Live and Let Live

[Spooky]

I happened to purchase a copy of Haunted Guildford by Philip Hutchinson yesterday afternoon and details obtained from the investigation we did along with Paranormal Farnham is in there!

We are only mentioned as a local group buts its us Simon, February 2005.

[Hartswood]

Oooh...I will have a hunt around in the office, as I'm sure we were sent a freebie copy of that book!

;D

[Spooky]

I read the whole article in the book last night and not just the one paragraph and I must confess Im not very impressed with the author at all. He has obvioulsy done very little research and just goes into pulling the whole thing apart.

For starters the medium he refers to as HE. Now unless he knows something I dont know it was a female medium who was with us that night.

He then goes intro the investigation report and more or less accuses the medium for making a right old load of bull up. He mentions how HE said the place was a butchers and that the butchers wife had caught him molesting children and how she had stabbed him to death and was hung for her crime. Now I clearly recall this was the other team who had reported these incidents and not the Medium. The Medium even questioned at the end of the night that surely these incidents would have to have been recorded as they were really quite major.

The author then goes onto make out that the medium tells the current landlady that she has this character from London who has followed her down from her previous residence and is tormenting her during her sleep. He does NOT mention that the Land Lady actualy approached the medium during the night and asked for help because of this character and the problem she has been having. The Medium performed rescue work and helped this lady at her request for FREE I might add and as far as I know has cleared up the problem.

So it is kind of sad that this book has been published with so many inaccuracies as it will go down in history and the chinese whispers begin from this point onwards. In 50 years from now god only knows what the story will be then.

I would be interested to hear if the author made any attempt to contact any of the team who investigated that night as he had not contacted us to get his facts straight.

[Hartswood]

Oh dear...perhaps I won't search for the book then...

He could at least get his facts right, particularly when he himself runs the Guildford ghost walks....

[The_Phantom_Monk]

Perhaps he got the info from the landlady as I sent her a copy of my report printed off from Paranormal Farnham as she didn't have internet access, I also sent her a video of some of my footage. But if thats the case he didn't read it too thoroughly, and he never contacted me about it. The stuff about the butchers and that was picked up by Dave on my team so perhaps hes calling him the medium but I believe I only refer to him as a sensitive. It does sound like hes taken bits of my report and twisted it which is out of order without letting me know.

Is Phillip Hutchinson the guy who runs the Guildford Ghost Walk? I nearly got the book myself last time I was in Guildford but didn't cos I've got loads of ghost books. I kinda wish I'd got it now to see exactly what he wrote, but feel perhaps I should not line the pockets of someone who doesn't get his facts straight.

Simon.

[Spooky]

Yes he is the one who runs the theatrical ghost walk around Guidlford.

Anyway as he didnt seem to bothered about publishing our nights work here is a scan of the offending pages ;D

[Vampyresam]

I went looking for the book in a half sleep state after a night ghost hunting in Essex on Sunday. Strangely enough as we were walking through the shopping centre we bumped into Steven and Melanie which was an amazing coincidence as Geoff and I had actually been ghost hunting with Steven in Essex for PT and he had dropped us at home Sunday morning at 8 o'clock. Seems we must have all had the same idea to go to the same town at roughly the same time after having a few hours sleep. Maybe we were all sleep walking .
Unfortunately we were in the wrong town. Def getting a copy of the book at the weekend. I was the team member who was " invaded" by the spirit on the investigation, so kinda half famous. Ok maybe not be not half but still nice to have an investigation we were all on mentioned even if its not very accurate.

[The_Phantom_Monk]

I was the 'medium' who felt the tightening round the throat!!! It was Dave who picked up she'd been hanged, hes the sensitive, but I felt my throat closing up when hes picked this up. And nowhere did we use the excuse ' that doesn't mean it didn't happen' I even said in my report that I didn't think what we picked up was accurate cos I could find no evidence of the execution in Guildford.

I found this
www.ghostclub.org.uk/meridian.htm
It made me smile!

Simon.

[The_Phantom_Monk]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention Steven, have you had a look to see if hes given us any kind of credit? I think I may get in contact with the guy, and put him strait on a few things.

Simon.

[Hartswood]

I can't remember a lot of what happened that evening...but it certainly seems he hasn't got it right...I still might try to get a copy of the book though.

Well done on finding that clip Simon!

;D

[Spooky]

I got no sound at work but will watch the clip tonight.

I will check the book again this evening Simon and see if there is any credit in the back etc. Im not holding my breath though.

Does show though how easily these things get twisted out of context.

[The_Phantom_Monk]

I am writing an email that I will sent Mr Hutchinson, I'll post a copy of it here once I get the wording right

[The_Phantom_Monk]

Here is a copy of the email I'm planning to sent Mr Hutchinson but before I do I'd like to know what people think.

---

Dear Mr Hutchinson

I am writing in reference to a chapter of your book Haunted Guildford that describes an investigation held at the Live and Let Live pud in February 2005. I was one of the investigators present at this investigation and am also the author of the detailed report you mention. Although I’m flattered you found my account of sufficient interest to relate aspects of it in your publication I do feel your version is, in parts, inaccurate and some of your comments are unjust.

First off you frequently use the term ‘mediums’ but there was only one medium present that night which is stated at the top of my report in the list of investigators. I would refer to other investigators there as sensitive but none of these claim to be mediums.

You also say that the real issues arise with the ‘mediums’ accounts of former residents of the pub. All I did was transcribe information pick up by some of the more sensitive members of the group. You seem to imply that because there is no evidence to support this information it has no place in the report, but I feel if I’d omitted this information it would not have been a true record of what went on. What you fail to mention is that I discovered through research, as you yourself did, that no executions were carried out in Guildford at the time and there is no record of an Elizabeth Burrows ever being executed. I also clearly state in the report that this suggests the information picked up was not accurate. The way you’ve written your account implies that we did no such research to prove or disprove any of the information.

In another paragraph you write ‘As one of the mediums recalled the hanging, he felt something tightening round his throat’ What actually happened here was one of the investigators felt Elizabeth was hanged at which point I felt my throat start to close like it was being squeezed, I am not a medium nor was I the one recalling the hanging.

Finally you state ‘Such tales are frequently ‘sensed’ by mediums in haunted buildings and I have never once encountered a case where this could be validated by documentary evidence. To use the excuse ‘ that doesn’t prove it never happened’ just doesn’t wash.’ I agree this excuse, as you put it, doesn’t wash but by using this statement in the context you have seems to imply that I’ve used this excuse in my report which I most certainly have not.

It is clear to me that you have concerns over some of the content of my report. I’m willing to take on board any issues you have, I just wish you’d contacted me about them before publicly slating parts of the report in your book.

Other investigators present that night, one of whom brought your account to my attention, also share my views. We feel if our efforts are to be recorded in print for posterity the author should at least get his facts straight.

Here is a link to one of the sites that my report on this investigation can be found if you need to review it again. uk.geocities.com/thephantommonk/LiveAndLetLive120205.html

I will also be sending a copy of this email to the publisher of Haunted Guildford.

Yours sincerely Simon Monk


P.S.Helen, who I believe you know from her time as a member of the Ghost Club, organised the investigation and as I recall she invited you alone but for reasons I do not remember you declined this invitation. Perhaps if you had attended this chapter of your book would be more accurate.

---

Is it ok?

[Hartswood]

Your email seems fine to me Simon. If people don't put things straight, all these paranormal stories end up like Chinese whispers, and then God knows what the Live and Let Live will be known for in 100 years time...headless horsemen and rabid dogs with red glowing eyes?

(Darn...got it mixed up with Dartmoor....)


:-)

Teresa

[Spooky]

Looks like a well worded piece to me Simon. Least we can say we have put our concerns forward. It may be too late for the book but whilst doing his show round the town the story might get relayed correctly.