|
By
Liesa Tann
Harlaxton College Web Design Student
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Violet Van der Elst was one of the owners of Harlaxton Manor before the University of Evansville purchased the manor. One of the rooms in the manor was named after her, the Van der Elst Room. Professor James Owen, a Harlaxton faculty member, said that that Violet “often held séances up in this (the Van der Elst) room,” which is now The Senior Common Room used as the faculty lounge.
There have been rumors amongst the students at Harlaxton. Some have heard of ghosts being present in that room. Morgan Stankey, a 20-year-old student from the University of Evansville, does not believe in ghosts but found the atmosphere “kind of creepy.” She said it is interesting that “people at the time must have thought they had good reason to hold séances.” She entered the Van der Elst room along with Alison Ward, a 20-year-old student from William Jewell College. Ward began speaking of the possible actions and rituals that Van der Elst could have done in the past. She said, “There’s probably even chalk on the floor under the rug to show the rituals they held.”
Van der Elst was able to purchase the manor back in 1937 for £90,000 to save it from demolition. After purchasing the manor, she renamed it “Grantham Castle” and began to restore it. Van der Elst made her fortune by becoming a successful businesswoman and creating Shavex, the first brushless shaving cream.
|
BLOG: Do you know any stories of happenings in the Van der Elst room?
Inside the seance room of Violet Van der Elst.
(Photo by Liesa Tann)
|
|
