old beneficial school

Book a ticket for our ghost hunt in aid of this worthy cause. Tickets are priced at just £49, on booking you will receive a sponsorship form. Raise a minimum of £75 in sponsorship and you will receive a £49 refund for your ticket. (This means you attend the ghost hunt for FREE! ) The person who raises the highest sponsorship will win 2 tickets to any of our Ghost Hunts. What have you got to lose ? Book today and start getting sponsorship for this great cause.

Saturday 11th September

9.00 pm - 3.00 am approx

Join our team and our celebrity Medium Barrie John, as we investigate "the Old Benny". Reported to be one of Portsmouths Most Haunted Buildings.

Will you search alone the floors above for the sounds of the children often heard running and laughing.

Compass Paranormal Events have full access to this fantastic building for a truly memorable ghost hunt.

In 1754 in the Shakespeare's Head, John Shakespear and five other gentleman formed the Beneficial Society to provide schooling for poor and destitute children and so in 1784, a plot of land was purchased in Old Rope Walk for the princely sum of £280. On this land was built the impressive building that still stands here today, fondly known as the Old Benny. The downstairs hall was then used as the classroom while the upstairs hall was kept available by the Society for meetings, concerts and theatre.

In 1812, a heavily pregnant Elizabeth Dickens was attending a dance in this very hall when she went into labour. She was rushed to her home in Old Commercial Road where she gave birth to her son, Charles Dickens.

A former student of this establishment emigrated to Australia in 1840 and was 7 times Premier of South Australia. This was Sir Henry Ayres after whom Ayres Rock was famously named.

In 1939 the school was closed due to the outbreak of World War 2 and was re-opened in 1945 under Portsmouth City Council as a junior school. During the War a nazi sympathiser was caught on the roof directing bombers with a flashlight to the dockyard.

Punishment at the Beneficial School was severe and at times there was a more Naval Punishment administered with the use of the birch. The young lad would have to drop his trousers and then be held up tight against one of the wooden pillars in the downstairs hall to receive his punishment.

The school was finally closed in 1962, when the building became a youth training centre until 2004 when a fire nearly destroyed he building. On 20th May 2010 the building opened as Groundlings Theatre, ready to host its drama school, wardrobe, education centre.

The Old Benny is also One of Portsmouth's most haunted buildings, playing host to several friendly spirits. You may hear little George on the staircase or Emily in the schoolroom, there is always a smell of lavender in one room, and builders have heard the sounds of giggling children playing on the floor above only to find noone there when they search the building!!

There is a poltergeist that likes to organise things and cold spots throughout the building

Join our team and Most Haunteds guest Medium Barrie John who is sure to evoke the contact of the many spirits that still haunt this old school.

Barrie will carry out experiments of new and old techniques to encourage paranormal activity. Dare you volunteer to be part of some of our experiments?

Join in with group séances, table tipping and more. As with all our events you will have the opportunity to break down into smaller groups and carry out your own investigation, with the help and guidance of our team.

Our ghost hunting equipment will all be made available for your use, and you will be shown how to use it effectively.

You are welcome to bring any ghost hunting equipment of your own, and don't forget your camera and / or camcorder.