In over half a century devoted to the study of ghosts, the people who see them, where and when they are seen, there is one thing we are totally certain of, and that is that there are many kinds of ghosts, although sometimes one type intermingles with another type and there are mixed hauntings where the haunting influence cannot be easily categorized.
Atmospheric Photographic Ghosts.
There is most certainly considerable evidence, from all parts of the world over many years, to suggest that certain events, often but not always tragic or violent events, occasionally imprint themselves in or on the atmosphere of the place where the event occurred. Possibly climatic conditions at the time play a part in this strange recording, possibly the presence of a certain type of person is necessary, or it may be that such events remain as light-particles, imprinted and vibrating for many years, possibly for ever, to be sensed or seen or otherwise experienced by some individuals who happen to be in the right place at the right time. I have noticed that such ghost imprints are rarely reported in a high wind; such manifestations might be classed as Atmospheric Photographic Ghosts.
Historical or Traditional Ghosts.
These are usually associated with old and historic houses where uninterrupted occupation of the premises for many years seem to help to perpetuate the ghostly figures that are recognised as the forms of realm people who once lived there. Such ghostly forms walk or seem to glide through rooms and passages that would have been familiar to them in their lifetime. They appear to be solid, seemingly dressed in the clothes of their time, and they usually act more or less naturally, although when structural alterations have taken place they will appear to walk through walls and closed doors that were not there during their lifetime; and if floors and ceilings have been altered the ghosts appear where they would have appeared before such alterations took place, so that sometimes, when flooring has been has been raised, for example, the ghost appears only from the ankles or knees upwards.
Cyclic or Recurring Ghosts
These come into separate categories because they return [or are alleged to return] at regular intervals. By far the commonest cycle is twelve months, almost as though they require twelve months to build up sufficient power to manifest once again.
Modern Ghosts
It is a common misconception that all ghosts are misty grey Ladies or shadowy monks of long ago; there are many modern ghosts and ghosts of modern people and present-day occurrences. For years a ghost bus was seen in North Kensington, London, and many accidents were reportedly caused by other road users swerving to avoid the racing bus, hours after regular buses had ceased to run, only to find the brightly lit bus had completely disappeared. After one fatal accident [some say there were several] the dangerous corner at the junction of St. Mark’s Road and Cambridge Gardens was structurally altered and thereafter the ghost bus was never seen again.
Ghosts of the Living
Prince Rupert led his cavalry into the first major battle of the English Civil War at Edgehill in 1642. For months afterwards people claimed to see a ghostly re-enactment of the battle, and among those reported to take part was Prince Rupert himself – but he was still alive at the time!
Crisis Apparitions or Death bed Visions
These post-mortem visions take place at or soon after the death or near-death of the person seen and do not seem to be related in any particular place or event. They are quite common [especially in hospice environments] but are ghosts of limited duration and rarely occur more than four days after the death or crisis in illness of the person seen.
This is not a complete list of the different kinds of ghosts that ghost hunters may encounter, but most reported ghosts will fall into one of these categories. There are certainly other possible explanations, not forgetting that they are all mind phenomena and do not exist outside the minds of those who see them – It is possible, but only just in the light of the available evidence on the subject.
Roger Mallett.
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