SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Sorry to upset you You know how when you are young you are told stories of witches Shown witches houses Dared to knock on their door Torment poor person living inside I was 17 when I lost Marmalade People said they where been scarafised to the devil. Now been older I know witches would not do that

lmhowe50 wrote: Sorry to upset you You know how when you are young you are told stories of witches Shown witches houses Dared to knock on their door Torment poor person living inside I was 17 when I lost Marmalade People said they where been scarafised to the devil. Now been older I know witches would not do that Never mind Imhowe,at least you have "seen the light" now my friend.

Haunted Hollyshaw; part 3The third frequent haunting of which I was aware was the playing children.On quiet still nights, the clear but distant sound of children playing could sometimes be heard coming from the back of the house.  It was like the noise from a primary school playground heard from two or three streets away. Walking towards the sound would cause it gradually to fade, until it could no longer be heard.  Everyone in the house could hear this at the same time.Now, turn the clock forward 30 years, and I am sitting down to read a teenage memoir written by a local author, Mick McCann * .  Mr McCann was a contemporary of mine, he was known in the area for his flamboyant dress sense.  I knew him by sight, but we weren't friends.Most of Mick McCann's book concerns music, girls and his obsession with David Bowie, however, I was surprised to come across the following passage on page 53:"She [our gran] never stayed at our house,  she stopped,  never would again,  not since one night when she was babysitting,  simultaneously looking at the young kids sleeping in bed and listening to them playing downstairs.  The older kids were sleeping in the attic, she'd just checked, and they'd need to pass her to get downstairs.  The poltergeists were at play, running up and down the hallway, laughing, the sound of children playing.  It was simply accepted that the house was haunted, a fact of life,  you just lived with it, not grandma, she never stayed again."Guess where the young Mick McCann lived?  Opposite the bus stop on Hollyshaw Lane, about 150 yards from 'my' house, during the same period.So that's my ghost story.  I'm not a ghost hunter, and I'm not obsessed by what I saw and heard.  In fact, I've never told these stories before because I thought nobody would believe me, but I have actually enjoyed putting them down in writing, it's been almost a relief to tell them, and it doesn't matter to me whether they are believed or not; I've got nothing to lose or gain.  All I know is that I saw and heard what I've described, and I wasn't drunk or on drugs at the time (not that I am now, either!)* " Coming Out As A Bowie Fan In Leeds, Yorkshire, England."by Mick McCann published by Armley Press 2006ISBN 0-9554699-0-2

Bruno wrote: Haunted Hollyshaw; part 3The third frequent haunting of which I was aware was the playing children.On quiet still nights, the clear but distant sound of children playing could sometimes be heard coming from the back of the house.  It was like the noise from a primary school playground heard from two or three streets away. Walking towards the sound would cause it gradually to fade, until it could no longer be heard.  Everyone in the house could hear this at the same time.Now, turn the clock forward 30 years, and I am sitting down to read a teenage memoir written by a local author, Mick McCann * .  Mr McCann was a contemporary of mine, he was known in the area for his flamboyant dress sense.  I knew him by sight, but we weren't friends.Most of Mick McCann's book concerns music, girls and his obsession with David Bowie, however, I was surprised to come across the following passage on page 53:"She [our gran] never stayed at our house,  she stopped,  never would again,  not since one night when she was babysitting,  simultaneously looking at the young kids sleeping in bed and listening to them playing downstairs.  The older kids were sleeping in the attic, she'd just checked, and they'd need to pass her to get downstairs.  The poltergeists were at play, running up and down the hallway, laughing, the sound of children playing.  It was simply accepted that the house was haunted, a fact of life,  you just lived with it, not grandma, she never stayed again."Guess where the young Mick McCann lived?  Opposite the bus stop on Hollyshaw Lane, about 150 yards from 'my' house, during the same period.So that's my ghost story.  I'm not a ghost hunter, and I'm not obsessed by what I saw and heard.  In fact, I've never told these stories before because I thought nobody would believe me, but I have actually enjoyed putting them down in writing, it's been almost a relief to tell them, and it doesn't matter to me whether they are believed or not; I've got nothing to lose or gain.  All I know is that I saw and heard what I've described, and I wasn't drunk or on drugs at the time (not that I am now, either!)* " Coming Out As A Bowie Fan In Leeds, Yorkshire, England."by Mick McCann published by Armley Press 2006ISBN 0-9554699-0-2 Very cathartic Bruno and well related.....I'm sure many others like myself have been fascinated by these recollections and are equally enthralled by your openness and candour.Thank you my friend.

Bruno - What a tremendous story and I say again excellently told. How you managed to keep it to yourself for all those years, well words fail me. Just out of interest have you ever been back to the house or met anyone who has apart from the person you refer to? Many thanks for relating it.

Johnny39 wrote: Bruno - What a tremendous story and I say again excellently told. How you managed to keep it to yourself for all those years, well words fail me. Just out of interest have you ever been back to the house or met anyone who has apart from the person you refer to? Many thanks for relating it. Sorry, I misread the story slightly, I hadn't realised there were two different houses involved. I knew there was something odd in Hollyshaw Lane.

Thanks Somme and Johnny, it seems we're the only three still bothering to look into this thread. I wonder what has become of Firecracker, who started it?To answer your question Johnny, I don't know who lives there now, or anyone who's been in the house since those days.However, whereas you avoid travelling along Hollyshaw Lane, I still always go out of my way to go up there if I'm in the area, which I frequently am. I always drive slowly past the house and have a good look into the front window, in the hope that one day I'll see the old gent looking out again.

Bruno wrote: Thanks Somme and Johnny, it seems we're the only three still bothering to look into this thread. I wonder what has become of Firecracker, who started it?To answer your question Johnny, I don't know who lives there now, or anyone who's been in the house since those days.However, whereas you avoid travelling along Hollyshaw Lane, I still always go out of my way to go up there if I'm in the area, which I frequently am. I always drive slowly past the house and have a good look into the front window, in the hope that one day I'll see the old gent looking out again. A bit like the old gent in The Railway Children giving the kids a wave, heh Bruno? If that's what you want I hope it happens.

Johnny39 wrote: Bruno wrote: Thanks Somme and Johnny, it seems we're the only three still bothering to look into this thread. I wonder what has become of Firecracker, who started it?To answer your question Johnny, I don't know who lives there now, or anyone who's been in the house since those days.However, whereas you avoid travelling along Hollyshaw Lane, I still always go out of my way to go up there if I'm in the area, which I frequently am. I always drive slowly past the house and have a good look into the front window, in the hope that one day I'll see the old gent looking out again. A bit like the old gent in The Railway Children giving the kids a wave, heh Bruno? If that's what you want I hope it happens. Great thread....things outside the"ordinary" always attract some form of scepticism.It's just the human psyche.....no point worrying about it.I don't know what all these things mean when looked at in the cold light of day,but remain fascinated by the many different stories that people tell.Who knows what lies out there ? How far do you take the idea ?Like,how has the human species evolved and from where in the first place ?We've all got our take on this but nobody can prove the truth or otherwise.It remains one of life's many mysteries.That's why I like the thread......poses more questions than it answers.Cheers Bruno...........

Bruno wrote: Thanks Somme and Johnny, it seems we're the only three still bothering to look into this thread. I wonder what has become of Firecracker, who started it? Make that four Bruno, I always read but dont have anything to comment or add though.I really enjoy these stories even though they often send a shiver down my spine