3. The woman who haunts Sunderland Empire Theatre
The White Lady is thought to be Molly Moselle. The Empire Theatre is thought to be haunted by
the White Lady, known to frequent the bar area. A staff member says she heard doors banging,
people walking about and felt an ice-cold presence. Some have speculated the ghost could be
linked to the disappearance of a female member of staff from the 1940s.’It was on January 14 that
Molly Moselle – an assistant stage manager vanished while on an errand. The 33-year-old, whose
real name was Mary Burslem, had left her lodgings after telling her landlady she was popping out
for a birthday card. But the card never arrived. And Molly, a bright, lively and popular girl, was
never seen again. Tom Kershaw, then a dresser at the Empire, is thought to have been the last
person from the theatre to see her alive that day. “It was about five in the afternoon. I was at the
window of my flat and saw Molly going across the road,” he later recalled. “She had an orange
jacket on, and orange slacks and a hair band. But, when he arrived at the theatre later that night,
he found that Molly hadn’t turned up. “No-one ever saw her alive again,” he said. Her colleagues
described her as a bright bubbly person however beneath Molly’s bubbly and vivacious
personality, lay a troubled soul, she was deeply depressed after two failed relationships. Her 16-
year affair with comedian Bunny Doyle had finished only months before, while a romance with
businessman Walter Hattersley had just ended in tears. Mysteriously, according to old newspaper
reports, Molly had received a letter from Walter on the day she disappeared – but she refused to
reveal the contents. “The police search for Molly has been extended across Britain, with many
people reporting sightings of her at various railway stations,” reported the Echo. “No trace,
however, has been found. “Investigations into the possibility of suicide or murder have drawn a
blank too, as have interviews with past boyfriends and her family back in Merseyside.” Numerous
suggestions for her disappearance were put forward. One rumour had her snatched by the white
slave trade, another that she had stowed away on a ship to start a new life. But, despite the many
offers of help from the public, Molly’s trail soon went cold. After weeks of investigations, no
further evidence could be found – although the police file remains open. Molly’s disappearance
remains just as much of a mystery as it was 62 years ago, although legend has it that she now
haunts the Empire Theatre although it was never proven she was actually dead.
Molly Moselle
The Sunderland Empire is
thought to be one of the most
haunted theatres in Britain
therefore I decided to do some
research into the ghosts that
haunt the Empire. Upon
conducting this research, I came
across the White Lady suspected
to be Molly Moselle her story is
one that sparked interest with
me as it was never proven she
actually died this story could be
portrayed as both a documentary
or a short film and both would
be impactful and interesting due
to the links to not only a death
mystery but covering modern
day issues such as depression.
5. Evaluation
Upon gaining feedback and responses on my ideas from
peers(the target age demographic) and family members I
have decided to do a documentary covering the mystery of
Molly Moselle's death. Not only does this link to Sunderland
culture due to the fact that she is now said to haunt
Sunderland Empire but there is a lot to avenues to explore
in the story meaning that the target audience will stay
engaged throughout the documentary I will also aim to
showcase my professional practice by adding elements that
would typically be seen in a short film to keep the audience
engage and therefore please the client.
6. Molly Moselle
• Name: Mary Burslem
• Stage Name: Molly Moselle
• Age:33
• Gender: Female
• Born:1916
• Spouses: Bunny Doyle, Walter Hattersley
• Job role: Dancer, Assistant Stage Manager
• Described by her colleagues as:
A happy woman with a strong personality
A bright, lively and popular person
7. Bunny Doyle
• Name: Bernard Doyle
• Stage Name: Bunny Doyle
• Age:54
• Born:1895
• Job role: Comedian
• Relationship length with Molly:16 years
8. Walter Hattersley
• Name: Walter Hattersley
• Age: Unknown ( A lot older than Molly)
• Spouses: Unknown
• Job role: Sheffield hotel owner, boxing
promoter
• Status: Wealthy
• Relationship length with Molly:
(most recent relationship) A few months
9. Molly Moselle's Career
Molly Moselle started her career as a dancer on
multiple different productions however when
she went missing, she was working as one of the
first female assistant stage managers on IVOR
NOVELLO's "The Dancing Years" at the
Sunderland Empire.
Whilst working on The Dancing Years at the
Sunderland Empire she lived in Eden Street a
stone's throw from the theatre and the
alleyway she never was seen to come out of.
Where did she live?
10. What happened on the day of her disappearance
Timeline
• She had a lunchtime drink in Sunderland city center with friends from the show
• During this she told them she had received a letter from Walter that morning
• She began to break down and sob whilst informing them of this but wouldn’t say
what was in the letter
• A while later she returned to her accommodation in Eden Street
• After a while she left telling her landlady she had forgot to post a letter
• She left her accommodation and a dresser from the show noticed her from his
window
• She went out into the dark, cold night, turned into garden place and was never
seen again
11. Relationship between Molly Moselle and Bunny Doyle
Molly Moselle and Bunny Doyle (who was married at the time) engaged in a 16-year long
relationship and although it is not known when it began on ended it is said that Bunny Doyle was
the reason for the collapse in the relationship after falling in love with another woman in a
pantomime leaving molly Moselle feeling betrayed.
Relationship between Molly Moselle and Walter Hattersley
It is not known how long or when the relationship between Molly Moselle and Walter Harrington
began however what is known is that Walter was a wealthy man and bought her a £200 ring
which Molly believed was an engagement however this was not the case. Walter broke up with
Molly after coming home to find her drunk on his bedroom floor and ended the relationship.
Molly then phoned Walter on 22nd November 1948. But he hung up on her and she started to
sob “it’s all over". She wrote many letters begging him to come back and never received a reply
until the day of her disappearance however when explaining to friends she had received a letter
she started to break down sobbing and never revealed the contents of the letter.
12. Police investigation
and her suspected hauntings
After she was reported missing when she didn’t turn up for work
a nationwide investigation began with enquiries carried out in
Liverpool, London, Sheffield and Sunderland. Members of the
public reported many possible sightings of her at railway stations,
but nothing ever came from them. Over 70 years later nothing
was ever found but it is believed that she is one of the three
ghosts that make up one of the most haunted theatres in
England. With her story said to be a romantic tragedy resulting in
a vengeful and unhappy spirit wandering the empire still looking
for her companion. But as memories of her story fade so does
the sightings of her but every now and then she will be seen
again.
13. Key locations
for the documentary
Detective office
Filmed at home Eden Street
Sunderland
Empire
Garden Place
Railway scenes
Filmed at Beamish
Post Box
