A Haunting at Waterhouse Chambers

Waterhouse Chambers was built by successful grocer Thomas Greaves Waterhouse, who had invested heavily in the Burra Mines and made a small fortune in return.

 Waterhouse used his earnings to construct the impressive building, which was so iconic at the end of Rundle Street, that the corner became known locally as “Waterhouse Corner”, before being usurped as “Beehive Corner”, when the even more impressive “Beehive” building opened across the road.
 The building has seen many uses, including, at one time, being used as the head office of the South Australian Mining Company.

The building left the ownership of the Waterhouse family in 1919 after A. Waterhouse sold it to F.N.  Simpson of Gawler Place through realtor J.S. Kithor. In 1921 Kithor would on-sell the building to tobacco merchants “Lawrence and Levy” who remodelled the ground floor shop front.

After ninety years of occupying a section of the building, Shuttleworth and Letchford moved their offices to the YWCA building on Hutt Street.

 The building has seen many tenants over the years but perhaps one of the best-loved was the 44-year occupation by the iconic confectioner, Darrell Lea before the current Tennant, Charlesworth Nuts took over in 2013.

Ghost Stories:

Long rumoured to be haunted amongst the local paranormal community, ghost stories for this particular building are very hard to come by, but it would seem, that the majority of stories that have surfaced involve the upstairs section of the building.
 It has been reported that staff do not like the feeling of the upstairs room, reports of paranoia, smelling phantom pipe tobacco smoke when clearly no one is smoking, and hearing loud footsteps in rooms have surfaced.
 At one point this led staff from a downstairs shop, which used the upstairs as storage, to abandon the upstairs section as no one wanted to enter the rooms for fear of the unknown. If it is haunted, it has yet to be investigated by a professional paranormal investigation team or group of sceptics to find the cause of fear and paranoia! 

Trivia: Before the imposing Beehive building was built the corner of King William Street and Rundle Street was known locally as “Waterhouse Corner”.

This story was originally written for the Adelaide City Library project "Haunted Buildings in Adelaide." For a more complete history of the building and eyewitness accounts of ghost stories at this building please refer to my book "Haunted Adelaide" available via Amazon here: Haunted Adelaide

© 2016 Allen Tiller

Paranormal Research: National Library of Australia’s TROVE (Part 1) - Basic Search

Paranormal Research: National Library of Australia’s TROVE (Part 1) - Basic Search

www.trove.nla.gov.au
Prior Posts related to this Blog:
Paranormal Research: The Manning Index of South Australian History

Trove is one of the biggest public databases in Australia, it contains more than 370 million resources, spread across ten content zones which includes: Books,  Photos, Journals, Newspapers, Government Gazettes, Music, Maps, Diaries and Letters, Archived Websites, People, and Lists.

The focus here is on content in digitised newspapers. (Trove also supplies a specific section with  information about searching newspapers.)

1. In this exercise, we are going to enter the term "Death of the Arcade Beadle" in inverted commas into the search bar. And hit enter, we can see our entry from the Manning index in slot two (see prior blog post The Manning Index <click here> )…

now let’s find it without the inverted commas. As you can see in the example below, we now have a ton of related content spread across all States and various newspapers. What we want to do now is to refine our search

Example 1

2. The easiest way to refine our search: we know that the newspaper we are looking for is from South Australia, so in the first left-hand side drop-down menu we choose South Australia – we then skip the newspapers and go straight to category – we know it’s an article, so we click that option. (see example 1)

Example 2

3. Next, we click "Decade" and scroll down to 1880-1890, which gives us 29 options of newspaper to read through, all from 1887. Our particular newspaper is second on the list, so we can click it and read it if we like. (example 2)

  From here, we can do many things, we can look through the various newspapers, most of which are the same, we could open up our search to the whole nation, which is sometimes useful because you will find that the newspapers in the state where an accident or crime happens will sanitise their stories so as not to offend the family, so an interstate newspaper may have a more in-depth story about the death or crime you are researching.

Because of the layout of Blogger, I cannot add the content of this talk in its entirety in one blog post. This transcript was originally presented as an interactive video presentation at the City Library in Adelaide and does not transcribe well to this format.

 Next week I will look at Advanced searching options on Trove.

© 2017 - Allen Tiller - originally presented by Allen Tiller as part of the 'Haunted Buildings in Adelaide' - Paranormal historian in residence project at the Adelaide City Libraries in conjunction with the City of Adelaide.

Haunted Buildings in Adelaide - Adelaide City Council Libraries

Haunted Buildings in Adelaide

Slide from the world first "Haunted Buildings in Adelaide" paranormal history residency

 My regular readers would know, that for the past few months of 2016 (February through to May) I have been engaged by the Adelaide City Council Libraries to be their ‘Historian in Residence’ for the “Haunted Buildings in Adelaide” project.
 The project, which involved the public bringing in their own ghost stories, photos and experiences was incredibly successful and gained a hug amount of media attention for the library and its projects, including coverage on Channel 7’s ‘Today Tonight’, 2 radio interviews on ABC 89.1, radio interviews with Alan Hickey on 5AA, the Y Report on Coast FM, The front page of the City Messenger, as well as newspaper coverage in The Advertiser, The Australian and their respective websites.

 Very soon the research side of the project will surface online on the Adelaide City Council Website, the research will include a brief history (some a little briefer than others) of the building, including the architect, opening date, trivia and other facts, and associated ghosts stories and urban legends.

 Some of the places in the project you may have never heard of before, and some are old stories, with new sightings, there is even a couple of Audio and Video oral histories thrown into the mix.

 Even though my residency in the library has ended, the project has not. This project will be ongoing for as long as there is interest in Adelaide’s ‘alternative’ history. So if you have a ghost story from anywhere in the Adelaide City Council region and you would it like shared, please feel free to email me at eidolon@live.com.au and I’ll have it added to the collection.
 

 As soon as the collection is live, I will be sharing it via my social media and website via the following pages:

Facebook: 

Allen Tiller

Eidolon Paranormal

South Australian Paranormal

The Haunts of

Website: www.AllenTiller.com.au

You can also find the Adelaide City Council Libraries and the History Hub via the following links

Facebook:

ACC Libraries

 

Website: Adelaide City Council Libraries

or pop into the libraries History Hub at Level 3, Rundle Place, Rundle Mall, Adelaide

Freemason Grand Lodge - Sinister by Design Part IV

Sinister by Design: Part 4

Grand Freemason Lodge – Adelaide

Most people are well aware of the long-standing Freemason society that spans the western world.
 It is one of the longest-running "secret" societies in the world and has created a great deal of speculation over what it really does, purely by being so secretive over the past couple of centuries.

Today we are visiting another location designed by Adelaide’s own Freemason architect, John Queten Bruce.

Don't let the name of this blog series fool you, I am actually a very big fan of his work, and admire a lot of his designs, but to put it simply, there seems to be a connection of hauntings and mysteries surrounding the grand houses and buildings he designed.

Is there a link to his being a Freemason?

Did he knowingly add an element to his designs that would attract the supernatural to his buildings?

That's not something anyone but Mr Bruce and his associates will know for sure, but there does seem to be circumstantial evidence to persist in looking further into his work and designs and a supernatural, or paranormal connection.

The Freemason Grand Lodge is another of Bruce's designs in partnership with W. H. Harral who worked as a superintendent.

The land was first purchased in 1922 with the foundation stone, laid under with traditional Freemason ceremony, three years later.

In 1927, the lodge rooms on the third and fourth floor were dedicated.

It is a remarkable landmark on North Terrace with its four massive columns over the entranceway and the words “Audi Vide Tace”, Latin for “Hear, see, be silent, if you would live in peace” carved in a stone inscription above the door and a further inscription stating, “Erected and Dedicated to the Great Architect of the Universe AD 1925”

The Freemason's themselves run their own tour of the building every Thursday, which gives insights into the history, the symbolism and who some of Adelaide's most notable Freemason were as well as a ghost story or two!

There is also a small collection of memorabilia on display on the ground floor and a museum on the mezzanine level. 

You can hear, and see more of the Grand Lodge in Adelaide via this news story, where the ABC get an inside look into the building, and some insight into the spooky goings-on within.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/06/22/2605121.htm?site=adelaide

© 2013 Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au

All content on “Eidolon Paranormal & The Haunts of Adelaide” site, blog and corresponding media pages (eg Facebook, twitter etc) is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any means or process without the written permission of the author. © 2012, 2013

All photos remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are displayed here for the purpose of education, research and review under the copyright act "fair usage" clause.

Some photos used here on this site are sourced from The State Library of South Australia, and The National Library of Australia and http://www.gawler.nowandthen.net.au - all photos are out of copyright and have no usage restrictions implied.

"Stonehenge" - Sinister by design Part 3

“Stonehenge” Robe Terrace Medindie

A quick trip back in time, we revisit our "Sinister by Design" series, which covered the architecture of John Quinton Bruce around Adelaide, first we looked at Carclew house, this time we visit the house he designed for Frederick Scarfe in North Adelaide.

The Mail, Saturday 11 October 1919, page 12

Designed by iconic South Australian architect; John Quinton Bruce for Fred Scarfe, A Director of South Australian department store icon, Harris Scarfes, Stonehenge, as the building was named, is a beautiful building located in North Adelaide.

Often it is reported that Frederick Norman Scarfe, former Mayor of Kensington and Norwood is the man who had the building erected, but by the time it was built, he was a very old man. Frederick George Alexander Scarfe is actually the man who built the impressive house, he was a director of Harris Scarfes at the time and a very wealthy individual.

Tony Syrianos - 

THE ADVERTISER NEWSPAPER 

ADELAIDE, April 24, 1994

The building consists of 15 main rooms including a gracious reception hallway and a sweeping grand staircase. There is also a Ballroom, a formal lounge-room, Library and formal dining room, plus 5 bedrooms and a wine cellar.

The house was often featured in local newspaper stories as Mr Scarfe would host his own events, Grand Balls and parties, in his home. In 1919 Frederick Scarfe sold the house for an impressive sum, citing in adds that he found the housekeeping tasks laborious, being such a large manner.

In 1994, The Adelaide Advertiser (April 24^th 1994) published a story about the house featuring a local businessman who had purchased the house for $1.2 million dollars, only to find out that the house is haunted by a young lady.

The Register Thursday 13 November 1919

The young lady appears in an upstairs bedroom known as the Blue Room. It is stated that she only appears during the hours of 11 pm and 5 am and walks from the blue room, to a bathroom, or up the extravagant staircase. She is dressed in a white nightgown with an overly frilly neckline.

It is thought the spirit is that of a young girl who died in the house from tuberculosis around the 1920s, when the disease was making itself felt in North Adelaide.

It has also been reported that whenever renovations take place in the house, the ghost becomes very hostile and begins to throw objects and make a lot of noise, not unlike a poltergeist would do, other owners have also reported cold spots in various rooms of the mansion.

© 2013 Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au

All content on “Eidolon Paranormal & The Haunts of Adelaide” site, blog and corresponding media pages (eg Facebook, twitter etc) is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any means or process without the written permission of the author. © 2012, 2013

All photos remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are displayed here for the purpose of education, research and review under the copyright act "fair usage" clause.

Some photos used here on this site are sourced from The State Library of South Australia, and The National Library of Australia and http://www.gawler.nowandthen.net.au - all photos are out of copyright and have no usage restrictions implied.

Adelaide Arcade: Part Three "Beadle-Geist!"

WARNING: this article features graphic content and is not suitable for those a weak stomach!

The Adelaide Arcade:

Part III: Beadle-Geist!

  Last week we learnt about the tragic circumstances of the death of Mr Francis Frederick Cluney at the Adelaide Arcade in 1887.

 This week we are going to feature some of the graphic details of his death as reported in various newspapers around the country.

As you will see the newspapers don't all have the same information, so one has to assume that somewhere along the lines of communication, details were misheard or exaggerated for effect.

In our times, such gruesome reports would not make the newspaper, but as we know, they are easy to find online.

Our first report is written sometime after the accident, August 6^th, and comes from the “Territory Times” newspaper. (Northern Territory Times and GazetteSaturday 6 August 1887 - page 3)
  It is as follows:

“It took all the strength of six men to drag the fly-wheel back so as to extricate the body of the unfortunate victim. The engine has two fly-wheels parallel to each other and about 4 feet apart. The body was found with the head and shoulders jammed in between the right fly-wheel and the body of the engine. The upper part of the man's head was smashed to atoms, the fragments of the skull being' scattered upon the floor and the engine. The head disfigured beyond recognition, and one foot was torn off. No one saw the accident, and the unfortunate man seems to have been killed almost instantly by the revolving fly-wheel, one of the spokes of which smashed the skull. As far as can be judged Cluney must have fallen accidentally against the inner edge of the flywheel, which is five or six feet in diameter, and was then jammed against the engine, his body checking the machinery and causing the extinction of the light”


The South Australian Register reported a slightly differing account to the Territory Times. The S.A. Register account is almost identical to that which was printed in the Advertiser, of which one of its workers was a witness to events and helped remove the victim's body from the machinery.

South Australian Register - Saturday 25 June 1887
“Dr B. Poulton said he examined the body of deceased in the engine-room at the Arcade shortly after the accident. Found the skull fractured in many places, and about one-third of the right side wanting. The right arm was broken in several places and attached to the trunk only by the skin. The ribs on both sides of the upper half of the chest were shattered in many places. The breastbone was fractured, and the walls of the chest were driven back inwards towards the spine. The left shoulder was fractured. The cause of death was laceration of the brain and a rupture of the lungs, blood vessels, and organs in the chest. Death must have been instantaneous on receipt of the injury to the brain and chest. Such injuries would readily be caused by deceased coming into contact with the machinery in motion. “

 I imagine someone, somewhere, right now will be criticising me for posting such graphic descriptions of Mr Cluney's death, wondering about my motives for posting such details.
 It's quite simple really, the first reason is to highlight the fact that you can't always believe what you read, as noted in the description printed in the "Territory Times", Mr Cluney's foot had become detached, as of yet, I have found no other report of such a thing happening,  even in the coroner reports! 
Was it a case of misunderstanding? 
A communication error?
 Or was it simply sensationalising an already grisly death that had overshadowed other national stories? 

We will most likely never know for sure, but it does highlight the need for researchers to correlate the facts they print, double-check, cross-reference and make those references available for all to read, publicly and clearly to validate statements made online, on tours, or in books.

The other reason for posting it brings us back to the Adelaide Arcade haunting. Since his death in 1887, Mr Cluney has often been seen wandering around the Adelaide Arcade building. Shop keepers have often seen him, with one former employee at the Arcade stating in a 2010 interview that he had seen Mr Cluney on more than 20 occasions. He was quoted as saying
“He sticks to the roof space of the Arcade, so few people actually see him these days.”
 
  Now my interest here is how Mr Cluney would appear to people. Would he be the mangled mess after the accident which caused his death or would he be the British Army uniform wearing Beadle that so many people had high regard for?

Police in uniform for the 125th year
 celebrations at the arcade

As many of you know, there are no rules when it comes to the paranormal, so it is possible that he, at times appears to people in both forms. Even more interesting is the fact he is seen on the upstairs landings, which were not present in his time, but built many years later. Can ghosts walk where we walk?

Or would he be limited by the physical world in which he lived in his day? We have all heard stories of ghosts walking through walls, only to be told that once there was a doorway in that spot, or the wall never existed, leading many to think that ghosts are limited by the physical properties of the world they knew in life, but as I said before, there are no rules when it comes to ghosts!

It is also said that Mr Cluney does not like loud aggressive people in his arcade, that it makes him angry and he makes his presence known, I am not saying you should go test this speculative theory, but it does seem interesting in light of events just before his death.
Another rumour is that speaking of electrical devices, or electricians doing any work in the Arcade brings forth Mr Cluney's ghost, I myself have had a story related to me, from a very reputable source in the air-conditioning trade, of one such an encounter.

Figure in the first few seconds of the "Adelaide Arcade Ghost"
 video found on youtube

A contractor was doing some work on the ventilation system when he was tapped on his shoulder, turning he saw no-one was there, turning his attention back to what he was doing, he noticed something moving out the corner of his eye, and when he turned to look at it, saw a hammer floating in the air. I am not going to name the person, as anonymity was promised, but it was enough for him to leave his work and swear to never return, sending another workmate up to collect his tools!

Is this a ghost entering a shop in 1972?

One would have to believe Mr Cluney would be instantly recognisable as a spirit with his English Military uniform, but there are, as of yet, no really descriptive representations of his look from reports to date.
Although it is said that sometimes he is seen with a woman... who could she be? What of the other ghosts said to roam the Arcade? A child is said to be heard, could this be the Byron child, who died of asphyxiation in an upper room, or could it be Florence Horton, murdered at an entranceway by her husband?

It will be interesting to note if Mr Cluney is now seen wearing his distinctive uniform in future reports after the publishing of this blog!

Next week we uncover another intriguing arcade story in

 “Madame Kennedy”

Territory Times Report:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3311284?searchTerm=francis%20cluney&searchLimits=l-category=Article|||l-australian=y|||l-decade=188

South Australian Register

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/46097029?searchTerm=adelaide%20arcade%20%20Cluney&searchLimits=l-category=Article|||l-australian=y

© 2012 The Haunts of Adelaide

written and researched by

Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au

All content on “The Haunts of Adelaide” site, blog and corresponding media pages (eg Facebook, twitter etc) is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any means or process without the written permission of the author. © 2012

All photos remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are displayed here for the purpose of education, research and review under the copyright act "fair usage" clause.

Some photos used here on this site are sourced from The State Library of South Australia, and The National Library of Australia - all photos are out of copyright and have no usage restrictions implied.