Is Architectural history a lie? 

– The Tartarian Mudflood Conspiracy.

 

A basement window looking out to Murray Street - Gawler.

 Recently on the Haunts of Adelaide Facebook page, we have had a few conspiracy theories that certain older buildings in Adelaide were built by a highly advanced global empire that visited Australia (and other locations around the globe) pre-European settlement. The conspiracy is that the Tartarian global empire was intentionally erased, and that history was rewritten to make buildings seem younger and more modern.[1] Subscribers to the theory believe that a vast, technologically advanced empire arose in north-central Asia, and spread peacefully across the globe. They believe that approximately one hundred years ago a great cataclysm occurred that toppled the empire which led to many of its buildings being destroyed, and its history erased from records.[2]

European Cartographers often used the toponym ‘Tartary’ to describe Central Asia. The area was bound by the Caspian Sea, the Ural Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. There were a multitude of different cultures living within this area. Tartary was not defined, nor did it represent one race of people. In modern terms, this area spans from the east of the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea and includes Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Siberia.[3]

The Tartarian ‘theory’ was originated and perpetuated by pseudo-historians who combined a Russian fervour for their allegedly lost empire (Tartaria being the supposed real name of Russia according to some conspiracy believers) with an alternative historical chronology. Basically, the timeline we all know is actually much shorter in reality. This theory has then been picked up by influencers and shared as a fact being hidden by someone in authority – usually a shadow Government, the Rothschilds, the Illuminati or the Secret Owl Society. [4]

Buildings such as the Capitol in Washington, the Pyramids in Egypt, The Great Wall of China, and Bastian Star forts, such as seen in Portugal, Netherlands, and Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka was a Portuguese and Dutch colony, so no mystery how the design was utilized there). Here in Adelaide, buildings being assigned to the Tartarian include the Adelaide Town Hall, the General Post Office and the Edmund Wright Building. This is despite detailed records of design and photographic evidence of construction.

 One of the things that Tartarian conspiracy theory believers love to argue as a feature of Tartarian architecture is buildings with basement windows. If you look around Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Gawler, or Kapunda, you’ll see this common feature that allows light to get into basement rooms with pre-electric light (it is widely believed that Port Adelaide has lower basements because the city was ‘built up’ to stop tidal floods, however, there is no evidence of this. One would think if this were the case the original ground-level doors would be visible in what are now basements, and sub-basements, that were originally basements, would be present in all buildings).

Another feature of the conspiracy is that much of our history has been intentionally razed or destroyed by disasters and war. An example is the fire in the Norte-Dame de Paris, the 12th-century Roman Catholic cathedral in France was seen as a deliberate attempt to destroy more Tartarian architecture by conspiracy believers.[5]  Some believers in the theory cite Napoleon’s invasion of Russia as the beginning of the rewriting of Tartarian history and add that further World Wars destroyed much of what was left of the empire in the 20^th century. However, they do not cite how Napoleon’s army overcame the vastly superior weaponry of the Tartarian – as one must assume, a world power with such great architectural stills, would also have an advanced military and weaponry.[6]
  There is little reasoning offered on why such a coverup and rewriting of history has occurred. Much of the rhetoric involves believers riffing on old maps, weaving together narratives based on conjecture picking out small inconsistencies, and a flagrant disregard for documented history.
 There also seems to be little or no understanding of economic differences between now and two hundred years ago. Today, glass, steel and concrete are reasonably cheap to build with; stone, terracotta and marble are not. It was also much cheaper to hire skilled workers and labourers two hundred years ago than it is today.

© Allen Tiller 2025

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[1] Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, What Is the Lost Empire Of Tartaria?, Discover, (2023), https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/what-is-the-lost-empire-of-tartaria.

[2] Zach Mortice, ‘Inside the ‘Tartarian Empire,’ the QAnon of Architecture’, Bloomberg, (2021), https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-04-27/inside-architecture-s-wildest-conspiracy-theory.

[3] Mark C. Elliot, "The Limits of Tartary: Manchuria in Imperial and National Geographies". The Journal of Asian Studies. Vol. 59, (2000), pp. 603–646.

[4] Josie Adams, Inside the wild architecture conspiracy theory gaining traction online, The Spin Off, (2022), https://thespinoff.co.nz/internet/14-01-2022/inside-the-wild-architecture-conspiracy-theory-gaining-traction-online.

[5] Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, What Is the Lost Empire Of Tartaria?, Discover, (2023), https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/what-is-the-lost-empire-of-tartaria.

[6] Zach Mortice, ‘Inside the ‘Tartarian Empire,’ the QAnon of Architecture’, Bloomberg, (2021), https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-04-27/inside-architecture-s-wildest-conspiracy-theory.

 Port River Sunfish

 In 1903, the Adelaide Observer reported that Mr Seymour Bagot and a small party of young men were fishing in the Port River. (The Observer, in 1908, reported the incident happened at Schnapper Point).[1] Bagot noticed a fish floating lazily on the surface of the water with a fin protruding, he described it as looking ‘like a shark.’
Bagot reported the incident to the journalist stating,

‘I picked up my gun and fired at it twice in quick succession. It immediately dived, and I headed the launch for the shore. For a time, I lost sight of the queer fish, but it found us shortly afterwards and nearly capsized the boat. Our propellor struck it once of twice; and then I shot again, and this time managed to hit it in a vital part. The chase and kill were more exciting than any shark could possibly have given.’[2]

 The fish was 7 feet 2 inches (2.1 meters) in length; 9 feet 2 inches (2.8 meters) in girth, and length round, 18 feet (5.4 meters).  Each of its two fins measured 3 feet 1 inch (0.94 meters). The distance from the top fin to the bottom was 9 feet 6 inches (2.92 meters). The fish weighed 15 cwt (762 kg).[3]

The fish an Ocean Sunfish (also known as a Mola mola) can weigh between 250 to 2000Kg. They can grow to at least 3.3 meters and as large as 4 meters in size. According to the Australian museum, there are five species of Sunfish found in Australian waters; the Hoodwinker Sunfish - Mola tecta, the Giant Sunfish - Mola alexandrini, the Ocean Sunfish - Mola mola, Slender Sunfish - Ranzania laevis, and the Point-tailed Sunfish, Masturus lanceolatus.[4]

The fish was donated to the South Australian Museum. The Register newspaper reported in December 1903 that,

 ‘Very shortly the enormous sunfish captured in the Port River by Mr. Seymour Bagot, will be added to the collection. This example and a mute swan (one of a number given to the Botanical Gardens by the late Queen Victoria) are now receiving the finishing touches.’[5]

The sunfish caught be Seymour Bagot was on display in the South Australian for many years. Although it doesn’t mention Bagot’s Sunfish, this article, written by Dan Monceaux for the Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc., records modern captures of the Sun fish in South Australia: http://mlssa.org.au/2014/08/09/sunfish-sightings-in-south-australia/



Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024




[1] 'GENERAL NEWS.', Observer, (26 September 1908), p. 35.

[2] 'A SEA MONSTER.', Adelaide Observer, (18 July 1903), p. 24.

[3] 'A SEA MONSTER.', The Capricornian, (25 July 1903), p. 46.

[4] Kerryn Parkinson, Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758), Australian Museum, (2021), https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/ocean-sunfish-mola-mola/.

[5] 'ADDITIONS TO THE MUSEUM.', The Register, (22 December 1903), p. 4.

 The 1888 Tragedy at Semaphore.

 

In 1888, the newspapers of the day were scathing of 20-year-old Susan Schmidt, who on February 8th, had ridden on the footboard of a train carriage travelling to Semaphore. As the train crossed the points, it shook, dislodging Susan and throwing her under the train where she was crushed to death.^[1]

It came to light that Susan and a friend, Emma Fitts, had left Susan's parents’ house in the evening, and walked to Port Adelaide. They saw a friend off at Alberton station, then walked back to Exeter station, when the Semaphore bound train arrived. Rather than walk, they hopped onto the steps of the train from the opposite side of the platform. William Uden, travelling in the train, told the girls they had better get off the train, but they ignored him. As the train entered Semaphore station and crossed the points, it made a slight jump, dislodging Susan, who was flung under the train.

Porter, Charles White, who was on his way to the points, saw the train give a little jump and heard someone yell out from under the train. He was first to see Susan on the rails and went immediately for a doctor. When the train stopped at Semaphore, the guard William Swann, saw the danger lights lit up at the points by White and could see Susan lying around 100 yards from the train.

There was little compassion in South Australia’s media of the day. The South Australian Register wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt was run over and killed by the Semaphore train on February 8, owing to her recklessness in unlawfully riding on the footboard of the carriage.’^[2]

The Evening Journal stated, ‘A Sad Death from Recklessness – It must be a painful reflection for the parents of the poor girl, Susan Schmidt, who was run over and killed by the Semaphore train…’[3]

The Port Augusta Dispatch wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt tried to ride on the step of a Semaphore railway carriage last Wednesday. Verdict – nobody but herself to blame.’^[4]

Susan's body was transported to the Port Hospital where Dr Toil examined her, before placing her dead body in the morgue.^[5] Susan's lower body had been ‘completely crushed.’^[6]

An inquest into the death occurred at the Port Admiral Hotel on February 9, 1888, overseen by Coroner T. Ward. J.P.  Susan’s father Bennett Schmidt gave evidence at the inquest, stating,

She was 20 years of age last September. Last saw her alive about half-past 7 on Wednesday evening in company, with., two friends. They left his place and went in the direction of the Semaphore-road. Was awakened about a quarter past 10 by Mr. Warn, who told him of the accident. Directly saw it was his daughter that had been run over. She asked him to lift her up, and repeated the question in the train. She never told him how the accident occurred. Never knew deceased to be reckless.^[7]

 

The jury returned a verdict that ‘the deceased met her death by being run over by the Semaphore train, the accident is caused by her attempting to ride on the step of the carriage and added a rider that no blame was attached to anybody. ^[8]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller  © 2024

[1] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[2] 'ABSTRACT OF NEWS.', South Australian Register, (13 February 1888), p. 7.
[3] 'S.A. SWIMMING CLUB.', Evening Journal, (10 February 1888), p. 3. (SECOND EDITION).
[4] 'Grape Shot.', The Port Augusta Dispatch, Newcastle and Flinders Chronicle, (14 February 1888), p. 2.
[5] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[6] Ibid.
[7] 'CORONERS' INQUESTS.', South Australian Register, (10 February 1888), p. 7.
[8] Ibid.

 Shot of Spirits: Episode 4: Haunted Halfway Hotel

It is alleged the Halfway Hotel at Beverly, South Australia is haunted by a poltergeist named George

 

The Tragic Death of Alfred Rantanen near Ethelton Station.

 

Headstone of Alfred and Laura Rantanen, Cheltenham Cemetery.

On Saturday 14 August 1926, a body was found lying near the train tracks between the Ethelton Train station and the Port River. It was estimated that at about 6:24 pm, Mr Alfred Waldamer Rantanen had been walking home to Fairfield Terrace at Glanville Blocks. Rantanen used the railway bridge as a short cut, he was struck by a train that was heading to Ethelton that had come from Adelaide heading towards Largs Bay.[1]

The engine driver, Thomas Trueman, had pulled into Ethelton Station and noticed that the engines ‘grip tap’ had been turned on. He switched off the tap, and proceeded to the Mile End train yards, as required. Trueman inspected his engine at the end of his shift. It was at this time he found evidence that the grip tap had struck something. There was blood and other body matter on the tap and spread over the rear of the engine.
 Trueman telephoned the Commercial Road station at Port Adelaide and told them he thought he had hit someone coming over the bridge. Porter Burden went and inspected the area and discovered at about 9pm, the body of Rantanen. Burden, with a lamp, inspected a large area around the bridge and discovered a man's coat. He then found parts of Rantanen's body, spread out over a large area. The body was removed to Semaphore where Sergeant Wilkin and Constable Atkinson were awaiting its arrival for inspection.[2]

The Rantanen Fund was established to help support the family. T.E. Stephens (secretary of the Port Adelaide Branch of the Driver Union) convened the committee meeting. The Mayor of Port Adelaide, A.O.R. Tap was appointed to control the fund, while A.E. Wagner (President of the Port Drivers Union) was appointed Chairperson. S.J. Verran a local M.P. was appointed Vice-Chairman, and J.P. Tapping, treasurer. Trustee duties fell to Alderman J Anderson, J.H. Clouston, F.J. Brown and W.E.C. Baudinet. The auditors were D.B. Mason and E.W. Russell, with Mr Stephens, appointed honorary secretary.[3]

 Mrs Laura Rantanen appealed for assistance via a letter in The News. This letter sparked the community into action to form the fund. The Semaphore and Exeter Labor Party, with permission from the fund board, held a dance at the Port Adelaide Town Hall to assist in raising money. The Port Adelaide Council also agreed that a ‘tarpaulin collection’ could be held during the halftime break of a game between Port Adelaide Football Club and North Adelaide Football Club at Alberton Oval.[4]

Mr Rantanen had been a member of the Port Adelaide branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters. Mr Rantanen was also a member of the Port Adelaide branch of the Waterside Workers' Federation, was employed as a wharf labourer.[5]

  Rantanen left behind his wife and children: Emil, 17, Hilda, 14; Helma, 12 years; and Olga, 8; Walter, 4 years; and Alfred, 17 months.[6]
  Mrs Ada Dickason, of Military Road, Semaphore, and Mr. August Raeinberg, who lives with his mother, are children of Mrs Rantanen's first marriage.[7]

Mr Ranatan was buried at Cheltenham Cemetery.[8]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020.

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Photograph: Find a Grave, Alfred Rantanen, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/154087178/alfred-waldemar-rantanen

[1] 'SHOCKING RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT ETHELTON.', Port Adelaide News, (20 August 1926), p. 5., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212964328.

[2] Ibid.

[3] 'RANTANEN FUND', News, (2 September 1926), p. 13., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129700599.

[4] Ibid.

[5] 'BREADWINNER KILLED', News, (16 August 1926), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129743998.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

 The Death of Station Master, George Wyles.

1909 "F" Class Locomotive SLSA: [B 11082] 

  George Wyles was a well-respected Station Master in Adelaide. In March 1926, he was sent to the Ethelton Railway Station to relieve Station Master, Charles Field, who was on his annual leave. On his second day on the job, Wyles was struck by the 7:20pm freight train from Port Adelaide to Outer Harbour.

  John C. Cutt witnessed the tragic accident. In his statement, he described the events that unfolded. Cutt said that Wynes left the eastern platform heading towards the ticket box of the western platform. Wynes was crossing the line when he noticed a freight train was bearing down on him. Wynes jumped to try and get out the way, but the train engine struck him on the shoulder, throwing him into the nearby fence. Wynes tried to grab the fence, but rebounded off it, into the fourth and fifth carriages of the train, pulling him underneath, and dragging him along the line.^[1]

Another witness, John Taylor came forward at the inquest and stated:

 "the engine, which was of the F-class had five box trucks and a brake van attached to it. Mr Wynes had been across the line to give the 7.27 p.m. passenger train from Ethelton to Adelaide the ''right-of-way"' and was returning to the ticket office on the other side when the goods train went through on its way to Outer Harbour. The engine driver saw the man trying to cross the line, blew, the whistle sang out to him, and applied the emergency brake.”[2]

 The police and a doctor were called. Dr K.W. Bollen attended and pronounced Wyles dead. He stated that his injuries were horrific. Wyles' head was “shockingly mutilated, the skull being split right open, and his face was battered beyond recognition.”
Constables H. Atkinson and T. Allen removed the body to the morgue.

An inspection of the line revealed Wyles gold pocket watch. The watch was spattered with blood, the glass broken. The watch was stopped at 7:35.[3]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller  © 2020

Photo: 1909 "F" Class Locomotive SLSA: [B 11082], https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+11082

[1] 'ETHELTON FATALITY.', Recorder, (13 March 1926), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95903691.

[2] 'CASUALTIES.', The Register, (13 March 1926), p. 13., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55021864.

[3] 'EFFECT OF THE CONFESSION.', The Register, (12 March 1926), p. 9., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55025267.

John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: Part 4: Flown the Coop.

 

John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: 

Part 4: Flown the Coop.

 

   Friday 2nd November 1894, and 15-year-old John Henry Martin has flown the coop again. This time Martin escaped from Mr Burton’s truant school at Glanville. He had been locked in a room and escaped. His escape had only been discovered when someone had sought him to do some work, finding the locked room he was supposed to be in, empty.^[1]

 The Port Adelaide police were notified of Martin’s disappearance, with word put out on the street that they were searching for him. At about 10:30pm that night, a message was sent to the police station stating that Martin was seen laying on tracks at the Port Adelaide railway yards.
 Constable Schell went to investigate and found then arrested Martin. Martin was no longer dressed in his reformatory uniform, instead, wearing clothes he had borrowed from another boy. He was wearing blue serge trousers and a tweed vest, missing his hat, work coat and one boot. When asked by police why he changed clothing, he stated, “I’m not going to let anyone see me with a uniform coat on." (referring to the reformatory uniform).
 Martin was taken to the Port Adelaide police station and put in the cells, all the while protesting vigorously that he had done nothing wrong and did not deserve to be locked up.
 Mr Burton, who had taken charge of the boy, decided that he, and his reformatory, would no longer accept the boy and that he should be placed back into State care. ^[2]

 

 

Next Week: John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: Part 5: Cardigan Castle

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020

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[1] 'A NOTORIOUS JUVENILE.', South Australian Chronicle, (10 November 1894), p. 7., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93853575.

[2] 'A NOTORIOUS JUVENILE.', The Advertiser, (3 November 1894), p. 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25740901.

The Haunting of the British Hotel, Port Adelaide

Designed by architect, W. Beattie, The British Hotel opened in March 1847 as a single-story
hotel consisting of 20 rooms, including a bar, taproom, kitchen, three parlous and ten bedrooms.

Its first manager (and possibly builder) was Captain James Wakeling, who had previously owned the Port Tavern, which had been destroyed by a fire that wiped out large sections of the Port in January 1847.
Behind the hotel once stood a two-story building used at the stables for the hotel, in which lived the hotel’s Ostler, a person who looked after the horses in the stables or the hotel owners and guests. Captain James Wakeling worked previously for a South Australian company as Captain onboard the ships Sarah and Elizabeth and was an early pioneer. It is said he was very strict in how he ran his hotels and was very punctual in closing the hotel's doors at 10pm nightly. This led to one incident, where a large Irish Shipmaster, played a trick on the old Captain and changed the clock hands on Wakeling’s clocks, so the pub stayed open an extra hour, until 11pm!

The hotel was sold in 1849 to William Mart. Only a few years later, in 1853, Captain Wakeling passed away at the age of 65 in Rundle Street, Adelaide after contracting influenza. As Captain Wakeling was much respected, in his honour, all vessels in the Port flew the flags at half-mast the day following his death. Wakeling was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

John Wakeling and Mary Ferrers managed the hotel between 1859 until 1863, when it then fell into the ownership of Henry Ayers, who in 1876 added the second story.
Ayers, then Premier of South Australia, sold the hotel not long after the improvements he made to James Ralph Russell, who had worked in the hotel as its publican since 1863. Russell, in 1878, added a veranda and balcony.
In 1907 the hotel changed its name to McGraths British Hotel to reflect its new licensee, John McGrath and family. McGrath ran the hotel until his death in 1932, when it was then taken over by his two daughters Elizabeth and Esther. Esther would take sole licences responsibility in 1935 after South Australian laws prohibiting single women from owning or running hotels was amended.

The Russell family, who had owned the hotel since 1863, decided in 1937 the time was right to sell. The hotel then fell under the ownership of the South Australian Brewing Company but was still operated under the license of Esther McGrath, who stayed on until 1952.
The hotel had many more licensee’s over the years, but eventually closed for a few years, until being revamped and reopened in 2007.

Over the years there have been many deaths inside the hotel, including in 1905, the death of a hotel worker, Ethel Hammond, aged 39, who passed away in an upstairs bedroom where she lived.
Former publican John McGrath died in the hotel in 1922, and in 1954, Alexander Thompson died in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
It has long been alleged that the hotel is haunted, with paranormal activity experienced across all levels. One spirit alleged to have been seen in the basement area is that of Sir Henry Ayers, five times South Australian Premier and served in Parliament for an unbroken 37 years. Although he lived in, and is said to haunt, Ayers house on North Terrace in Adelaide, it would seem his spirit has been seen here, in the basement on occasion over the years after his death in 1897.

In a 2015 interview, the then owner described poltergeist type activity happening in the basement. It was stated that:
“In the cool room there are stacks of two-litre milks toward the back of the shelves, not on
the edge ... One morning, we came out and there’s one just thrown in the middle of the
floor. How in the hell, that moved ...”

It is not known who the mischievous poltergeist-like spirit might be, and no one is 100% certain why Sir Henry Ayers haunts the hotel, or even if the alleged ghost is actually him, or just someone who might appear like him (or just a case of mistaken identity from an intoxicated witness). Either way, the hotel, like most of the hotels in Port Adelaide, is considered haunted!

References:

Our Port, (2015), The British Hotel, Government of South Australia, retrieved from http://ourport. com.au/content/uploads/2016/04/DiscoveringPort-Adelaide-The-hidden-gems-of-the Portrevealed.pdf

James Hunter, History SA, ‘British Hotel (Port Adelaide)’, SA History Hub, History Trust of South Australia, retrieved from http://sahistoryhub.com. au/places/british-hotel-port-adelaide.

The British Hotel, (2018), History, retrieved from https://thebritish.com.au/about-us

1853 ‘LAW AND CRIMINAL COURTS.’, South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839- 1900), 26 May, p.3, viewed 09 Oct 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38463754

1905 ‘SUDDEN DEATH.’, Evening Journal,  29 June, p.1, viewed 09 Oct 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208008634

1905 ‘Facks and Roomers.’, The Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA: 1877-1948), 30 June, p.3, viewed
09 Oct 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224371446

S. R. Parr, ‘Ayers, Sir Henry (1821–1897)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre
of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ayers-sirhenry-2914/text4193, published first in hardcopy 1969, accessed online 10 October 2018.

1922 ‘Family Notices’, The Register (Adelaide, SA: 1901 - 1929), 8 March, p.2, viewed 14 Oct 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63582157

1954 ‘Family Notices’, News (Adelaide, SA: 1923 - 1954), 12 July, p.24, viewed 14 Oct 2018,

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134753904

First published in MEGAscene issue 13 2018

Allen Tiller (ALIAtech, DipFamHist) is Australia’s most recognised paranormal investigator,
eminent paranormal historian, and star of the international smash hit television show “Haunting: Australia”.
Allen is also the founder of Eidolon Paranormal, South Australian Paranormal and the author
of book and blog, “The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal”.
He is the winner of the 2017 “Emerging South Australian Historian of The Year Award” as presented by The History Council of South Australia. Employed as “Historian in Residence” in 2016/2017 with the Adelaide City Council Libraries and employed by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council to write the popular, “Ghosts of the Port Self-Guided Walking Tour”

You can find Allen online at:
www.AllenTiller.com.au
www.EidolonParanormal.com.au
www.twitter.com/Allen_Tiller
www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia
https://www.facebook.com/

A Haunting at the Royal Arms Hotel - Port Adelaide

The Royal Arms Hotel, on the corner of St Vincent Street, Todd Street and Timpson Place were established in 1878.

In his book Hotels and publicans in South Australia, author Bob Hoad writes: 'These modern premises are built on top of an earlier inn which was at the original street level. This earlier inn (of ten rooms) was connected by tunnel to the wharves.'

The Royal Arms Hotel is built upon the remains of a much smaller hotel, thought to have been built around 1851. Much of that former hotel still sits below the Royal Arms today and is used as cellars. The “cellars” would have once been at street level until the raising of the Port to stop flooding.

 There have long been rumours that this hotel was part of the “crimping” practices that saw drunk men knocked out with a “Mickey Finn” and forced through a tunnel which is rumoured to go through to the Dockside Tavern basement, then out to the Port River.

A “Mickey Finn” (or, ‘slip them mickey’ as we know it today,) is the act of dropping a drug into a beer or other drink and giving it a victim. Most often the barman or publican would receive a cut of the Captains payment or be in on the crimping from the start.
 The drugged man would be ushered to a “quieter” place, and then, either knocked out or fall into a drug-induced coma. The crimping gang would take the sleeping man out through a secret passage down to the water and use a longboat to take the future sailor to the waiting ship at Outer Harbour.
 These poor souls would be forced to work at sea on a ship, or swim back to land, and as most men in the late 1800’s could not swim, the choice was obvious.

 To back up these claims, during a refurbishment of the hotel, a room was found that contained a steal barred room, much like a prison cell. This “cell” in the basement, hidden behind an old fireplace and uncovered during a renovation was believed to be a holding cell for drugged men, and once enough were collected, they were run through the tunnels out to the river.

On Friday the 23^rd of September 1898 the Commodore of the Adelaide Steamship company, Captain T.W. Lockyer passed away, at the age of 62, in one of the upstairs boarding rooms of the hotel. Captain Lockyer was known as a kind and generous man, and some say, it could be his spirit haunting upstairs in the hotel.
the spirit is described as a plump gentlemanly figure, often in what appears to be white clothes with a coloured stripe on the legs. A mutton chop beard, and a fat red face.
Captain Thomas William Lockyer is buried at the Cheltenham Cemetery.

There are also unsubstantiated claims that a Cypriot Sailor, named Marcus Tzimopoulos haunts the cellar of the Royal Arms hotel awaiting his revenge on assailants that cut his throat. It is claimed by a local psychic that this throat cutting murder happened sometime around 1879, but I can find no record of such an event happening.
 

The Royal Arms Hotel may not be known as the most haunted location in Port Adelaide, but it has not, as of yet, given up its ghosts. As far as I am aware, no professional paranormal investigation has been conducted inside this prominent historical location, not have any former staff come forward with their own paranormal stories.
 I would love to hear from former staff, patrons and the people who live upstairs, of their personal ghostly goings-on in the hotel.

Also, if you are interested in learning more about haunted locations in the Port, please go to the Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre and pick a free copy of my book “Ghosts of the Port – Self Guided Walking Tour”.

 

Thanks for reading!

Allen Tiller

 

Allen Tiller is Australia’s most recognised paranormal investigator, eminent paranormal historian, and star of the international smash hit television show “Haunting: Australia”.
Allen is also the founder of Eidolon Paranormal, South Australian Paranormal and the author of book and blog, “The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal”.
Allen is the winner of the 2017 “Emerging South Australian Historian of The Year Award” as presented by The History Council of South Australia.

Allen has also been employed as “Historian in Residence” in 2016/2017 with the Adelaide City Council Libraries and employed by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council to write the popular, “Ghosts of the Port Self-Guided Walking Tour”

 

First published in MEGAscene issue 11

 © Allen Tiller

A Haunting at the National Railway Museum

 Located in Port Adelaide, The National Railway Museum offers a glimpse into South Australia’s railway past. Within its many sheds sit old trains from all eras of our railway past, including Steam Trains, Diesel Engines, old Red Hens and even the old Callington Railway Station, but did you know, there are also claims the site is haunted?

The National Railway Museum started originally on Railway Terrace, Mile End in 1963 and was run entirely by volunteers, who not only restored and preserved old trains but wrote and published books about them too.
 In 1988 the volunteers sought a new site where their trains could be kept undercover to keep them out of the weather, and in pristine condition. After a Government grant and help from the History Trust of SA, a new site was purchased.

 The Port Dock Station Railway Museum was opened in 1988. In 2001 a new facility was opened within the existing one that featured exhibits from the Australian National Railways and the Commonwealth Railways. With the new exhibit came a new name for the site, one that remains today “The National Railway Museum Port Adelaide”.

The original railway station stood where the Port Adelaide Police Station now sits and was opened in 1856. This was one of the first lines in South Australia and the mainline to the ports. The station closed in 1981, but the goods sheds and railway yards remained, which is now the site of the museum.
 Within the complex are a series of sheds containing many displays of railway related items, including a miniature train set and old steam train carriages one can walkthrough. There is also the original 1878 Port Dock Station goods shed on the eastern side of the complex, and the old Callington booking office, which was built in 1951 in the town of Callington, near Murray Bridge. The building was taken from Callington in 1991 and re-erected in Port Adelaide in 1994.
 The museum also has in its collection an original coffin trolley used until 1982 the Adelaide Railway Station to transport coffins by hand through the terminal.

 My father worked in the railways, as did both his parents, so trains were a big part of my life growing up. My wife and I, and my Mother-In-Law had investigated the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre in 2011, and had some great experiences, so when we were invited to join Lyon Paranormal, Paranormal Spectrum and The Ghosts Within to investigate the National Railway Museum for paranormal activity, my whole team made themselves available for the opportunity!

 There had been ongoing reports of spooky thing happening at the site, including reports of a shadow person, and of phones ringing when they are not plugged into the wall.
 It is thought that one of the trains, the “Y 12” may, in fact, be the very train that was involved in Australia’s first terror attack, at Silverton, near Broken Hill. On New Year’s Day 1915, two Turkish men opened fire into the carriages this locomotive which was hauling, a picnic train, killing a number of passengers. It is believed by some parties that the spirits of those deceased may linger near the locomotive.
 Other deaths onsite include railway workers killed while working in the rail yard shunting trains. There is also an unconfirmed story of a man who fell asleep on the rails whilst very drunk and was run over by a train.

 

We investigated as many carriages and trains as we could enter on the night, but for us, it seemed the spirits did not want to communicate. However, Paranormal Spectrum’s investigators did manage to collect an EVP during their sessions.

The National Railway Museum Port Adelaide is located at 76 Lipson Street Port Adelaide – you can find more information about exhibits and the train via their website at: http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/

 

Allen Tiller is the Australian star of the international hit television show “Haunting: Australia” and author of “The Haunts of Adelaide – History, Mystery and the Paranormal” as well as being a historian, lecturer, poet, musician, Tour Guide, blogger and podcaster. Allen is also a volunteer for many different associations and groups.

You can find Allen online at:

www.twitter.com/Allen_Tiller

www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide

First published in MEGAscene issue 6 2016

© Allen Tiller

Phineas Philip Davies (31 March 1865 – 28 Dec 1885)

Phineas Philip Davies (31 March 1865 – 28 Dec 1885)

Commemoration Day, December 28th, 1885. The South Australian Colony’s only warship, the HMS Protector was sitting off the coast at Glenelg, awaiting to fire its guns in salute to the forty-ninth year of the settlement of the colony.

 It was the first time the HMS Protector had been allowed to fire its guns in salute.
 The canons fired five times, then suddenly, the ship's flags were lowered and it steamed of towards Port Adelaide.

 Onboard, the crews were in full medical mode. The canons had fired, but something had gone wrong, and two crew members were seriously injured.
 Daniel Cann, in charge of canon number 5 was severely maimed by an explosion of the canon and was sent to Semaphore Hospital. He survived the explosion but lost an eye and was disfigured.

 Phineas Philip Davies, on the other hand, had received the full force of the blast from the cannon breech and died on board the ship.

An inquest was held on Tuesday the 29th of December 1884 at the Largs Pier Hotel by the city coroner Mr T. Ward.  The Coroner and Jury were taken to the warship to inspect the gun. Sitting alongside the gun was the coffin and body of Davies.
 Master Gunner Haisom explained to the audience how the gun works, and then what they believed went wrong.

Haisom explained that Davies was positioned at gun 5, position two. Haisom had himself gone around to every gun and supplied each with a bucket of water to sponge out the excess gunpowder after each firing. He then informed the gunners they had 50 seconds to reload after each firing.

 At 12 o’clock they began to fire the guns.
The number 5 gun fired two rounds, with its crew, including Davies, preparing for shot three. Davies entered the charge, which exploded on contact. Davies had neglected to sponge the gun after the last firing, leaving lit residue in the canon, which exploded the new 10 Lb powder charge.
 Davies gun commander, Daniel Canns, was subsequently accused of not delivering the order to sponge the canon between shots, something that was standard procedure.
 The jury deliberated on the evidence for quite some time, but in the end, delivered a verdict of accidental death.

The remains of Protector at Heron Island in 2008 at low tide

A memorial was erected to Davies at Cheltenham Cemetery and was claimed by the Royal Australian Navy in December 1986. The Memorial to Davies was installed as the headpiece of the South Australian Naval Memorial Garden at H.M.A.S. Encounter until the memorial was relocated to its current position in April 1995.

Front Inscription

Sacred to the Memory

of

PHINEAS PHILIP DAVIES,

A.B. H.M.C.S. PROTECTOR. 

Killed By Premature Explosion

Of A Cartridge When Firing Salute

At Glenelg Commemoration Day 

28th DECEMBER 1885. 

Aged 20.

Erected By His Shipmates

And Naval Reserve

Plaque: 

This tombstone marked the site of the

grave of Phineas Davies in Cheltenham

Cemetery for 100 years and was claimed

by the Royal Australian Navy in December

1986. It was installed as the headpiece of

the South Australian Naval Memorial

Garden at HMAS ENCOUNTER until the

Garden was relocated to its present site

in April 1995.

(Note: Phineas Philip Davies was born on the 31^st of March 1865 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand)

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Bibliography

1885 'CORONERS' INQUESTS', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 30 December, p. 7. , viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44536720

1885 'The Fatal Accident on the Protector.', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA: 1867 - 1922), 30 December, p. 5. (Afternoon Edition.), viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208372973

1885 'THE-FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE PROTECTOR.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1858 - 1889), 30 December, p. 6. , viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36320103

Adelaide (S.A.). Corporation 2003, Historical walking trails, Adelaide, South Australia, City of Adelaide, Adelaide

Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Madeleine Ryan, History SA, ‘Naval Memorial’, SA History Hub, History Trust of South Australia, http://sahistoryhub.com.au/things/naval-memorial, accessed 2 March 2018.

Scott, Jenny, 2012, Davies, Phineas Phillip, The State Library of South Australia, 2 March 2018, https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+72767

A Haunting at Alberton

A Haunting at Alberton

A mysterious apparition was causing havoc in Queenstown, Alberton and Woodville in 1906. A young man returning home after a night out encountered the “awful spirit” and was cared out of wits. As he walked through Queenstown, the ghost sprang from a darkened corner, suitably garbed in white. It danced around with its arms outstretched and mumbled in a weird fashion, menacing the young man. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone into the night.
 Every night from that time on, the ghost was seen by someone in either Queenstown, Alberton or Woodville, always dressed head to toe in white, waving its arms around frantically and making strange sounds.

 A local police officer set about to capture the ghost in the act, but the ghost must’ve heard of his pursuit, and disappeared for a couple of weeks. It suddenly reappeared in Woodville. A well-respected man of the area, who was riding his bicycle one evening, witnessed the ghost, arms outstretched, covered in white, mumbling. It was enough for the man to pedal home quicker than he had ever pedalled before!

 The ghost made an appearance one night in Port Adelaide appearing to the local conductor of the Albert Park Tramway Company. A few nights later the ghost scared women and children at Queenstown. The ghost was also spotted hanging around the Woodville and Alberton Cemeteries…and a few nights later it was seen on Torrens Road near the Cheltenham Racecourse.

 A posse of locals soon took to the streets to find and exorcise the ghost…but it miraculously never appeared again…

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Bibliography.

'A MYSTERIOUS APPARITION.', The Register (14 June 1906), p. 4., viewed 22 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55639689

'A MYSTERIOUS APPARITION.', Evening Journal (13 June 1906), p. 1. , viewed 17 May 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200846481

'AN ALLEGED GHOST.', The Express and Telegraph (13 June 1906) p. 1. (4 O'CLOCK EDITION.), viewed 17 May 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208809209

1906 'General News.', Chronicle (16 June 1906) p. 37., viewed 17 May 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88123539