The Clifton House Mystery
Encyclopedia
The Clifton House Mystery was a British
children's television paranormal drama series written by Daniel Farson
and Harry Moore, produced by Patrick Dromgoole and directed by Hugh David, and shown in 1978 by HTV.
The plot revolves around concert pianist Timothy Clare and his family - a daughter and two sons - moving into an old house in Bristol
they had just bought from the elderly Mrs Betterton; the house having been in her family for generations. While exploring the garden, Timothy's two sons notice that the house has an extra window, and deduce that a hidden room may exist. After breaking through an upstairs wall and discovering an ancient dusty bedroom, a long-dead skeleton is found in the four-poster bed.
A number of strange incidents then start to occur. The Clares' daughter Jenny is visited by the ghost of a kindly old woman who appears to be summoned by a music box left behind by Mrs Betterton's granddaughter. Plates and bowls jump out of people's hands and smash to the ground. A dragoon's helmet that the boys had bought at Mrs Betterton's contents auction starts to glow mysteriously; and a blood-like liquid drips through the ceiling onto some dinner party guests.
After these unexplained incidents, the boys recruit a local ghost hunter called Milton Guest to investigate. After hearing what has happened, Guest becomes convinced that a ghost connected in some way with the Bristol Riots
of 1831 is haunting the house. After checking local records, they realize that it may be the ghost of a dragoon
commander called George Bretherton who was court-martialled for his lenient handling of the rioters, and who subsequently disappeared without trace.
Although she confirms that the house would have been in her family's possession at the time of the riots, Mrs Betterton claims to have been unaware of the secret room, or any family connection to the riots in 1831. She does mention that there was a 'family scandal' sometime in that era, but she was never told the details. Guest suspects that she is a direct descendent of Bretherton, the family name having been changed as a consequence of the 'scandal'.
Guest performs an exorcism that appears successful at first. The helmet stops glowing and the ghost of the old lady - apparently the dragoon's mother- is no longer seen; the music box which summoned her ceases to function and all returns to normal. However in the final episode, after authorities remove the skeleton and give it a Christian burial, the phenomena start to occur again...
commander is based on the real-life case of Thomas Brereton
, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Dragoons stationed in Bristol in the 1830s when riots broke out following the failure in the House of Lords
of the Reform Bill. Ordered to suppress the rioters with whatever means necessary, Brereton was court-martialled for leniency when he refused to fire on the rioters, resorting only to a cavalry charge when negotiations failed. He committed suicide by shooting himself before the trial reached a verdict.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
children's television paranormal drama series written by Daniel Farson
Daniel Farson
Daniel Negley Farson a British writer and broadcaster, was a popular television personality and prominent public figure in the late 1950s and early 1960s.-Early life:...
and Harry Moore, produced by Patrick Dromgoole and directed by Hugh David, and shown in 1978 by HTV.
The plot revolves around concert pianist Timothy Clare and his family - a daughter and two sons - moving into an old house in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
they had just bought from the elderly Mrs Betterton; the house having been in her family for generations. While exploring the garden, Timothy's two sons notice that the house has an extra window, and deduce that a hidden room may exist. After breaking through an upstairs wall and discovering an ancient dusty bedroom, a long-dead skeleton is found in the four-poster bed.
A number of strange incidents then start to occur. The Clares' daughter Jenny is visited by the ghost of a kindly old woman who appears to be summoned by a music box left behind by Mrs Betterton's granddaughter. Plates and bowls jump out of people's hands and smash to the ground. A dragoon's helmet that the boys had bought at Mrs Betterton's contents auction starts to glow mysteriously; and a blood-like liquid drips through the ceiling onto some dinner party guests.
After these unexplained incidents, the boys recruit a local ghost hunter called Milton Guest to investigate. After hearing what has happened, Guest becomes convinced that a ghost connected in some way with the Bristol Riots
Bristol Riots
The Bristol riots refer to a number of significant riots in the city of Bristol in England.- Bristol Bridge riot, 1793 :The Bristol Bridge Riot of 30 September 1793 began as a protest at renewal of an act levying of tolls on Bristol Bridge, which included the proposal to demolish several houses...
of 1831 is haunting the house. After checking local records, they realize that it may be the ghost of a dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
commander called George Bretherton who was court-martialled for his lenient handling of the rioters, and who subsequently disappeared without trace.
Although she confirms that the house would have been in her family's possession at the time of the riots, Mrs Betterton claims to have been unaware of the secret room, or any family connection to the riots in 1831. She does mention that there was a 'family scandal' sometime in that era, but she was never told the details. Guest suspects that she is a direct descendent of Bretherton, the family name having been changed as a consequence of the 'scandal'.
Guest performs an exorcism that appears successful at first. The helmet stops glowing and the ghost of the old lady - apparently the dragoon's mother- is no longer seen; the music box which summoned her ceases to function and all returns to normal. However in the final episode, after authorities remove the skeleton and give it a Christian burial, the phenomena start to occur again...
Factual Basis of Subplot
The story of the DragoonDragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
commander is based on the real-life case of Thomas Brereton
Thomas Brereton
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Brereton was an Irish soldier who led the dragoons against the rioters during the Bristol Riots and was subsequently court-martialled for his leniency.He was the governor of Senegal by the time of the Méduse tragedy....
, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Dragoons stationed in Bristol in the 1830s when riots broke out following the failure in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
of the Reform Bill. Ordered to suppress the rioters with whatever means necessary, Brereton was court-martialled for leniency when he refused to fire on the rioters, resorting only to a cavalry charge when negotiations failed. He committed suicide by shooting himself before the trial reached a verdict.
Main characters
- Timothy Clare (Sebastian Breaks) A concert pianist who moves with his wife and three children into an old house in Bristol.
- Sheila Clare (Ingrid HafnerIngrid HafnerIngrid Hafner was a British actress. Her father was Raoul Hafner, an Austrian helicopter pioneer, and her mother Eileen Myra McAdam was a descendant of John Loudon McAdam, the road builder....
) Timothy's wife who becomes slowly convinced that the strange occurrences may be paranormal. - Milton Guest (Peter SallisPeter SallisPeter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character...
) A ghost hunter whom the Clares' sons' invite to explore the strange phenomena, and who performs an apparently successful exorcism.