The Return to Derby Gaol

  
   

26-07-03

    
 

After many months Derwent Paranormal Investigators took the opportunity to return back to Derby Gaol along with a team from the NWPR. As paying guests we were treated to the full works including the ghost walk and the condemned mans supper.

As our experiences in the past have shown, due to the small size of the Derby Gaol, a large investigation team is not really practical at this location, as it becomes extremely difficult to secure areas to perform any prolonged experimentation. We did however; try recreating some of the simple tasks that we had tried in the past to see if the same results were obtained.

 

  
  As reported in our investigation on 11 January 03, we once again tried to measure the length of the Gaol using an ultrasonic measure. We started off about 3 metres away from the east wall, which has a flat plastered surface and took the first measurement. Having noted the measurement we took a step back and measured again. The readings constantly increased as each reading was taken until the centre point of the corridor had been passed. Once through the centre point of the corridor the measure seemed once more to malfunction and only show the distance back to the centre of the gaol. Taking readings of the west wall also yielded the same results once the centre point of the corridor had been passed. Further tests at the gaol need to be carried out in order to try to explain this strange but interesting phenomenon.

 

DPI Library Picture

  
  The NWPR also noted the high EMF readings in both of the cells. Although we only had time to complete a survey of the debtors cell we can confirm that there are no hidden electrical circuits embedded within the walls. A future survey needs to be carried out in the condemned cell to check for any unknown electrics.  
  During a brief session in the debtors cell Derwent Paranormal Investigators also retried the experiment carried out at our previous visit to the gaol on 11 January 03 to create dust orbs by hitting the straw bed. After several minutes and a selection of photographs taken by two separate cameras, no dust orbs were found to have been generated.  
  We were offered a more serious opportunity to carry out experiments at the gaol with a second, two-hour ghost walk with an extended period in St Werburghs Church. During this time we used some reproduction, late 1700’s coins as trigger objects in the debtors cell. This was covered by a video camera with a 90 minute tape set to long play to detect any possible movement whilst we were away from the gaol. On our return, it was noted that no movement had taken place. This has also been verified by the taped evidence.

 

  
 

A second video camera was set up to cover parts of the dayroom. Unfortunately, once the candles in the dayroom burnt out there was insufficient light for the camera to function efficiently.

As a security measures, a member of the Heritage Centre staff was left in the Gaol whilst we were out. A third camera had been left running covering the kitchen area where he was meant to be based, to enable us to eliminate any noises emanating from that area. Unfortunately, he moved out of sight of the camera and although all three of our cameras have picked up various noises from around the gaol, these have all had to be discounted from the investigation.

During our second ghost walk of the evening we spent an extended time in St Werburghs church. As we had a video camera with us we took the opportunity to film our time there and on the footage discovered this orb in motion.