Legend of 18th century mummy

FLASHBACK . . . the Ferranti plant in Hollinwood

ANCIENT Egypt usually springs to mind when mummification is mentioned.

It isn't something you would associate with Oldham but one Hollinwood woman ensured she went through the lengthy process and became somewhat of an urban legend.

Hannah Beswick, nicknamed the Manchester Mummy, was a wealthy woman in the 1700s who had a pathological fear of being buried alive and so ordered that after her death she would be embalmed and kept above ground. Her wishes were carried out following her death in February, 1758, and her body was placed in an old clock case and stored in the house of Beswick's family physician, Dr Charles White.

After becoming somewhat of a local celebrity with visitors coming to view her at White's house, Beswick's mummified body was given to Manchester Natural History Society where she was put on display.

She was later transferred to Manchester University and it was finally decided that she should be buried. She was placed in an unmarked grave at Harpurhey Cemetery on July 22, 1868, more than 110 years after her death.

But the story of Hannah Beswick doesn't end there. During her life she buried treasure in various parts of her estate for fear it would be stolen by Scottish invaders.

It became common folklore that a mixture of being buried against her wishes and searching for her lost treasure would see her restless and agitated spirit wander the estate.

Hauntings

It was reported that poltergeist activity occurred most commonly in the barn with reports of a cow being transported into a hayloft without any means possible.

Eventually the estate was demolished and the hauntings subsided until the Ferranti Electrical Engineering Works was built on the site and there were reports as recent as 1981 of a spectre around the factory and machines starting without any help.

Whether reports of Hannah Beswick's spirit lingering on are true or false is up for debate, but her eccentric wish to be preserved after death certainly bred the rumours and tales and despite eventually being buried against her wishes, at least nearly 258 years on she is still remembered.