Play@YSDC

The title page is inscribed with Property of David Briggs.

A facsimile of an article from 1885 concerns the disappearance of Evelyn Barnaker, the original owner of the house. A wealthy widow, Barnaker had moved to town in 1866 from Massachusetts. She had apparently been a benefactor to the local orphanage and school for 'feeble-minded' children. The old woman, who had been acting 'out of sorts recently' vanished overnight on the 2nd of February. One of her servants, Miss Eliza Fowler, was questioned and released, having been away visiting family. Another servant, Mr Erastus Bishop, could not be located. Foul play was suspected but never proven.

There are several newspaper articles about unusual sightings at the Barnaker house, either while it was occupied or, temporarily, abandoned. Most involved lights in the empty house but no cause was ever found. Another story reports a renter fleeing the house and being, temporarily at least, committed to an asylum. They complained of voices being heard in empty rooms, strange infant-like wailing at night, and a feeling of being watched.

A few pages have notes, again written in pencil, taped onto the leaves of the notebook. Based on the title page these were also written by David Briggs. Several include mention a John Rawes and wife, of Arkham in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, being charged with witchcraft and jailed but released without trial in 1693 when the Salem trials were ended by Governor Phipps. In one account, no source given, unfortunately, Mrs Rawes's name is given as Ellen (Lynn) Rawes.

The last sheet seems to be a page torn from another book. Apparently from 'Witchcraft and Black Magic' by Rev Montague Summers, the page discusses various methods for detecting and harming witches. A section discussing a witch’s aversion to iron and silver is underlined in pencil, as is a section on the efficacy of flame.