As you may recall, I had two stints at the Talbot, one lasting 8-9 months and the second around 6 years. There was a large friendly cat at the Talbot during my first period there, in truth it wasn’t exactly the Talbots’ cat, it belonged to a long serving member of staff in her 90’s, who used to sit for hours in the reception ‘helping’ out, while the cat slept on the first landing on a small armchair, as seen in the photo. I can’t for the life of me remember the elderly ladies name, but she was always addressed as Miss ?????????, let’s call her Miss M, all I recall is her quiet voice, features similar to Minnie Bannister, from the Telegoons, and that she dressed in the same mid brown tweed suite and ‘sensible’ shoes…the type worn in ‘Call the Midwife’. Although she wasn’t on the payroll the brewery allowed her to live in a staff room on the third floor and take her meals in a small alcove behind reception. When I returned for my second and much longer period of work there, I realised that Miss M was absent and discovered that she had become ill and after a short stay in hospital had passed away and her cat had likewise moved on to better pastures. My room was oddly shaped, but it was my little pad and I soon had it brightened up with a few Hammer posters and other movie memorabilia. It was some months later following a very late night, in which Dawn and Ted, the managers had insisted the staff have a drink to celebrate their wedding anniversary… actually Dawn didn’t need an excuse to celebrate, she loved her G & T’s. I’d climbed the stairs, unlocked my door and as I entered the room I had walked through some cobwebs/dust bunnies and had quickly rubbed them from my face! However when the light was turned on I was unable to see what had caused the sensation. The next day I mentioned the experience and had been told, somewhat reluctantly by one of the chamber maids, that the room I now occupied had belonged to the late Miss M and that for over 20 years she had not allowed anyone inside and had cleaned it herself. After her death they had used her key and found the room to be in a filthy state and that what were thought to be net curtains had turned out to be a thick layer of webs and dust bunnies. Dust webs hung everywhere from a the ceiling! I never felt the odd phenomenon again or had any unusual experiences ever again, but hearing the story was a little unnerving. True. Make up your own minds.
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