GHOST IN THE TOWER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 8

GHOST IN THE TOWER

WIRELESS BOX MYSTERY. OFFICIAL’S STRANGE STORY WHO LOCKED THE BOX? Mysterious happenings in the Tower of London —one early last month — were described to a News Chronicle reporter by Major-General Sir George Younghusband, keeper of the Jewel House. First, there is the riddle of the opening door and then the strange adventure of a wireless set.

“My dressing room is over the Triators’ Gate,” Major General Younghusband explained. “From the window we look out upon the Bloody Towei and the parapet walk where Sir Walter Raleigh and others promenaded for the entertainment of the passers-by and the curious visitors.

“Lord Grey de Wilton was taken out of here to be executed, but was reprieved on the scaffold and was ordered to be imprisoned in the Tower of London for life. The room he lived in was mentioned as ( the small chamber over the Gate’ —the Traitors’ Gate. It is now my dressing room.

“Soon after I took up my quartos here —it was on May 4, 1919, that it happened—l was dressing at about eight in the morning when I noticed the door being opened slowly. I went to shut it, but before I could reach it, the door closed itself. It is a very solid door, with a strong latch, and I could feel no wind nor draught. “I pulled the door open hastily and went outside, but not a soul was in sight. The door had opened and shut very silently, and four days later it happened again. I tried to make it work by opening and shutting windows to form a strong draught. This caused the door to open, but not to shut. It would not shut as well as open. It was rather uncanny.

“About a fortnight ago, after the broadcasting had finished, I shut down our portable wireless set. It has two spring locks but no key. We have never had a key. Next morning Lady Younghusband and I went away. “Meanwhile, the maid had put the wireless box in the oratory of Thomas a’Becket, which leads out of our drawing room, and kept the door into the oratory locked all the time we were awav. "When we came back to the Tower and tried to use the wireless we found that the box was locked. We had to get a locksmith to open it. And as far as we can learn, a key was never provided for the box. “When the box was opened we found that the wires had been disconnected and the apparatus put out of order. No one had entered the oratory during our absence and we cannot explain the incident. “Did Thomas a’Becket come back, and did he not like wireless?”