Dashper X Files
X Files #16 (posted by Dave Salsbury on 4/10/2000 from Plymouth, Devon)
"A skeleton in our closet!"
"Went to Brixham today and consulted "the man who knows it all" - Tony Morton - Treasurer of the Historic Brixham Society. Dashpers House was renamed in the 1920's to Summerlea House, and by 1949 it had been split into a number of Flatlets. It was demolished in 1964/1965, since which a Housing Estate, the Eden Estate, has been developed on the property and grounds thereof. About 50 houses have been built, which indicates how much ground was attached to Dashpers.
I think we have solved the gruesome mystery. Tony had unearthed two newspaper cuttings (Herald Express and Brixham News) from 1994 (see below). The story almost defies belief. A skeleton only 10 inches high was unearthed in Dashpers; reputedly that of a sailor who was cursed by a West African Witch Doctor in the 17th Century. The curse resulted in the sailor growing smaller. This mystery was also the subject of a BBC1 TV program on the 7th October, 1994.
I contacted the BBC but there was no video made of the programme, although I might be able to view it if I went to Reading or London. I also contacted a Mr Ivan Parsons who is a Historical Photographer specialising in Brixham, but he does not have a photo of Dashpers House."
Read on (if you dare):
'What shall we do with the shrunken sailor' (Herald Express Brixham: 12/10/1994)
'William the skeleton is not happy' ( Brixham News: 14/10/1994)