A Haunting at the Cornwall Hotel – Moonta
Built in 1862, The Cornwall Hotel was originally known as
‘The Globe Hotel’ and was a popular drinking, and overnight accommodation spot
in the busy mining town of Moonta.
In the late 1870s, the hotel saw an
increase in patronage, which led to the hotel having extensive alterations and
additions under the ownership of JK Dawson in 1881.
The hotel was almost
destroyed on March 23 1889, with only the kitchen left standing after a fire
broke out in the front bar. No deaths occurred due to the fire and the hotel
was rebuilt by its owners, the SA Brewing Company.
Notable deaths in the hotel include a former ostler (a man
paid to look after horses in the rear stables).
Thomas Senior died in his bed in 1888, it is thought, after he had fed
the horses, he may have overstrained himself. He returned to his room to lay
down after complaining about severe chest pains and died only a couple of hours
later.
In 1928, the 28-year-old son of the publicans, Leslie
Ferguson passed away in the hotel. Ferguson had served in World War One, and
upon returning to South Australia to his wife and children, became ill. He
stayed with his parents in the hope the sea air would help relieve his ailment but unfortunately passed away in his bed from chronic illness caused during his
timer at war.
The haunting of the hotel is often blamed on the former publican
George Walkley who took over as publican in 1926 after a long run as the
publican of the Joiners Arms Hotel in Hindmarsh. The Walkleys owned the hotel
into the 1940s before retiring back to Hindmarsh in Adelaide.
There really is no good reason why the former publican would haunt the hotel,
other than his love for the place may have brought him back, He did not die on the site, in fact, He and his wife, both died in their Hindmarsh home a few years
apart from each other.
This may, in-fact, be someone naming a ghost, when truly it isn’t that person at
all…
Although Mr Walkley might, or might not, be the resident
spirit, there are some odd goings-on in the hotel. After a recent talk to staff
I discovered the smell of tobacco smoke (not paranormal in itself) is a common
complaint, as are cold spots, taps turning on and off by themselves, dirty
footprints appearing on clean floors (when no-one has been in the room) and
doors opening and closing.
One staff member had the eeriest of all encounters at the
hotel when they walked into the kitchen to discover a man sitting on the
counter. The man, dressed in very old-styled clothing was smoking a rolled-up
cigarette, looked at the staff member, hopped up, and walked out the door. He
walked across a freshly washed floor, and left no footprints!
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 9 2016
© Allen Tiller
