ghostly ‘weights and measures’ lady haunts pub

Mike and I sat noshing a delicious pub meal in Lodsworth, Sussex – part of our anniversary treat to celebrate 31 years of togetherness – when a ghostly apparition flitted in and out of my peripheral vision, but as I had taken off my working hat (rescuing spirits) and replaced it with my ‘rest and play’ one I just made a mental note of the woman staring straight at me as though I were a ghost (ha ha) and would help her later….

It is hard to disassociate yourself from lost souls but I was fortunate that only two ghosts haunted the Hollist Arms.  The second, also a female, introduced herself as Ebony and intermittently throughout the happy banter with the friendly bar staff and change of courses I stopped to observe her.  Sometimes she held her skirts and danced with happiness, but on one occasion I saw her sitting at an empty table  playing with a calculater.  (I was dying to ask the staff if their machines ever went missing but didn’t wish to blow my enjoyable cover!)

Later that evening, back at the B & B, I tuned in to find Ebony again and she was shocked!

“Are you a sorceress?” she asked bluntly.

“Of sorts!” I laughed.   “Would you like to tell me a little about yourself before you go back home to your spirit family and friends?”  Before she could answer she was lifted with gusto, bless her, as my dowser spun wildly!  I gleaned information from my spirit guides that she was a 1930’s era waitress; and I could see that she wore a black dress and white frilly pinny and matching hat.  She wasn’t from the village but ‘connected to an ash tray’….(described as ‘iconic’ – ie typical Art Deco in style)  Perhaps there had been such an ash tray in the pub and she had been attracted there on a like attracts like basis?  Then it occurred to me that a gaggle of girls had lolled on the squishy sofa during our meal, one of them saying that the last time she had sat there was from 3 pm to ‘throwing out time’ and that she’d been ‘battered’ (drunk)!  They frequently extracated themselves from the soft leather seats for frequent smoke breaks in the garden….I was also told that Ebony had worked in a tea room in Chichester…also West Sussex.

Suddenly remembering the other lady ghost who observed me from the bar area throughout the evening, ‘trying to suss you out’, I tuned in before sleep and passed on Matilda – who left extremely quickly and the only information forthcoming was that she ‘worked for weights and measures‘ and was ‘inspecting the pub’s measures for beer and SPIRITS!’

Such adventures!

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