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Index of Haunting's
The Darlaston Poltergeist(s)
Part 1: "You cannot touch it or feel it, but you know it's there…"
Part 2: "malicious intelligence behind that…!"
Part 3: Brief Speculation And Potential Foundation Stones?
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The Darlaston Poltergeist(s)
By Nicholas Duffy – West Midlands Ghost Club (Click for Website)
Written: October 2002

Introduction
In early June, 2002, W.M.G.C. members learned of two poltergeist outbreaks which took place in Darlaston during the mid-1990's. Unfortunately, our involvement with these matters came much too late for us to have been involved in the first hand investigation of the sites concerned – such events having already taken place and premises long vacated. However, the heads of both households involved proved to be most obliging with regards to being interviewed and, as a result, detailed reports of all of the activities concerned were duly recorded.

" All the time you are sitting there and you are thinking: these things don't happen - well, at least they don't happen to me! These things happen on T.V.; these things happen in cinemas; these things happen in videos - they don't happen to me. This isn't real, it can't be real…. You know it's there, you know it's happening, but you don't want to believe it".
Mr. Thomas Whatmore

Part 1: "You cannot touch it or feel it, but you know it's there…"
At the time of the Whatmore poltergeist outbreak, the family were living in a council house situated near to the Herberts Park area of Darlaston. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Whatmore and their three daughters. 

In hindsight, Mr Whatmore now believes that some form(s) of minor paranormal activity may have actually been occurring for up to two years before the main (brief) effect. However, as these events were mainly limited to such matters as small object movement - putting something down and finding it in a completely different place when you came back for it, etc - he tended to regard such occurrences (at the time) as sheer absent mindedness. 

The first incident that actually caused concern for Tom was when a light bulb inexplicably fell from an overhead socket and landed on him as he lay in bed one night. Upon going to put the bulb back the next day, he found that it had already been replaced. No one in the house admitted to having touched it.

This innocent enough incident would seem to have been the precursor for what Tom terms the 'Violent' or 'Frightening' period of potential activity and, over the next one and a half months, the family were to experience a wide range of disturbing activity.

Within a short period, knocking noises and disembodied voices - those of a man and a woman - were heard about the house. Often, these voices would appear to be arguing, though the conversation was invariably muffled and you could never quite make out what was being said. If you were downstairs, you could hear the conversation upstairs and vice versa. Sometimes, the voices could be heard calling out the names of people within the household; always a male voice calling a female name and a female calling a male. Tom suggests that the voices were unfriendly; something in their tone holding an air of general ‘nastiness’.

The T.V., radio or downstairs lights were often found to have been inexplicably switched on after the family had gone to bed at night and strange smells - some pleasant, some like rotting vegetables - regularly flooded the house. An unnatural darkness would envelop a room, even on the brightest days, and extreme temperature changes turned the air icy cold.

Family members and visitors to the house began reporting varying degree's of physical contact from something invisible. 
A friend of the family was once pushed into a bath full of water while visiting the toilet. Despite the fact that they were drenched from head to foot, the bath was found to be completely dry upon investigation. Some while later, the same friend reported the sensation of someone stroking her hair. Tom reported that you could actually see the girls hair moving, as if a hand were physically touching it. Another family friend fled the house after feeling someone touch her on the shoulder and both Tom and his eldest daughter found themselves violently shoved against walls and pushed to the ground.

Somewhat typical of even the most vicious poltergeist effects, some of the phenomena experienced could be uncharacteristically playful or helpful. Following an argument over which family member should make a drink, Tom entered the kitchen to find a piping hot pot of tea already waiting for him! No one had been into the room for some time and he admits to having immediately emptied the pot straight into the sink! (The poltergeist also enjoyed making freshly brewed tea disappear from cups!).

On another occasion, the Whatmores eldest daughter asked for a school blouse to be ironed for her. Although no one in the household admits to having touched the blouse, it was found waiting for her, freshly ironed, as she left for school the next morning.

One amusing incident occurred as Tom was idly flicking through the T.V. channels one day when he came across a programme featuring Elvis Presley. Mr. Whatmore absolutely hates Elvis, but his wife is an avid fan! As Mrs. Whatmore was upstairs at the time - out of earshot - he quickly changed channels again, intending to say nothing about the matter. Only seconds later, Mrs. Whatmore came back downstairs and, as she stepped into the living room, the television suddenly changed stations of it's own accord…… back to the channel with Elvis on it!!

As well as poltergeist effects, some 'apparitions' were also seen around the house. Tom saw an old woman in their kitchen one night and his wife once saw the figure of a man in the same area. When she came to describe the latter mentioned to her husband, Tom believes that the man's appearance fitted that of his father who had died when his son was only 19. Mrs. Whatmore had never met - or so much as seen a photograph of - Mr. Whatmore Snr.

One particular apparition that Tom was understandably most reticent to mention was that of a half man-half horse creature that he saw snarling at him from the corner of the living room one night. He points out that, at this point in time, he was already at his wits end from the effect of the haunting and, as a result, almost constantly in a confused state of mind……. 

One of the younger Whatmore daughters - a mere toddler at the time - was often heard holding long conversations with someone. Her parents constantly asked who it was she was talking with and the girl would simply reply: 'friend'….

It is only recently that the Whatmores daughter has actually described her visitor. She claims that a young boy – his face apparently covered in blood - used to sit at the foot of her bed and speak with her.

Two visits from the (then) Vicar of Darlaston brought no relief to the Whatmore family and an attempted blessing ended prematurely when a sound like 'furniture being thrown around' was heard from upstairs during the early stages of the rite. The Vicar is said to have abruptly left the premises. (Previously, a bottle of Holy Water, which had been brought to the house by a family friend, inexplicably shattered of it's own accord). 

As matters worsened, the family took to sleeping downstairs in the living room. (Tom admits that he didn't even dare to visit the toilet by himself for some while). One night, Tom detected the now familiar sound of a muffled altercation taking place, seemingly on the landing at the top of the stairs. As he listened, he suddenly heard a sound - like that made by an object travelling very fast - and something struck him hard, just above the right eye.

Initially thinking that his wife or eldest daughter had thrown something at him, his first reaction was to cross his arms in front of his face. As he peered out from behind his arms, he saw what he can only describe as a 'black cloud', that seemed to stretch from floor level to only a few inches below ceiling height. Tom says that this is a sight that will remain with him forever and, at that point, he actually believed the form would kill him….

This turned out to be the final straw for Tom and he and his family fled the house that night. For the subsequent 3-4 weeks, they stayed at the home of friends. The family still visited their house on a daily basis, but only to check the property over and occasionally retrieve clothing and other essentials. 

Still, even during these brief calls - always made in company, never alone - some form of activity usually occurred. On one such occasion, the visitors were approaching the house when they saw the bedroom curtains 'billowing' into the room of their own accord. Tom and his eldest daughter were violently pushed against a wall while retrieving food from their deep freeze and a neighbour saw an 'unnatural darkness' at the top of the stairs. Tom went to the house one day with a group of friends and was pushed to the living room floor while one of his companions fought with the front door which seemed wholly intent on closing itself……..

While staying with their neighbours, a friend of the family suggested that they contact a 'Born Again Christian' group from the Walsall area for help. Remarkably, this advice turned out to be something of a positive step for the family as certain advice proffered by the group did prove to be of benefit. Tom says that he now became able to take control of some of his fears - a step which made him feel more relaxed and positive about their situation.

Whether as a result of Christian guidance - or the simple fact that the activity may now have run it's course - the effect itself appears to have soon begun losing momentum. (Generally, poltergeist effects are commonly said to be fairly short lived affairs). The Whatmore family eventually moved back into their home and remained in the property for a further 6 - 12 months. Tom admits that things were much better after they returned, but, quite understandably, he always had the feeling that something was still there - waiting. As with such cases, the local Council would not recognise the Whatmores problem and, because of this, refused to re-house them. As a result, the family were eventually forced to seek private accommodation….. 

Click Here for Part 2: "malicious intelligence behind that…!"
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