The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-20

New York City, Sept. lS.-W nat
is to become of historic British
ghosts, now that so many English
castles and manor houses are De-
ing torn down or sold at auction TO
plebeian newcomers?
This question is deeply agitating
the British Society for PHYSICAL
Research. which has long been en-
gagged in the scientific Investigator
of such old and well-established
family ghosts. In the breaking up
of famous old English estates 1t
sees the end of a valuable source
of material. The ghosts, it believes,
will disappear after the castles or
mauors have changed hands and
undergone elaborate remodeling,
Family ghosts" says one AUTHOR
ity on the subject, ARE by no means
of a wandering disposition. Having
established reputation by haunt
ing one particular house. they stay
there. Some ghosts, as ancient fam
lily legends inform US. have haunt
ed one house for centuries, never
appearing anywhere else.
''And now that such houses are
being auctioned, sold and torn
down, what will the poor ghosts
do? They may find new homes to
haunt-modern skyscrapers, apart
ment houses and freshly painted
green and pink studios-but there
will not be any secret passages in
which to clank chains, nor ivy-clad
turrets to parade around, and no
mysterious windows to fit across
in the moonlight. Furthermore.
with the going of the houses will
go the traditions which served to
keep the ghosts encouraged and in
spired.
Take the case Of Windsor cas-
tle." continues this authority,
which has housed several promin-
ent ghosts. including Queen Bess
herself. 1t was an officer of the
Grenadier Guards who first saw the
phantom of Queen Elizabeth 90 or
30 years ago. He declared it sud-
denly appeared and g1ided along in
front of him, vanishing through a
certain part of the wall in a room
at the end of the corridor. Investi-
cation showed that three centuries
before there had been a door, since
sealed, at that very spot.
THAT is the structure where the
ghosts of the Quarrelsome but beau
tiful duchess of Cleveland. the saucy-
tongued duchess of Mazarin and
the unhappy Catherine Howard,
slain by Henry VIII. are said to
have been seen. The last-named
woman, it was reported by alleged
witnesses, ran through the corri- |
dor, hair streaming behind. as she
did one day when she escaped from |
her guards and rushed in TO beg |
for her life from her royal hus- |
band.
What would happen to these |
ghosts If Windsor castle is torn
down to make room for modern in
1ustrial expansion"
Passing of the Manor.
England's early history. includ-
ng many items CHASTITY enough to !
'ound a whole race of ghosts, was |
written around events
which happened in the castles and
nanors which have been recently
sold An English periodical lists
he following historic estates which
rave changed hands since the war:
Pembroke, "the cradle Of the Tu-
lors." where the first Tudor was
1orn: Fineshade Abbey, in North
built partly of stone
AIKEN from the hall where Mary
Queen of Scots was executed; ST.
)syth's priory, in Essex, erected in
he early part of the 18th century;
Abbey House, Abingdon. and the
Sutton Courtenay Manor. where the
irst rent kick" against profiteer-
ng landlords was voiced by ten
.nts: Quenby House in Leicester
hire, where Stilton cheese was
lrst made; the Stoke Park estate,
iome Of John Penn, where the
monument to the Poet Gray was
rected; Snowre Hall, where
'harles I found asylum for few
avs. probably the place described
y Dumas in his D'Artagnan ro-
aances; Oldham castle, where Da-
i'd Bruce was taken prisoner in
346. and the old Castle OF Sken-
rith.
The duke of Devonshire recently
old Devonshire House in the very
fashionable Park Lane, London,
nd it is reported that the old place