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Norfolk Ghost Talk

...oh alright, its a graphical representation of most of the cases in the book. Its a reworking of the code I wrote for my main UK-wide ghost map but whereas in that case which was focussed on places that you could conceivably visit and which have had at least one spooky encounter in the last 40 or so years, this has cases going back to the 18th century. You just click on the icons and you get a brief summary. And I've still got 1/3rd of the book to go through.

Not everywhere is represented. I've left out care homes in case loony spooky chasers put the fear of god into the residents. And some places I just don't know the location, not even an educated guess.
 

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Just making sure your talk's on the second floor in this building? .. the one behind Norwich market?.


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DrPaulLee said:
This is it!

Apparently it's a record for online attendees - 81
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Cool. If you hear a kafuffle, you'll need to come and rescue me. I'll be the one arguing with security outside because I haven't worked out how to print tickets and my phone doesn't work. The BBC have got an office up there haven't they?.

edit: there's also a comics and collectibles shop next to it. I might see if they've still got that Bruce Campbell action figure.
 
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The only kerfuffle I anticipate is if members of the kings Lynn ghost group turn up. They are after my blood. I rarely go into town in case I'm set upon.
 
Intetesting, but something went wrong at the end: we all got virtually 'booted'. I quickly logged back in to find Paul apologising for something—and then I got booted again.

As I wasn't there for any Q&A, I'll ask here:

Paul, given the fact you've mentioned ghosts that are seen less frequently as time passes, phenomena that have lessened in severity in more recent years, and a ghost whose mood seems to have become milder over the years, do you have any view on the underlying mechanism?

Are we looking at some kind of residual trace that fades? Or is it something to do with a cultural loss of credence perhaps?
 
Aaagh. I was listening to this fascinating talk, and was walking back to work after lunch, when the zoom connection ended. There were Nigerian students in a room, they heard a knock on the door, went to open the door and...

Aaaaaargh!

Someone put me out of my misery, please! They opened the door and ... for the love of God, what happened?
 
Swifty said:
Cool. If you hear a kafuffle, you'll need to come and rescue me. I'll be the one arguing with security outside because I haven't worked out how to print tickets and my phone doesn't work. The BBC have got an office up there haven't they?.

edit: there's also a comics and collectibles shop next to it. I might see if they've still got that Bruce Campbell action figure.
Click to expand...
So did you get past the big guys on the door?
 
I'll have to defer proper replies until I come off my adrenaline high but I'm kicking myself that I overran.

@SimonBurchell
Here's the rest of the story: I gave a talk to Probus last year and afterwards about three people came to me about Bircham Newton. I didn't include it as it was outside the region and two of the people asked if I'd heard of it. The third one said that he'd been told a story by someone but he couldn't vouch for it. A group of Nigerian students were in a room (I assume the Birches hotel) when there was a knock at the door. When they opened it they were confronted by a man in old fashioned RAF uniform. I don't know what the students did next!
 
DrPaulLee said:
I'll have to defer proper replies until I come off my adrenaline high but I'm kicking myself that I overran.

@SimonBurchell
Here's the rest of the story: I gave a talk to Probus last year and afterwards about three people came to me about Bircham Newton. I didn't include it as it was outside the region and two of the people asked if I'd heard of it. The third one said that he'd been told a story by someone but he couldn't vouch for it. A group of Nigerian students were in a room (I assume the Birches hotel) when there was a knock at the door. When they opened it they were confronted by a man in old fashioned RAF uniform. I don't know what the students did next!
Click to expand...
Thanks Doc!
 
SimonBurchell said:
So did you get past the big guys on the door?
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No agro at all at the door. A sturdy focussed but warm talk from DrPaulLee that ran into quality overtime because he'd saved the best for last. I took hand written notes about possible future places of interest to look into, the locked down haunted squash court sound's particularly interesting. Then I walked down to Tomebland to Elm St to buy an embalmed mouse from Mr P.M.Milnes.
 
I'm sorry we didn't have more time to chat Swifty.
I don't think you'll get much joy from the squash courts. CITBs last (AFAIK) pronouncement in the 2000s was to acknowledge the ghost stories but refuse further comment. Now they won't talk about it at all.
Jamie Heiffer, the chair of the BN heritage project is sceptical of ghosts but he will chat about what he's heard, which isn't that much. Security have told him vague stories of the figure floating about the old runway.
As I said, a friend and I wandered onto the base complex deliberately as we wanted to be challenged by security which might have led to a discussion on ghosts. There was no one there!

I walked into the reception of the unlocked Birches and it was empty too.

Apart from the car parks behind the CITB barriers most of the parking spaces are open (though buses only run Mon-Fri) so there's nothing to stop you wandering around the southern part of the complex where the heritage centre (the old commandant's house), the squash courts and the Birches are to be found.

I did try the door handle to the squash court and the handle gave a bit. "Great! I'm in!" (The padlock was missing). But the door stopped after a cm or two and my luck was out. I was semi joking about signing a waiver about asbestosis if it meant accent. Theres also another reason why access is not allowed - there's no fire escape.

There's loads of other places to visit, most of them accessible to the public. The house in Heacham is now a holiday home and while I didn't contact the new owners, the widower of one of the Wilkes daughter's did and he was told, "it's all just stories" when he mentioned ghosts. Pure BS, I feel sorry for the family especially after the townsfolk and clergy took the piss out of them, leading to the exorcism cover story. The Rev Pott sounds like an unsympathetic loon. I mention some of his antics in my book. Sadly when George Wilkes died (about 1975ish) and Emily in 84, Pott presided over their funerals. That must have gone down well !
 
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