SAUCHIE POLTERGEIST
Poltergeist outbreak that occurred in Sauchie, Scotland, in 1960-61. It centred around an 11-year-old girl and is believed to have been caused by intense, repressed emotions on the part of the girl.
Virginia Campbell was the youngest of seven children belonging to James and Annie Campbell. The family was Irish and had been raised in County Donegal, but around 1960 the Campbells decided to move to Scotland. One of their sons, Thomas, lived near Sauchie and worked in the coalmines. In the autumn of 1960 Virginia and her mother went to live with Thomas, his wife, his daughter, Margaret, aged nine, and son Derek, aged six. James Campbell stayed behind in Ireland to dispose of the house and farm.
While her mother went out to work at a boarding house, Virginia was left to live with the family and share a bedroom with Margaret. She was also enrolled in a local primary school. Her teacher found her to be bright and well-mannered but noticed that she had problems mixing with the other children.
The first disturbances began on 22 November 1960, in the Campbell home, when a 'thunking' noise like a bouncing ball was heard in the girls' bedroom. The noise followed the girls around the house and only ceased when Virginia went to sleep. The following day, as well as the knocking a sideboard moved out from the wall and back again. The worried Campbells summoned a local pastor from the Church of Scotland, Revd T W Lund. Revd Lund heard the knocking and also witnessed a large chest rise up and travel about 18 inches. For the next few days the disturbances continued. The family doctor, Dr Nisbet, saw unusual movements, and at school Virginia's teacher witnessed a desk rise off the floor.
On 1 December Dr Nisbet set up a movie camera and recorded a variety of noises while Virginia entered a trance. At 11 pm an unsuccessful exorcism was performed; knockings and a rasping, sawing noise continued throughout. Following this Nisbet felt it best to curtail the publicity and announced that Virginia had been cured. Apart from the odd incident here and there, the phenomena gradually began to diminish thereafter.
Mathematician and parapsychologist A R G Owen investigated the case and interviewed the Campbells. He concluded that the Campbells were well-adjusted people and the atmosphere in the house was stable. He declared the phenomena to be paranormal. Geophysical conditions, atmospheric drafts and trickery on the part of Virginia and the other children were ruled out. Discarnate entities were also ruled out for none manifested during Virginia's trances and none of the witnesses sensed anything evil. Even Virginia herself did not feel harassed by the phenomena occurring around her.
The conclusion drawn was that Virginia herself was the most likely cause. When the incidents took place she was undergoing a rapid pubescence, which may have generated the energy to create poltergeist forces. These forces may have been triggered by homesickness, shyness or loneliness, or represent a bid for attention or self-consciousness about the physical changes she was going through.
Text from The Element Encyclopedia of Ghosts & Hauntings by Theresa Cheung (HarperElement, 2013)
