Ghostly Gawler - History Month Presentation 2021

 

Ghostly Gawler

As part of the South Australia History Festival, paranormal historian Allen Tiller presented a talk on ghosts, hauntings and other paranormal events in the Town of Gawler for the Gawler History Team. 

 Angle Vale Road Ghost 

- Angle Vale South Australia

Recent reports have come in regarding the sighting of the ghost of a man walking his dog on Angle Vale Road, Angle Vale.
 Witnesses have been driving along Angle Vale Road at dusk, and sometimes late at night when seeing the alleged ghost. The man and dog are walking in the middle of the street. He appears solid but vanishes before the witnesses’ eyes.

If you have witnessed this ghost, we would like to hear your story… please contact us.

An Update (19/10/2022): Since sharing this story of the ghost of a man walking his dog on Angle Vale Road, I have been contacted about the same, or a similar ghost, seen on Dalkeith Road....

A Shot of Spirits: Ep 18. Richmond Bridge Tasmania

 

A Shot of Spirits: Ep 18. 

Richmond Bridge Tasmania

A Shot of Spirits: Ep 18 - Richmond Bridge, Tasmania. Rumoured to be haunted by a former convict flagellator, a dog and a mysterious man wearing a boatman hat!

 A Haunting at the Royal Adelaide Hospital

The foundations for the Royal Adelaide Hospital (now Lot 14) on North Terrace were laid in 1840, but it took until 1855 for the construction of permanent buildings to begin. These new buildings took a year to complete and contained a surgery, dispensary, nurse’s dining room, chapel, and a surgeon’s quarters.  A two-story building was also constructed which featured inside it, padded cells and bedrooms.

A ghost story from the RAH comes directly from a nurse who was wrapping up a long night shift. The nurse was nearing the end of his shift and was running through the checklist of things to get done before the next shift started. He was tending to a patient who had just been pronounced deceased by the attendant doctor. The nurse washed the deceased man, completed the associated paperwork, then headed into the nurse’s station to await shift change.
  While sitting at the station waiting for the shift to change over, he felt like he was being watched, then noticed a dramatic drop in the temperature of the room. He looked towards the doorway, and saw, standing there, the deceased patient he had just washed. The man was fully dressed, with a big smile on his face, and was waving, as if to say “Goodbye” to the nurse.
  The nurse blinked his eyes in disbelief, and the man was gone... The nurse got up from his seat, ran across the hall into the room where the dead man’s body lay... and there he was, still laid out, still under his blanket, still deceased...

  The RAH also has a story about a ‘Grey Nurse’ the story is the same as it is in most hospitals worldwide. No one really knows who she is, but the Grey Nurse does her duties in death, much like she did in life, delivering comfort to the dying. Could it be that these “Grey Nurses” are Angels from God, sent to comfort the dying? 

© Allen Tiller 2022
(paranormal experiences are directly from the source)

Ghostly Gawler - Allen Tiller - Gawler History Team Presentation

Ghostly Gawler

Allen Tiller is a member of the Gawler History Team executive committee and an experienced paranormal investigator. He addresses the room about the many alleged hauntings of Gawler's old buildings and Hotels.

Facebook:

Allen Tiller - https://www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia

The Haunts of Adelaide - https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide

SA Paranormal - https://www.facebook.com/SAParanormal

Eidolon Paranormal - https://www.facebook.com/EidolonParanormal

Churches and Cemeteries in South Australia - https://www.facebook.com/CandCSA

Hidden Secrets: South Australia - https://www.facebook.com/HiddenSecretsSA

Ghosts of the Port Self Guided Walking Tour - https://www.facebook.com/GhostsPortAdelaide

Adelaide Ghosts and Ghouls Self Guided Walking Tour - https://www.facebook.com/AdelaideGhosts/

Hotel of Haunted Dolls - OCT 2019

Hotel of Haunted Dolls

After a successful debut, “When the Lights Go Out Paranormal” returns with another “Hotel of Haunted Dolls” at the ‘Tea Tree Gully Heritage Museum’ Old Highercombe Hotel (3 Perseverance Rd, Tea Tree Gully SA 5091) on the
Saturday 26^th Oct 2019 – 10 am until 9 pm
Sunday 27^th Oct 2019  - 11 am until 4 pm

At Their first Haunted Dolls Museum, Karina Eames and James Larson flew in special guests, Evelyn and Kerry Walton, and their internationally famous haunted doll ‘Letta Me Out’
( https://www.facebook.com/Letta-me-out-630776097073363/ )  to accompany her haunted dolls collection. The first event saw over 1000 people attend this unique and terrifying event. With one-woman reporting being scratched by an unseen hand, and many others feeling spooked at this creepy-cool event!

This time, Karina’s haunted dolls are the stars of the show for this Halloween Spooktacular event!

 Among the haunted dolls on display at this special event are three new haunted dolls; a new “Grave Doll” a “Minerva Tin Head Doll (1800's)” and ‘Tuppence’ a doll found in a basement in Moonta, which had been given a burial. When retrieved Tuppence new owner began to experience paranormal phenomena such as hearing a child giggle, toys left out in strange places, disembodied footsteps in a passageway…and he even witnessed a ghostly child’s figure…

When The Lights Go Out Paranormal: https://www.facebook.com/pg/whenthelightsgooutparanomal
CONTACT: whenthelightsgooutparanormal@gmail.com

Karen Tiller, Evelyn Walton, Kerry Walton, Karina Eames, 'Letta Me Out' (on Karina's lap), James Larson, Allen Tiller
front: Bowdie-Jason Ciro Papagni at the first; "Hotel of Haunted Dolls"

Previous Media Releases:

This Morning (ITV - UK TV) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCnxmFDbFiA

The Sun (UK Newspaper) - https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2851868/this-morning-sparks-hilarious-x-rated-reactions-from-viewers-to-woman-who-speaks-to-the-dead-through-her-700-creepy-dolls/

Glam Adelaide: https://glamadelaide.com.au/todays-museum-of-haunted-dolls-at-old-adelaide-gaol-might-be-the-creepiest-event-weve-seen/

Today Tonight Channel 7: https://7news.com.au/news/sa/creepy-collectibles-inside-australias-most-terrifying-doll-collection-c-367926

What’s On In Adelaide: https://whatsoninadelaide.net.au/events/hotel-of-haunted-dolls/

The Grey Ghost of Port Wakefield

The Grey Ghost of Port Wakefield

 February 1918, and the small town of Port Wakefield was under siege from a grey ghost that had descended upon the town. It was first spotted on a Monday night at about 9:30pm when it was seen between the railway line and Smiths corner.

 A young lady returning home was the first to encounter the ghost when it accosted her in the street to ask; “how are you?”. She promptly sped home and collapsed once inside.

 At 10pm the same evening, a young man returning home after being out fishing encountered the grey ghost. As he walked past a large haystack, the grey ghost, at least seven-feet tall, appeared from inside the bailed hay, and let out a number of low sounding moans. The young man spirited home and locked his door!

 The following night, a young couple was walking home in the evening when a cold hand was placed upon their heads. It turned their young bodies, so they were looking straight into the ghost’s eyes. It stood at least seven feet tall and was surrounded by a fine mist. The young man, leaving his paramour, scaled a nearby fence and fled into the night. The young woman screamed and ran to the nearest house forcing the door open and locking herself inside.

 Wednesday night, the ghost again made its presence known. Stories had gone through the town of the mysterious grey ghost, and two young men took it upon themselves to capture it. They armed themselves and waited. Two hours later the ghost appeared. It rose from the ground and then walked over to a horse, which it mesmerised, making it lay on the ground and fall unconscious. The ghost then passed over several walls and fences, before it disappeared into an old quarry. The two young men decided to abandon their chase, rather than descend into the dangers of the disused quarry.

 Thursday night, two men passing near the boundary of the quarry were having a heated discussion about Russia, when they suddenly noticed they were not alone. Joining them was a seven-foot grey ghost, wearing clothing resembling smoke. The two men ran into the night, making it back to their respective homes in record time!

 Friday night and the hot summer air left most houses to stifling to sleep indoors. One man decided to sleep outside on his veranda. In the middle of the night, he woke up and noticed the grey ghost standing just past his picket fence making strange signs at him and groaning loudly. He quickly shuffled inside his house and locked the windows and doors.

 All the witnesses agreed of the same description of the ghost. It was tall, at least seven to eight feet, it had fear-inducing eyes, it was grey, and it seemed to emanate mist from its body. It produced a pungent stench, was able to go through or scale walls and fences and made low rumbling moaning sounds.

 The grey ghost of Port Wakefield put terror into the townsfolk for a whole a week, but it took a young boy to solve the mystery of the ghost. This young lad was riding home on his bike when he accidentally ran into an old grey horse feeding on the side of the road. The horse reared up on its hind legs and tried to hit him and the fence with its front legs before it fled into the night. It was grey, it smelled bad, and it was at least seven to eight feet tall on its hind legs…

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Bibliography

1918 'More " Ghost" at Port Wakefield.', The Areas' Express (Booyoolee, SA: 1877 - 1948), 15 February, p. 3. , viewed 22 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218935444

1918 'A "Ghost" at Port Wakefield.', Burra Record (SA: 1878 - 1954), 13 February, p. 4. , viewed 17 May 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39138198

1918 'More "Ghost" at Port Wakefield.', The Wooroora Producer (Balaklava, SA: 1909 - 1940), 14 February, p. 3. , viewed 17 May 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207105512

Ghosts of the Barossa Valley: Old Freemason's Lodge

Ghosts of the Barossa Valley: Old Freemason's Lodge

 Angaston’s first public library was founded in 1856. Due to its small size, it was found inadequate by locals who needed space to read and learn. A meeting was held in town, and it was decided a Mechanics Institute would be built. The local Oddfellow’s society of the ‘Loyal Park Lodge, Manchester Unity of Oddfellows’ (founded in Angaston on Dec 14, 1855) was also in need of bigger premises. The Oddfellow’s put a motion forward that they would like to pool their monies with that of the Mechanic Institute and build one large building to meet the needs of everyone.

A ‘Mechanic’s Institute’ is an archaic term used to describe a ‘working-class’ place of learning. In the late 1700s, early 1800’s, “mechanic” was anyone who worked as a tradesperson, craftsperson, artisan, and was generally working-class people. They were dubbed ‘poor man’s universities’ and later became known as trade-schools.

Mr G.F. Angas donated land, and a large two-story building was erected. It contained a library, a reading room on the upper floor, a school in the basement and a large room on the ground floor for the Oddfellow’s Lodge, and a large institute hall. The building was officially opened by J.H. Angas in 1870.

Over time, the library moved from the top floor into the basement. Other sections of the building were used as a Sunday School. Balls were held in the hall, the basement was used for meetings, flower shows, weekly dancing and elocution recitals. An upstairs room was utilised by local barber Tom Dawson, after losing his premises in a fire.

 In 1905, The Barossa Masonic Lodge No. 49 received its official warrant, and in 1907, raised the funds to buy the entire building. The Loyal Park Lodge Oddfellow’s, under a previous agreement, reserved its right to use its original lodge room. The front of the building was redesigned by the Freemason, and a new inscription applied which read “Masonic Hall 1910”.

Today the old Freemason Lodge is a bed and breakfast.

 There has long been a rumour that this building is haunted, but the story is a very weak one with almost no evidence. It contains just two lines which were dug out from a very old book no longer in print:

“It has been noted that a figure is often seen leaving the Hall and crossing the street, simply disappearing before spectators’ eyes as his feet hit the pavement on the other side of the road”

 Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Bibliography

Chinner, B., & Berry, P., ‘Angaston sketchbook’, (Rigby Adelaide 1976).

Baragwanath, P., ‘Mechanics’ Institutes role in Australia’s history’, The Guardian: The Worker’s Weekly, Vol.1526, (9 November 2011), https://www.cpa.org.au/guardian/2011/1526/12-mechanics-institutes.html, accessed 18 April 2019.

1936, Angaston and Nuriootpa: centenary souvenir, 1936, The Leader, Angaston viewed 18 April 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-21483483

The Haunting of the Lyndoch Hotel

The Lyndoch Hotel

 For a short while, many years ago, I lived in the town of Lyndoch in the Barossa Valley. I discovered a few local ghost stories by chatting with the locals the most common story amongst the people I spoke to was to do with the “projectionist ghost” of the Lyndoch Hotel.

The Lyndoch Hotel is located on Gilbert Street, at the intersection with Barossa Valley Way and Lyndoch Valley Road.
 The hotel was originally opened in 1869 as the “Farmers Rest Hotel, until it was later known as the “Travelers Rest Hotel” until it was renamed in 1937 with its present moniker.
 The original building was gutted by a fire with the building we see today constructed later that year.

It is believed that the former lessee of the Lyndoch Cinema, Mr J.A. Morcom, who played movies in the local hall for many years, is of the resident spirits of the hotel. Mr Morcom passed away in the hotel. It was a regular occurrence for him to spend the night in the hotel after a movie night.

 EDIT: I was informed during the Barossa History Fair (2019) that this part of the story is actually wrong: 

"On the 14^th of February 1959, Mr Morcom passed away after taking his own life in his regular room, room 8. He had grown very sad and disheartened after the death of his wife, and in the end, his sadness overcame him.
 He left a suicide note and a photo of his wife, his note read “Sorry, there’ll be no movies next Saturday”.

The true story is; 
 Mr Morcom had never married and died from a heart attack.

 This incorrect part of the story came from the book "True Barossa Ghosts" and is repeated verbatim on the Lyndoch Hotel website. My apologies to Mr Morcom's family and friends for publishing information that has proven to be incorrect. Perhaps, with the truth now exposed, Mr Morcom's spirit might find some peace.

Mr Morcom's alleged ghost: 

A man staying in room 8 witnessed Mr Morcom in his room, and ever since patrons and publicans have encountered his spirit in the hotel, with visual sightings of him a regular occasion.

 He is described as looking like a “middle-aged man, rather thin, and dressed in a grey shirt and slacks”.
 Bedroom 8 was removed in a renovation of the hotel, but Mr Morcom is still seen where he once stayed every Saturday. Where once he was seen in room 8, he is now seen standing behind a bar.

Mr Morcom’s story was not the only one I heard about the hotel in my time in the town. 

Another ghost is thought to be a local who spent many years drinking at the bar. Like most barfly’s, he had a seat that was his favourite. After his death, I am told it was a regular occurrence for his barstool to move of its own accord, and a few seconds later for the male toilet door to open of its own accord as if someone was entering the loo!

 Was this ghost drinking, and following his old toilet ritual as he did when he was alive, is it just pure coincidence, or is there a natural explanation?

 Have you experienced the “Projectionist Ghost” at the Lyndoch Hotel? I would love to hear your story!

 Email Allen Tiller at eidolon@live.com.au

Written and Researched by Allen Tiller.

www.allentiller.com.au

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au

Bibliography

 “A Brief History of the Hotels of Lyndoch 1847 – 1937” by Anne Hausler, 1991,  is kindly authorised by The Lyndoch & District Historical Society.

Laughton, VJ, 1991. True Barossa Ghosts. 2nd ed. South Australia: Bull Creek Books Tanunda.

Lyndoch Hotel. 2016. Lyndoch Hotel Ghost. [ONLINE] Available at: http://lyndochhotel.com.au/lyndoch-hotel-ghost/#!prettyPhoto. [Accessed 11 September 2016].

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

The Haunted Halfway Hotel at Beverly, South Australia

 Halfway Hotel - Beverly

With over 165 years of history, the Halfway Hotel at Beverly is one of Adelaide's longest licensed hotels, with only The Edinburgh Castle in Currie Street serving longer, opening it's doors in 1837.

The hotel has no only been a favourite drinking hole, but accommodation for many weary travellers, immigrants and dignitaries coming into Adelaide.

The hotel got its name from being the halfway point for travellers coming from Port Adelaide into the City of Adelaide.

The hotel has long been rumoured to have ghosts. Reports of strange whisperings, lights switching on and off, alarms sounding when no-one is there, and sightings of a wispy figure floating through the bar. There are even reports of bottles flying off the shelves in the drive-through of their own volition.

Urban legends have grown around this pub, with one being the rumour of a man hanging himself in the cellar. This unreferenced event is the alleged source for all the reported paranormal goings-on in the hotel, unless you talk to former staff and caretakers, who cite a former patron they have named “George”.

George has been reported to have the ability to move large objects, much like a poltergeist. His biggest move was to turn all the kegs in the cellar upside down one night, which was found the following morning by staff.

George is also attributed to disembodied footsteps heard walking through various areas of the hotel. He also loves to move furniture around, rearranging whole rooms.

Although most staff agree the hotel is haunted, George is not known for being evil, vindictive or nasty, but rather he is a jokester and a friendly ghost who likes a little recognition now and then.

©2015 - Allen Tiller

Gaol or Hospital? Stories From The Gladstone Gaol: Part IV

Gaol or Hospital?

Stories From The Gladstone Gaol: Part IV

  Gladstone Gaol was built at massive expense to the colony in 1879, and many questioned why such a building was erected in such a remote location. In its many years of operation it never really saw any hardened criminals, other than those waiting to be transferred to Adelaide Gaol. There was no long term serious offenders within its walls. They would all be transported to Adelaide Gaol to see out their long prison terms, instead, Gladstone Gaol was used to house mainly drunks and people who couldn't pay their debts.

Looking down on the inside of the tower
© Allen Tiller

Mostly the gaol housed the sick and the disabled, and more often than not, it would see the sick and elderly be transferred from other Gaols in the South Australian colony.
It was common practice to remove the frail and ill from Adelaide Gaol and send them to Gladstone to see out their days, most were elderly women, who would pass away within her walls.

Here is one such example below found in a newspaper. I also talked about Eliza Evershed in part one of this series, who was also transferred from Adelaide Gaol, and passed away in Gladstone – seems to be a common theme, doesn't it?

The South Australian Advertiser Tuesday 1 December 1885 – page 5

  "Caroline F. C. Grahlow, an old woman, died in gaol yesterday. An inquest on the body was held at the gaol by Mr Ingram J.P., Mr. Stewart being foreman of the jury.
The evidence of the doctor, matron, and the keeper was taken, and a verdict was returned that death occurred from natural causes.
  The woman's age was 65. She was sentenced in Adelaide to four years' hard labour for burning a dwelling-house and had served nearly eighteen months of the term. She had been ailing ever since her arrival here, and a fortnight ago the doctor asked for a remission of the remainder of her sentence owing to her suffering, but the order for her release only came here this morning. Up to the time of her death, she did not acknowledge the crime for which she was sentenced.
  Mrs Rofran, sister of the deceased, arrived by train from Adelaide this afternoon with a coffin, and their remains were taken back again by this evening's train for interment in Adelaide. It seems that the Government will persist in weeding out all cripples and dying people from the Adelaide gaol to this one.
  Since its establishment, the Gladstone gaol has been nothing better than a hospital and many complaints have been made, but to no purpose. It is said most of the prisoners in the gaol here are invalids from Adelaide, the case of the poor woman who died yesterday is a most pitiable one, and should be enquired into"

Between the walls of Gladstone Gaol
© Allen Tiller

  By the end of the year of 1885, things had not improved at Gladstone Gaol as this newspaper story from the South Australian Weekly Chronicle attests; 

South Australian Weekly Chronicle Saturday 19 December 1885

"ANOTHER SICK PRISONER FROM GLADSTONE GAOL."

"Gladstone, December 16."

"A prisoner has been released from the gaol in order to go into the Adelaide Hospital. The poor woman had to be carried into the train this morning. She is utterly helpless and in a pitiable state.
  A male and a female warder from Adelaide came for her, and under their charge, the prisoner was taken away. Dr. Hamilton ordered her removal. This is another instance of sending prisoners here in a frail condition, making this prison an asylum for sick criminals."

  The Gaol, although built to house prisoners, seems to have spent more time being a hospital and waypoint/transfer station of inebriates and debtors more-so than an actual prison. Although it had a number of escapes over the years, only one man was never found. The Gaol did have a few deaths happen within her walls, but none from execution, riot, experimentation or firing squad!