the book at the very bottom of a bedroom drawer and struggled to sleep for about a month.

I’ve been hooked ever since.
 
My best pal at primary school would regale us with tales of ghosties in his attic -- creepy but great! Think I was about seven at the time

This got me in the mood tolook out for books about the supernatural at the library, of which there wasn't many. I did find a book called 'Witchcraft and magic' by pat Hodgson. Which I loved and was terrified by in equal measure! So much in fact that I snapped it up at a library sale and despite numerous clear outs of my books, I've held onto that one!
 
I had a nightmare about some sort of devil when I was only about three years old.
I was also greatly into fairies once I knew about them (age 5 ish?)
My great uncle encouraged me, gave me interesting spitritualist type books to read.(He was a Theosophist), including the Cottingley Fairies.

Don't forget I was brought up in a very Baptist family, went to church and Sunday School every Sunday, and probably heard a lot about God , Heaven and the devil!

ps Once I knew that Father christmas wasn't real, Christmas was never the same again! Total disappointment.
 
My ex missus used to live around there and told me when she was little, the whole family saw a cigar-shaped UFO while driving around Lumley. I asked each one of them separately about it and not one of them could recall the event but her.
 
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