The 'Ghost' that FOOLED a village for 4 years
- luke38knight
- Jul 16
- 4 min read
One of my favourite ghost stories is The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. I remember seeing it at the Swan Theatre in Malvern when I was studying GCSE drama, and yes, I absolutely jumped out of my skin. Years later I would also enjoy the two film adaptations...albeit unconvinced by Daniel Radcliffe, who was fresh out of his role as Harry Potter.
I digress - I think this has to be one of the most chilling ghost stories ever penned, and little did I know that the village of Curry Rivel in Somerset has its own 'Woman in Black' story. Well, sort of.
The difference with this story though, is it is a true story.
In 1923, local people in Curry Rivel begin to report sightings of a mysterious figure skulking the dark country lanes, at night. Those who came across this figure described it as being female and was dressed in black, with a pale face that was covered with a black hat and veil. The sightings became more and more frequent, to the point that people would actively avoid going out after sunset, for fear that they would bump into this apparition. And she was someone to be feared...
Stories began to circulate that she was the ghost of a Governess, who was looking for her missing children in the ditches and hedgerows. More sinister stories began to emerge, that if you lifted her black veil or made eye contact...she would steal your soul, and your life would be cut short. She was also used as a method to scare young children into behaving - almost as a 'bogeyman' figure. It certainly worked...
Four years passed, until one night, in 1927, a group of locals were gathered in the village pub - King William pub - discussing the relentless sightings of this spirit, when a man called Frank Chorley arrives. He is the local postman...and admits to the landlord, William Weaver, that he had come across this woman in black, whilst out on his rounds that very morning, in the nearby Stoney Lane.
Confused and frustrated by this development, William asks Frank to accompany him to Stoney Lane, where he intended them to look for this spirit and solve the mystery once and for all.
Both men got on their bicycles and rode towards Stoney Lane, where sure enough they found the figure. “I said ‘right’ and jumped off the machine,” Weaver told Reynold’s Newspaper. “And caught hold of her wrists". He thought she might be armed with a revolver. A bicycle lamp was then shone in her face, only to reveal her true identity. Both men recognised 'her' instantly.
It was their local priest - Reverend Alfred Harold Read.
Rev. Read was standing before them, dressed in a red Macintosh coat, with white stockings, high heels, a tightly fitting small hat and black veil. His face was powdered and white, with ear piercings. Both men scalded the priest for frightening half the village, but Reverend Read insisted that he was doing research for a book. But his story changed overnight.
When word got out about the identity of this supposed 'ghost', Rev. Read called a meeting in Curry Rivel and Drayton, where could explain himself to the local people - many of whom were understandably angry with his behaviour. He even had to be escorted home, by police, after speaking to the men of the parish. And its no surprise, given his actual reasons...
Read confessed that he had become concerned about the state of modern morals in Curry Rivel, and as a result had decided to dress as a woman of the parish, to see for himself how woman were treated, whilst wandering alone at night.
He went on to say: “To my surprise and intense satisfaction, though I walked on many miles on various occasions, there was not one who became at all troublesome to me. Some will say it was because I was no engaging female. My only reply to that is that not a few opportunities would have opened out if I had given any sign."
“After having proved again and again all the local districts, as far as I could that men are far more chivalrous to women than I had imagined, I resolved to confirm and establish my convictions by visiting other populous areas. My experience was just the same, with one exception, at a place some distance away, where I sat on the seafront and suddenly felt a man leering at me. It was a terrible feeling, and I quickly moved away."
“Men, I raise my hat to you. I can truly say that you never had as high a place in my esteem as now. The lurid Press, that give so much space in their columns to sensation, are not fair to you. The heart of English manhood seems sound as ever. I have confirmed by these experiences your loyalty to the instinct of manhood, your genuine chivalry towards women and your high respect for those who are most inaptly described as the weaker sex."
“Now that this strange, and perhaps foolish jaunt of mine is over, I have apologised to everyone and I trust that they will all be ready to forgive me this spasm of folly.”
The following day, the congregation issued a statement effectively forgiving Rev. Read for his actions, detailing that it was done not out of moral laxity, but as a result of overworking and anxiety. They acknowledged his hard work in the parish, raising vital funds for local projects (£67,000 in today's money) and bringing much support to local people in his time as congregational minister.
However all discussions of Reverend Read - and his crossdressing antics - were purposely hushed, so as not to cause any further embarrassment or anxiety. Rev. Read resigned from his post in November 1927, and subsequently disappeared, leaving the story to resign too to the history books.
So Curry Rivel didn't have a ghost after all. But the big question is - was his fate fair? Did he go too far? Or is his legacy unjust? He certainly sounded like a quirky character.
Try telling that story on stage in the West End...
By Luke Knight
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