November 29, 2025 • 9 mins
The 12 Ghosts of Christmas : A Partridge in a Pear Tree - the Orchard Murder
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Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. No plug-ins needed!
Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show!
We now have Merch! FREE SHIPPING! Check out all the products like T-shirts, mugs, bags, jackets and more with logos and slogans from your favorite shows! Did we mention there’s free shipping? Get 10% off with code NewMerch10 Go to Caloroga.com
Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calaroga Shark Media, Hello and Welcome to Ghost. This episode
is titled A Partridge in a Pear Tree The Orchard Murder.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
In the heart of Eldridge Hollow, a town steeped in
tradition and folklore, the Hargrave Orchard stood as a testament
to generations of care and cultivation. It was here, under
the oldest pear tree in the orchard, that William Hargrave,
a wealthy and compassionate orchard owner, planned to propose to
his lifelong love Clara. This tree, grand and ancient, held
(00:55):
a special place in local law. It was said that
a partridge, an unusual bird for the region, had nested
in this tree every Christmas for as long as anyone
could remember, a symbol of enduring love and good fortune.
(01:18):
William and Clara's story began in childhood. Their lives entwined
like the branches of the pear trees they played under.
As they grew, so did William's affection for Clara, blossoming
into a love as deep and steadfast as the roots
of the orchard itself. Yet he kept his feelings hidden,
fearing rejection would ruin their cherished friendship. On a crisp
(01:45):
December evening, with Christmas just a fortnight away, William rehearsed
his proposal beneath the moonlit tree, Clara. Every blossom in
this orchard is a testament to my love for you,
he whispered, practicing the words he hoped would unite their lives.
But fate had a different plan. The next morning, William
(02:07):
was found lifeless beneath the pear tree, an engagement ring
lying beside him. The town was engulfed in shock and grief,
and a shroud of mystery enveloped his death. Years passed
and tales of the orchard specter began to circulate. Workers
spoke of ghostly apparitions and a voice that whispered on
(02:30):
the wind. William's spirit, bound by his unspoken love and
tragic demise, wandered the orchard, his presence a palpable reminder
of the love story that never was. Clara, who remained unwed,
often walked among the trees, her heart heavy with a
(02:50):
sadness she couldn't explain. William's spirit watched over her, yearning
to reveal his undying love. Then, on a cold December night,
Clara ventured to the pear tree, drawn by an inexplicable force.
(03:15):
The air was thick with another worldly chill as she
heard a voice softly call her name, Clara. Before her
stood the ghost of William, his eyes brimming with the
love he had harbored in life. Clara since childhood. I
have loved you. I wanted to spend my life with you,
he confessed, his spectral voice trembling with emotion. Clara, tears
(03:40):
streaming down her face, replied, William, I never knew. I'm
so sorry. As they shared this moment, a partridge, the
same that had been a symbol of the orchard for decades,
alighted on the branch above them. Its presence seemed more
than mere coincidence. It felt like a sentinel watching over them. Clara,
(04:02):
do you remember the old Christmas carol a partridge in
a pear tree? William asked, a glimmer of realization in
his eyes. Yes, I remember, Clara said, a sense of
wonder dawning on her. William's spirit seemed to brighten. I
believe this partridge is more than a symbol. It's a message,
a guide to help me find peace. It's time for
(04:23):
my spirit to move on. As the first rays of
dawn broke, William's form began to fade, the curse of
his unrequited love lifting the partridge took flight, soaring into
the sky, as if leading William's spirit to its final rest. Goodbye, Clara,
You've always been the love of my life, he whispered,
vanishing into the morning light. In the years that followed,
(05:05):
Clara maintained the orchard with love and care. She often
spoke to the trees and birds, as if in conversation
with an old friend. She shared the story of William
and the Mysterious Partridge, a tale that became a legend
in Eldridge Hollow. After Clara's passing, the Hargrave Orchard fell
(05:25):
into disrepair. Eldridge Hollow, once vibrant and lively, began to
wither like the untended trees. The townsfolk who had grown
up with the tale of William, Clara and the Mysterious Partridge,
noticed an unsettling change. It started subtly. People reported glimpses
(05:46):
of a partridge, not just near the orchard, but throughout
the town. Unlike any ordinary bird, its eyes gleamed with
an almost human intelligence, and it appeared to watch the
townspeople with an unnerving intensity. The sightings grew more frequent
(06:08):
and more disturbing. It was no longer a mere observer.
The partridge seemed to be a harbinger of misfortune. Small
accidents and mishaps occurred whenever it was seen. Tools went missing,
windows shattered without explanation, and shadows seemed to move with
a life of their own. Whispers began to spread that
the partridge was cursed, a malevolent spirit tied to the
(06:31):
tragic history of the orchard. Some said it was William's spirit,
corrupted by his unfulfilled love and untimely death. Others believed
it was a guardian gone away, Its purpose twisted over
the decades. The most chilling incident occurred on a frigid
December night. The town's oldest resident, missus Agnes, who had
(06:53):
known Clara and William, woke to find the partridge perched
on her window sill. Its eyes bore into hers, and
she heard a faint, ghostly whisper, the love unfulfilled, the
curse unbroken. The next morning, missus Agnes was found in
a state of unexplainable terror, unable to speak of what
(07:14):
she had witnessed. From that day on, she refused to
go near the orchard or speak of the partridge. The
town council, desperate to rid Eldridge hollow of this malevolent presence,
decided to seek the help of a spiritual medium. During
(07:37):
a seance held in the heart of the orchard, under
the same ancient pear tree where William's body was found,
they attempted to communicate with the spirit of the partridge.
As the medium entered a trance, the air grew thick
with a palpable sense of dread. She spoke in a
voice not her own. Bound by tragedy fueled by sorrow,
(08:00):
the curse remains. The love unfulfilled must find its end,
or the partridge shall never depart. The message was clear,
the partridge, bound to the orchard by the tragic love
story of William and Clara, could only be released if
their story was brought to a true closure. Determined to
(08:20):
end the haunting, the townsfolk gathered to honour the memory
of William and Clara. They refurbished the orchard, restoring it
to its former glory. A statue was erected in memory
of the lovers, with an inscription that read, united in
memory their love Forever blooms that Christmas. As the townsfolk
(08:43):
gathered in the orchard, they noticed the partridge perched atop
the pear tree. As they sang carols and shared stories
of William and Clara, the bird seemed to listen, its
gaze softening with the final note of a partridge in
a pear tree, the bird took flight, soaring into the
night sky. The sense of foreboding that had hung over
(09:06):
Eldridge Hollow lifted, leaving behind a peaceful, calm.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Ghost is a Calorogu Shark Media production, written and hosted
by Alexander Ian McIntyre, produced by Mark Francis. Executive producers
Mark Francis and John McDermott Calaroga Shark Media
Calaroga Shark Media, Hello and Welcome to Ghost. This episode
is titled A Partridge in a Pear Tree The Orchard Murder.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
In the heart of Eldridge Hollow, a town steeped in
tradition and folklore, the Hargrave Orchard stood as a testament
to generations of care and cultivation. It was here, under
the oldest pear tree in the orchard, that William Hargrave,
a wealthy and compassionate orchard owner, planned to propose to
his lifelong love Clara. This tree, grand and ancient, held
(00:55):
a special place in local law. It was said that
a partridge, an unusual bird for the region, had nested
in this tree every Christmas for as long as anyone
could remember, a symbol of enduring love and good fortune.
(01:18):
William and Clara's story began in childhood. Their lives entwined
like the branches of the pear trees they played under.
As they grew, so did William's affection for Clara, blossoming
into a love as deep and steadfast as the roots
of the orchard itself. Yet he kept his feelings hidden,
fearing rejection would ruin their cherished friendship. On a crisp
(01:45):
December evening, with Christmas just a fortnight away, William rehearsed
his proposal beneath the moonlit tree, Clara. Every blossom in
this orchard is a testament to my love for you,
he whispered, practicing the words he hoped would unite their lives.
But fate had a different plan. The next morning, William
(02:07):
was found lifeless beneath the pear tree, an engagement ring
lying beside him. The town was engulfed in shock and grief,
and a shroud of mystery enveloped his death. Years passed
and tales of the orchard specter began to circulate. Workers
spoke of ghostly apparitions and a voice that whispered on
(02:30):
the wind. William's spirit, bound by his unspoken love and
tragic demise, wandered the orchard, his presence a palpable reminder
of the love story that never was. Clara, who remained unwed,
often walked among the trees, her heart heavy with a
(02:50):
sadness she couldn't explain. William's spirit watched over her, yearning
to reveal his undying love. Then, on a cold December night,
Clara ventured to the pear tree, drawn by an inexplicable force.
(03:15):
The air was thick with another worldly chill as she
heard a voice softly call her name, Clara. Before her
stood the ghost of William, his eyes brimming with the
love he had harbored in life. Clara since childhood. I
have loved you. I wanted to spend my life with you,
he confessed, his spectral voice trembling with emotion. Clara, tears
(03:40):
streaming down her face, replied, William, I never knew. I'm
so sorry. As they shared this moment, a partridge, the
same that had been a symbol of the orchard for decades,
alighted on the branch above them. Its presence seemed more
than mere coincidence. It felt like a sentinel watching over them. Clara,
(04:02):
do you remember the old Christmas carol a partridge in
a pear tree? William asked, a glimmer of realization in
his eyes. Yes, I remember, Clara said, a sense of
wonder dawning on her. William's spirit seemed to brighten. I
believe this partridge is more than a symbol. It's a message,
a guide to help me find peace. It's time for
(04:23):
my spirit to move on. As the first rays of
dawn broke, William's form began to fade, the curse of
his unrequited love lifting the partridge took flight, soaring into
the sky, as if leading William's spirit to its final rest. Goodbye, Clara,
You've always been the love of my life, he whispered,
vanishing into the morning light. In the years that followed,
(05:05):
Clara maintained the orchard with love and care. She often
spoke to the trees and birds, as if in conversation
with an old friend. She shared the story of William
and the Mysterious Partridge, a tale that became a legend
in Eldridge Hollow. After Clara's passing, the Hargrave Orchard fell
(05:25):
into disrepair. Eldridge Hollow, once vibrant and lively, began to
wither like the untended trees. The townsfolk who had grown
up with the tale of William, Clara and the Mysterious Partridge,
noticed an unsettling change. It started subtly. People reported glimpses
(05:46):
of a partridge, not just near the orchard, but throughout
the town. Unlike any ordinary bird, its eyes gleamed with
an almost human intelligence, and it appeared to watch the
townspeople with an unnerving intensity. The sightings grew more frequent
(06:08):
and more disturbing. It was no longer a mere observer.
The partridge seemed to be a harbinger of misfortune. Small
accidents and mishaps occurred whenever it was seen. Tools went missing,
windows shattered without explanation, and shadows seemed to move with
a life of their own. Whispers began to spread that
the partridge was cursed, a malevolent spirit tied to the
(06:31):
tragic history of the orchard. Some said it was William's spirit,
corrupted by his unfulfilled love and untimely death. Others believed
it was a guardian gone away, Its purpose twisted over
the decades. The most chilling incident occurred on a frigid
December night. The town's oldest resident, missus Agnes, who had
(06:53):
known Clara and William, woke to find the partridge perched
on her window sill. Its eyes bore into hers, and
she heard a faint, ghostly whisper, the love unfulfilled, the
curse unbroken. The next morning, missus Agnes was found in
a state of unexplainable terror, unable to speak of what
(07:14):
she had witnessed. From that day on, she refused to
go near the orchard or speak of the partridge. The
town council, desperate to rid Eldridge hollow of this malevolent presence,
decided to seek the help of a spiritual medium. During
(07:37):
a seance held in the heart of the orchard, under
the same ancient pear tree where William's body was found,
they attempted to communicate with the spirit of the partridge.
As the medium entered a trance, the air grew thick
with a palpable sense of dread. She spoke in a
voice not her own. Bound by tragedy fueled by sorrow,
(08:00):
the curse remains. The love unfulfilled must find its end,
or the partridge shall never depart. The message was clear,
the partridge, bound to the orchard by the tragic love
story of William and Clara, could only be released if
their story was brought to a true closure. Determined to
(08:20):
end the haunting, the townsfolk gathered to honour the memory
of William and Clara. They refurbished the orchard, restoring it
to its former glory. A statue was erected in memory
of the lovers, with an inscription that read, united in
memory their love Forever blooms that Christmas. As the townsfolk
(08:43):
gathered in the orchard, they noticed the partridge perched atop
the pear tree. As they sang carols and shared stories
of William and Clara, the bird seemed to listen, its
gaze softening with the final note of a partridge in
a pear tree, the bird took flight, soaring into the
night sky. The sense of foreboding that had hung over
(09:06):
Eldridge Hollow lifted, leaving behind a peaceful, calm.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Ghost is a Calorogu Shark Media production, written and hosted
by Alexander Ian McIntyre, produced by Mark Francis. Executive producers
Mark Francis and John McDermott Calaroga Shark Media
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