Red Light Spells Anger

The concept of investigating the same location several times has always interested me. Does the season, temperature or the people you are with influence the activity (or lack thereof) you experience. Will other spirits come forward to impart their story or are the same figures going to reappear time after time, bored of the same questions and requests of their time and energy. Having gained more knowledge of paranormal investigation the opportunity to return to the Alex Centre in Faversham was one I could not turn down and having booked my ticket it was not long before I was travelling down the M2 to try and answer my questions.

Credit: SJP

Crossing the threshold of the Alex Centre the memory of the tell-tale bong of my car telling me it was 4 degrees melted away as I was firstly embraced by the heat from inside and then pulled into a hug with my host for the evening, Ghostly Encounters’ Keith.

Guests old and new were greeted to a chorus of ‘happy new year’ as we all found a seat within the waiting area as the team finished their set up (and dinners). “Where do I recognise you from?” Came a question from a lady sat opposite me, and I soon moved over to where she and her friend were sat recounting our experiences from Maidstone Museum (see T’was the Investigation Before Christmas) and moved onto a discussion of how good an evening’s investigation was depended on how the other guests behaved.

Recounting her experience of know-it-all-wanna-be psychics being loud and obnoxious to resolute sceptics who wouldn’t get involved (or show any interest in what was going on even if a full-bodied spectral apparition came up and slapped them in the face) causing frustration we agreed that what you put into an investigation is what you get out of it. Which posed the question of why would you spend your time and money attending something that you would not enjoy (or deliberate try to ruin the experience for other)?

We almost reached the conclusion that investigations were better with like-minded involved guests when our conversation was halted as Keith provided his usual warm and engaging welcome, explanation of kit and a protection circle. On my previous investigation at the Alex the circle was conducted in the main hall, however Keith had a theory that using this space for the spell may be the reason for the limited activity experienced on previous efforts. After the liberal salting of the area, the last “so mote it be” uttered into the space, hands parted and the big group split into two.

You may remember the defective cat balls from my last experience (if you don’t then check out Ghostly Encounter(s)), and the first session of the group I had been placed in (Second one to be called but assuredly the best) set off towards the first floor and yoga studios that we had looked at then. After the short climb up the main staircase, we found our position, laying out a Rem-pod, cat balls and a K-II meter.

Credit: SJP

The traditional calling out was met by silence so when volunteers were called for I was soon stood in a doorway feeling the same lack of anything as I did when sat by the stair guard. Swapping my station with another volunteer and crossing the carpeted landing to a door opposite we both stated that one side of our bodies felt significantly colder than the other. My left, her right (both facing the window) so a laser thermometer was deployed and recorded that my left elbow was 1 degree colder than my right. To identify any normal reason for the slight temperature difference I looked towards the window. Putting the palm of my hand to just touching the glass I drew it back less than an inch where the radiator below was keeping a curtain of warm air. Feeling for any drafts and finding none, the temperature difference was an interesting find but not conclusive.

Returning to my original spot, at the head of the corridor to the yoga studio, a woman sat on a chair was reporting a temperature difference of 4 degrees from her right foot to her left foot. Again her right foot was closer to a window, but this had the same radiator set up as I had previously looked at.

Credit: SJP

It appeared the spirits were content to react with heat (or lack thereof) rather than any of our equipment, that is until we set off to the yoga studio. When halfway down the corridor the walls lit up to the frantic green and orange lights of a K-II meter. This black box, designed to measure levels of Electro-Magnetism in the environment, was happily flashing away as we entered the yoga studio and continued as the cat balls, Rem-pod and Maglite torch were repositioned.

As the K-II was placed on the floor alongside a cat ball it continued to show activity as the second green light continued to flash on and off. The cat balls in contrast remained dark. The meter went back on a tour of the corridor ceasing its activity at the same place it had spiked on its forward journey. There did not appear to be any obvious sources that would have caused the device to behave like it did.

I suggested that we pass it around the circle, that had now formed, to see if there was any change in the activity depending on the holder. As the black box was passed around the lights continued to flash green and orange. On pass 5 the holder received a single solid green light. As they passed it on the lights flashed again, and the next received just the one green light. 2 further passes and the lights flashed happily again until the device entered my hand when I received a solitary green bulb. As I went to pass to my right the LED’s flickered into life again with the prospect of new ownership, but as I drew it back in front of me the lights went out again. I went to pass back to my left, the same illumination of anticipation shone from the device. I assisted its passage to my right and the recipient was greeted with flashing lights.

To test the theory forming that whatever was influencing the device was providing their opinion of the holder, we exchanged places with the person in front of us. The results were the same, those who had flashing lights continued to receive flashing lights. Those who had the solid green indication before received the same response. Until I received the box for the second time. As I held the device in front of me I was met with two bursts, illuminating all of the LED’s, right up to the red. “That looked angry” came one comment and I agreed. If LED’s could display an emotion, anger was what this set would have indicated.

As time was called for an end to this first session and the beginning of a break, I noticed that when the cat balls were picked up they remained dark. I explained to the remaining few what had happened with the cat balls during my last experience in this room and the balls were taken off for testing elsewhere. One had illuminated its last and was to be retired from its investigating career, the other worked perfectly in any other space than the yoga studio. Could it be that the occupant of this space was fed up with cat balls and had killed one and deactivated the other? Either way Keith was ordering some new balls.

The second session took us to the kitchen, the main hall and one of the storerooms. Aside from a cat ball lighting up the kitchen, which was found to have been caused by the knocking of the counter, we received nothing from beyond the veil during this session.

Credit: SJP

In the break that followed the other team reported that their radios were flashing, causing them to resort to the time-tested technique of turning them off and back on again, and then calling IT support as this had not fixed the issue. They had been using a spirit box and on requesting the spirits to communicate through the radio the word “Hello” in a female voice had been clearly heard across the team communicators. A spirit misunderstanding which radio to communicate with or an interfering signal from a baby monitor? The latter is unlikely, the former is definitely probable but either way an interesting phenomenon.

Our third session opened with a spirit board, and having found the perfect height table the board was opened with all of our fingers on the planchette. We appeared to have found connection with a young spirit who gave us his age as 8 who needed some instruction to use the hole in the middle of the planchette to show their answer rather than the pointy end. The idea of a small child manipulating the planchette on tip toe due to the height of the table we were using caused a few laughs and evidently this spirit became frustrated as the pointy end went to goodbye.

As we enquired if there were any other spirits who wanted to communicate the handle of the door was heard to turn and the door popped open. The planchette indicated ‘yes’. The name Sid and age 68 was produced with mutterings around the sitters of Sidney Alexander.

The Alex is named after the last resident to call Gatefield House (as it was originally called) home. Born in Hertford in 1863 and died in 1943 (aged 80) Sidney was a celebrated doctor, (with a GP surgery in the house), holds the title for most consecutive years as the Mayor of Faversham (10) as well as attending the Coronation of King George V as Faversham Baron of the Cinque Ports in 1911.  

Aware that Dr Alexander received the Order of Knight Batchelor in 1920 I asked if Sid would prefer us to call him ‘Sir’, ‘yes’ came the answer but the planchette continued to move. First Z then to O, ‘Zozo’ was whispered by the sitter to my right. Taking control and in my most authoritative voice I commanded the spirit to step away from the board, explaining that regardless of whether this was a bit of fun for them I was not interested in going down this road. On my command the planchette slid to ‘goodbye’ and I removed it from the board.

There were a few quizzical looks from the other sitters and so I explained what the legend of Zozo was and from where it came about (for more see T’was the Investigation Before Christmas). As the board was closed we headed through the now opened door (thank you Zozo) and congregated in the adjoining room (coincidentally called the Sidney Room). As we were getting settled one of the other guests thanked me for closing the board when I did and another quickly moved away from the open door to this room as it made her feel uncomfortable.

Calling out in this room the spirits were asked to tap the walls, with an example of 4 knocks. 4 knocks came in reply but this was from the spirit influenced living who had decided that it would be amusing to knock over a sign outside. Such are the issues with investigations in populated areas. A flash of light was seen in the fireplace by one of the team, but no one else had seen it.

As we descended to the subterranean level the temperature increased, unsurprisingly as this is where the boiler is. The basement has one main area, lined with electricity meters, off which two doors lead; one to the boiler room and the other to the cell. On my last visit I did not manage to go into the cell but was keen to experience this area on this occasion. Three of us entered, torches off as the door closed. As our eyes became accustomed to the void, we discovered the dying glow of fairy lights just peeking through their clear plastic coffins alongside the Christmas decorations in readiness to rise again in 11 months’ time. Nothing coming forward we swapped out as a K-II began lighting up in the main space.

The questions went around the room. punctuated by the slow flashing lights of the box. I asked if they wanted someone to go into the cell and the lights flickered in a response that I took as a yes. Careful not to kick the cat ball that had been placed on the floor I entered the cell and closed the door behind me. I asked out into the pitch black but received nothing back.

I heard the sound of excitement from the group on the other side of the door, closely followed by a groan of disappointment. Later I found out that the EMF light show had been caused by the proximity to the electric supply rather than the supernatural.

Credit: SJP

I left the cell and joined the group in a table tipping experiment. The table did not tip, did not shake nor did it vibrate – it was a very good table in that regard. The EMF placed on the surface did not even flicker in recognition but had spiked before it had been put down. Time almost at an end for this session we explored the boiler room and aside discussion of a sump pump (and how full it was) there was nothing paranormal experienced.

We ascended for a quick pee stop and were then en route to the top of the building, into the attic. The loft space is divided into several rooms and most of the group went into each in pairs. The group having an odd number left me on my own. Finding a room, and then finding it feeling a bit flat I moved to the end room, where Keith opened an access panel pointing out the rafters of the original roof.   

Credit: SJP

Spending a bit of time on my own in the room I noticed something appear to dart under the desk. Taking a couple of photos I found nothing and was soon joined by a couple of others carrying a flashing EMF meter. The meter had not stopped going off since they turned it on. A quick off and on reset and it continued behaving in the same way – the same way it had behaved in the yoga studio earlier. Handed the little black box I expected like last time for the lights to drop off to the stoic solid green LED but it continued to flash as if its life depended on it. The others left to attempt a scrying session and so I explored the space like Egon wielding a P.K.E meter.

Wandering into the corridor I found myself in the room that during my last investigation here whatever dwelt within was very possessive of its chairs. The EMF continued flashing as I took a seat and asked for some indication that it would want me to move. The angry red LEDs flashed several times and taking this as a sign (my backside leaving the chair quite rapidly) I asked the meter where I should go next. The next door along the corridor was open and the wall was splattered with a laser grid. Placing the EMF on a table, I sat down to get a feel for this space.

I felt a deep sadness and must have got lost in my thoughts as movement from the door made me jump to alertness. I thought I was on my own but I was now joined by the two that had gifted me the flashing box (the door opening having a normal rather than paranormal explanation). After discovering that this room had formed part of the original Magistrates’ Court we set off to find a solution to the disco lights in my hand.

Entering the corridor the flashes of red directed me back to my original room. On entering I was guided to the open access panel. I started to close the panel and the lights became less intense. Reopening the door the same ferocious light show returned. I repeated this a couple of times with the same results happening on each. I asked for the other portal to the loft space to be shut and with that confirmed shut my door and locked it. The black box greeted me with a single solid green indicator. The spirit had returned to its gloom and no longer wished for any further involvement from me.

As we reconvened at the head of the stairs, we began our descent. Down both flights of servant access to the ground floor. Reports of a musty, mothball like smell were made by some of the group, but I couldn’t smell anything like what was described.  The feeling of sadness still washed over me as both groups reunited to close the protection spell that had been performed several hours before. As we broke hands the sadness lifted and a feeling of tiredness replaced its hold. After a final hug from Keith, I left The Alex to be met by the cold wind and the calls of the inebriated as I made the short walk back to my car as home and my bed were calling.

Credit: SJP