Investigator returns for more ghostly goings on
SCOTLAND’S leading paranormal investigator has revisited the nation’s best-known poltergeist case to mark the incident’s 60th anniversary.
Malcolm Robinson will return to the Clackmannanshire village of Sauchie to recount his research into Virginia Campbell, the girl at the centre of the phenomenon.
The 11-year-old had moved from Ireland with her mother to settle at her older brother’s house at 19 Park Crescent when strange noises alarmed them in November 1960.
Over the weeks to come the noises intensified, with furniture moving of its own accord.
The “hauntings” also followed the youngster to school, where classmates and teachers witnessed events they could not explain.
Mr Robinson, who lived in nearby Tullibody as a child, said: “This is the biggest poltergeist case of its kind in Scotland, if not the UK.
“Not only were the poltergeist affects witnessed in the family household, they followed the poor little girl to her local primary school, where the poltergeist was equally disruptive.
“The credibility of the witnesses to these bizarre events consisted of two local doctors, a local minister and a number of Church of Scotland ministers, and also Virginia’s teacher and classmates, who were all stunned to view the astonishing events in the Campbell household.”
He described the event as “one of the most distressing and upsetting ever” on Scottish soil and said an anniversary lecture this year would reveal all the facts plus allow the audience to hear the recorded sounds of the poltergeist “for the first time in 60 years”.
Mr Robinson’s earlier investigations of the Sauchie poltergeist, which gained worldwide notoriety, tracked down a number of witnesses who described the events in detail.
A few weeks after settling here, the family began hearing strange scratching noises, which progressed to knocking. Around the same time, households items would disappear and reappear, while ornaments and even furniture appeared to move of their own accord.
Virginia’s relatives soon realised she was at the heart of the incidents and turned to their local GP and then a minister for help. Both witnessed unexplained phenomenon such as levitating furniture, but could not help.
Dr WH Lisbet later told the local newspaper: “Virginia is not responsible for what has happened. The child is innocent. The child herself did not conjure up what has taken place – an outside agent is responsible.”
Her teacher at Craigbank Primary, Margaret Stewart, also recalled “unnerving” incidents in the class, including the shy Irish girl trying to hold down the lid of her desk, spotting other desks near Virginia levitating and a blackboard pointer vibrating before moving across a table to fall to the floor.
Mr Robinson concluded his previous investigation into the Sauchie poltergeist saying: “What is clear is these events did occur and were witnessed by sound and very reliable, high profile people in the community.”
❑ The Sauchie Poltergeist (and other Scottish ghostly tales), published by Publish Nation, is available on Amazon and www.lulu.com
Malcolm Robinson will return to the Clackmannanshire village of Sauchie to recount his research into Virginia Campbell, the girl at the centre of the phenomenon.
The 11-year-old had moved from Ireland with her mother to settle at her older brother’s house at 19 Park Crescent when strange noises alarmed them in November 1960.
Over the weeks to come the noises intensified, with furniture moving of its own accord.
The “hauntings” also followed the youngster to school, where classmates and teachers witnessed events they could not explain.
Mr Robinson, who lived in nearby Tullibody as a child, said: “This is the biggest poltergeist case of its kind in Scotland, if not the UK.
“Not only were the poltergeist affects witnessed in the family household, they followed the poor little girl to her local primary school, where the poltergeist was equally disruptive.
“The credibility of the witnesses to these bizarre events consisted of two local doctors, a local minister and a number of Church of Scotland ministers, and also Virginia’s teacher and classmates, who were all stunned to view the astonishing events in the Campbell household.”
He described the event as “one of the most distressing and upsetting ever” on Scottish soil and said an anniversary lecture this year would reveal all the facts plus allow the audience to hear the recorded sounds of the poltergeist “for the first time in 60 years”.
Mr Robinson’s earlier investigations of the Sauchie poltergeist, which gained worldwide notoriety, tracked down a number of witnesses who described the events in detail.
A few weeks after settling here, the family began hearing strange scratching noises, which progressed to knocking. Around the same time, households items would disappear and reappear, while ornaments and even furniture appeared to move of their own accord.
Virginia’s relatives soon realised she was at the heart of the incidents and turned to their local GP and then a minister for help. Both witnessed unexplained phenomenon such as levitating furniture, but could not help.
Dr WH Lisbet later told the local newspaper: “Virginia is not responsible for what has happened. The child is innocent. The child herself did not conjure up what has taken place – an outside agent is responsible.”
Her teacher at Craigbank Primary, Margaret Stewart, also recalled “unnerving” incidents in the class, including the shy Irish girl trying to hold down the lid of her desk, spotting other desks near Virginia levitating and a blackboard pointer vibrating before moving across a table to fall to the floor.
Mr Robinson concluded his previous investigation into the Sauchie poltergeist saying: “What is clear is these events did occur and were witnessed by sound and very reliable, high profile people in the community.”
❑ The Sauchie Poltergeist (and other Scottish ghostly tales), published by Publish Nation, is available on Amazon and www.lulu.com