HAUNTED CANADA 🍁 Ghosts, Hauntings, and True Crimes
Episode 15 - 3 Ghost Stories from Canada. ⛵️ The Haunted Kings Playhouse, George Town, PEI. 🍝 Vancouvers Most Haunted Restaurant Gastown, BC. 🎭 Haunted Opera House. Orillia, ON
Episode 15
3 Ghost Stories from Canada.
⛵️ The Haunted Kings Playhouse, George Town, PEI.
🍝 Vancouvers Most haunted Restaurant Gastown, BC.
🎭 Haunted Opera House. Orillia, ON
From murderers to money launderers, thieves to thugs – police officers from the...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Episode 15
3 Ghost Stories from Canada.
⛵️ The Haunted Kings Playhouse, George Town, PEI.
🍝 Vancouvers Most haunted Restaurant Gastown, BC.
🎭 Haunted Opera House. Orillia, ON
From murderers to money launderers, thieves to thugs – police officers from the...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Welcome to Haunted Canada. Hi everyone, my name is Nadine and welcome to episode 15 of Haunted Canada. Thank you to everyone for your support. If you want to continue to support the creation of this podcast, please follow us, like, leave a 5-star written review and share this podcast with a friend, and in the show notes there's also a link to show your support.
Speaker 1:On episode 15, we are going to venture across Canada for three more spooky ghost stories. First, we're going to start in Georgetown, prince Edward Island, to talk about the haunted King's Playhouse. And then we're going to venture to Vancouver, british Columbia, to hear about the city's most haunted restaurant. And then we're going to venture over to Orillia, ontario, to talk about the haunted Opera House and the three ghosts that reside within. Nestled in Georgetown, prince Edward Island, is the King's Playhouse, canada's longest-running theatre, with three different ghosts roaming throughout the building, known as Captain George, the Little Girl and Sarah Bernhardt.
Speaker 1:The King's Playhouse is deeply rooted in the island's theatre community and has hosted many famous entertainers such as Harry Houdini, sarah Bernhardt and Donald Sutherland, with Sarah's ghosts also wandering the backstage area. The theatre was originally constructed in 1897 by architect William Critchlow Harris and was built on top of an old graveyard. The land that was chosen to originally build the King's Playhouse had been filled with graves, many unmarked graves from the late 1800s. However, once the site was chosen to build the new playhouse, these graves were dug up and the bodies were reburied at a nearby cemetery. Yet sadly, as many of the graves were unmarked, many bodies were left behind, with the playhouse being built directly on top of people's graves. While the King's Playhouse has always been a staple within the community, it sadly burnt to the ground on March 3rd 1983. However, it was loved by the locals so much that they had the theater completely rebuilt and reopened in just 14 months.
Speaker 1:And to this day, it is believed that there are three different ghosts roaming throughout the playhouse, including Captain George, a little girl holding a doll, and the spirit of Sarah Bernhardt. The most famous ghost surrounding the playhouse is that of Captain George, but where he came from nobody seems to know. Yet many believe that, since the theater was built on top of the gravesite from back in 1897, that perhaps he's one of the many unmarked graves that still lie buried beneath the King's Playhouse today. It is known that the ghost got his name in a rather official way, as it was the town council in Georgetown that voted to call the well-known ghost at the King's Playhouse Captain George.
Speaker 1:Over the years, many employees and actors have often seen an older man with a big gray beard wearing a captain's sailor's uniform walking throughout the theater or standing in the wings watching performances, while others report always having the sense as if someone is watching them while they're inside the theater, causing many of the staff to get shivers down their spines. Back in the early 1960s, it seems that the theater was having numerous lighting and electrical problems, and even when they brought in some local electricians, they couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong. At the same time, however, when these problems were happening, the staff began to say that they kept seeing an older man with a long gray beard in a sea captain's uniform walking throughout the theater. Many believe that this, of course, was Captain George, causing some friendly and playful chaos within the theater. The staff back in the 1960s wanted to stay on the good side of Captain George, so the ghost got his very own chair that has always been reserved just for him. It is well known that nobody is permitted to sit in Captain George's chair. However, over the years, many people by accident have sat in or laid their bag on the seat, and it seems that when this happens, captain George is not very happy and makes it known by slamming doors and turning the theater lights on and off repeatedly until his chair is left alone, while on other occasions, people who are standing close to the captain's chair say that they feel a sudden drop in the temperature and begin to hear banging and slamming doors all around them. Today, the captain's chair has a sign on it that says reserved and some rope tied across the front of the chair deterring anybody from trying to sit in the captain's reserved seat.
Speaker 1:Many actors have also reported over the years that when they're in the theater rehearsing for a show and have an item or a prop with them, when they set that item down and go back to a few moments later, it has just disappeared. This has happened on numerous occasions, especially during showtime, that most actors believe that it is just one of the ghosts that are roaming the hallways of the theater playing tricks. Yet it seems that, just as the actors are beginning to panic looking for that missing prop, that it mysteriously just reappears in the same spot where it was originally left. Staff have also reported that when they're in the theater by themselves closing up at the end of the evening that they'll often hear their name being called out in the darkness of the theater. This has scared so many employees that it is now common practice that when employees exit the theater late at night, that the exit impairs, as nobody wants to be in the theater by themselves.
Speaker 1:Over the years, many paranormal groups have ventured into King's Playhouse to investigate the spirits that reside within and have captured strange voices on recording devices saying Peter, stop, the flag holds me here. What any of this means, nobody seems to know. The second ghost said to be wandering throughout the King's Playhouse is the spirit of a little girl, often seen holding a doll in the basement peeking around corners. Over the years, many actors and employees have said that when they're down in the basement that they'll often feel a heavy presence when they're there and they'll often catch a glimpse of a young girl with a very pale white face holding a doll peeking around the corner at them. Yet when the employees check, there's nobody there. Sightings of the little girl holding the doll have become common knowledge to the more senior staff. Yet new employees are quite frightened when they have their own run-in in the basement with the little girl.
Speaker 1:The third ghost at the playhouse is that of Sarah Bernhardt, known as the Divine Sarah, a famous French stage actress from the early 1900s who traveled the world performing for thousands and even performed at the King's Playhouse. In 1915, just a year after World War I had broken out, it was discovered that, due to a previous injury, gangrene had set in on Sarah's right knee, causing her tremendous pain. So on February 22, 1915, sarah ordered the doctors in Bordeaux, france, to amputate her right leg. And because Sarah was such a great star at the time, her leg was placed in formaldehyde and to this day is still kept and viewed with morbid curiosity at the Bordeaux University in France. Sadly, in 1915, there was no prosthetics like there would be today and the only option that Sarah had was a wooden leg. Yet even with having a wooden leg, this would not stop Sarah. She was back on stage within six months performing wearing a wooden leg. To this day, actors say that when they're in the back hallway of the King's Playhouse by the dress rooms that they can often hear the thump, thump, thump, as if someone is walking in the empty hallway. Many people say that it sounds similar to someone walking with a wooden leg. Many people say that it sounds similar to someone walking with a wooden leg and everyone believes that it is the divine Sarah Bernhardt, still inside the theater, walking up and down the back hallway by the actors' dress rooms getting ready for her next performance.
Speaker 1:While the King's Playhouse, built on a former graveyard, does have three well-known ghosts roaming throughout the building today, it is these ghostly encounters and paranormal sightings that continues to add to the mystery and intrigue surrounding the historic and haunted King's Playhouse in Georgetown, prince Edward Island. In the heart of historic Vancouver, british Columbia, in the Gastown district, lies the Old Spaghetti Factory, a charming restaurant filled with antiques and artifacts from a bygone era. Yet beneath its history and nostalgic decor lurks many ghostly tales of paranormal activity that have left both patrons and staff trembling in fear. Legend has it that the restaurant is home to not just one but four restless spirits, each with their own airy tale to tell. To those who are brave enough to venture into the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant, you may just find yourself face to face with one of these ghostly inhabitants. The Old Spaghetti Factory is located in the very trendy and touristy Gastown area and opened in 1970. Prior to being a restaurant.
Speaker 1:The building was used for a different business, a grocery wholesaler called WH Malkin Company Limited. The building was originally constructed in 1907 by one of Gastown's great businessmen and entrepreneurs, william Harold Malkin. William was originally from Staffordshire, england, and was living in the prairies for many years, until 1895, when he headed west and landed in Vancouver. William saw the growth with the mining boom and the Klondike gold rush happening in the early 1900s and he knew that there was money to be made in the grocery trade and supply business. So William partnered with his brother and soon the Malkin supplies and products could be found throughout British Columbia, with William and his brother making a fortune. They ran their operations and different businesses out of the building in Gastown. The top floor of the building was originally used for the Malkin Coffee line that produced tea and coffee and had some of the most modern and up-to-date coffee roasting and tea blending equipment that money could buy. And in just eight years the Malkin brothers had gone from working for somebody else to now being very wealthy men with three warehouses in the Gastown area.
Speaker 1:Yet at a time when most people were concerned about making money than the workers, it seemed that William Harold Malcolm was the opposite. William Malcolm was not only a great businessman who went on to be the mayor of Vancouver. He also strongly believed in honesty in the business world and was genuinely concerned about the well-being of the men and the women that worked for him. He often took the lead by implementing changes to prevent dishonesty or unethical behavior, especially among those who were less fortunate. In 1970, the building was repurposed, with the main floor being turned into the old spaghetti factory restaurant and the top floors being used for other small businesses being turned into the old Spaghetti Factory restaurant, and the top floor is being used for other small businesses. If you're ever inside the restaurant, you'll notice that there are many old artifacts and antiques adorning the walls of the restaurant that have remained behind from when the building housed WH Malkin's many businesses, adding to the historical and heritage setting.
Speaker 1:One very unique part of the restaurant is trolley car number 53 that is in the center of the restaurant and that you can dine in. This historic trolley was placed inside the restaurant when it was being built in 1970, and it truly is a unique and fascinating item for all to see when they enter the haunted building. And while this historical building is now a popular location for people to enjoy a good meal. It is also believed that it is one of the most haunted restaurants in all of Vancouver, with four separate ghosts roaming throughout the area hallways. The first ghost believed to be haunting the restaurant is that of a train conductor that is connected to trolley car number 53 that is inside the restaurant that guests can sit inside and enjoy a meal. Legend and folklore has it that the train conductor met with a tragic end in an underground collision beneath the very building where the restaurant now stands, while many others believe that the train conductor's ghost arrived with the installation of the trolley car within the restaurant in 1970. While there may be different versions of how the trolley conductor's ghost came to be in the restaurant, the conductor's spirit is said to manifest itself within the trolley after hours, dressed in his full uniform. There have been many stories from the staff who work at the restaurant late at night, especially around closing time, when it's airily quiet. They'll often catch a glimpse of a man in a full conductor's uniform sitting at one of the tables inside the trolley, while it has also been suggested in articles that I've read that the trolley conductor has been a bit upset that his picture hangs secretly in one of the back offices and he wants it taken down, with lights inside the trolley going on and off, chairs moving back and forth inside. It seems that this is how the trolley conductor likes to make his presence known to everyone working inside the restaurant.
Speaker 1:The second ghost at the restaurant is known as a mischievous entity known only as the Little Red man, who roams throughout the kitchen. This ghost is often described as a smaller man with fiery red hair. The Little Red man, as he is known, will often whisper at staff calling them out by their name, as he is known, will often whisper at staff calling them out by their name, and he likes to play pranks on the staff in the kitchen, like throwing dishes off counters and flipping over dishes that are cooking on the stove, leaving staff scared. Some staff have even claimed to have captured a picture of the little red man, yet when they look at their picture it's now blurry. The third ghost that roams throughout the old spaghetti factory is that of a young boy named Edward, around 11 years old. This young boy's ghostly spirit is described as having empty eye sockets, terrifying anyone who witnesses him. Edward has been seen running throughout the restaurant late at night. His presence, striking fear into the hearts of those who cross his path. Cross his path.
Speaker 1:Staff members tell stories of cutlery being bent and twisted, light bulbs being unscrewed and Edward mysteriously rearranging table settings. Some brave staff have even tried to communicate with Edward's ghost, asking for proof, asking the ghost of Edward to swing a lamp or to move some cutlery around. When this happens, moments later, forks will lift up and fly off tables, lamps will start to swing back and forth, andks will lift up and fly off tables, lamps will start to swing back and forth and chairs will flip over. Many years ago, one waitress saw the apparition of young Edward running throughout the restaurant and then run into the trolley and hide under some chairs that began to move back and forth. This was the waitress's very first shift working at the Old Spaghetti Factory, and when she had the run-in with Edward the Ghost, she quit on the spot.
Speaker 1:The fourth ghost that resides inside the Old Spaghetti Factory is that of a little girl who is often seen with a balloon in hand sitting at the table near the front of the restaurant. It is believed that she is searching for her mother, a never-ending quest. Those who have dared to engage with her find themselves drawn into a conversation that defies logic and reason, only to have her vanish into thin air when anyone approaches. One encounter goes back to the early 1980s when a man entered the old Spaghetti Factory restaurant to have dinner. As he was waiting at the front door to be seated, he noticed a little girl at the front table by the window holding a balloon, crying. When the man asked her if something was wrong, she said that she couldn't find her mom and she was scared. The man knelt down to talk to the little girl and asked her what he could do to help, and again the little girl just said that she couldn't find her mom. The man told the little girl that he would go get the manager so that they could help her find her mother. Just a few feet away, the man ran into the manager and told him of the little girl sitting at the table by the front crying and looking for her mother. He pointed at the table where he had just left the little girl, but when he looked back the table was now empty. When the man explained to the manager what had just happened, the manager then had to explain to the guest that he had just had a run-in with the restaurant's ghost. This left the man scared, speechless. He stood there for a few moments looking around, letting it all sink, in that he had just had a conversation with a ghost. It was in that moment that he decided not to eat at the restaurant and left.
Speaker 1:While Gastown is one of the most oldest and historic sections of Vancouver, filled with ghosts and paranormal activity, many people head to the Old Spaghetti Factory to have a night out and a great meal, are often startled by the many ghosts and spirits that linger all around them, and for those who dare to stay after closing time, the stories of the four ghosts at the Old Spaghetti Factory serve as a chilling reminder that some mysteries are best left undisturbed. The Aurelia Opera House in Aurelia, ontario, is believed to be one of the city's most haunted historical buildings, with three ghosts wandering throughout the beautiful structure. Aurelia, known as the Sunshine City, is a beautiful area nestled on two connected lakes Lake Simcoe and Lake Cuckooching and is located about 30 kilometers or 18 miles from Barrie, ontario, in Simcoe County. Aurelia is a picturesque community with all the historic charm and small-town feel of a hallmark movie. While there were numerous well-known Canadians that were born in Aurelia, the two that I would like to note are Franklin Carmichael from the Group of Seven, personally one of my favourite artists and one of Canada's most famous and beloved singer-songwriters, gordon Lightfoot, for whom a theatre was named after in the Opera House.
Speaker 1:Aurelia was originally a village in 1867 and was growing fast, and as the community grew, the locals wanted a more central location for the farmer's market. After much discussion, it was clear that the locals didn't want anything fancy and were focused on just having a large shed built with market stalls. The village councillors back in the time period knew that the town was growing and that something larger was required, something that was large enough to house the market, a town hall and a central lockup, otherwise known as a jail. After much debate, the local councillors got their way and the Opera House was completed in 1895. It cost the taxpayers $25,000 and held the council chambers, an auditorium, city hall offices, market stalls and, of course, the lockup. The opera house was a source of pride for everyone in Aurelia and was beautifully constructed, with just over 900 seats, with a magnificent wraparound balcony commonly seen in the opulent opera houses from Europe. Wrap-around balcony commonly seen in the opulent opera houses from Europe. The residents only had a few years to enjoy the beautiful opera house when, sadly, on July 6, 1915, the building was completely destroyed by a fire. A new opera house was rebuilt by 1917, but it wasn't as grand as its predecessor.
Speaker 1:While the building has changed many times over the years from being a theater from the 1920s to the early 1950s today it is a focus point for community-based theater and performances and, like all great theaters, it too has its own ghostly spirits that the Opera House embraces today, with three ghosts and possibly more, wandering throughout the building. The first ghost is that of a woman who played the piano at the theater in the 1920s, when silent movies were all the rage, as music would have to be played within the theater to accompany what was being shown on screen. When actors are rehearsing in the theater or staff are getting ready to leave at the end of the night, they can often hear the sounds of a piano playing off in the distance. Yet when this happens, there is no piano in the theater at that time. On other occasions, people can hear the sounds of a harmonica being played throughout the theater as well. The second ghost is that of Doris, a former manager from the mid-1900s who worked at the theatre in the ticket office. Over the years, many actors and employees have witnessed the apparition of Doris, dressed in early 1920s attire, standing in the balcony or walking the halls near the dressing room as the manager. Doris was exceptionally good at her job and liked to keep everything on schedule and on time, to the minute in fact, and it is believed that Doris Ghost still walks the hallways of the theater to ensure that all the shows and actors are kept on schedule and that the opera house continues to run like clockwork, just like it did when Doris was the manager.
Speaker 1:The third spirit at the theater is that of an audience member who sadly had a heart attack and died sitting in the audience during a performance. Today, actors say that when they're rehearsing on stage or building sets, that they'll look out in the audience and they can often hear the sounds of someone moaning, and then they can often see a man just slumped over in his seat as if he's sleeping. Sadly, this is the spirit of the man who so tragically died in the audience so many years ago. With three separate ghostly spirits roaming throughout the opera house, strange things seem to happen on almost a daily basis, from actors hearing phantom footsteps slamming doors and the music of a piano and a harmonic plane.
Speaker 1:Many actors and sound technicians reported that the old sound booth was a place where nobody liked to venture. Employees reported that when they began to walk towards the sound booth, they would often see a man staring at them from the windows. This was always, of course, when there was supposed to be nobody in the sound booth. When staff ran up to check to see who was in the booth, the booth was always empty. Yet then the spotlight would shine on center stage. This would leave the staff frozen in their steps, wondering who or what had just turned on the spotlight.
Speaker 1:Other people reported that while working in the sound booth, they would often feel someone running their fingers through their hair and get the sense as if someone was whispering in their ear and pulling their chair back and forth, while other staff report that when they're getting ready for a show, building sets or doing tech work like setting up the lighting, knowing that the Gordon Lightfoot Theater is completely empty, that they'll suddenly begin to hear loud rounds of applause, as if the theater is completely filled with an audience clapping, with multiple people screaming Bravo, bravo. Yet when the staff look around, the theater is completely empty, but it seems that the basement is definitely the most spookiest spot at the opera house, as the basement is where the old jail cells used to be housing prisoners. Actors and employees say that they don't like to go down to the basement, but when they do go down there, they can often hear somebody calling out for help or hearing someone or something saying let me out, and on other occasions, employees say that when they're walking in the basement they feel as if someone or something is grabbing at their ankles. This has left so many employees and actors terrified that they'll often end up running up from the basement screaming, vowing never to go back down there again.
Speaker 1:While the Aurelia Opera House is steeped in heritage and history, it is definitely the many documented ghosts and paranormal activity that continues to give it such a haunted presence, from music being played, from the phantom piano in the Gordon Lightfoot Theatre to Doris, the former manager, still wandering throughout the theatre to ensure that everything is on schedule, and to the many spirits of the prisoners that were once held in the basement. It is definitely a very unique and haunted theatre in beautiful Orillia, ontario. Well, everyone, that is the end of episode 15 of Haunted Canada, and again I want to truly thank every single person for taking the time to listen to this podcast. Well, everyone, that is the end of episode 15 of Haunted Canada, and again, I want to truly thank every single person for taking the time to listen to this podcast. I truly do appreciate it.
Speaker 1:If you are enjoying this podcast, please take the time to like, follow, tell a friend, leave a five-star written review, as that always does help To link to any of the social media, or if you have any stories that you'd like for us to cover on this podcast either ghost stories or true crime please email us through our website, hauntedcanadacom. Have a good night, everyone, and stay safe. You.