“Interesting, intriguing, curious…”

As part of Local History Week, Mostly Ghostly Investigations were invited to give talks on the subject of ghosts and superstitions at Georgetown Library in Dumfries and John McNeillie Library in Wigtown. With a region so rich in local legends and supernatural tales combined with a variety of personal experiences from our paranormal investigations in Dumfries and Galloway, it was pretty tricky to decide what to include, or rather, what to leave out! We introduced the event with some of the better known customs, stories we’ve all come across at one time or another, perhaps pondering over their origins or equally, taking these sayings for granted, never questioning how or why they’ve come about. From there, we went on to share stories with a particular relevance to our region. During our research, we discovered such traditions could be very localised so for example, two villages only a few miles apart may have completely different views on which set of superstitious customs to follow.

Over the course of both talks, we were delighted to welcome a total of 28 participants, the majority of whom stayed behind afterwards to chat over a warming cup of tea; asking questions, sharing personal anecdotes and adding to our increasing collection of ghost stories from this fascinating region. They also took time to fill out feedback forms, providing individual viewpoints and constructive criticism, an essential element of any Mostly Ghostly public event, all of which helps with our ongoing development.

Here are a selection of quotes from people regarding what interested them most about our talk :

“Superstition and everything. It was a good talk.”

“Local folklore i.e. Garlieston Straight.”

“Hearing about the experiences that the people talking to us experienced.”

“Historical aspects of the stories.”

“Apparitions seen locally.”

“The most spiritual places round here.”

“Local ghost stories as I am new to the area so haven’t heard them yet.”

These were just some of the quotes we received when people were asked for any comments on our talks:

“Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere.”

“Enjoyed all of it.”

“Very interesting in layman’s terms. Easily understood.”

“Interesting, intriguing, curious.”

“Good length and well researched”

“Very enjoyable and informative.”

“I thought it was very interesting hearing about the different experiences.”

Of the 28 folk who attended, only one person did not enjoy the talk, however they did leave brilliant feedback; “The guys were very professional and also dedicated…just not for me - a fair comment and let’s face it, this subject isn’t for everyone. The positive element is knowing that people are open to trying new things.

Having read through the forms, it is very encouraging to learn that participants are keen to attend further events at local libraries covering subjects such as; ‘Local history and folklore‘, ‘Local stories from local groups’, ‘Paranormal, psychic phenomenon‘ and specific information pertaining to Mostly Ghostly’s various adventures! As a team, we are happy to work with the libraries and feel that community engagement is an essential part of bringing people together and encouraging them to use the valuable services provided by our local libraries.

We would like to thank Alison Burgess, Local Studies Officer, for her enthusiasm and support during this project and also the wonderful, attentive staff from Georgetown and Wigtown Libraries, who made us feel incredibly welcome and took time to create leaflets, posters and eye-catching displays to attract participants! We would also like to extend our warmest thanks to Alastair Penman, local archaeologist, historian and folklorist for his invaluable contributions to our research.

Do you follow any superstitious customs in your day to day life? Have you any local legends or paranormal experiences you’d like to share with the team? Would you like Mostly Ghostly to carry out a paranormal investigation? If so, we urge you to come forward and contact the team through our website or by phoning 07791 047 835 or 07912 145865.