I was reading the Borley Ghost Society Newsletter. I can well imagine how some of the residents must have felt in the old days when the first mention to the haunting occurred. All the press rushed down from Fleet Street to get a story and the eventual arrival of Harry Price. People lived totally different lives then. Communications were much slower. Possibly the Haunting and the arrival of the press were quite a pleasant diversion for some residents or would undoubtedly have found the press an total invasion, others would have been apathetic to all the events.
Now it is a different generation of people living in the area and most of them will have heard of Borley, but will not be the least interested in the past events. Others will have a different opinion as to what occurred in the past.
One thing I think that all will have in common, is that they were not part of the Haunting. That happened in the last century, that is now history. Only those who lived at Borley during the Haunting time could give their account of the experiences.
I also ask, how many newspaper men really did write a true and accurate account of events? Truth does not always sell, but add a few embellishments, or omit a fact to leave the readers in doubt. Now residents of Borley must some times think when some nosy individual, who has no connection with Borley other than purely nosiness goes prowling around in someone's front garden to get a photograph, "Not another would-be writer trying to get a story!"
I say that we should be very grateful that the residents of Borley are so well adjusted and sensible. In some area the residents have sold their stories to the press. Could you just imagine what havoc a fertile mind and a little half truth could cause? Our Mr Mayerling springs to mind. I hope that most who are interested in Borley are more courteous and thoughtful. I say thank goodness no one answers the door. Personally he deserved to be sent off with a flea in his ear.
I say three cheers to my uncle - Vincent O'Neil - who regards the feeling of the residents of this very small community number one priority. He lives thousands of miles across the ocean on a different continent. It would be so easy for him to disregard their wishes of privacy. He is not saying keep away. He is saying when visiting Borley just respect other people's feelings and do not trespass.
Place oneself in the Borley residents shoes. Would I wish for some stranger to turn up on my doorstep an ask a whole host of irrevelant questions.? Would I wish for some camera wielding stranger taking pictures at random of my property.? The answer to those two questions would be a definite no.
So I say, think of others, just like my uncle says.
Maureen Shaw
grandaughter of Marianne.