"_William Ofield_, of Syderstone, in the county of Norfolk, gardener
and groom, now voluntarily declareth, and is prepared at any time to
confirm the same on oath, and say: That he lived in the service of the
Rev. Thomas Skrimshire, about nine years ago, at which time his said
master entered upon the occupation of the Parsonage at Syderstone, and
that he continued with him during his residence in that place. The said
William Ofield also states, that, as he did not sleep in the house,
he knows but little of what took place therein during the night, but
that he perfectly remembers, on one occasion, while sitting in the
kitchen, he heard in the bedroom immediately over his head, a noise
resembling the dragging of furniture about the room, accompanied with
the fall as of some very heavy substance upon the floor.--That he is
certain this noise did take place, and verily believes no one member
of the family was in the room at the time.--The said William Ofield
likewise states, that the noise was loud enough to alarm part of the
family then sitting in the lower room, in the opposite extremity of
the house; that he is quite sure they were alarmed, inasmuch as one of
the ladies immediately hastened to the kitchen to make inquiry about
the noise, though his said master's family never seemed desirous of
making much of these occurrences:--that he, the said Wm. Ofield, was
ordered to go upstairs to see what had happened, and upon entering the
room he found everything right:--he has no hesitation in declaring that
this noise was not occasioned by any person in the house. The said Wm.
Ofield likewise states, that, at different times during the evenings,
while he was in his said master's service, he has heard other strange
noises about the house, which he could never account for, particularly
the rattling of glass and china in the chiffonier standing in the
drawing-room, as if a cat were running in the midst of them, while he
well believes no cat could be there, as the door was locked. And the
said Wm. Ofield likewise states, that he has been requested by some of
the female servants of the family, who had been frightened, to search
the false roof of the house, and to quiet their alarms, he has done so,
but could never discover anything out of order.--This Declaration was
made and signed this 18th day of June 1833, before me, Derick Hoste,
one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Norfolk.
"WILLIAM OFIELD."
* * * * *
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