The Casket. We do not usually publish details of cases that we have been involved in as we do take our policy of complete confidentiality and non-disclosure very seriously indeed. But in this instant we do so as the person involved and the family so wished. They hope that anyone who may, or have experienced a similar thing, may understand that there is nothing to fear and that they are not necessarily going out of their mind. The incident as related is typical of an average type of investigation of purported phenomena that was unproved yet must remain a possibility. We have known this family for a number of years...... Mr & Mrs X had been happily married for many years and had a family of four boys and one girl, all grown up with families of their own. Mr X who was 84yrs of age, originally came from the welsh valleys, where he was born, went to school and then worked in the coal mining industry before moving to the south of England. Mrs X was a very matter of fact down to earth lady who was very house-proud always cleaning, dusting and polishing. She had a 'thing' about the house always smelling nice and fresh. She also shared her husband's passion for gardening. She didn't believe in spirits or ghosts and wasn't superstitious. One day in August 2000, Mr X collapsed in the house and was taken to hospital where tests were carried out. It was found that he had an illness resulting from past employment as a coal miner which had laid dormant only to have suddenly flared up. The illness proved to be terminal, he passed in away hospital about a month later. Funeral arrangement was made and the deceased was cremated. A short time after the cremation, Mrs X who was now living on her own, collected the casket which contained her late husbands ashes and placed it on a dressing table in the upstairs small bedroom. During her daily chores she would go into the bedroom to dust and polish, as was her usual practice. One day about a week before Christmas 2000, Mrs X went into the room to clean. She had only been in the room but a short while when she saw what she described as a mist rise from the casket, this was accompanied by, as she said, "a very strong vile musty smell, the like of which I've never smelt before". She said that she wasn't frightened, only shocked by what had happened. Mrs X did not mention what she had experienced to any member of the family until two days later because as she put it "I thought they would think I was going mad". Having known Mrs X for a number of years, we knew what type of person she was and her capabilities of coping in stressful situations etc. We knew her to be a totally honest and very sincere lady and not an attention seeker. She had coped with the bereavement admirably. On invitation we had a chat and a cup of tea with Mrs X, she was quite pale and drawn and clearly still under some shock, we asked some questions and let her chat about her family, her husband and the funeral. Throughout the conversation she kept coming back to the incident in question and saying "I didn't imagine it, it was definitely coming from the 'box'. There were no sign of any untoward activity in the small bedroom although the overall temperature was found to be lower than that of the other rooms, hallway or landing in the house. Upon later comparing notes it was found we both had commented about the 'uneasy' atmosphere that was sensed. The following day we had a chat with her youngest son who was 30 years of age. During the course of the conversation he mentioned that it was his father's wish to be buried and that they were unable to do this, as they were unable to acquire a plot of ground in the cemetery that his father had wanted to be interred. The family had no alternative but to go ahead with cremation with the intention of having the ashes buried at a later date. Mrs X and family being realists had accepted the situation without any feeling of guilt and felt in no hurry for the burial. He also remarked that after his mother's experience, an older brother and wife visited a medium who had told them that his late fathers spirit would not depart until the problem with his will was sorted out. As there was no problem with or about the will we thought this unlikely. We felt that although there was no clear evidence of a paranormal incident, the fact remained that it could have been. If this was the case then it seemed logical that it could have been the 'spirit' of Mr X communicating anger or displeasure to his wife about the disposal of his earthly remains. Later that evening the son telephoned to say that he had discussed this viewpoint with his mother and family and none of them had even thought of this. A few days later he telephoned again to say that arrangements were being made to bury the ashes in another cemetery with the date set for the last week in January. We paid another visit to the house a week after the interment and found that the temperature in the small box room was consistent with the other room's etc, we also felt a definite change in the atmosphere of the house as did all concerned. If page is loaded out of frames click Here
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