07/10/2023
Today we honor the lasting paranormal influence of Queen Mary fallen crew member and beloved resident spirit John Pedder. John found an untimely mortal end from a July 10, 1966 Shaft Alley accident that's still enveloped in mystery. We invite you to read the following excerpt from a developing book we are writing, sharing over eight years of tour-hosting adventures. This introduction to John importantly dispels the common urban legends surrounding his death.
John Pedder: Urban Legends Versus Truth
18-year-old John Pedder left his rural Skipton, North Yorkshire, England, hometown to become a Queen Mary entry-level Boiler Room System fireman and cleaner. Early morning of July 10, 1966, he was transferred to Shaft Alley to perform menial cleaning tasks when the ship entered mid-voyage foggy waters. As a result of the 1912 Titanic disaster, new maritime laws, known as SOLAS, mandated the shutting of all lower-level watertight doors in preparation for a collision with a mid-ocean object hidden by poor visibility, such as an iceberg.
When the Wheelhouse initiated the closures, alarm bells rang out loudly in the compartments as usual, while the thick metal barrier doors closed with a heavy thud — except for door number 13. The Wheelhouse’s watertight door status panel signaled a possible obstruction or mechanical malfunction, prompting officers to call for an immediate investigation. To gut-wrenching horror, engine crew members found John slouched upright, crushed between the nearly closed hydraulic door panel and frame. Reports state he was alive but unconscious. Nurses from the ship's hospital arrived immediately and dutifully administered morphine to assist with pain before exiting him for emergency care. Sadly, John's injuries were too severe to escape death soon thereafter.
When visiting Shaft Alley today, it’s hard to imagine it went unsupervised when in operation, minus occasional visits from oilers and safety inspectors making their rounds. John was alone when the accident unfolded, and since no eyewitnesses exist, a great mystery remains: how did John find himself in the deathly grip of Door 13?
Unsolved mysteries plus time equals urban legends at purported haunted locations, and John hasn't escaped this myth-making formula. Repeated "facts" of John's death include playing the children's game "Chicken" through Door 13 with fellow crew members and losing; receiving an untimely playful push through the door from a crew member; and most cringe-inducing, being a victim of murder. They mostly originate from impressions from "psychic mediums," titillating fiction presented as fact in books and magazine articles, online social media, and entertainment paranormal-based television shows. I view it as offensive. It insults the memory of John, who died in service of the ship, and his surviving family members.
Unfortunately, ship tour hosts repeated the "Chicken game" story for decades, but in their defense, they shared what was told to them. They fell victim to the insidious nature of urban legends. Luckily, I could write the previous passage in past tense for I’m pleased that recent progress has been made on John’s behalf. During the writing of a book spotlighting Queen Mary's engineering crew members, researcher Angela Richardson interviewed a retired Boiler Room System worker who was aboard at the time of John's passing. I reviewed her audio-recorded conversation with the elderly gentleman who, when asked about John's death claims, vigorously scoffed at the notion his death was nothing more than a terrible accident. He assured the engineers responsible for the ship's operation were highly trained and disciplined. Foolish, reckless horseplay detouring the drive for a perfect safety record never occurred. I’d also suggest the shame of being fired from a prestigious Queen Mary job for foolhardy behavior influenced the crew's self-discipline. Using Angela's research and interview, we worked with the Attractions Department's management to help set the record straight for the future representation of John.
Collating what I've learned and researched, I propose one of two possible scenarios occurred at Door 13:
1 | John made a hasty attempt to pass through the door on his way to join fellow crew members located in the adjoining engine room. He misjudged the hefty, horizontally rolling door's closing speed and became trapped when slipping through.
2 | What feels more likely, according to my intuition: The door was fully closed when John approached it. While attempting to pass through, he mishandled the hydraulic manual opening levers and was quickly pinned as the door automatically retreated to the closed position.
Only John knows for sure, and it's a secret he's keeping, despite our periodic pleas for an answer during spirit recording sessions.
John's personality and encounter types have remained unchanged since I assumed hosting duties. Intuitive-based former late night paranormal tour host Erika Frost told her tour groups that John is playful in spirit form, with lots of teenage energy that expresses itself in flirting with lady visitors. When intuitive ParaXplorer Project team member Sharon joins the tours, she senses John playfully running about us and balancing atop the viewing platform and catwalk handrails. Regular claims come from lady guests who have their hair tugged, are lightly poked, and feel a finger lightly glide across their faces. Also consistent are robust vocalizations heard live with the naked ear as AVP (Audible Voice Phenomenon) and EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), unheard messages discovered later on audio recording devices. With rare exceptions, John answers in single-word whispered vocalizations having the same tones and inflections recognized by long-time experiencers such as myself. Most responses directly relate to questions asked, suggesting John is self-aware. He's an intelligent haunting, not residual energy embedded into the environment like a spirit recording.
