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Original poster

To find out if anyone ever died in the house we just bought?

115 replies

Ginnyfromtheblock · 29/04/2023 12:09

Currently having the house we just bought renovated. We aren't living in it yet and because it is near where my brother lives and we have a newborn we gave him a set of keys to go and check up on builders etc.

Yesterday he went to the house after work and video called me to show me the progress. While he was there he suddenly said how just saw a small child in the house and he ran out the house and locked the front door and left.

He isn't the pranking type and also isn't the superstitious type, nor am I. But I am a total wimp and cannot watch any type of horror or anything and I'm now terrified. In the loft there was an old cot and nothing else. I've also got a year's worth of maternity leave and imagine I'll be home alone with baby while DH is at work.

Does anyone know how to find out if there was ever a death in the house or a building? I'm in the UK if that helps.

OP posts:
Sweet5 · 29/04/2023 17:29

Some people have seen ghosts or shadow people, some people don’t. Not everyone is sleep deprived or high on drugs. Just because you haven’t seen anything doesn’t mean others are lying or insane. It’s not usually the ghosts of old people who died at home peacefully who haunt. I grew up in a haunted house (it’s not like the solid ghosts you see in horror films).

DiscoBeat · 29/04/2023 17:32

My house is 400 years old, I'm pretty sure there have been some deaths (and births) in it!

Mammyloveswine · 29/04/2023 17:33

My mam died at home.. doesn't bother me going to my parents house!

Robinni · 29/04/2023 17:34

Look at the deeds of the house for past owners names. Cross reference this with news in library. Or research past owners.

The cot in the attic is a bit creepy. Is there any possibility your brother is playing on your good nature and winding you up?

CustardySergeant · 29/04/2023 17:34

Whisper23 "FWIW I do believe in "ghosts", though I don't think they're what most people think they are (i.e. the spirit of a dead person returning)."

I'm intrigued. What do you think they are then?

Lincslady53 · 29/04/2023 17:35

My MIL died in our house last October, in bed, in front of the telly with A Place in the Sun on. The house is about 20 years old, so it is not just on old houses that people die. She hasn't come back to haunt us (yet) even though she used to complain about the food. If your partner saw a small child in the house, why did he lock the child in? He is either winding you up, or as others have said, it was a trick of the light. I wouldn't worry about it, put it out of your mind and enjoy your new house.

Whisper23 · 29/04/2023 17:41

CustardySergeant · 29/04/2023 17:34

Whisper23 "FWIW I do believe in "ghosts", though I don't think they're what most people think they are (i.e. the spirit of a dead person returning)."

I'm intrigued. What do you think they are then?

The theory that makes the most sense to me is time slips. Google Bold Street in Liverpool for a better explanation than I could give.

Stone tape theory is interesting too, though a bit less persuasive to me.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 29/04/2023 17:42

Every house I’ve ever owned has had births and deaths in it whilst I’ve owned it, never mind before or after.

Sirius3030 · 29/04/2023 17:54

Yes, there has probably been a death in the house and it is clearly now haunted. All you can do is sell it to the first person who makes an offer, but do it quick or the ghost will follow you to your new house. I suggest in the meantime perhaps live in a new caravan or tent?

Hugasauras · 29/04/2023 17:57

Weird how just about everyone nowadays has a phone with a good camera that can also record videos yet no one ever thinks to record any of all this strange stuff apparently going on. Yet people are always pulling out phones to record all manner of things otherwise and generally within arm's reach of their phones for large parts of the day.

neilyoungismyhero · 29/04/2023 18:03

Not sure she's worried about the deaths more about the supposed apparition her brother saw.

SchoolTripDrama · 29/04/2023 18:55

DeadButDelicious · 29/04/2023 12:27

Unless it's a brand new build it is very likely that someone at some point has died there. The lady who lived in my parents house before us for instance died in the old downstairs bathroom, we only know that because the neighbours told us. There was a time when it was commonplace for people to die at home.

There are no such things as ghosts. There are a million and one explanations for what your brother saw and not one of them will be supernatural. It's more than likely a shadow and because the human brain is a dick like that it's 'looked' like a child.

Unfortunately they are real. I've experienced a full apparition 6 foot away from me, been grabbed on the shoulder and pulled backwards violently when there's categorically been nobody else in the room. Witnessed several of my glass tumblers be picked up and thrown across my kitchen on more than one occasion when I most certainly wasn't tired/on something/trying to encourage anything etc. That was most definitely not 'in my imagination' I was sat getting ready for work a few months after my dad died.

The apparition & the grab on the shoulder were on an old WW2 RAF Airfield in a hangar which was being used for my friend's coach company.
The airfield had had more crashes than any other WW2 airfield, due to weather (this was discovered after)

I respect the fact that many disbelieve it, but when those people start telling others that they don't exist, then I feel it's only fair to point out what I've experienced. I will also point out that prior to all of the above, I was STAUNCHLY of the belief that Ghosts were made up and couldn't possibly exist - until I was shown that they very much DO exist

SchoolTripDrama · 29/04/2023 19:03

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 29/04/2023 17:42

Every house I’ve ever owned has had births and deaths in it whilst I’ve owned it, never mind before or after.

You sound like a fun person to be around Grin

Sapphire387 · 29/04/2023 19:17

Surely someone can haunt a place without having died there?

SleepyRich · 29/04/2023 19:22

Better hope never to walk around a hospital, there must be literally thousands of ghosts!!! Maybe that's why the waiting lists are so long....

electriclight · 29/04/2023 19:28

Surely you have spoken to your brother since he ran out of the house?

I mean, what did they look like? Who the hell would see a kid in the house and lock them in? Has anyone gone to look around?

My guess is you told him about the cot in the attic and he's prancing you, whether he's the type to do it or not.

More believable that someone who doesn't usually play pranks decides to do so, than there's life after death.

Robinni · 29/04/2023 19:29

SleepyRich · 29/04/2023 19:22

Better hope never to walk around a hospital, there must be literally thousands of ghosts!!! Maybe that's why the waiting lists are so long....

😂

Erex · 29/04/2023 19:31

Logically, ghosts aren't real, so either he's pranking you or saw something that looked like a child (trick of the light/mind, could be one of many things).
My first thought was it's because of the old cot, he's decided to have you on.
The only other explanation was a child somehow got in, and he locked them in - which people wouldn't tend to do!

Nightynightnight · 29/04/2023 19:35

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 15:49

Link to the Guardian article if anyone's interested amp.theguardian.com/money/2022/nov/19/the-more-we-pulled-back-the-carpet-the-more-we-saw-what-i-learned-when-i-bought-a-house-with-a-dark-past

It's got some other stories as well from the agent who sold Dennis Nielsen's flat to a woman who found out she bought a house where babies had murdered in Victorian times.

And correction: it wasn't in the writer's house that the man committed the rapes and murders, he only started fires in the house multiple times (God know knows why).

Thank you for sharing. A really interesting article. My house is 123 years old and I think of my family as the current caretakers. I'm sure it's seen its share of births, deaths, fights, and laughter, but it feels solid and protective. I'm not woo.

GettingThereCharleyBear · 29/04/2023 19:39

Funny how our recently deceased never haunt us only people from hundreds of years ago wearing ghostly frocks 🙄.

Please don’t waste your money on “ghost cleansers”, just put it out of your mind and enjoy your new house 🤩.

Whowhatwherewhenwhy1 · 29/04/2023 19:49

Not sure if it helps but we have a ghost child about 8 in our house which is about 150 years old. Its harmless and doesn't appear often. No idea if it died here but guess so.

choccytime · 29/04/2023 19:55

I had a house history report done on my house when we moved here . The house is 100 years old . There s been 6 lots of couples / families before us . the report said there was a dead body found here , it was a lady who had lived here with her husband and then he died so she was on her own . Your local library should be able to tell you where you can get one of these reports done nothing spooky here though!

MadKittenWoman · 29/04/2023 19:57

Our house was built in 1883 and we have all the deeds and plans going back to the early 1800s. We know for certain that at least one of the previous owners died here, probably in our bedroom. Doesn’t bother us.

strawberryfluff · 29/04/2023 20:03

Whisper23 · 29/04/2023 14:52

Could you burn some sage?

What exactly do you think that will achieve? Make the place smell herby? Seriously, think about it rationally.

FWIW I do believe in "ghosts", though I don't think they're what most people think they are (i.e. the spirit of a dead person returning).

Ghosts don't like burnt sage

Whisper23 · 29/04/2023 20:12

strawberryfluff · 29/04/2023 20:03

Ghosts don't like burnt sage

Show quote history

You state that at if it's an established fact.

If ghosts are sentient beings, dead people returning for a visit, why would they be averse to the smell of sage? Seriously, do think they think "it smells too herby in here, I'm off"?

What a load of nonsense.