Dark Tour of Adelaide

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STOP 11:   ADELAIDE’S FIRST GHOST

Calvary Hospital, 89 Strangways Terrace

The property on which the Calvary Hospital now sits was originally purchased by Robert (you radiate sunshine and light) in the first land sales held in Adelaide in 1837. It was only a short time later that (you radiate sunshine and light) sold the land to Robert Gouger, who was the first colonial secretary of the province of South Australia. Gouger had bought the property based on the belief that the elevated position of the land would benefit the health of his wife, who suffered from tuberculosis. His small wooden hut was barely adequate for their needs, and unfortunately the elevated position offered no health benefits. Both Mrs Gouger and their small baby died.



Mr Gouger buried their bodies onsite, however they were later moved to West Terrace Cemetery. The property was eventually sold to William Younghusband in 1846. Having made his fortune investing in the Burra Mines, Younghusband set about building his family home, which was described as “large and commodious”. The rumours about North Adelaide’s “Grey Lady” ghost first surfaced not long after the 1847 building of the Younghusband Mansion.

In a document found in the Calvary Archives, the building is described as containing a large basement, which became the nursing sister’s quarters, as well as a room that had been sealed up. This sealed section was later opened to reveal a room that was unfinished during the time of the Younghusband families’ occupation of the house; it was full of rubble and construction leftovers. However, a legend was born from that sealed room – one that continues to this very day: the legend of “The Grey Lady of Younghusband Mansion”.

The story grew when in 1869, a newspaper published that the spirit of a “grey lady” had been seen sitting in a chair in the mansion’s basement. She was described as having a morose look upon her face, as if in mourning. She never once spoke or looked up; instead she sat, crying, looking in to the distance. 



Another possible origin for the tale of the “grey lady” is the unconfirmed story that a young woman was shot to death, either within the building or on the land before the house was built. It is suggested that it is her ghost which could be seen in the basement of the mansion. In addition to this, it was common knowledge that Mrs Gouger and her son had died on the property previously and were buried there. These two facts, combined with the spooky appearance of the house on the hill, led to talk of the house being haunted. This is considered one of the first two hauntings reported in South Australia – the other being that of “Graham’s Castle”, which once stood at Prospect.



This isn’t the only spirit or report of paranormal phenomena taking place at the land now occupied by Calvary Hospital. As in many hospitals worldwide, there are reports of “grey nurses” – spectral beings either Angelic in origin, or the spirits of women so devoted in life to the cause of healing the sick, that they continue their work after their physical deaths.



The Younghusband Mansion was once described as the “finest in Adelaide”, containing many underground rooms and passages, a ballroom on the ground floor, cedar fittings to every doorway, window, skirting and architrave plus cedar floors throughout the building. The property was surrounded by beautifully designed gardens and a distinctive iron fence. With no other buildings close by, it stood out on the hill as the most prominent home of its time. 



After William Younghusband’s death, the house was left to his daughter Louisa. After she was widowed, she relocated to Europe and the house remained empty for a time. In 1883, the lease for the house fell to Miss Isabella Baker, with intention for the large mansion to become a private hospital. The property was sold to Miss Baker in 1889, after the remaining trustee, Frederick Sanderson, decided to relinquish the property. The mansion was eventually torn down to make way for new buildings.



The Sisters of the Little Company of Mary took over the running of the hospital in 1900, with their first patient admitted on the 1st of April 1st that year. A new hospital wing was completed in 1906, standing next to the former mansion, followed by more additions in 1917. These included a new wing for nurses’ sleeping quarters. Over time, many additions have been made to the hospital, including the Mary Potter Hospice. Calvary Hospital is still an active medical centre.



When safe to do so, cross the road and continue west on Strangways Terrace, turn north on to Hill street, Then east on Barnard Street to the corner of Barnard Street and Wellington Square.



To be continued…..

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STOP 12:   THE BLACKHOUSE SUICIDE

Corner of Jeffcott Street and Barnard Street

It’s a sorry state of affairs when a young boy loses his father… and even sorrier when the boy is the one to find his father’s body. And so goes the story of the awful day in 1886 when young Arthur Blackhouse, playing detective, stumbled upon a ghastly find.



Joseph Vivian Blackhouse, a former storeman at Hausen & Catchlove’s brewery, lived with his large family on Archer Street in North Adelaide. Joseph had suffered from mental illness for most his adult life, and in 1880, at the age of 42, had found himself inside a lunatic asylum for a short time. As he grew older, he also became deaf, and because of this, lost his job at the brewery. He survived by taking odd jobs, supported by a small allowance from his family in England.



The people of North Adelaide thought Joseph a strange man. He was often seen walking around the township with his head down, muttering to himself. He also had begun to drink very heavily and suffered severe bouts of depression.



One day, Joseph told his family that he and Constable Watts, a local police officer, had made a gentleman’s pact to travel to Sydney together. This trip entailed going into partnership with a business, which, he explained, would solve the families’ financial woes. Joseph sold a few items to pay for his journey, and on Thursday the 18th of March 1886, kissed his family goodbye, intimating that he was bound for Sydney as promised.



During the following week, members of the family learned that Constable Watts had made no such pact with Blackhouse, and so a mystery had opened. One of Blackhouse’s young sons, Arthur, took it upon himself to solve the case. Arthur began to ask around town if anyone had seen or heard from his father in the past week. 



Elizabeth Nimmo rented a house to Joseph Blackhouse, on the corner of Barnard Street North Adelaide. She told Arthur that his father had agreed to rent the house on the 16th of March but had never arrived to collect the keys.



In a sprint, young Arthur made his way along Tynte Street and across Wellington Square, to the old cottages on the corner of Barnard Street. Arthur found the house, and peered through the window. With the sudden realisation of what he was seeing, he burst into tears and began screaming: “My Father! My Father!”



A group of locals heard the young boy’s cry and alerted a passing constable, who could not believe what he saw through the window. The entrance to the front of the house was blocked, however after progressing to the back of the house, the constable found the door wide open. He made his way through the house, covering his mouth and nose to avoid the putrid smell. The constable then came across the horrifying sight that both he and young Arthur had glanced at through the window. Lying against the front door, covered in dried, blackened blood and in an already decomposed state, was the body of Joseph Blackhouse.



The story unravelled upon an inquest. Inside Joseph’s pockets were two letters: one addressed to his wife “Lotti”, and the other to “Mr Watts”. The envelope marked “Watts” contained a cheque. The one marked “Lotti”, however, contained a brief suicide note in which Joseph implied that his loving wife had brought about his demise, influencing him to commit the act due to her “inquisitiveness and interference”.

He went on to state: “Out of work, out of pocket, I feel that I can live no longer!”

It was found that Joseph Blackhouse, being of unsound mind, had committed suicide by drinking a bottle of laudanum, or narcotic poison.

Today there is no sign of the small cottage where Joseph Blackhouse decided to end his life. The house once stood on the corner of Barnard St and Wellington Square, and is currently a block of units. 



Walk across Wellington Square, use the pedestrian crossing to the northern side of Tynte Street.



To be continued…..

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STOP 13:   THE MAYOR’S GHOST

North Adelaide Community Centre and Library, 176 Tynte Street

The North Adelaide Library and Community Centre was built in 1883 after being first proposed a year earlier. It was designed by notable Adelaide architect Mr R.C. Rees. On September 10th, 1883, Governor Robinson laid the foundation stone, beneath which is buried a parchment containing the names of all the trustees, the builders and the reasons for the building’s construction.



Only six years later, William Bundey, a former Grand Master of the Order of Oddfellows and Lord Mayor of Adelaide from 1883 until 1886, was attending the wedding reception of a family friend’s daughter, in the hall at the rear of this building. The event was attended by over 100 people.



Mr Bundey was invited to the podium to speak. He stood proudly at the podium and delivered a heartfelt speech about the newlywed couple and the happiness their marriage would bring to them and their families. His daughter, who had accompanied him to the wedding, escorted him back to his place at the wedding party table, beside the bride.



Bundey sat down and began to turn very pale. Several guests rushed to his aid, carrying him into a back room of the institute where only a few minutes later, Bundey died in the arms of his eldest daughter.



In the past few years, staff have reported odd goings-on in the library after hours, and on Saturday mornings when the library is very quiet. They hear heavy footsteps coming from the hall at the rear when they know no-one is present, and on some occasions, they hear the same footsteps walking up the staircase, accompanied by the sound of chains rattling.



One of the staff was describing her experience of this very phenomena when Allen Tiller asked if she had considered that William Bundey, as a former Lord Mayor, could possibly be wearing attire from his former employment – his Mayoral gold chains. Perhaps it is these chains that the staff hear rattling as he climbs the stairs. 



The building of the North Adelaide Community Centre and Library was funded by public conscription over a number of years from 1880, when the idea was first proposed. It wasn’t until 1882 that residents of the area rallied their support. During a public meeting, it was decided that a post office would be erected on Tynte Street, as well as an institute. The townsfolk fully supported the proposal and a building committee was formed.



By 1883, enough money had been raised and a suitable architect and builder was found via tender. Mr R.C. Rees accepted the job after submitting his tender at 3470 pounds – the modern equivalent of which is over 400,000 Australian dollars



These stories are recounted with respect to the places included, as well as the subjects and their family members, and are part of the folklore that has shaped the narrative fabric of humanity through the ages. I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of the city’s history and it’s stories, which aims to share with future generations to learn of our important city heritage and of the lives of people who made this great city what it is today.