A Haunting at The Crown Hotel – Victor Harbor

 A Haunting at The Crown Hotel 

– Victor Harbor

 

Crown Hotel - 1880

Victor Harbor was originally known as Port Victor. In 1865, George Missen opened the Crown Inn there, at 2 Ocean Street.[1] Missen had previously had the license to the Fountain Inn at Encounter Bay (another allegedly haunted location you can read about here: https://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-fountain-inn-hotel.html)
 Missen sold the hotel in 1866 to Mr James Greenfield of Mount Barker.[2] Despite persistent rumours, Mr Missen did not commit suicide in the hotel. He moved to Melton, Victoria, where he died.[3]

 In 1876, Licensee, John Hart added a balcony. In 1927, under the ownership of Mr Jacobs, a vacant lot next to the hotel, facing Railway Terrace, was utilised for extensions to the hotel. A few years later, the original hotel was demolished, and a new one was built to match the 1927 extensions.[4] In 1935, renovations saw the construction of balconies that spanned from Railway Terrace to Ocean Street.

 

  The Crown Inn at Victor Harbor is allegedly haunted by a ghost named George. He is believed to be the first manager of the hotel. People report hearing disembodied footsteps in this hotel, and seeing locked doors, unlock, and open of their own volition.
 A staff member claims to have been working behind the bar and witnessed a beer glass levitate off the bar, and smash onto the floor.
 It has also been claimed, (much like the North Kapunda Hotel), that staff would lay out a room for functions the night prior, lock the doors and leave. The next morning, they would return, and all the menus placed the night prior, would be upside down, or chairs, cutlery or tables would have been moved. This is despite no one being inside the building. The building is locked and has a security alarm that detects movement!

 So, if it is not George Missen that haunts the hotel, then who could it be?

 Have you experienced the haunting of the Crown Hotel, Victor Harbor? 
 I would love to hear your experiences, contact me in the comments below, or via Facebook! 

Photos:

Crown Hotel, Victor Harbor 1880 - SLSA [B 8312].

Crown Hotel, Victor Harbor 1866 - SLSA [B 5688]

 © 2022 Researched and written by Allen Tiller

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[1] J.L. Hoad, Hotels and Publicans in South Australia, (1986) p. 149.

[2] Donovan and Associates, Victor Harbor Heritage Survey, City of Victor Harbor, (1997), p. 227.

[3] George F Missen (1808 - 1883), WikiTree, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Missen-16.

[4] 'New Lessee for Hotel Crown.', Victor Harbour Times, (22 April 1949), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164306431.

 Victor Harbor – Granite Island Causeway

 In 1862 work began on a 195-metre jetty at Victor Harbor, which was completed in 1864. Between 1872 and 1875, the jetty was extended to Granite Island making a causeway with a railway on it.

The Granite Island Causeway was officially closed on 31 January 2022. Demolition work began in February 2022, with portions of the causeway to be retained at each end of the new causeway as viewing platforms.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport began construction of a new causeway in March 2021. It was officially opened on Wednesday, 22 December 2021 by the Mayor of Victor Harbor, Dr Moira Jenkins.

The new causeway features rest areas, viewpoints and artworks by Ngarrindjeri-Ramindjeri peoples.[1]

 We visited in January 2022; the photos below are from our visit.

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[1] https://www.victor.sa.gov.au/notice-board/projects/currentprojects/granite-island-causeway#:~:text=Decommissioning%20of%20the%20old,second%20half%20of%202022.

A Lady in Black - McCloud House at Port Noarlunga

A Lady in Black - McCloud House 

at Port Noarlunga

McCloud House 1928

 McCloud House at Port Noarlunga was built by the McLeod sisters in 1929. The three sisters; Mary Ann (1864-1946), Rebecca (1869-1945) and Bertha McLeod (1871-1963) lived at ‘Strathfield’ in Katherine Street, Port Noarlunga at the time of construction.

 The sisters were the three youngest daughters of John Douglas McCloud and Sarah Ann Darley McCloud (nee Moorhouse). Other children included: Elizabeth (1855-1930), James (1856-1934), Edward (1858-1964), Sarah (1863-1945), John (Jack) (1867-1953). The McCloud family had arrived in South Australia on board the vessel Marion in 1848.

 According to the 2003 Onkaparinga Heritage Survey, undertaken by Bruce Harry and Associates, the property was built during the 1920s peak period when Port Noarlunga was touted as a new “Holiday Makers’ Paradise”.[1]
 The McCloud sisters rented the property out as a boarding house, with Mary-Ann listed as the ‘boardinghouse-proprietress’ in local electoral rolls.[2]

 

McCloud House 1935

Bertha sold the house in 1951.[3] The property was auctioned a second time in 1953 by estate agents, Jackman and Treloar, who listed the property as,

'McCLOUD HOUSE. 'that widely known exclusive Guest Home together with which is a delicatessen, to be sold as a going concern with all the good furniture and equipment.’[4]

 

  In his book, ‘Ghosts and Hauntings of South Australia’, author, Gordon de L. Marshall alleges that the building is haunted. A former owner of the building, Mrs Lillian Jackson, claimed the house was haunted and delivered her version of events in Marshall’s book.

  Mrs Jackson and her husband would often wake in the middle of the night, hearing footsteps walking through the empty hallways.
 On one occasion a guest asked Mrs Jackson why she had changed her clothing, as she had seen her only minutes ago wearing a long black dress. When prompted as to where and when she had seen her in different clothing, the guest explained, she had walked past the Jacksons' bedroom and seen her standing at the foot of the bed wearing a long black gown. Other guests, at different times, had seen the woman in the long black dress as well, but no one could identify her.

Mrs Jackson tracked down Bertha McCloud, who was in a nursing home, to see if she could explain some of the ghostly goings-on in the building. The sister was vague with her answers but did state “My sisters would never leave the house, never!”. Marshall concludes that perhaps they never left at all![5]

Rebecca died on 14 August 1945 at ‘Strathfield’, Port Noarlunga, she was buried in Bains Cemetery, Morphett Vale.[6] Mary Ann died one year later on the 25^th of August 1946. Bertha died on 17 August 1963; all three sisters are buried in the same grave plot.

 

 All three sisters died at their home Strathfield on Katherine Street, Port Noarlunga. Evidence would suggest none of them ever resided in McCloud House while alive. Bertha, no doubt, in her statement to Mrs Jackson, was referring to her sister never leaving Strathfield in their later years. So, this leaves the question, who allegedly haunts McCloud house?
 Is it one of the three sisters? Is it someone else?
Have you experienced this haunting, or have something to add to the story, then please leave a comment below.

 

@2022 Allen Tiller.

 

Photos:

1928: McCloud Guest House - SLSA [PRG 1316/12/110]

1935: McCloud Guest House – SLSA [PRG 1316/12/97] 

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[1] Bruce Harry & Associates, ‘Noarlunga Local Heritage Register’, City of Onkaparinga, (Nov 2003), P. 241.

[2] Barker, Morphett Vale, Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, South Australia, (1939).

[3] 'Advertising', The Mail, (27 Jan 1951), p. 41., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55854964.

[4] 'Advertising', The Advertiser, (8 Aug 1953), p. 23., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48267146.

[5] Ghosts and Hauntings in South Australia’, Gordon de L. Marshall, (2010), p. 108.

[6] 'Advertising', The Advertiser, (15 Aug 1945), p. 12., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43506576.

 ANDREW MORDOWICZ – Cold Case 1996

 At 3:47am on Sunday the 29th of September 1996, Yellow Taxis received a request call for a 4:30am pickup from Klemzig to Adelaide. It was unusual for someone to want to be travelling into the city at this time of the morning as most of the clubs were starting to close.^[1]
43-year-old taxi driver, Andrew Mordowicz hit the little red button that accepts the fare on the taxi CB radio and headed to Klemzig.
 

Mordowicz arrived at Fife Street, Klemzig, a quiet cul-de-sac, only to discover number 79 didn’t exist. He spoke briefly to the dispatch officer over the radio, then decided to go knock on the door of number 78.

 Moments later neighbours were woken by the sounds of gunshots. The neighbours investigated and found Mordowicz lying in the driveway with two gunshot wounds. An ambulance was called, and Mordowicz was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he died a short time later.

 

 Police investigators never found the suspect, the gun or a motive. Mordowicz’s coin dispenser was still in his taxi, untouched. He also had cash in his wallet, so robbery does not seem like the motive. In a 2019 interview with the ABC, Detective Sergeant Ann Schaefer stated, “It appears to be a robbery gone wrong, but we keep an open mind and we can't rule out the possibility that Andrew was deliberately targeted."^[2]

 

If you know something about this case, police are still investigating. There is a reward of up to $200,000 for anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction for this crime. You can contact Crime Stoppers on 1 800 333 000 or email at Sapol.Coldcase@police.sa.gov.au

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[1] Can You Help Solve the Murder of Taxi Driver Andrew Mordowicz?, Crime Stoppers, (2019), https://crimestopperssa.com.au/media-releases/can-you-help-solve-the-murder-of-taxi-driver-andrew-mordowicz/

[2] Taxi driver shot dead in Adelaide driveway was lured, police say, but motive remains unclear, ABC News, (2019). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-26/taxi-driver-cold-case-killing-remains-a-mystery/11150618

 The Shooting Death of E. Beckmann

 On Sunday 29 December 1850, E. Beckmann (sometimes published as Breckmond in local newspapers) was passing a house on the Gawler Plains, between Smiths Creek and Salisbury (in what would be Elizabeth today). As he passed one of the only houses on the plains, a hostile ferocious dog set upon him.
 Beckmann went for his gun. Instead of shooting the dog, he attempted to keep it away by swinging the butt of the gun at it. Beckmann was holding the gun by the barrel end, he swung the gun meaning to slam it down onto the dog, smashing it into the ground. As the gun hit the ground it fired, sending its contents directly into Beckmann’s abdomen, shredding his insides.^[1]

 

The gunshot alerted nearby workers who found Beckmann. He lasted just half an hour before he died from the severity of his injuries.

 The following day he was taken to Smith’s Hotel (now the Smithfield Hotel) for an inquest. Mr Bromley acted as chairperson, with members of the public acting as jury. It was discovered that Beckmann had on his person £1 5.s in money, a pocketbook, and a watch, so robbery was ruled out. After a short deliberation, Beckmann’s death was ruled ‘accidental’.^[2] His remains were taken to Gawler where he was buried in the Gawler Cemetery (now Pioneer Park).^[3]

 There remains a mystery as to who Mr Beckmann was, with nothing found on his body to identify next of kin.

© Allen Tiller 2022

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[1] 'Local News.', South Australian, (3 Jan 1851), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71685742.

[2] 'The German Constituencies in South Australia.', South Australian Register, (2 Jan 1851), p. 2.,  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38442071

[3] Pioneer Park – Gawler Old Cemetery Name List, Gawler History Team, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-BRCBQFhkf0PR6W9FosfFmaJDAn3PpBm/view.