St James Cemetery in Liverpool is the place of many hauntings, but that doesn’t scare me visiting it at night. This is especially so when the fog is descending. The light streaming through the trees creates wonderful images that are well worth capturing.
While creating this post, my research reveals that it is not only ghosts haunting this cemetery. There is also a vampire! Furthermore, it was haunting a lady who once was living on the same street where I am living now. How uncanny is that?
The first photograph above is my attempt at a ghostly self portrait. I did of course enjoy taking this while spending time in St James Cemetery. The addition of the fog gives it a spooky feeling. Finally, the ghostly figure you see is me.
Haunted Liverpool: St James Cemetery Vampire
There are many tales of hauntings with St. James Cemetery.
It was once a sandstone quarry, which was abandoned in 1825. Following this was its conversion into a graveyard catering for over 57,000 Victorian and Edwardian dead. Haunting this cemetery is the limping ghost in a top hat and tails that haunts the tomb of MP Huskisson.
Following further research, I have feelings of excitement due to Tom Slemen’s tale, ‘The Christmas Vampire‘.
Please treat yourself to one of his books as I have a massive collection. I must get him to sign one for me sometime. What do you say Tom?
In December 1970 a female who lives in a second floor flat on Huskisson Street, as I do, was walking her dog in the cemetery.
She begins witnessing some grey smoke hanging over the grand tombs near to the tunnel in the north end. Obviously, this captures her curiosity. The smoke then forms into a man and that is when she picks up her little dog and legs it!
Days later, she returns to the cemetery with her friend, and her friend’s boyfriend, George. They visit the exact spot where the smoke formed. Then, all three of them suddenly begin seeing a man in a top hat and long cape. He is also wearing a monocle and appears to have blue cast skin. Furthermore, the smell of leaf mould, strongly fills the air.
Girls being girls, scream and run off while George gets punched in the jaw so hard nearly breaking it. He manages to escape and reports it to the police. It is of no surprise that this man or vampire is still free.
Did we see the vampire in St. James Cemetery?
Funnily enough, me and my friend Ryan were in the cemetery a couple of nights ago practicing light painting photography. Ryan looks over into the same section of cemetery and thinks he sees the figure of a man. Of course, I talked him out of seeing it, as a sceptic would. I of course am rationalising the figure to be the monument of an angel.
Did Ryan see the vampire?
Slemen’s story tells of other victims being bit by this vampire, and of it chasing children. Furthermore, the poor female begins feeling like someone is watching her. She looks out of her window and sees the blue faced figure gazing up at her. She of course, immediately retreats and does not sleep for the rest of the evening. In the morning, a black rose is waiting for her on the steps.
I can assure you that I won’t be looking out of my window tonight!
Read the story here: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Christmas+Vampire.-a0190453826