“Fred”: The Eternal Night Watchman

The Phenomenon

“Fred” represents one of Peterborough’s most enduring and well-documented ghostly residents. At The Bull Hotel on Westgate, staff and guests have reported the unmistakable sounds of a night watchman making his rounds for generations. The phenomenon is so consistent and recognizable that the invisible presence has been affectionately nicknamed “Fred” by hotel employees, though his true identity remains unknown.

Historical Context

The Bull Hotel stands on Westgate in the heart of historic Peterborough, a city that was transformed from a market town to an industrial center following the opening of the Great Northern Railway in 1850. During the Victorian era, as Peterborough flourished with the growth of the railway and brick-making industries, establishments like The Bull Hotel would have required dedicated night staff to ensure security and attend to late-arriving travellers.

Victorian coaching inns and hotels employed night porters whose duties included securing the building, checking locks, managing keys, and ensuring the safety of guests and property. These men would make regular rounds throughout the night, their heavy boots echoing through corridors as they checked doors and windows, the large iron keys of the era creating distinctive jangling sounds as they moved from room to room.

The Manifestations

Fred’s presence is characterised by distinctly auditory phenomena that precisely mirror the duties of a Victorian night porter:

Heavy Footsteps: Witnesses report the sound of substantial, booted feet walking purposefully along the upper floor corridors, particularly in the older sections of the hotel. The footsteps have a measured, methodical quality consistent with someone making systematic security rounds.

Jangling Keys: Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Fred’s manifestation is the sound of large, old-fashioned keys clanking together - the type of heavy iron keys that would have been standard in Victorian-era hotels. This sound often accompanies the footsteps, creating the complete auditory picture of a night watchman at work.

Door Checks: Staff have discovered doors that should have been locked found mysteriously open or unlocked, as if someone had been checking the security of the premises. Sometimes the sound of door handles being tested can be heard, though no one is ever visible.

Protective Presence: Long-term employees report a sense that Fred is protective rather than malevolent, continuing his duty to watch over the establishment. His activities are seen as a continuation of his earthly responsibilities rather than any form of restless haunting.

Documentation and Verification

The hauntings at The Bull Hotel are formally documented in The Paranormal Database, which specifically records the phenomenon of “Jangling” at “The Bull Hotel, Westgate” in Peterborough. The database entry notes “footfalls and the sound of keys have been heard here, but the source never seen,” confirming the auditory nature of the manifestations and their consistency over time.

The Mystery of Identity

While Fred’s activities strongly suggest the spirit of a former night porter or caretaker, his true identity remains unknown. The Victorian era saw significant development in Peterborough, and The Bull Hotel would likely have employed several night staff over the decades. Without specific historical records of hotel employees, Fred remains an anonymous figure whose dedication to duty has transcended death.

The choice of the nickname “Fred” by staff reflects the familiarity and comfort they feel with this presence. Rather than being feared, Fred is regarded as part of the hotel’s character - a guardian spirit who continues to fulfill his earthly obligations with Victorian dedication and thoroughness.

A Guardian’s Eternal Vigil

Fred’s story represents more than just a ghost tale - it speaks to the dedication of working-class Victorians whose sense of duty was so profound it appears to have survived death itself. In an era when hotel security was a matter of personal responsibility and guests’ safety depended on the vigilance of night staff, Fred seems to have taken his obligations so seriously that he continues them still.

His presence serves as a reminder of The Bull Hotel’s rich history and the countless individuals who worked to maintain its reputation for safety and hospitality. While modern security systems have replaced the need for night watchmen with jangling keys, Fred continues his rounds, a spectral link to a time when personal vigilance was the foundation of guest security.