Ghost unearthed at Gloucester Docks museum

Something strange has been caught on camera by a visitor examining the new displays at the museum.

In a photograph of one of the new exhibitions, a ghostly arm can clearly be seen draped across the display. When the photograph was enlarged and enhanced it became apparent that it wasn’t just an arm but a whole body. Museum staff believe that when modernising the museum the workmen must have disturbed a ghost.

The picture was taken by Abigail Williams, aged 13, from Ross-on-Wye when she visited the museum with her family at the end of July. Her father, Mark said: "We didn’t see anything on the camera when we were in the museum, it was only when we returned home and downloaded the photo onto our PC that we saw the arm. We just kept staring at it and couldn’t believe it."

Chris Hayes, general manager, said: "We were amazed when we saw the photograph. In the past visitors have told us about seeing a man dressed in black and museum staff have heard footsteps when the museum has been empty. Our curator has also heard a voice, even though she was the only person in the building at the time, but this is the first piece of evidence of an actual ghost."

The museum has called upon the expertise of Lyn Cinderey, a member of Parasoc, who runs ghost walks around the docks and the city, to try to explain the phenomena.

Lyn said: "I am really intrigued by the photograph. When I visited the museum I discounted a number of possible explanations such as patterns in the wood and while I didn’t manage to capture the arm in my photographs, I did record lots of orbs around the barrels."

Orbs are light anomalies which are the first manifestation of a ghost.

Cheltenham based Parasoc will be holding a vigil at the museum to undertake further investigations.

The museum is housed in an original dockside building, Llanthony Warehouse. The warehouse was built in 1873 and was originally used by Wait James & Company, corn and building merchants.

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