HAUNTED CANADA 🍁 Ghosts, Hauntings, and True Crimes
Haunted Canada: A podcast of Canada’s most creepiest ghost stories, hauntings, true crimes and mysteries. Hosted by professional storyteller Nadine, producer of the awarding winning Edmonton Ghost Tours.
HAUNTED CANADA 🍁 Ghosts, Hauntings, and True Crimes
Episode 21 Three Ghost Stories from across Canada. 1. The Haunted Old City Hall Calgary, AB 2. Ridley College. St. Catherine’s, Ontario 3. The Haunted Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto, Ontario
Episode 21 of Haunted Canada 🍁
1. The Haunted Old City Hall. Calgary, AB
2. Ridley College St. Catherine, Ontario
3. The Haunted Royal Ontario Museum Toronto, Ontario.
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Welcome to Haunted Canada, nadine. If you wanted to support the creation of this podcast, please take the time to leave a five-star written review. Share this podcast and tell a friend. You can also support us through the link on the show notes titled. Show your support, buy me a coffee. If you have a ghost story, haunting or true crime that you'd like for us to cover on this podcast, please email me through the website hauntedcanadacom. Also, I will be reading some listeners' ghost stories that they send to me on this podcast. So if you have any of your own ghost stories, strange encounters or hauntings from Canada or around the world, please send them to me so I can share them with the listeners. Now on with the show. Welcome to episode 21 of Haunted Canada, where we're going to delve into three more ghost stories from across Canada. First we're going to head to Calgary, alberta, to talk about the ghost stories surrounding the historic Old City Hall. Then we're going to talk about the historic and haunted Ridley College in St Catharines, ontario, and then we're going to finish off by delving into the haunted Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, ontario.
Speaker 1:The historic City Hall in downtown Calgary, alberta, often referred to as Old City Hall, was built in 1911 and is full of many ghostly spirits that are still roaming throughout the impressive structure still to this day. Originally, the Old City Hall was a wooden structure that was constructed on the site of the Calgary's first town hall and local jail. That eventually was demolished in 1900 to make way for a more modern structure to accommodate the growing city of Calgary in the early 1900s. The new four-story building was constructed and completed on June 26, 1911, with a steel-structured frame supporting a Pescaboo sandstone exterior, which was a common building material following the Calgary Fire of 1886, with the sandstone being sourced from the Bone and Oliver Quarry. However, the construction was filled with controversy and delays. By the time the City Hall was completed in 1911, the initial budget had doubled, with the costs skyrocketing to $300,000. Today, the old City Hall houses the offices of many city administrators and is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, as well as a Provincial Historic Resource and a Municipal Historic Resource as well.
Speaker 1:While the historic building has housed many different offices over the years, the one thing that it's very well known for is for the many ghosts and hauntings that still reside within. The City. Of Calgary actually issued a press release many years ago detailing the numerous ghosts and hauntings that were within the old building walls. The city stated that they had the ghost of a man and a woman who were known to still haunt the historic hallways of the old city hall. The male ghost is believed to be that of a former prisoner that died within the city hall when it was a prison, a jail, in the early 1900s. The historic city hall had actually doubled as the Calgary police station and it had 15 jail cells on the ground floor between 1911 and 1914. And during that time there had been many documented cases of prisoners dying in those cells, including that of JW Lewis and William Morgan.
Speaker 1:To this day, people who have worked at the building and over the years have reported seeing a man dressed in early 1900s attire clothing walking throughout the building, while many employees will often get a sense as if someone is pushing them from behind while they're walking up and down the old staircases, this has often caused such a stress for employees and construction workers in the building that they've actually left the building, never wanting to return, While others have reported seeing the outline reflection of a man with no face staring at them from glass windows and mirrors. One employee recounted that on one particular day, when he was finishing up work, he was getting ready to leave. As he exited his office, he turned off the lights and closed the door to his office as well. Yet when he looked back at the glass door, expecting to see his own reflection in the glass, he ended up seeing what appeared to be a man with dark hair and no face. This terrified the employee. Just as the man began to try to leave, it seemed as if there was someone or something holding him in his spot. He couldn't leave. He couldn't move. After a few moments, he was able to break free from whatever was stopping him from moving. The man was terrified and ran out of the building, and the next day he asked to be transferred to a different building to work in, and he never returned to the old city hall again.
Speaker 1:The woman of a ghost is often seen wandering up and down the old historic staircase. This female ghost is believed to be that of a woman known as Kathleen Kitty Quinn, who was actually the first prisoner to enter the old jail cells in 1911. To this day, there have been dozens of documented stories from staff who have worked in the building witnessing a woman dressed in early 1900s clothing a dress, walking up and down the staircase. Many employees who work at the old city hall today report that when they're going up and down the stair, many employees who work at the Old City Hall today report that when they're going up and down the staircases themselves that on many occasions they'll actually pass by a woman on the staircases. They have described the woman, dressed in an early 1900s dress, being very pale, with a gaunt face with black eyes, who just stares at them. Staff report getting a very cold feeling as they walk by the woman. Yet when they turn around, the mysterious woman has vanished from the staircase To this day.
Speaker 1:Many people who work at the old city hall believe that it is the spirit of Kitty Quinn, who was the first female prisoner in the jail in 1911, that it is her spirit still wandering throughout the old historic building still to this day, While others believe that there's another ghost roaming throughout the old city hall known as Rudolph Ingle. Rudolph actually installed the historic city clock in 1910 and, tragically, rudolph died in a hunting accident the very next year, in 1912. To this day the clock still works perfectly and many believe that it's Rudolph's spirit that has remained behind caring for the clock that he installed over a hundred years ago. On many occasions, an older man is often seen walking throughout the old city hall carrying a wooden tool chest, walking towards the staircases that lead up to the clock tower, and people have actually reported hearing the sounds of someone climbing the stairs to the clock tower, but when they check, there's never anybody there. Legend has it that because the clock is still working perfectly to this day, that it is Rudolph's spirit still carrying the clock that he installed in 1910. While the old city hall served as an important structure in the early 1900s as the city of Calgary grew very quickly, it is known as a very spooky and haunted structure, with ghosts of former prisoners and Rudolph Engel still roaming throughout the historic building still to this day. Ridley College in St Catharines, ontario, is one of the area's oldest and most prestigious boarding schools. Ridley opened its doors in 1889 and welcomed students from across Canada and around the world, and to this day it has numerous ghostly spirits from former teachers, students and a gardener that are still wandering throughout the academic institution.
Speaker 1:During the Spanish flu epidemic from 1918 to 1920, every part of Canada was affected, with close to 50,000 people dying throughout Canada. The Spanish flu hit Ridley College hard, with close to 60 young boys falling ill in 1918. The school administration converted an area of the school known as the Pest House into an isolation hospital. Today the Pest House is actually known as Governor's House. That back in the day was used as a dorm for the middle school boys. While sports and outdoor activity are a big part of Ridley College to this day, in the early 1900s football was a favorite for all the young boys. Yet when the Spanish flu hit the college in 1918, it was at that point that the school didn't actually close. Instead, they decided to just take a 10-day break to try to stop the spread of the Spanish flu. Yet even with the break, the Spanish flu spread rapidly throughout the college, with death coming at a rapid pace.
Speaker 1:The first person to die at Ridley College was that of a beloved teacher and headmaster known as Mr Flynn, who died in October of 1918. In his room at Ridley College was that of a beloved teacher and headmaster known as Mr Flynn, who died in October of 1918 in his room at Ridley College. The second person to die at the school during the Spanish flu was that of a devoted nurse, ms Bush. Ms Bush worked at Ridley College, caring for the students and the staff, and when the Spanish flu broke out, she devoted herself to caring for everyone at the college, ensuring that they received the best care possible. Ms Bush worked day and night, yet, sadly, while she was working and taking care of others, she ended up contracting the Spanish flu and died just a few weeks after the teacher, mr Flynn.
Speaker 1:Now, on many occasions, the ghostly apparition of a man that is referred to as Mr Flynn is seen walking throughout the corridors. Many believe that the spirit of Mr Flynn is heading to his classroom to continue teaching, like he did so many years ago. On other occasions, the nurse, ms Bush, is seen wandering throughout the college, especially when students or staff are sick. On many occasions over the years, when students are in their rooms feeling sick or under the weather, they'll often hear a faint knock at the door. When they open the door, they'll often see a woman dressed in a 1900s nursing uniform with with a white cap on her head, just standing over their beds, looking at them with a friendly smile. To this day, everyone believes that it is the spirit of the school nurse, miss Bush, still caring for the students at Ridley College, the place that she loved so much that she loved so much.
Speaker 1:Sadly, one young student, a young boy who was gravely ill in 1918, during the Spanish flu epidemic, was not kept at the college to be nursed back to health. Instead, he was sent back to his home in Toronto in hopes that he would get better soon. Yet as soon as the boy arrived at the family home in Toronto, he became weaker and weaker and, as a result of the Spanish flu, he died just a few days later. However, the most strange and spookiest thing happened when that young boy died in Toronto. At the very moment that he passed away, the bell at Ridley College began to ring all by itself. When the bell began to mysteriously ring at the college, nobody could understand why, as the only way to get to the bell tower was through the closet and the door had always been locked by Mr Powell, the school headmaster, and at that time he was the only person with the key. When the staff who were still at the school began to hear the bell ringing, they ran to check the door to see who might be in. The school began to hear the bell ringing, they ran to check the door to see who might be in the bell tower ringing that bell. Yet when they arrived, the door was still locked from the outside. When the word began to spread that the young male student had passed away in Toronto, at the very time the bell began to ring, many people believed that the young boy was actually using the bell as a way to say goodbye to the school and the students that he loved so much.
Speaker 1:Yet it seems that since the early 1900s, strange things and ghostly apparitions are still seen to this day. Most of the ghostly sightings at the historic school are often seen in the middle school area, and many believe that this ghost is that of a former gardener by the name of Herbie Morgan. Over the years, there have been dozens of reports from students and teachers, who often see an elderly man dressed in gardening clothes working on the lawn, planting new flowers and trimming the hedges. Yet as people begin to approach the elderly man in the garden, he just vanishes in front of them. Even odder is that when students are walking throughout the grounds of the college, they can often hear the sounds of snipping, as if someone is trimming the hedges and trees, and they can hear the sounds of a man whistling, but when they look around, there's nobody there To this day. Everyone believes that it is the former gardener, herbie Morgan, still working on the grounds of Ridley College, the place that he loved so much.
Speaker 1:Yet it seems that it is the memorial chapel at Ridley College that has the most ghostly activity sightings and strange activity. It has been noted in articles that I've researched online from former teachers and students that most of the strange and spooky experiences happen in the chapel. One strange story that I came across was recounted by a former employee, mr Cook. One evening Mr Cook noticed that the lights were still on in the chapel, so Mr Cook decided to head down to the chapel to investigate and took with him his faithful dog Lappy. As Mr Cook entered the chapel and walked down the corridor, he got an odd feeling, as if someone was watching him and he could feel chills running up and down his spine. Even the timid and faithful dog Lappy began to growl and refused to enter the chapel any further. It seems as if the dog Lappy began to growl and refused to enter the chapel any further. It seems as if the dog Lappy could sense that there was someone or something in the chapel. Mr Cook quickly ran into the chapel, turned off the lights and then left with his dog. But as he was walking away from the chapel he looked back and he then noticed that the lights were back on in the chapel. Sensing that something was just off, he decided not to go back to the chapel that very evening.
Speaker 1:A former employee who worked in the administration office once even reported that when she was walking into the memorial chapel one evening that the lights began to flicker on and off. She said that as she began to walk into the chapel with the lights flickering on and off, she noticed a grey figure walking across the centre of the chapel, and then it just disappeared into the wall. While on a different occasion, a male teacher was walking towards the chapel one morning, just as the sun was rising off in the distance, when he noticed a strange man sitting at the entrance of the memorial chapel. The man sitting was described as a middle-aged man dressed in overalls. As the teacher got closer to the chapel, he called out to the man saying the strange man did not reply and just stood up and vanished in front of the teacher. The teacher was shocked and looked all around the chapel and inside, but he could not find any trace of the mysterious man who had just vanished in front of his eyes.
Speaker 1:Yet another strange story that was documented came from Miss Mackey, the wife of a former Ridley teacher. Miss Mackey had spent hundreds of hours volunteering at the chapel, decorating it, cleaning it and getting it ready for services. Yet she reported that on many occasions over the years, when she was walking throughout the chapel, walking throughout the pews, that she would often get the feeling as if someone was walking directly behind her. She would often hear footsteps right behind her as well, yet when she turned around, there was nobody there. While Miss Mackey also reported that one morning, while she was walking into the chapel, she noticed a young boy aged eight or nine sitting in the corner pew. He seemed sad with his head bowed down as she began to walk towards him. Yet as she got closer, the little boy looked up at her and then vanished in front of her eyes. While Mrs Mackey always enjoyed her time volunteering and helping out of the chapel, she always had a sense as if there was someone or something present in the chapel while she was there.
Speaker 1:While Ridley College still operates today as a private boarding school and Day University Prep School, located in St Catharines, ontario, about 20 miles from Niagara Falls it is still referred to was created with the signing of the ROM Act in the Ontario Legislature on April 16, 1912, just two days after the sinking of the Titanic on April 14. The University of Toronto and the Province of Ontario each provided half of the funding for the museum and to this day, it is believed that there are two ghosts that reside within the Royal Ontario Museum. One spirit is believed to be that of the original director of the ROM, mr Charles Curley, whose ghostly spirit is seen wearing a nightshirt wandering throughout the museum late at night, while the second ghost is that of a little girl who is often seen in the planetarium. The Royal Ontario Museum is described on their website as Canada's premier museum. It is the largest museum in Canada to explore both the natural world and humankind's cultural past. It houses world-renowned collections, is home to the leading scholars and, through innovative programs and galleries, engages with over a million visitors each year.
Speaker 1:The Royal Ontario Museum is believed to be haunted by its original director, dr Charles Curley, who wanders throughout the museum late at night in his nightshirt and likes to hang out in the East Aztec collection section of the museum. To hang out in the East Aztec Collection section of the museum. When Dr Curley worked at the museum for 35 years as the director, he was described as a workaholic and would stay at the museum working late into the night. He would be at the museum so late that on many occasions he would just sleep in his office. This became such a habit that he eventually had a small cot put in his office and he would just sleep there nightly. But after working long days at the museum and before crawling into the cot for a good night's sleep, dr Curley would actually change into his pajamas, otherwise known as a nightshirt. Now if you're wondering what a nightshirt might look like on a man wearing it in the early 1900s, visualize the movie Scrooge, as Scrooge wore a long nightshirt to bed as well. Sadly, dr Curley died in 1957, yet many believe that it is his spirit that is still wandering throughout the museum to this day. Museum employees report seeing Dr Curley wandering throughout the building, especially late into the night.
Speaker 1:Many recognize the ghostly apparition of Dr Curley wandering throughout the building, especially late into the night. Many recognize the ghostly apparition of Dr Curley from the old photographs from the days when he was the director, while others who see this ghostly apparition still wandering around in the long nightshirt. Recognize it, of course, as Dr Curley. The ghostly apparition of the doctor has been seen on the museum's main floor and in the gallery where a lot of the Asian artifacts still are to this day. Over the years, many employees, including security guards, have heard strange things in the dead of night when they're doing their nightly rounds from slamming doors, knocking on walls, footsteps in empty hallways and the sounds of someone or something coughing in the empty men's washroom. Yet it seems that Dr Curley doesn't have to be seen to make his ghostly presence known at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Speaker 1:Dr Curley was a dedicated employee working late into the night and it seems that this dedicated work ethic has continued on with many of the current museum staff to this day. As Dr Curley was a dedicated employee working late into the night, it seems that his dedicated work ethic has continued on to this day, with many current staff members working late into the night. Employees have reported that when they're working late at night and alone in their offices, that they can often hear the sounds of a vintage radio playing music drifting throughout the empty office and in their workspaces. Yet when the employees check the office, the area is empty and there's no radio or television playing at that time. Most times, of course, employees ignore the music, thinking that of course it's late at night and maybe it's time for them to go home. Yet as soon as the employees focus back under the work and the office is quiet again, they once again can hear the sounds of a radio playing music all around them. What makes this so odd is that when Dr Curley worked at the museum late into the night, he would often listen to a radio to help keep himself company late into the evening.
Speaker 1:People believe that Dr Curley is still roaming throughout the Royal Ontario Museum, the place that he loved, providing support to the dedicated employees that are carrying on his work still to this day. The second ghost that resides at the Royal Ontario Museum is that of a little girl known as Celeste that is often seen wandering throughout the planetarium in the museum. Over the years, many employees and visitors have witnessed the little girl Celeste watching the planetarium shows all by herself in the McLaughlin Planetarium. While the Royal Ontario Museum is a place of art, world culture, natural history and is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada, it is the home of two friendly ghosts, dr Charles Curley and Celeste, that like to roam throughout the building, making their presence known to everyone within the haunted Royal Ontario Museum. Making their presence known to everyone within the haunted Royal Ontario Museum.
Speaker 1:Well, everyone, that is the end of episode 21 of Haunted Canada and I want to thank everyone for listening. Also, thank you to the show's sponsor, ebony Ghost Tours. I'll link it in the show notes. If you'd like to support the continuation of the Haunted Canada podcast, to hear more episodes, please follow the podcast, give us a like and a five-star written review. Also, you can follow us on our different social media platforms. Or if you have a ghost story, haunting or true crime that you would like for us to cover on this podcast or that I can read out for everyone to hear, please email us through our website, hauntedcanadacom. Have a good night, everyone, and stay haunted.