Saturday 9th December, we joined other investigators in New Brighton, in the tunnels that were once used by smugglers (1700s), during the second war it was used as munitions manufacturing, and later as a bar known as "The Creep Inn" which closed around 20 years ago.
Quite early on, during the first session of investigating, we split into two groups. One of the investigators with us, was picking up on a shipwreck and other things - I (Liz) had zoned out as I was picking up something different. I became aware of man who was showing himself in classic "pirate" clothing - knowing from my training at Arthur Findlay, I was not to take everything I see literal and it needs to be translated by myself. I asked the group if smugglers were known as pirates and I got a couple of different answers. Researching the next day, I discovered that smugglers, pirates and fisherman (something else I was shown) were known in that area. This spirit was pacing around, coming back to where we were and then walking off again - this movement was picked up on another investigators REM pod. I was sensing from him that he was not a patient man, and the feeling was growing into irritation. Another investigator had mentioned about a smuggler who was angry and still looking for his "stash"
I ended up moving from where I was sitting to were I could sense this spirit most, which was near a piano in the bar area. There I felt a bit dizzy - two other investigators could also feel this energy.
Because the group of 8 were picking up on different things, I felt we needed to split down again and so we ended up with 4 in our group. The other two in our group captured an EVP of a female telling us her name - we also heard this as a DVP. I heard someone say "Buonasera" which means good evening in Italian. We researched that there was an Italian connection, he had a school in the building next door to the cinema the caves are under.
The rest of the night was pretty quiet...for us.
Fast forward a few days later, when John and I are discussing this pirate (if that's what he was) we both felt his energy "turn up". As I haven't done any automatic writing in a while or at least since our stay at Arthur Findlay, we decided to talk to this "pirate".
He told us his name was William Kingsland and gave us the date of 1788, and that he came from South of the river. He was a smuggler who traded in anything that came his way, especially tobacco. There was 6 of them who he referred to as family, with two being female. They would play cards and dice when gathered in the tunnels - which was another image spirit gave me on the night. He seemed easily irritated and said "what" alot but had no hearing impairment. He was asking for "Emma" on several occasions, apparently she was his sister. He referred to them both as "wanderers"
He also randomly mentioned a hammer...🤷♀️
After a session of automatic writing, I always like to see if I can cross reference. We went looking for William Kingsland - which we found in Kent, born 1788 - Kent being "South of the river" he was baptised 31st August. One of the enduring tales of hauntings in this place is of a workman who was handed a hammer from a ghostly hand, whilst his workmate was outside.
