An
Interview with Anne Bradford
Author and lecturer on ghosts, hauntings
and the paranormal in the English Midlands
 How
did you become interested in ghosts and the paranormal?
In 1992, the librarian was showing me
some old documents, and I noticed a lovely Victorian collection of ghost
stories. I said it was a pity they were hidden away, the librarian said he was
looking for someone to update and publish them and as I had just finished a desk
top publishing course and wanted to try my hand I offered to take it on
Do you have a
personal favourite amongst all the ghost stories youve collected?
Yes. The one I did for John Roberts
(publisher of Quercus
books) about a family who lived in Merry Hill who had the ghost of the
grandmother from the previous family move in with them. When I came out of that house my hair was standing in end.
Have you ever
had a ghostly experience?
I'm not a sensitive person, I'm afraid,
but I have had one or two inexplicable occurrences with my twin sons. One is in
London, one lives round the corner. While I'm speaking to the one on the phone,
the other is trying to get through. They buy me the same card and the same
Christmas and birthday presents. This year, thank heaven, it was vouchers. Last
year it was an enormous chocolate cake from each.
Tell us briefly
about your latest book, Haunted Holidays
It's about seventy individuals who
go on their holidays and have an inexplicable experience. Usually, I link ghost
stories with something that has happened in the past, but I couldn't do that in
this case so I teamed up with a paranormal expert, David Taylor (plus Barrie
Roberts who edited the book) who has made comments about most of the stories.
Over the years people have told me these holiday tales and it seemed a pity not
to publish them. There were two stories of glowing heads witnessed by two
people, there was the man who saw the Indian rope trick, there was the lorry
driver who hit a phantom man on his way back from Wales etc etc
How do you research
your books?
I mostly get my ghost stories from
lectures - I lecture to WIs etc throughout Worcestershire on Haunted Pubs and
Ghosts, Murders and Scandals. I love digging about in old books in libraries to
back them up. I have an incredible reading speed.
From your research
into stories of ghosts in the English Midlands have you noticed any kind of
supernatural experiences that are unique or peculiar to the area?
That's a tough one. Civil war ghosts pop
up now and then with a Roman or two at Droitwich.
Your books are full
of personal anecdotes of strange experiences. But do you think that well ever
have more concrete proof that such things as ghosts and poltergeists
exist?
I'm sure we shall. I'm intrigued by the
fact that you can put these sightings into groups. There are the white ladies
with long blond hair, the dark monks or policemen with pointed hats and no feet,
the recently deceased, whirls of white in human shape advancing across pools,
poltergeist activity, the huge dark man straddling the bed, etc etc. I'm sure
that one day there will be explanations for all these such as picking up a
telepathic image. Some people, I'm sure, can pick up events that have happened
in the past. Others can read minds. The skill that intrigues me is telling
what's going to happen in the future. I haven't had many cases of this but that
is fascinating. Can there ever be an explanation for that?
The oldest ghosts
recorded in your books are of Roman soldiers. But people seldom if ever see
ghosts of pre-Roman inhabitants of the area. Why do you think this is?
I did have someone who saw a prehistoric
settlement, but no-one has seen a prehistoric monster. I really have no idea. I
can't blame it on telepathy as lots of people see ghosts of animals.
Why do you think
people are so interested in ghosts and the supernatural?
I like ghost stories because they cover
so many levels. They're a good story and they send shivers up your spine, but as
well as this they capture that moment in time for history - I realised this when
I read the Victorian stories - they tell you about ordinary people and their
thoughts and lives. Like a crossword or a word game, they make you think - can
this be true? Why should that be so? You have the fascination of knowing that
science can't answer all the questions. Also, a lot of people find ghost stories
comforting, it gives them a feeling that there is something beyond this world,
there could be life after death
Basically, however, people
enjoy them for two main reasons. People like to be frightened and I think this
is a good thing as it prepares you to meet anything that life throws at you.
Secondly, the art of storytelling has gone out of fashion and the ghost story,
with its situation, development and an end is one of the few examples of
this art that we have today.
Thanks to Anne for taking the
time to do this interview.
Contact Anne by email here
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