Heritage et AL

During August 1901 Aucklanders were being terrorised by a ghost. It haunted the central Auckland areas of Grafton, Eden Terrace, Newton and Western Park. The apparent apparition was heavily reported on in the newspapers and the cartoonists of the day all had a take on it as well. Even an advertising copywriter got in on the fun. Ref: New Zealand Graphic,  The white-sheeted ghost has again made its appearance in Auckland, 24 August 1901, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, NZG-19010824-367-2.

Image: Members of the Sixes and Sevens Opera Company, 1909. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 31-57673. Photographer: Herman Schmidt. Halloween is a time of ghosts, witches and ghouls; of dressing up and trick or treating and pranks. It is one of the most popular costume or fancy dress events of the year in western society. Whilst the contemporary celebration of Halloween is often seen to have its roots in American culture, the origins of this festival actually go back to Celtic times. The Celts believed that 31 October represented a liminal time when the line between the living and the dead became distorted. Condemned souls were thought to come back on this night and cause havoc. To protect themselves, the Celts would dress up in scary costumes to frighten the evil spirits away. Image: The Ghost Of Compulsion; A Young New Zealander's Vision After Hearing Of The Territorial Army Scheme. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19100512-10-02. Photographer: A.J.Watson....