PE's swanky St. George's Club has "resident" wraith

'Lady Grey' is believed to be the ghost of Francis Patterson, who died in the early 1900s

Port Elizabeth's St. George's Club boasts many historic characters on its wall, but one of them has "left" its home and haunts the corridors of the building.

The ghostly, grey-clad lady, said to walk the passages of the club, was first spotted four years ago and is believed to be the ghost of Francis Patterson, who died in the house in the early 1900s.

Club Manager Patrick Leite grew curios after he first encountered the apparition of a woman in her mid-30s, four years ago in the Bird Street clubhouse. She wore a long, grey dress with a bustle, long sleeves with lace cuffs and throat collar.

"A seminar was being held on the first floor one evening. I walked upstairs and was irritated because all the pictures were hanging skew," he said. "I straightened them and made a mental note to chastise our housekeeper the following day."

Reaching the seminar venue, Leite discovered the meeting was still in progress. "I stood quietly waiting when suddenly I heard the 'click' of a light switch and the room plunged into darkness. "I entered the room to turn the lights on and received stares from the women present, who obviously though I was the one fooling around.

"Within seconds the lights were switched off again, and a cold draught passed by me and with it came the crash of glasses, jugs of juice and wine carafes as they were scattered to the floor." Leite said he did not see the ghost but that the facilitator of the seminar had. "The facilitator said she looked very irritated." The incident was repeated on the second evening of the seminar.

"Once again the pictures were hanging skew but the housekeeper was now off the hook," he laughed.

"On the third day as the facilitator drove his car out of the grounds, a painting came crashing to the floor. The nail was still in the wall, the rope suspending it was unbroken and there was no damage to the canvas."

Well-known clairvoyant Marjorie Bray said the ghost told her she was called "Lady Grey".

Leite had previously spoken to Bray about the ghost, so she knew it was the same spirit. "She said she was very happy to be invited in and welcomed (into the club)," Leite said. Bray's opinion was that the facilitator brought "bad vibrations" into the building. These were picked up by Lady Grey and she showered her displeasure "in no uncertain terms".

City Librarian Margaret Harradene had since told club members about Lady Grey. Before the clubhouse was built in 1904, the land was occupied by the houses of two families - the Blacks and the Pattersons. "The latter house, called Frances Place, was named after the owner's wife. Francis Patterson died in Port Elizabeth, presumably in the house, at the age of 35, and is buried in St. George's Park cemetery," Harradene said.

Based on this evidence, club members now believe Lady Grey to be the ghost of Francis Patterson.

Leite said he had not heard of any sightings of the woman before he started working at the club five years ago. "Since the original disturbances, we have not had any more incidents other than members spotting Lady Grey from time to time in the passages. It would seem the ambience of our clubhouse pleases her and reminds her of her own home many years ago."
 

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