Robert Owen Museum and Mayors Chambers - June 2009

Newtown paranormal - Robert Owen Museum and Mayors Chambers investigation, Newtown June 2009 20.00 – 00.00 - Group Report

Newtown Council Chamber and the Robert Owen Museum.

Newtown Paranormal are made up of Rory and Ian the group founders along with investigators Nick and Anna.  Former members of the group Wayne, Joe,  and Archie were also present during this investigation.  They have now gone on to form their own group.

The group investigates using a mix of both scientific and spiritual methods.  We employ the use of equipment such as EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) meters, digital thermometers, digital voice recorders (to capture possible EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomena)), digital cameras and video cameras that operate using night vision.  We also use dowsing rods and pendulums to try and communicate with potential spirits in order to try and obtain information that we can research.

During this investigation we were joined by the current Mayoress and Deputy Mayoress of Newtown.

The current building was erected in 1902 and is Grade2 listed.  It was original built to provide a free library and meeting room for the people of Newtown.  The Co-operative Union subscribed part of the cost, in memory of Robert Owen. The Museum occupies the former Library portion. (source Robert Owen Museum website)

The team arrived at 9pm and where met by the Mayoress and deputy Mayoress who gained access to the building via the Seven Street.  The museum was accessed via the same door.  We originally went straight up to the Council Chamber but as this was going to be one of the rooms for investigation we moved the base down to the entrance area on the ground floor by the museum entrance.  This was not an ideal base of operations due to the location and that fact that all the areas that were going to be investigated where very close together and very much on top of each other.

We did a sweep with the EMF meter in the Council Chamber and from there down to the Conference room.  We noted that there were very high EMF readings close to the walls in the Council Chamber and these did move out into the room quite far and they seems to go up quite high as well although the ceiling in this rooms is a very high vaulted ceiling.  The high readings by the walls could be signs of unshielded electrical cabling behind the panelling of the wall.  There were also high EMF readings in the corridor down to the Conference Room, in particular by the entrance to the conference room.  This area is very narrow and confined and there are a number of electrical cables around this area.  Having a high EMF reading such as this in such a confined area could potentially cause what is known as a “fear cage” effect.  This can made you feel nauseous, have head aces and start to hallucinate, you tend to find these symptoms disappear after a short while after leaving such a location.

The EMF readings in the Conference room did not appear to be very high.

By the time that this sweep had been done the majority of the group where already in the Robert Owen Museum (ROM) with the lights out.  During this initial time in this room with all the group being present a number of cold spots (it is though that when spirits try to manifest themselves they draw on the energy surrounding them and this can cause cold spots) that appeared to move around the room.  These cold spots were only felt as the battery on the digital thermometer that we had had died.  This seemed to be a trend for the night as various batteries died in a number of digital cameras and communication equipment.  Making sure that all batteries that are going to be used are fully charged would have been one of the main things that each team member would have done before the investigation.  Again some investigators see these battery drains as being down to spirits drawing on the energy in order to manifest themselves.

After a few minutes with the whole team in the ROM the team was split into two groups.  Three team members stayed in the ROM and the rest including the Mayoress and Deputy went up to the Council Chambers.  It was during this split that we realised that listening out for any auditory phenomena was going to be hard as the group in the ROM could hear all the movement from the council chambers and while the conversations could not be understood they could be heard.

The group in the council chambers picked up a couple of names, Sarah and also John Price.  They also seemed to pick up the presence of a little girl although they could not get any name with this.  They also picked up a number light anomalies in this room, mainly in the far right hand corner of the room at the end by Broad Street.  This is the end of the room where the Mayors chair is.  It has to be noted that there did appear to be a lot of dust in the room at this time, most likely caused by the number of people that where operating in the room.

After a short while a couple of the group split off and where to the conference room where they used the dowsing rods.  While here they also picked up the name John Price who seemed to have taken a dislike to one of the members of the group and also Sarah who seemed to have  taken a liking to the same team member.  When these team members rejoined the group in the council chambers the responses on the dowsing rods seem to be constantly yes as if something was playing with them.

While this was happening upstairs the other three team members in the ROM where using a night vision camera to try and capture evidence on film.  A number of moving light anomalies where being captured on film and they seem to be focused in a corner of the room that was first thought to contain a doorway through to Corel Bookies although the doorway turned out to be a hung door that used to make up part of Robert Owens house.  In this same corner there was a chair that was also from his house.  During our time in the room a number of light anomalies where capture mainly in this corner, also all three members of the group seems to have problems with their throats either in the form of sore throats or coughs.

After around 30 minutes the group swapped around.

The group from the ROM went to the conference room.  In here they found it very quiet although there did appear to be a spirit of an elderly lady trying to come through although the energy was very faint and hard to bring through. 

The other group went down to the ROM.  Here one of the group picked up the name Mary Joseph and described her as being dressed in a mopped cap and layers of clothing.  She came across as a very busy person who appeared to be knitting and she possibly held the position of housekeeper.

During the groups time in the ROM the name William Price was also picked up who had black stripped trouser, black waistcoat and top hat.  A man in a black cloak was also picked up in the ROM and the feeling from this spirit was a bit aggressive and he seemed to have a dislike of women being in charge.  Tapping and breathing was also heard in the ROM by this group and these noises did not appear to be coming from any of the group members.

Some of this group went back down to the ROM later in a smaller group.  While there they picked up more cold spots and light anomalies where picked up on the night vision camera and they appeared to show themselves on command.  They also heard creaking and movement noises from inside the room although they could not pinpoint where exactly it was coming from.

During the night the ROM and in particular the corner with the hung door and chair seemed to be the most active location.  Some of this energy seemed to be spilling up to the council chambers although we did not obtain any clear evidence in this room.  Towards the end of the night a group of three team members went back down to the ROM during the time there we picked up more light anomalies and there definitely appeared as if there was a “presence” in the room with us.  After around 10 minutes two of the team left and the remaining team member carried out a lone vigil and during this time a few more light anomalies where captured.

All the video footage will be available on our website once it has been completely analysed along with any audio recording that were running through the night and any photographic evidence.

Newtown Paranormal would like to thank the Mayoress and the ROM for the opportunity to carry out this investigation.  Our conclusion is that it needs further investigation.  There were things that could not be explained away with natural causes but there was no clear evidence so far to confirm the paranormal.  We have spent time going through the video footage and have a number of light anomalies that do not appear to be dust or insects.