OWD CANKY the MIDDLETON GRAVE ROBBER

[@NickC62]

Here's a little tale for you. One night, this will have been 1979 no doubt about the year, me and about five of my mates were walking along one of the paths in the graveyard. Not one of the paths on the top side of the cemetery but one of the paths along the side which I'm sure you may have walked along and not at all far from Canky's Ginnel, definitely on the same side you could see either Market Place or Lodge Street below not certain 100% precisely where we were but that area. As we were walking suddenly just out of nowhere was an absolute solid ball of light I'm guessing probably about 20-30ft in front of us, it didn't have a beam as a torch would have as none of us were lit up, the path itself was still in darkness and it just kind of hung there. Each and everyone of us ran in different directions. I was in the 6th form at the time and next day we were all completely baffled and in all honesty a bit freaked out. We went through loads of theories including maybe a car headlight from the road below, but the path was way above road level and this light must have been 7-8ft in the air from the level of the actual path, you could only see the road intermittently anyway as it is quite a dip down to it and the angle meant there were buildings and trees obscuring it, more then than there are today as the Providence United Reformed Church is half fallen down and the Sunday School Building next to it demolished. Still no idea what it was - I wonder if it might have been an instance of ball lightning. Or was it Owd Canky's spirit? :D It's certainly a shame about the ginnel and the state of disrepair, it never used to be like that - for anyone wanting to visit St. Leonards don't be put off - it's a lovely historic church. The ginnel is along the far side of the cemetery in relation to the church and well hidden so it's not evident on a regular visit, you have to go out of your way to experience it really - the really bad area is where it goes to the right and follows the cemetery wall. The Church has a rare wooden steeple and also the Flodden window from around 1500 depicting the Middleton Archers who were at Flodden Field. Also the graveyard, as you mention, has a fair bit of history with a large monument to the reformer Sam Bamford who spoke at St Peter's Field in Manchester during the people's rights protest and was arrested for that act. His account of the Peterloo Massacre, as it was became known after the cavalry were called in to disperse the throng (60,000 people) and killed 11 while injuring a further 500, is a good reference for historians - his actual grave though is elsewhere in the cemetery. The Peterloo Massacre had huge repercussions eventually for the rights of the common man throughout the UK and was directly responsible for the drafting of the Great Reform Act of 1832.

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Omg Nick, yes I bet at that age you would be freaked out seeing that. However stayed with you all this time and great story to pass on... but yes what was it??? Yes was a shame the ginnel abd sides of the churchyard, and it was a lovely church. Thanks for watching and interacting... love this 😊

[@lameesahmad9166]

Great testimony about your experience there. Graveyards are definitely haunted but the entities who reside there are mainly demons/jin. In Islam we believe that Demons/Jin by universal spiritual law are not allowed to live in a house where humans live. They are fiercely territorial and do not like the company of Human beings. That is why they give anyone who is living in a house where they are such a hard time. They want to and if they are powerful enough they will get rid of anyone living in what they call is their territory. They do however like to live in deserted or empty houses, caves, wooded areas (especially oak groves) and they also like the solitude of graveyards. A person's spirit who dies from either a natural death or an accident or murder goes to their final destination quickly but people who commit suicide are punished for taking their own lives before they were meant to and their spirit is bound to the place where they died until they are forgiven and then their spirit can move on to their final destination. When we are alive we have a Jin on our left hand side trying to get us to do wrong things and on our right hand side we have an angel encouraging us to do good things and making a record of everything we do good or bad. When we die the Angel's go back to their master with their reports but the Jin/demons like to hang around the graves where we are buried. The graveyard is a quiet place where few humans visit so they like it there. But if course thus is our belief system and you might think differently and that is your choice which you are entitled to. I would like ti know how old you and your friends were at the time. It is believed that prepubescent children can easily see into the spiritual world and their perception of reality (things we can see and hear with our normal senses) and fiction (things which are dismissed as illogical to adults) are different to older children and adults. If you were indeed so young then you would be able to see things which adults cannot. Sorry about the length of this comment but I am very interested in people's experiences like this but I definitely do not delve into the occult. Maybe Vicky's and Chris's feelubg that they were not welcome there could be these supernatural entities not wanting them there and trying to shoo them away.

[@micksmusicchannel]

That was a good one Chris. I wonder if William Lancashire is actually buried there.

[@DaysofHorror]

We tried to find his grave, but as you saw, it was a tad overgrown and after half an hour or so, we gave up. But it would be interesting to know.

[@lunevalleyparanormal]

I’d never heard of “Owd Canky” An interesting tale thanks Chris & Vicky 👍🏻

[@michellewhittaker4687]

I live in Church at Accrington and i only moved here just over a year ago and i myself can't believe the fly tipping that goes on in the gennel ways and wast land here it's heart breaking 😢

[@paulapratley5904]

A very interesting & creepy story thank you so much from Paula in Oxfordshire

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Thanks for watching Paula. Glad you enjoyed 😊

[@ReneeHorth]

I just think he never got caught. There was some money in it, and when you are poor, and have to eat, it would be a temptation . Great story !

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Thanks Renee fir watching, glad you enjoyed 😊

[@suehawthorne1553]

I can understand how anyone would feel intimidated it did look like an unwelcoming bit of area . Enjoy watching and listening too the tale of owd canky , I wonder why did he keep all these procession and not sell them if he lived in squaller, he sounds like an unsociable character,

[@Jkk55]

My late father was born here in Middleton I am sure he would be horrified at the state of the "dumping area", I never heard him speak of this tale it's fascinating though there was a lot of grave robbing I believe at that time. Thank you Chris and Vicky 👏👏👏👏😍😍

[@cassandrade-wolfe6926]

This was definitely a creepy story. How anyone could rob the grave of a deceased person and take the body or valuables makes me shudder. That lovely church having all that fly tipped rubbish on its doorstep was a disgrace, no wonder the route you took felt intimidating. I wouldnt put owd Canky's spirit to the test by wandering up that ginnel at night. Spooky tale indeed.

[@robertjcashworth4712]

Another amazing graveyard from the North. So much history and so many tales as you said. I have always loved walking around graveyards

[@DaysofHorror]

It's a little rough in that area, if Im being honest. We never fully felt safe walking around and the area where the ginnel is just didnt feel right, as you probably saw us talking about. Other than that, the graveyard did look interesting and Im sure there will be other stories that could be found there.

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Lovely peaceful, beautiful places 😊

[@johnwightman7549]

1882 was far too late for graverobbing and nobody ever carried any bodies or any other cargo down a river that size.This is pure legend. Many people who look penniless have valuable possessions in their houses.

[@DaysofHorror]

I think most think of this story of just being an urban legend, and not to be taken too seriously. But it makes for a good story 😀

[@donnabooth9904]

I love watching your new video this morning keep up with a good work guys lol x🤗❤

[@DaysofHorror]

Cheers Donna!

[@gingermolly234]

It's definitely an interesting story. But the ginnel doesn't look very pleasant. Considering the size of the burial ground, it must have been a busy area back in the day.

[@rosa-f4865]

I'm a recent subscriber and I have been on catch up with your videos and enjoying that they are local stories that I'd not heard before and by you telling us them these poor souls are never forgotten . St Leonard's Middleton Parish Church is beautiful and steeped in history but sadly parts of the cemetery is neglected. Alot of unsavoury characters hang about there. The fly tipping is disgusting and looks to be hidden from eye unless you walk that way Rochdale Council should do something about . Thank you for your interesting story telling and the hard work you both do in researching Xxxx

[@DaysofHorror]

Thank you Rosa and welcome aboard. We upload new videos every Monday at 8.05pm. Glad you enjoying the videos

[@gingerali]

Another very informative and interesting story, keep up the good work guys and stay safe.

[@MDSubculture]

Great video Chris + Vickie.. some character Owd Canky 'hide the jewels and the relations 😂😂just in case ,say a lot of that went on through those times ,massive graveyard .

[@LindaCharles-sg6mz]

What a shame it could be a lovely place and it is a tip and I could imagine it feels intimidating. That arguing sounded ominous and I don't blame you for making a hasty retreat. It makes me sad to see all that and as you say such a lovely church and the graveyard looks very interesting.

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Yes, it just had a horrid vibe about it, and yes people using it as a tip!

[@DaysofHorror]

That place definately had a horrible feel to it. Lovely church and some of the headstones look so interesting and old, but its the not knowing who was lurking around. Also, that awful looking ginnel with the human excrement says it all about the area!

[@shirleybezuidenhout2724]

Very interesting thanks for sharing. 👍👍

[@therossendalerambler-mikei7294]

Another well constructed story many thanks

[@john-k6k6w]

Nice One Guy's Keep up the Brilliant Work

[@DaysofHorror]

Many thanks John 😀

[@vixxavixxa6080]

Hello from Colorado, I love your channel! ❤ Walking around the beautiful countryside and telling interesting stories. Would you mind telling me the name of the song you played as you began to walk into the ginnel? Thank you so much! 🌿

[@DaysofHorror]

Hi there and thank you for the kind words! The music you are referring to is called Beautiful Decay Music for Urban Exploration and the channel we sourced it from is here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGinf5iVo62rrKc

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Thank you for your kind comments and enjoying the contents 😊

[@vixxavixxa6080]

Thank you for the info about the music, I really appreciate it. Both of you, have a beautiful week!

[@AmJayz50]

Love these story's, as always can't wait for the next one ❤

[@janettemccubbin8246]

There may have been pennies on the corpses as even up to the 19th century a corpse would have pennies put on the eyes (to pay the ferryman).

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Yeah I've heard this. Thanks for watching 😊

[@MiddyExplores]

Fantastic video as always. Very interesting story and I will have to have a word with them to tidy up my namesake town!

[@janettemccubbin8246]

At that time as well, people had metal cages put over the grave of a loved one to avoid such activities.

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

We know why now! Thanks for watching 😊

[@TruthSeekerInvestigations]

Love the look of that church! Although like you both said, the outside looks intimidating. I could sense that just watching.

[@THECutto]

Sounds a little like the story of Eddie Gein, except Eddie didn't sell the bodies, he turned them into furniture

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

💯

[@matparks08]

Great video, and an interesting character to cover. I don't think you'd have even found me in that ginnel at night time...maybe 😊

[@DaysofHorror]

Cheers Matt. That was the only blight in the area. The ginnel part has always fascinated me, and it looks the same now as I would imagine it looked over 100 years ago, but that dumping ground was gross and made it feel very uneasy.

[@jonboypatton]

That ginnel just needs fencing off. What an absolute disgrace. Needs cctv. And the council should clean it up.

[@DaysofHorror]

It had a threatening vibe. I had to have a little walk up nevertheless to where that graffiti was, but it felt sketchy in that area.

[@jonboypatton]

@DaysofHorror definitely to be avoided.

[@AcornElectron]

Gets a thumbs up and a share from me. Keep up the good work you two and, as always, stay safe. ❤

[@DaysofHorror]

Many thanks Acorn. Just wish I'd have said 'rafts' and not boats during this story 🤔

[@420blazerAlB]

That area is well known for all the unsavoury type of people and isn't a very nice spot

[@MerrylWill]

Spooky story well presented, scenery brilliant, pity about the rubbish.😊

[@DaysofHorror]

Tell me about it. Thanks for watching

[@mickjackson1372]

brilliant video. I remember a story like this in Burnley... I'll find out what the church name is later and update... could you do a video of the black panther ? he was the one who killed the post master at baxenden post office. he killed afew more people before he was caught

[@DaysofHorror]

We have the notes ready for the Black Panther story. I believe there is a small memorial plaque in remembrance of the post master that was sadly killed, but this is inside the church opposite. Wasn't he cremated? We are also planning on going to the location where Lesley Whittle's body was discovered.

[@mickjackson1372]

@@DaysofHorror he is buried in the church across from the old post office

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

I couldn't grave rob, no matter how poor I was! It's a creepy profession that was. How's Vickie doing?

[@DaysofHorror]

She is doing well. Walking no problem now as long as she doesn't over do it. Back at work today too 😅

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

@@DaysofHorror Good God! I don't know why I'm surprised 😂

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

😂

[@johnstewart9745]

Some of the graves must be empty 🇬🇧

[@jennieloump96]

Are some of the graves with out a body

[@DaysofHorror]

We honestly do not know. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on the place might be able to answer.

[@relaxingwalks_uk]

This sounds interesting..

[@DaysofHorror]

It's a story I've seen a couple of other channels cover, and it's one I've wanted to retell for a while 😀

[@relaxingwalks_uk]

@@DaysofHorror great..look forward to it 👍

[@EuanMacmichael-y8z]

Burke and hare didn't actually rob any graves though.

[@paulettefay8334]

Your wife always looks cold.

[@DaysofHorror]

She usually is 😕

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

I'm always cold lol, but loving this weather we are having right now 😊

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

It's my birthday today 😊

[@DaysofHorror]

Happy birthday Em!! You kept that quiet all day 🫣

[@Daysofhorror-vickie]

Hope you had a lovely day. Happy birthday 🎉🎉

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

@vickiedunn7980 Thank you guys 😊