Hours spent of research and collecting the evidence captured on the night is always worth while and surprising as to what is revealed.

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Paignton Picture House Evidence 2017

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Collection of the groups experiences provided some interesting evidence.

Having searched through the collected media the following occurrences corroborate the team’s experiences as evidence:

 A recorded interview with Agatha Christie was also found and provides 88evidence of how she spoke.  Additional research also provided interesting links to what was intuited but this could also be considered coincidental. Bearing in mind however Torbays rich and affluent residents and visitors of the late 19th/early 20th century this information could apply to any woman of wealth and privilege as well as the similar circumstances many would have

faced with the outbreak of war. Without additional evidence to substantiate this, it must remain as pure conjecture and cannot be accepted as fact.

 

Additional local interest we have included information of Agatha Christies early timeline from which you can draw your own conclusions.

Additional research of a question and answer session that took place between Sallyann and Christina, of who may have been providing the answers that she was sensing from a wealthy female energy on the balcony, during which the EVP Nos 19   and 20   captured a disembodied voice providing intelligent responses from a well-spoken lady who confirmed that she had been a celebrity courted by photographers, had travelled overseas on board a liner and that she wore mink, led the team to consider Agatha Christie as a candidate.

As a young respectable woman from a wealthy background Agatha would have worn and followed the Edwardian fashion of her day, long skirts and large hats without impropriety. This would fit Christina’s description of the era.

A young Agatha.

Research revealed that 1914, she wed Colonel Archibald Christie, a Royal Flying Corps pilot in a hurry before he returned to the war. The bride later described herself as having worn an old coat and brown velvet hat.

The happy couple on their wedding day.

She took up nursing during the great war with the Voluntary Aid and performed her duties at a Red Cross hospital at Torquay where she would have made the acquaintance and known many soldiers fighting in WW1 as she tended to them. It was at this time when she would have received her education of poisons that proved invaluable in her later writings.

Agatha Christie on duty as a nurse tending to soldiers at Red Cross hospital in Torquay.

1922, the couple boarded the Union Castle Liner R.M.S Kildonian Castle for a ten-month Grand World Tour as part of a trade delegation for the Empire Exhibition. Travel on an ocean liner of any description was commonplace amongst the upper classes.

 

R.M.S Kildonian Castle played home to Archibald and Agatha during their time at sea.

Agatha’s mink coat at Torquay Museum as pictured being worn by the mistress of mystery herself.

 

The De-brief

During the de-brief as the team leads shared their groups experiences, with evidence pointing to children having worked in the building children the question was asked of Chris Perkins the venue representative whether this would have indeed been the case. Sharing his opinion, he agreed that it would have been likely that if both parents had worked there, they probably would have taken their children with them, and they would have been put out the way during screenings but some of the older ones would have been put to work as due to the era there wouldn’t have been any child labour laws in place.

Abbie shared that every time she was on the balcony, she felt drawn to the left-hand side where she had witnessed someone seated, rather than the right. At the time, all the team were seated below, and no-one was permitted to seat in the cordoned off first row.

Knowing that Agatha Christie was a regular patron, with a favoured seat, Kelly asked which one, was confirmed by Chris to be the exact seats Abbie – seated in Agatha’s seat B11, and Sallyann – in that of her chauffeur- were sat. Michelle, who reads a lot of Agatha Christies book also had unknowingly chosen the same seats earlier. Chris went on to share that Agatha would sit with a rug covering her legs and her chauffeur would do her bidding.

Discussing Abbie’s sensation of choking on cigar/cigarette smoke in the Auditorium, Chris pointed out the ashtrays that have remained on the walls. During this time, no further EVPs were recorded.