Hidden Henley

NEXT to the often dried up Leyland Pond in the Ipsden area is a monument erected to “lay the ghost” of John Thurlow Reade, whose death in 1827 is marked here.

The deceased was one of 11 children who chose to work in India with the intention of sending back money to help with the education of his brothers and sisters.

Back then, letters from India were a rarity and when the arrival of one was anticipated, J T Reades’ mother would set out towards the Wallingford road to meet it.

After some time without mail Mrs Reade set out one evening after experiencing a feeling that a letter from her far-off son was on its way and there saw her son’s ghost approaching her in distress.

This convinced her that he had died and not received a Christian burial and led to holding a church funeral service.

In time, there was a letter and it did indeed report the death of J T Reade from dysentery, his body being buried in the Indian jungle by his servants, just as his mother had feared.

My thanks go to Eileen Hermon who wrote in with with information about the legend of the Reade family ghost.