The West Midlands Ghost Club - A History 

As part of my earlier research into local hauntings, I had been periodically advertising around the region for accounts of Midlands based paranormal activity and occurrences.  In February 1989, I received a reply from one such campaign, sent in by a shy, unassuming chap some 15 yrs. my senior called Leonard Jackson.  Unlike most of the people who had previously written to me, Len clearly had a considerable and practical knowledge of both  paranormal and occult related fields. Len had seriously begun studying certain aspects of the supernatural field in the late 60?s and had ?cut his (research) teeth? on a poltergeist case in the Walsall area in 1974.  Mutually recognising a kindred spirit, an avid correspondence began?  

A short period later, I was introduced to a person who would frequently become the ?bane of my life? ? and undoubtedly my greatest friend ? Darren Simpson. A former Ghost Club (Of Great Britain) and A.S.S.A.P. member, Darren had then recently approached the Wolverhampton Express and Star newspaper with an enquiry about a ghost related article that they had published some years earlier.  Typically, they had no recollection of the matter ? but they knew of a man who might??  (And for anyone who is wondering?. Of course I did!!)

Despite what some groups might now claim, there were no paranormal research societies active in the West Midlands at this point in time.  Within the space of a few months, efforts to launch some form of investigative group ? albeit frustrated at first ? were underway.  August 1989 saw the very first article which carried a mention of our group ? then called the ?West Midlands Friends Of The Paranormal? (well, it seemed a good idea at the time!) ? which appeared in the Black Country Bugle newspaper.  At the beginning of 1991, we subsequently began using  our more familiar W.M.G.C. moniker, which was intended as a tribute to the spirit of the original Ghost Club (of Great Britain ), which was founded in 1862.

In the mid-90?s, group membership expanded to ?4? with the introduction of (then) UFO researcher, Roger Simpson.  A qualified computer technician and audio / visual hardware buff, Rogers ?Tekkie? traits proved to be an invaluable addition to the investigative portion of group activities.

Over the period 2002 / 03, group membership more than doubled, but, due to unforeseen circumstances and complications, subsequently diminished again within a fairly short time.  Of all the associates added during this expansion period, only one ? the bouncer-esque Frazer Smith ? has remained an active member of the group.  Both his enthusiasm and his keen ministrations on behalf of the Club have made him a most welcome and appreciated addition to the company???

One of the group?s most interesting projects to date has been the development of this, our web site.  A fairly primitive version of the page was first launched in 1997, with a complete overhaul, expansion and re-launch taking place in 2000.  May 2003 saw the site?s most recent rebuild ? bringing it to it?s current state?..

There have been many local investigations by the W.M.G.C. At the B-Cass Disabled Centre, Brownhills, Walsall, there wer reports of a figure of a fresh complexioned woman - with long, straggly blonde hair and wearing a cardigan and full length skirt - being frequently seen around the building. Witnesses suggested that her clothing possibly dated from around the 1970?s period. In one particular corner of the building's main room, the sound of a young boy has been heard calling ?Hello?, and there has been a considerable amount of poltergeist activity throughout the property. Outside the building a phantom car has been heard pulling into the centre car park. All night vigils by the W.M.G.C. experienced unexplained tapping sounds and an almost supernatural coldness in the building. One member, Darren Simpson, clearly heard a female voice call out ?Lawrence? from a position in the rear, right hand portion of the main room.

Another investigation involved an allegedly haunted council house in Bloxwich, Walsall. Poltergeist activity including knocking sounds and the draining of a week's supply of electricity in one night  had terrified the family, who were forced to move to live with relatives because of the phenomena. They are now awaiting re-housing from the council.  A W.M.G.C. vigil recorded a number of unexplained clicks and other sounds in the house.

Over the years, our activities have often attracted the attention of media related sources, including television, radio and a whole variety of publications and periodicals.  

October 2000 saw members of the group take part in the B.B.C. documentary: ?Midlands Report ? Ghosts?, filmed at Belgrave Hall in Leicester .  (Broadcast Jan. 18^th 2001 ). Since then, we have also been asked to take part in paranormal related programmes by a number of mainstream T.V. companies. [1]  

In early 2002, three members of the group featured in the independent video ?Ghosthunters?, made by Steve Bullen of ?Cracked Knuckles? productions ( Surrey ).  That same year, we gave our backing to a documentary series ? also called ?Ghost Hunters? ? proposed by ?Dash Productions? of Granada Television, and provided background information for the ?Most Haunted Live? broadcast from Dudley Castle .  (Aired Oct. 31^st).  During late May 2003, Club members were also invited to appear on the ?ITV1? topical debate programme: ?The Last Word?.  

We often find ourselves approached for technical / research advice by both television and independent film companies [2] and group members have appeared in broadcasts on a number of local radio stations. [3]    

Over the years, a number of our investigations and activities have been covered by both local and national periodicals and publications, resulting in some 69 separate mentions in print to date!  [4]  

Some of the more peculiar propositions to have come our way in recent years include: offers of a modelling job for yours truly following one particular press release (I kid you not!); a request for members of the club to appear on a special, Halloween edition of ?The Salon ? Live? (again, I kid you not!) and a chance to help in background research for the Playstation 2 game, ?GhostHunter?.

Other unlikely invitations include a request for us to go ?pot-holing? in haunted mines in the Peak District and a chance of spending a night in a glorified London cellar to the tune of ?1400!!  

Well, that's pretty much our story so far......  Here?s looking forward to the next 14 years!

References:

[1]: ?Central T.V.?; ?Channel 4?; ? Carlton T.V.?;  Polish Television ? ?T.V.N.?

[2]:  i.e. Carey Street Productions ( London ); ?Thames Television?; ?Childrens .B.B.C.?; Residual Films ( Birmingham ); the ?Shoal? Television Company;  ?Princess Productions? and (the ?Scream Team? related) ?Making Time T.V.?.

[3]: Inc. ?B.B.C. Radio Stoke?, ?B.B.C. Radio Coventry ?, ?B.B.C. Radio WM?, ?B.R.M.B. Radio? and ?Beacon F.M.?

[4]: The ?Fortean Times? Magazine; The Sun; The Express & Star; The Birmingham Evening Mail; The Black Country Bugle; The Birmingham Post; The Walsall Advertiser; The Walsall Observer; The Walsall Chronicle; Sutton On Sunday; The Sutton Coldfield Observer and The AdNews.  Also the MENSA special interest newsletter: ?The Optimist? and the book ?Spooky Tales From Smethwick? by Marilyn Cliff.  

Visit the West Midlands Ghost Club website

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