by Maureen Wood
The prison closed in 1989. Most of the buildings were demolished, except for division two. With the help of three of the former guards, the building became the Boggo Road Gaol Museum. It was designed to give visitors a scary glimpse into the harsh prison life of the Australian penal system, but it seems it offers up a different type of fright. The museum is so haunted, that it has been added to the local ghost tour.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1919 THE LAMPLIGHT HOTEL
Truro, Nova Scotia
The Lamplight Hotel closed on July 13, 1928. It's hard to find any traces of it today, except for this story. A husband and wife were staying at the hotel when the husband noticed a man on the balcony, an old friend he knew from the war (World War I). He went out and chatted with him for a while, and his wife joined him shortly there-after. As time went by, he decided to go to the bar for a nightcap, leaving his wife and friend on their own. Later returning to his room, he was stunned to find his wife and friend in bed together. Grabbing a pistol from the dresser drawer, he shot them both, and then jumped off the balcony to his death.
From then on, strange things began to occur in that room. Dresser drawers would open on their own, their contents flying across the room. Breakfast trolley carts would drive about violently, being pushed by some unseen entity. Phantom screams and gunshots terrified guests. And in the middle of the night the bed would sometimes levitate and spin in the air. On one occasion, a woman claimed that she was awakened by two people making love in the bed next her. She sat up and screamed, only to have a man burst through the door and shoot them. And then they all faded away.
Although terrified of the spirits, the staff continued their duties until that September night in 1928. A guest was nearly killed by “two tremendous forces that sandwiched him” in bed. The hotel reportedly closed seven hours later, never to open again.
SEPTEMBER 24, 1975 ANDREW IRVINE
Mount Everest, Himalayas
In 1924, British mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine set out to be the first to climb Mount Everest via the North Col route. They were last seen on June 8 nearing the summit, but they disappeared soon after. In 1975, fellow countrymen Douglas Scott and his climbing partner Dougal Hatson attempted to be the first to scale the southwest face of Everest. They soon ran into trouble. Despite being considered one of the greatest high-altitude mountain climbers of all time, Scott wanted to turn back. They then began to feel the presence of another. Late that night, as they slept in a snow hole, Scott swears the spirit of Andrew Irvine stayed with them and urged them on to complete their climb. They continued their ascent, and despite poor conditions they reached the summit.
Seventy-five years after Mallory and Irvine's disappearance, an expedition sponsored by the BBC and the television show NOVA attempted to find evidence of their ascent to the summit. On May 1, 1999, the team discovered Mallory's frozen body just below the north face of the mountain. However, neither Irvine's body nor any other evidence of the expedition was ever found. Through the years, numerous individuals have seen Irvine's ghost, especially when they found themselves in difficulty. Perhaps Andrew, in death, is helping others achieve what he couldn't in life, reaching the summit.
SEPTEMBER 25, 1978 HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
Boxford, Massachusetts
Lorraine lived in an old Colonial home in Massachusetts overlooking a seventeenth-century cemetery. Her life was seemingly ordinary. That is, until her daughter, Maureen, turned thirteen years of age. At first she began being plagued by nightmares. And it wasn't long after that her fitful sleep ended in bloodcurdling screams. Lorraine, concerned for her daughter's well-being, asked her what was wrong. Maureen told her of voices that wouldn't stop and of ghosts in her bedroom that visited her each night.
Not sure what to believe, Lorraine took her daughter to a doctor, who scheduled a series of tests and then prescribed a heavy sedative to help drown out the unexplainable voices. That weekend, while she and her daughter were alone in the 200-year-old home, the voices began again. While Maureen lay on the couch, Lorraine went to the kitchen for a glass of water and a sedative for her “ill” daughter. But just as she walked into the kitchen, the front door swung open on its own. Bewildered, she shut the door. In an attempt to keep the door from swinging freely, Lorraine retrieved a butter knife out of the drawer and shoved it in the door jamb. Then she went and took a shower while Maureen slept. After the shower she returned to the kitchen; to her horror she found two knives jammed in the door. The next morning, she confronted Maureen. Perplexed, Maureen was at a loss for words. Lorraine continued, “I put one knife in the door, and when I got out of the shower, there were two — and not only that, all the gas jets were turned on. You could have killed us!”
“The ghosts must have been mad that they couldn't speak to me,” Maureen replied.
As if a realization struck, Lorraine just stood there, mouth agape. The horrors of her youth suddenly resurfaced: unexplainable sounds and the disembodied voices that had called to her at all hours of the night. She paled. Finally, Lorraine understood. Maureen hadn't been ill at all. Unfortunately for them both, the ghosts of the past had returned.
SEPTEMBER 26, 1901 LINCOLN'S TOMB
Springfield, Illinois
Was the ghost of Lincoln guarding his own tomb? It appears so. In 1865, many visitors claimed to see Lincoln's ghostly apparition appear in and about his new grave. The sounds of unworldly weeping and disembodied footsteps were also reported.
The unexplained sounds heard were so disturbing they drew the concerns of Lincoln's friends, who requested the aid of a plumber to drill a hole through the crypt wall so they would be able to check on Lincoln and his sons as needed.
They did so but found nothing out of the ordinary.
It's been noted that the Secret Service was once credited for circumventing a plot to steal the president's remains as part of a plot to procure ransom. Although the would be criminals were stopped, the idea of it was enough to garner the attention of certain individuals who would later form a group, calling themselves the Lincoln Guard of Honor. Their duties were to repeatedly exhume the president's remains over an undisclosed period of time, ensuring all was as it should be, then rebury the president again.
It's not hard to believe that a body at such unrest might choose to make a visit now and then to keep tabs on the strange goings on. Perhaps it explains why, even today, the sound of footsteps, the shuffling of feet, and moans can be heard near his tomb.
SEPTEMBER 27, 1934 THE GHOST BUS OF LADB ROKE GROVE
London, England
The number seven double-decker bus had an established bus route that ran through Ladbroke Grove. One place along its journey, through a curvy junction of St. Mark's Road and Cambridge Gardens, was an extremely dangerous blind spot. The strange goings on along this stretch of road took place in the 1930s. Apparently, a different number seven bus was seen at all hours of the day and night. And not only was this phantom bus visible, it was reputed to cause countless motor vehicle accidents. Witnesses to the accidents always reported the same thing. Each time, the accident occurred when the driver was taking the hairpin turn and swerved to avert what would have been a head-on collision with the red, number seven, doubledecker bus. Those who investigated the accidents were at a loss. It made no sense. All the accidents took place during a time when no other bus was scheduled to be on that route.
One driver, who had a near miss, told of yanking her steering wheel seconds before colliding with the bus. She stated that the bus's lights glared above and below, yet there were no passengers or driver in sight.
Finally, tragedy struck and a driver was killed. Once again, a witness described the number seven bus being the cause. The coroner, not sure what to believe, reported it as such. The public, having heard of the coroner's disbelief, wrote hundreds of letters. Each description was eerily similar. One letter was from a transportation worker who had seen the red bus pull into a local station. The bus, with engine idling, simply disappeared.
Not sure what else to do, the decision was made to straighten the road. And so far their plan has worked. Since then, the phantom double-decker that once wreaked havoc on travelers of Ladbroke Grove has never been heard of again.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 BOOKSTORE SPECTER
Tottenham, Ontario
One day, Leigh Ross managed her friend's used bookstore as a favor. The building, which had once housed a hardware store, was located in Tottenham, Ontario. While working by herself on the first day, she sat at the desk dusting books. But with no customers perusing the aisles and no sound of music in the air, the hundred-year-old building turned ominously quiet. Out of the stillness, a book crashed to the floor, shattering the eerie silence. Leigh quickly walked to where the sound of the crash seemed to come from, but no books were out of place. She then searched the remainder of the shop and found nothing. Shrugging it off, she headed back to the front desk.
A few minutes later, she heard a second crash. Leaving the security of her desk, she searched the store a second time. Still, there was nothing out of place. Sitting back at the desk, she wondered what made the noise. She knew the building was old and the town had its share of ghosts. Apparently, whoever the spirit was wanted to be heard, because it wasn't long before there was a third crash. And although Leigh didn't expect to find the source of the racket, she once again got up and checked the shop. Just as she had expected, she could find nothing out of place.
Moments later, as she stood behind the counter, she heard another crash. This time it was right beside her. Not sure what else to do, she turned, and said, “Hi there, I know you're here. Thanks for telling me you are here.” Her words must have had a calming effect on the ghost because she finished her day in silence.
When her friend returned from vacation, she asked, “Why didn't you tell me you had a ghost?” Her friend replied, “I thought you knew! He's been here for ages!”
SEPTEMBER 29, A.D. 350 BINDON HILL
Lulworth Cove, Dorset, England
Bindon Hill is on the coast near Lulworth Cove in Dorset. The Romans landed here before obtaining a great victory at the Battle of the Drove. They set up camp on the hill controlling the valley. One night as the fog rolled in the Romans were marching along Bindon Hill when they lost their footing and fell to their deaths on the rocks of Arish Mell below. Because they were marching in tight formation they lost a whole legion. Today, they say if you listen very carefully when the fog rolls in from the sea covering Bindon Hill, you can still hear the ghostly footsteps and the clash of armor as the Legion falls to their deaths.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 THE MILLIONAIRE'S GHOST
Nottinghamshire, England
A millionaire and his family living in a fifty-two-room mansion in Nottinghamshire were forced to flee their home because of ghosts. According to XMOTU Ghost News, eight months after purchasing the mansion, it had to be taken over by the bank. It seems the Rashid family stopped making payments and refused to live in the home a moment longer. Anwar Rashid, in an attempt to save his home and the sanity of his family, called in a team of paranormal investigators, but to no avail. The malevolent spirit had a different agenda. The eerie voices and the tapping on the walls continued. Then one night, Rashid and his wife looked in on the baby and they were aghast at what they found. There before them was their little one, draped in a blanket spotted with blood. Not willing to play victim to a spectral villain, the Rashid's moved out of their home. Anwar admitted that prior to living in the mansion, he was a nonbeliever in ghosts. But now, having lived through the ordeal, he will tell all who ask that ghosts do in fact exist.
OCTOBER 1, 1995 THE BLACK FOREST HAUNTING
El Paso County, Colorado
As viewed on the Sightings television show, the paranormal activity now referred to as the “Black Forest Haunting” began soon after the Lees purchased their secluded log cabin home. The Lee family began to experience a series of unexplainable phenomena: explosions of lights cascading throughout their home, undetectable chemical odors that seared their eyes and throats, and depending on the day, the sounds of chains rattling, or orchestras playing. “It was as if the gates of hell opened up,” proclaimed the Lees.
Unable to attribute the anomalies to any sort of trickery, they installed cameras throughout their home and property in an attempt to capture the light forms on film. They weren't disappointed. To this day, thousands of large and small light anomalies have been captured on video and film, including outlines of faces and animals. A multitude of witnesses, including private investigators, psychics, and various paranormal researchers have experienced this oddity for themselves. Even a Colorado senator visited the Lee home and validated the unusual events by capturing the unexplainable light anomalies on his own camera. The Hopi Indians believe the paranormal events to be attributed to a “Rainbow Vortex” (a rare location where our world and the next connect). Whatever the source of the happenings, they cannot be easily explained away, even when the laws of physics are applied. Evidence concludes that the Lee home is one of the most notably haunted locations in the nation.
OCTOBER 2, 1942 THE GHOSTS OF CURACOA
Long Beach, California
When the luxury liner HMS Queen Mary made its maiden voyage on May 27, 1936, it was faster and more powerful than the Titanic and the preferred mode of transportation for the rich and famous wanting to cross the Atlantic. However, when war broke out in 1939 it was converted to a troopship and painted a military shade of gray. Nick-named The Grey Ghost, it transported thousands of American troops across the Atlantic Ocean to join the Allied cause in Europe.
On one such journey it was involved in a tragic accident. The Grey Ghost was part of a convoy transporting 20,000 American troops. Cruising in an evasive zigzag pattern, it inexplicably cut into the path of its escort vessel the British light cruiser HMS Curacoa, striking it amidships and cutting it in half. The Curacoa quickly sank, and the cold waters soon became cluttered with men and debris. Fearing a German U-boat attack and with severe damage of its own to its bow, the Grey Ghost steamed on, leaving the ill-fated crew of the Curacoa in the frigid sea. Several hours later one of the escorting ships returned to the scene to rescue survivors. Of the 338 crew of the Curacoa, only 99 were rescued.
The Queen Mary was retired in 1967 and is berthed in Long Beach California. It has become a luxury hotel and is the site of countless strange happenings apparently caused by numerous spirits. Through the years, several eerie incidents have been reported near the ship's bow. Many have heard the bloodcurdling sound of disembodied voices of men screaming in fear and a strange clanking sound on the hull of the ship. Some believe these hideous noises are the ghosts of the Curacoa reliving that deadly accident back in 1942, never being able to rest.
OCTOBER 3, 2009 DAVID CARRADINE
Bangkok, Thailand
BIO's “Celebrity Ghost Stories” interviewed David Carradine and aired on October 3, 2009. During the interview, the actor, who played Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s hit television show Kung Fu, said that a ghost in his closet was haunting him. He believed the ghost was Dana, his wife's deceased husband. He said the closet turned strangely cold the moment he stepped inside, and many times when he opened the closet door, Dana's tie would be turned around facing him. It read, “Grateful Dead.” How did Carradine take this bizarre communication? He decided it was the ghost's way of telling David that everything was okay and he knew that David would be there for his kids.
A few months after the interview, David Carradine's body was found in a Bangkok hotel, hanging in a closet. One has to wonder if the ghost that had been stalking this late actor was actually not Dana's deceased husband but something more sinister. And what of the message “Grateful Dead”? Rather than a statement of gratitude, what if it was a preview of coming attractions?
OCTOBER 4, 1869 SAXBY'S GALE
New Brunswick, Canada
In London in 1868, Lieutenant S. M. Saxby of the Royal Navy issued a press release stating “a storm of unusual magnitude wou
ld visit the earth at 7 a.m. October 5, 1869.” Eleven months later, the “perfect storm” of the nineteenth century struck. Forming off of the coast of Cape Cod, on October 4, 1869, a day later, it tore through New England and into Canada. When Saxby's Gale, as it was dubbed, ripped through the Fundy region of New Brunswick, it destroyed countless vessels, including the Genii. For days after the storm, the bodies of the crew of the Genii washed up on the shore. The townspeople dragged corpses up from the beach to the nearest building, until they could be buried. Another victim of the storm was a young woman from the village. After discovering that her true love had died in the gale, she walked into the sea to join him.
Since that day of Saxby's Gale, on nights when the moon is full, an eerie fog rolls in from the sea carrying with it the ghostly crew of the Genii. Objects in the buildings where their bodies had been laid out move as if by some unseen force. Pitiful moans haunt their walls, and the spectral crew wanders through the village on some unworldly mission. Cries echo from the beach where the lonely lover met her end, as she roams through the fog still looking for her long lost love.
