The ghostly goings on of tragic Maud - the hospital ghost who haunted wards in Hartlepool

But who knew of the Hartlepool ghost who haunted hospital wards for more than 80 years?

Known only as Maud, she was a ghostly presence who roamed the wards of Cameron Hospital, even after the last of the hospital patients had long gone.

Today, we revisit the story of Maud whose personal tale was a tragic one.

Maud had been a young nurse who had died when complications set in after she was struck on the nose by a hysterical patient in 1907.

She made herself known to Cameron visitors many times later.

For decades, Maud’s presence remained a secret among Cameron staff for fear they would be ridiculed if they spoke out.

But when they did pluck up the courage, many admitted they had feelings of trouble brewing when they were doing their work - and it was usually followed by something going wrong.

One nursing sister told the Mail in 1991: "Once when I was on night duty, I was feeding a baby in the nursery when I became aware my nurse was in the doorway, but when I looked up no-one was there.

"A short while later, she came and asked me what I wanted. She said she thought I had been standing behind her and just walked off without speaking."

One nurse said: "I saw her wringing her hands."

John Davison was one guard who certainly had reason to remember Maud.

In March 1991, he heard someone moving around in an upper corridor and the sound of eerie laughter.

Later, he was told he had been the only person in the hospital at the time.

When John asked around, senior midwives told him they used to be accustomed to Maud roaming around areas of the hospital.

In fact, Maud’s presence become more common in the last weeks of the hospital. She had a plaque erected in her memory but in the last week of the hospital being opened, the plaque was removed.

At the same time, a large chunk of plaster fell in the anaesthetic department.

Cameron’s own death throes came in February 1992 when demolition work began. By then, experts estimated that the hospital had helped to bring 20,000 babies into the world.

Its eventual demolition paved the way for a housing estate but the memories live on.

What are your memories of Cameron Hospital? Were you born there or perhaps you worked there?

We last reported on Cameron two years ago when we asked for your memories of the former maternity hospital and for lots of you, one former member of staff stood out. It was a woman known as Sister Salt.

Readers said she was lovely and she could tell you whether you were having a boy or a girl by listening in with her hearing device.

Do you remember Sister Salt or any other member of Cameron staff?

Tell us more by emailing [email protected]. We would love to hear from you.

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