Interview with a Poltergeist...Channel 4 30pm 6/3/07

31^st August 1977, reports of strange activity in Green St, Enfield, North London, covered by the media for many months. The Hodgson family consisted of mum two girls Janet and Margaret in their early teens and a younger child. There was strange knocking sounds on walls and floors, so the mum called a neighbour who was a builder to investigate..Also the police were called, and the Daily Mirror, who sent a reporter and photographer.

Some of the commentary was given by Guy Lyon Playfair, the author of “This House is haunted�? Sept. 4^th the reporter Douglas Bence and photographer Graham Norris said the saw small objects moving through the air, Lego bricks , marbles etc. They didn't manage to get any good photos of these events. Prof, Chris French of Goldsmiths College was the sceptic giving commentary during the programme..The reporters returned after a few days , and were mainly worried about the state of the family. They called the Society of Psychical Research (SPR) , who sent Maurice Grosse to investigate, he was an inventor and a new member of SPR who had recently lost his daughter in a tragic accident. He stayed with the family and also Mr Playfair came and stayed for about 14 months.

We were then told what a poltergeist was, a noisy or mischievous spirit, who moved object, also often associated with bad odours etc. Also nobody was usually harmed, except by accident. The events usually starts slowly and gradually builds up noisly and there always seems to be an adolescent girl involved.

Late October 1977 the family all move into the same bedroom, and the poltergeist activity escalated. A lot of vibrating and noise from the bedroom fireplace and the gas pipe was bent. The programme then seemed to indicate that Janet was capable of bending metal without touching it.

We were then told a bit about the family breakup, the dad had left a year earlier when Janet was 10yrs old. He would return with his girlfriend to pay maintenance, with must have been very distressing to the children.

Mr Grosse and Mr Playfair were convinced of paranormal activity, and said when they questioned the noises in the walls and ceiling they had a box and pillow thrown at them. But they also agreed that some of the events were down to the children playing tricks. Late November Janet was hypnotised by Dr Ian Fletcher a member of SPR, at first she said it was her and her sister creating the events but then said they were being forced to do it against their wills.

The events were photographed but they were very ambiguous and not really helpful, also neighbours claimed to have seen Janet floating round the room from the bedroom window in December..Eyewitnesses as usual are very unreliable often confused and tend to see what they want to see.

Next Mr Grosse began to record and talk to a deep voice that he thought was an old man, though it sounded female to me. Then Mr Grosse's son Maurice a solicitor asked Janet about the strange voice of a man called “Bill�? We we then told Bill had died in the house before the family moved in. Although we were told Janet knew nothing of this man, I feel fairly sure she would have heard something , probably from the neighbours either deliberately or just overheard...In July 1978 Janet was moved to Maudsley Hospital for two months and came out with a clean bill of health..The programme implied that she was subject to all types of test but we saw no results and I can't imagine what observations the hospital would make that would be helpful ! When she returned home the strange activity had died right down.

The mum died in 2003 and the children moved on with their lives, and we were told that nobody has changed their original accounts, even when reinterviewed by the press. Then finally we were told by Janet that she felt used at the time and not in control...The programme then ended with the usual music and no attempt at a conclusion..

I certainly enjoyed the programme, but possibly for the wrong reasons. I was sure that Janet had real problems and needed help, not ghost busters but a better environment. I also feel there was some possible para normal activity by her, but most of the events were media driven, send in enough reporters and observers and you will get a show. I love anything to do with mass hysteria and the way it can take over a group of people. Also the main observer Mr Grosse was obviously desperate to find evidence of life after death having tragically lost his daughter and was no more and expert than I am..Also the Mirror was there to sell papers if it could get a front page story with sensational headlines. Would love to know what the rest of our group thinks.... Legolas