Sydney Grimlett

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Sydney Grimlett is an "Alabama Ghost", from the popular book series by Kathryn Tucker Windham. Sydney is claimed to have originally haunted the Auburn University Chapel, but now is said to occupy the Telfair Peet Theatre on the Auburn University campus in Auburn, Alabama.

[edit] History

According to legend, Sydney is a British soldier fighting for the Confederate side of the Civil War. In 1864, Sydney Grimlett was injured during battle by shrapnel from a cannon. In attempt to get rid of his gangrenous leg, they tried to amputate it, but he bled to death during the surgery. He then was buried in the "Auburn University Chapel cemetery" [sic].

[edit] The legend

In the 1920's, when a theater group named the Auburn Players took over the chapel reports of hauntings began. Sydney's ghost was witnessed by several separate members of the theater group on separate occasions. This spurred interest on finding out who he was so they contacted him through a Ouija board to find out is identity. Besides actually seeing Sydney himself there were other ghostly manifestations such as making floating orb lights, moving props, whistling in the attic when no one was up there, and tapping his foot.

Later, when the Auburn Players moved to the Telfair Peet Theatre, Sydney followed. When Auburn Theatre puts on stage productions, Sydney is blamed for most things that go wrong with the performances.