Do you have an investigation you would like
to see published on these pages?
headlesshorseman@headlesshorseman.co.uk
..............................................................................
Index of Haunting's
The Starting Gate Public House
Introduction, Reported Activity
Part 1: Fri. 21st – Sat. 22nd June 2002
Part 2: Monday 10th to Tuesday 11th February 2003
Part 3: Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd of May 2003
..............................................................................

The Starting Gate Public House
By Nicholas Duffy – West Midlands Ghost Club (Click for Website)

Introduction
The Starting Gate undoubtedly stands as one of Walsall’s most haunted sites and details concerning the buildings considerable paranormal history have languished in the Ghost Club’s files for a number of years now.

In mid-June, 2002, a Club representative contacted the (then) licensee – Mr. Steven Grigg – in an endeavour to learn whether ghostly happenings did indeed still go on at the site.

Mr. Grigg told us that he only moved into the premises in October, 2001, but – during those brief 9 months – he claimed to have experienced a plethora of potential paranormal occurrences. 
Steve instantly invited the Ghost Club to conduct an investigation at his pub – with the strict understanding that we did nothing to harm his resident ghost(s)! – and a visit date was set for the following week.
News of our impending activities at The Starting Gate subsequently aroused the interest of a number of newspapers, including the ‘Express and Star’, the ‘Walsall Chronicle’, the ‘Walsall Observer’, the ‘AdNews’ and ‘The Sun’. 

Reported Activity
Paranormal activity at this site has long been associated with the ghost of a former landlady, Mrs. Ethel Freeman, who is believed to have committed suicide in the cellar of the building during the late 40’s / early 1950’s. 

Former licensee’s, Clive and Norma Stevenson, twice called in the Vicar of Walsall for advice on their resident ghost.  The Prebendary John Jackson said that the Stevensons seemed ‘certain of a presence’ in the building.

“They called me in and I spent a considerable time with them on two occasions.” he said. “Unfortunately, I did not have enough first hand evidence to ask the Bishop’s permission to carry out an exorcism.  Had they called me back a third time, I would have consulted the Bishop…”
During their time at the Starting Gate, Mrs. Stevenson told of hearing knocking and tapping noises on the floor of the building and a friend of the family felt someone place a cold hand on his shoulder as he slept on the sofa one night.  On another occasion, an acquaintance of Mr. Stevenson had to go up to the pub stockroom and someone or something is said to have touched him on the back…….

Since news of the ‘W.M.G.C.’s’ interest in the site featured in the local press, Mr. Grigg was inundated with information regarding both the history of the pub and it’s ghost.  Although the story could not be validated, one source apparently revealed that the aforementioned licensee’s eventually gave up their tenancy due to Mrs. Stevenson suffering a nervous breakdown, supposedly brought on by the ghostly activity at the site.

One subsequent landlord, Barry Vincent, was alone in the pub one day when he witnessed a glass ‘fly’ from a shelf and land 10 feet away, on the other side of the bar.  As he stood there astonished, the lager taps suddenly turned themselves on!

Margot Vincent, Barry’s wife, noticed that sizeable lumps of cheese had mysteriously disappeared on 2 occasions.  One particular chunk had been missing for two whole weeks before she discovered it’s remnants in a fridge freezer which she had carefully defrosted only two days previously! 

On three occasions, Mrs Vincent claimed to have seen a white, shimmering figure flitting through the pub cellar.  During each of these sightings, she had supposedly detected the distinct, sweet smell of a particular perfume said to have been popular in the 1960’s.  Mr Vincent also seemed to think that the cellar was the most haunted part of the building.  Although he believed that their ghost was not malevolent, he did report having to leave the cellar at times feeling ‘somewhat uncomfortable’. 

Steve Grigg moved into the pub in October 2001 and, not long after taking over the tenancy, he began hearing the distinct sound of footsteps when he was supposed to be completely alone in the building.  This was especially noticeable when he happened to be situated in the bar area and, at such times, he says that he could actually follow the progress of the steps across the (empty) floor above. 

On Christmas Day 2001, Steve tell us that he got out of bed at 11 a.m. and immediately went downstairs to ready the pub for opening at midday.  He had given his staff two days off over Christmas and, as a result, was having to run the pub by himself. 

At 3 p.m., he closed for the afternoon and decided to go  upstairs in order to change into a fresh shirt.  He had not been upstairs since he first came down at 11.00 a.m. that morning, but, upon entering his bedroom, Steve found that his bed had been made for him and his clothes tidied up and sorted!  He readily admits that this ‘really freaked him out’, as he knew no one else had been upstairs at all that day….

This also happened again at the end of January, but at this time Steve says that there were now other people living on the premises.  (Though no one admits to having tidied up!!)   

On one occasion, Steve’s ex-girlfriend found that she couldn’t get into their bedroom and had to call on Steve to force the door open.  It took some time and effort to gain access to the room and, once inside, they discovered that the quilt and sheets from the freshly made bed had somehow been mysteriously piled against the inside of the closed door.
Of all the uncanny happenings Steve has had to contend with during his short tenancy, there is only one experience that can be said to actually frighten him to any great extent.   The occurrence concerned is likened to ‘something invisible passing through you’ and is a phenomenon that Steve has encountered some five or six times in the space of eight months! “It’s not just cold” he says, “It really hurts and stops you dead in your tracks……One second you are standing in normal room temperature – and then suddenly ‘it’ hits you!”.
During one such encounter, Steve happened to be standing directly in front of the cellars digital thermometer and watched it’s readout plunge from fourteen degrees - down to three – and then straight back up again!  During another, he almost fell down the pubs (somewhat treacherous) cellar steps………..!

Strangely, these encounters would seem to be restricted to the cellar area and one small section of the bar, just opposite the cellar door.  Steve’s last experience with this particular phenomenon was just over a week before the date of the first W. M. Ghost Club visit.

A number of people claim to have heard someone calling their name and - when they have gone to investigate - they often find that no one has actually called to them.  This has happened so many times, Steve has even gone as far as to have an intercom installed between the bar and his cellar office!

Click here for Part 1: Fri. 21st – Sat. 22nd June 2002
..............................................................................
Are you a Ghost Group, club or an individual that takes part in Paranormal Investigations?
Do you have an investigation you would like to see published on these pages?
Send an email to the Horseman with details and share your experience with our many readers.
headlesshorseman@headlesshorseman.co.uk