The following tale is based upon real events and is desired to be local folktale of the Willington and Wallsend areas.
Catherine Devore, aged 43 had been working at the Haggies Rope Factory in Willington Quay for 4 years before the following disastrous event occurred in 1906. Catherine nicknamed Kitty by fellow factory workers was a large, vociferous character to say the least, especially known for her steady flow of hearsay. Kitty’s constant array of hearsay made her unpopular amongst the other girls and incredibly un-trustable. Kitty’s hair, key to this story was shoulder length unmanageable and generally left to hang.
Haggies Factory was specified to making Large 6inch in diameter ropes for industrial use generally for the use of ships. Their machine’s for making these ropes were highly dangerous and marginally aggressive for Kitty was not the first to be “attacked” by these monsters. Numerous past workers have lost a finger or two in their duty of attending the callous binding machines.
Kitty’s story was more vicious than just losing a finger however, for kitty’s trademark loutish hair was the centre of attention this day and not her scandalous mouth. Although her word hole was clanging, thus distracting her from paying enough attention to where her infamous hair was travelling. Her hair caught in the binding rope machine, spinning fast giving poor Kitty little chance of survival. Screams roared from Catherine within a literal 5 seconds the skin from her scalp was torn bearing her skull to fresh daylight. Blood traversed the workshop, machines and employees. The body falling to the solid concrete ground smashing the skull instantly killing Catherine.
This short but fascinating tale has been popular local folktale along with many other tales about the Willington Quay area. With more research into the Willington Mill I have found maybes before the “Kitty the Mill Ghost” tale, the mill was haunted by the witch whom lived upon the site before the mill was built in her cottage sometime in the 2/3rd century.
The Victorians regarded the Mill as one of the most haunted buildings in the North East driving many of the residents out of the mill and surrounding area, in popular culture it is said kitty’s ghost wanders the Dene and walks under the Seven archer’s (bridge).
I’m hoping this isn’t true as many a time I have walked the mile and a half journey from a pub I used to visit to my home walking right past the Mill and right under the seven archers late at night in the pitch of black. If I had of been thinking of any of the old ghost stories about this area whilst walking the journey goodness knows what I’d have done or thought. I’d have been petrified!
