Preston Manor - Post Investigation
Through the team reports several consistent things came to light which we have since researched.
Vere Benett-Stanford
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Vere, son of John and grandson of Ellen, was known as a gallant First World War soldier. He was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during heavy shell fire that resulted in saving the lives of two other soldiers. He is also reported to have given up his gas mask to a superior officer during a gas attack.
He contracted tuberculosis shortly after, and this was the cause of his untimely death. As far as we are aware, there have never been any other reports of Vere Benett-Stanford in spirit. |
However, we do have a picture taken by Tim in 1997, which looks very much like a soldier standing in front of the manor.
Evidence: The name Vere came up a few times during the night, as well as a spirit with the initial V. We feel that the name Vere is relatively uncommon and so would like to investigate a little further into this apparently ‘new’ ghost.
Lady Ellen Thomas-Stanford
Medium Bryan Boyle seemed to connect with a spirit that he claimed to address her self as the Lady of the house, some of the details he gave about her would identify the 'Lady' as Ellen Stanford
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Ellen Stanford married Vere Benett in 1867, to become Ellen Benett-Stanford. she had one son, John Benett-Stanford. Vere died in 1894. Ellen remarried in 1897 to Sir Charles Thomas. Charles was the mayor of Brighton from 1910-1913 and then a Member of Parliament for Brighton from 1914-1922. They enjoyed living the highlife – entertaining on a grand scale. Ellen was particularly proud of her grandson, who was also named Vere after her late husband. She had decided to leave the manor to him in her will, after having several arguments with her son John. |
John wished to see the manor turned into a casino or a girl’s school and his determination to see it happen, lost him the opportunity of ever owning Preston Manor. Tragically, Ellen lived to see the early death of her heroic grandson in 1922. Charles and Ellen both died in 1932; Ellen, who was the last of the couple to pass on, decided to leave the place to Brighton Council. She felt this was the best thing to do, in light of John’s ambition for the manor.
Evidence: Bryan picked up on the spirit of a lady with a noose around her neck. He said that this wasn’t how she had died, more an indication that she was so upset, she was almost suicidal. What had upset her was the death of a young man who had a connection with her. There was also some communication with a spirit who identified itself as being the ‘Lady of the manor’. The name Charles was also picked up several times during the night, and Bryan described the name as being said in a very posh voice.
John Benett-Stanford
On the event we had problems with our cameras in the upper floors, Paul one of our team leaders for the event submitted this report.
"I to encountered a strange occurrence .When I thought Tim was at the northeast room .I shouted up the narrow servant’s staircase to him 3 x questions about the laying of cables for the CCTV. And I got a very loud yes reply to each question. Nothing funny in this you think. But Tim was not upstairs, he walked into the room behind me .And had not been upstairs at all. Who was the voice"!
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John Benett-Stanford, son of Ellen and Vere, was known throughout life as a bit of a rogue, and also labelled as “Mad Jack”. He was educated at Eaton and joined the military in 1888. He married a lady called Evelyn, and together they had a son in 1894, Vere Benett-Stanford – named after his grandfather. In 1898, John became the war correspondent for the |
Western Morning News. He also filmed Kitchener and the Grenadier Guards, marching off to the battle of Omdurman. This brief film had a huge success and started a short-lived career in filming military scenes. He had a love for practical jokes and was well known for having a passion for young ladies.
Stories suggest that it was John who snuck into the church grounds, late at night, to bury the bones of “Sister Agnes”. Permission had already been denied, as Sister Agnes was a Catholic.
Evidence: “Mad Jack” in spirit, is well known for playing jokes in Preston Manor. Specifically, turning lights off, pinching ladies bottoms and messing about with cameras. During the evening, we had various picture problems with all of our upstairs cameras – pictures appearing and disappearing and pictures jumping around. This is very unusual for our cameras, as they are all wired cams and we’ve never before seen this kind of interference. We were wondering if Paul was talking to Mad Jack while he was laying out the cables. We also had lights turning on and off without any interference. Although, thankfully, there was no ghostly bottom pinching on the night!
Unidentified personalities
As yet unidentified, are the spirits of the children – a boy and a girl. What we do know is that there would have been children present at the manor throughout its history – both belonging to the Stanford’s and possibly to those that worked there. Also the spirit of the footman is at present awaiting identification.
Reported ghosts not encountered
Sister Agnes – There was no clear communication from Sister Agnes on the night. However, we were told a very interesting story that suggests that Sister Agnes isn’t a nun but a lady that was known as Elizabeth. It is believed that she lived here before the manor was rebuilt in the 1700s.
During her life, she was ‘rented out’ by the owner of the previous manor and eventually murdered. The remains that were found suggest that she was thrown feet first into a hole, and left there. Perhaps Elizabeth adopted the guise of Sister Agnes in an attempt to see her bones given a proper burial.
Although we cannot verify this information, it makes an interesting twist none the less.
White / Grey / Black Lady – No obvious apparitions were seen on the night.
Conclusion
Case of : Sister Agnes
No evidence found.
Case Of : A disembodied hand, seen floating by a four-poster bed.
No evidence found
Case of : A playful spirit that played with a child's toy tractor in the 1960's.
Some evidence
Case of :Smells of lavender in the morning room with no source.
Good Evidence,
Case of : People being locked in the withdrawing room.
No evidence
Case of : A ghostly dog, described as looking like Lady Ellen Stanford's dog 'Kylin
No evidence
Case of : Feeling of unease in t he North-west bedroom, by one of the cupboards.
Some evidence
Case of : The presence of Lady Stanford
Good evidence
Case of : The presence of John Montgomery Benett-Stanford 'Mad Jack'
Good evidence
Case of : The presence of Vere Benett-Stanford.
Good evidence
Case File Status
Open
If you have anything you would like to add or if you feel we have got something wrong please email us through the contact page.
