SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Paranormal literature is littered with various stories of phantom odours but here's one I witnessed first hand, when we moved into our new house on East park view there was a lovely old couple lived next door at number 3, sadly after a short time the old lady passed away but she had a real thing for lavender, the couple grew it in the garden of the house and there was always the smell of it in the house, sadly however shortly after his wife passed away so did the old gentleman.The house was unoccupied for some time and the garden plants wilted and died, the house was taken up by our new neighbours the lady of the house and the kids all reported the strong smell of lavender long after all the plants had died off, this went on for some years.

Has anyone a similar story?

My mum regularly smelt her grandads pipe smoke in our house and he died before I was born in 1969!! Like you say, it is a popular phenomenon, one which seems to me, let's you know that your loved ones never truly leave you.

My Gran never visited the home I live in now but 10 years after her death I still catch the smell of her perfume in the house now and again . Strangely my Grandfathers war Medals hang in pride of place in my front room and one night my then 2 year old said very clearly hello Bill as I turned around he was looking straight at my Grandfathers medals as far as I know his name had never been mentioned to my son. Far from freaking me out it has had a very reassuring effect on me. My Grandfather once said to me blood is all that matters forget the rest.    

What a lovely thing! I know that children are very open to spirit prescence, as they know no different till they get older. I'll bet your grandad came to have a look at his medals and reminisce and your son saw him. I think that's really nice.

Strange thing is my grandfather was a cockney and he never lost his accent all the years he lived in Leeds and I swear when my little boy talks he has a cockney twang. No we dont watch east enders lol.

ON many occasion both my wife and I have smelled cig snoke in our house. Neither of us smoke and no one else in the house does. The smell can come and go so quickly at varying times of the day. It's very strong while it's there. Very strange!!

Funny you should mention cig smoke, my wife and I had been smelling it in our bedroom and not been able to work out why. Then we realised it was the woman next door leaning out of her bedroom window smoking and the the smoke was drifting in through our air brick.

Festwerfer wrote: Funny you should mention cig smoke, my wife and I had been smelling it in our bedroom and not been able to work out why. Then we realised it was the woman next door leaning out of her bedroom window smoking and the the smoke was drifting in through our air brick. I always though that maybe it is someone walking past, but our house is detatched and too far away from the path for it to be that. The smell can come at anytime day or night. Maybe that it is someone walking past, just think that that is a bit of a long shot!

Simonm, just read your post about the phantom cig smoke! I've always got a strong whiff of cig smoke when I go down into our cellar. I used to think it was our nextdoor neighbour who smoked in his back garden, and the smoke somehow infiltrated our cellar (old coal 'ole, maybe?) However, he died nearly two years ago, and now the smell is stronger than ever! No one smokes in our house, or next door on either side. Wierd, innit!?CheersSi