In a continuation of Ghost Stories set around the Ventnor Area, Gay Baldwin’s next instalment features young Milly Pugsley who lived in Newport but at the long-gone Royal National Hospital. Ed
MILLY MEETS A GHOST
From the moment Milly Pugsley saw the old Royal National Hospital, she loved the place. As a student nurse, she spent two happy years there, despite several encounters with the hospital’s ghosts.
Now a retired nurse tutor, Milly lives in Newport, with a collection of elderly cats which she claims moved in when she wasn’t looking.
When she started her training in September 1952, Milly knew nothing of the hospital’s dark reputation, but was introduced to one of the mischievous spirits on the top floor during her very first spell of night duty.
It was my job to set out the cups and saucers on a tray for the patients’ early morning tea. Having done that, I went downstairs to sit in the kitchen with the other nurses. Suddenly, there was a loud rattling noise as if someone was moving china about. I asked if it was mice. I was told, ‘No, it’s only the ghost.’ This happened every night. We just accepted it and replaced all the cups and saucers before the tea round.
While on night duty in another ward, Milly was allowed two hours’ sleep and given a bed in the anaesthetic room adjoining the operating theatre.
I was warned to watch out for the ghost there, so taking no chances I always made sure Orlando, a huge ginger tomcat belonging to one of the doctors, came along with me. I figured that if there were any ghosts around, Orlando would see them first. laughed Milly.
Other nurses had told her the ghost liked to pull the bedclothes up around the neck of anyone sleeping in that room, so she didn’t get into bed, but lay on top, with Orlando purring beside her.
One night, Milly woke suddenly with a feeling that something was wrong.
The room was silent; all the usual hospital sounds were missing.
Orlando was standing at the foot of the bed, staring into the corner of the room, his fur on end. The room was normally well lit but now it was in shadow; a black shape was trying to materialise. I didn’t wait to see any more. I was very frightened. The feeling of menace in that room was awful.
Gathering her shoes, cap and the cat, Milly burst out of the room, running along the verandah to the office. The Sister on duty took one look at the terrified girl and said,
I know what’s happened to you, my dear! I’ll get you a nice cup of tea.
After this experience, Milly heard that the dark shadow had been seen by other staff, who said it was the ghost of an anaesthetist who had committing suicide after killing a patient by mistake.
Other incidents happened in wards near the operating theatre. Bells would summon nurses to empty rooms, and on one occasion a ghostly hand set off a patient’s alarm when he was unable to breathe, bringing help to him just in time.
Copyright Gay Baldwin. Not to be reproduced without permission.
