The Goul of Somerset Place Melbourne

[KANACKI]

Melbourne  a modern and bright city rising above the dark forgotten streets and lanes of old Melbourne has its fair share of ghosts. There has been stories of drunk patrons, cashed up young miners, cattlemen, and local gentlemen of the city of various trades and professions. Engaged into after the final pub closes, to wandering Swanston St until they find a suitable prostitute to hire.

And much dubious to  their luck standing under a gas street light outside Young & Jackson Hotel is a gorgeous street walker who raises her pink parasol to show she’s open for business. But as they drunkenly stumble closer and she began  looks a little older than they first thought. Get a few yards closer still, and the girl looks two decades older, and not very appealing. Then, when get up close to their horror, the skin is peeling off her face. The woman then pulls down her dress to reveal a gaping cut across her throat from ear to ear. And then, she lets out a deafening scream just before the cursed spectre vanishes.

 The story of ghoul that stalks the dark streets of Melbourne dark side has been told and retold over many years, by many somewhat embarrassed men that have encountered her. Many have associated the ghost with Jackson and Young Hotel once called the Princess Bridge Hotel. However the ghost the prostitute has been encountered in many the CBD lane ways. One such place is Somerset Place.

 Although some have claimed the ghost could be that of Chloe, whose painting is displayed in the Young & Jackson Hotel’s upstairs bar, the model was unlikely to have been a prostitute.“Chloe, in the painting, was actually a French uni student of Arabic origins  who did life modelling until her timely death from suicide. Her story is also some what sad as she fell desperately secretly in love with the French artist who painted her. However the artist fell in love with her younger sister also a model. And on finding out the artist and her younger sister  was betrothed Chloe went into kitchen and took poison.

Since 1909 the painting has been exhibited at the  Young & Jackson Hotel as monument to the tragedy of lost love. The painting has been toasted to by thousands of diggers who went to their deaths in WW1,WW2 and other conflicts who themselves left their loves of their lives behind. The aircraft carrier Melbourne even had her as a mascot for a time. She has become a Melbourne Icon. However she is not the ghost of the prostitute who haunts the dark alleys of old Melbourne.

So who was and what was her story?

To be continued...

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

In my search for answers to the identity of this mysterious spectre I needed to understand the  era and driving forces of society back in the late 19th century?

History tends to record the life of rich famous and powerful. But very little of the everyday people. The average lot of the everyday person of the working class was of grinding poverty and day to day existence. Melbourne in late 1880's was just ending a 30 year boom. A series of banking collapses in 1890's, together with falling wool and gold prices brought on a recession that technically spelt the end of the Victorian gold boom. High inflation had taken its toll on society.

Many of miners past worked for themselves now had to form companies. And the miners themselves became employee wage earners themselves, in 20 odd years all productive mines was company owned and  consolidated by a few wealthy capitalists. Many smaller farms subdivided and changing technology reduced demand for labour in the countryside driving thousands to city to look for work. The city itself was flooded with hopefuls all looking for the Australia dream from all over the world. The growth of Melbourne grew astronomically after 1851. And now in Melbourne in its growing pains was outgrowing itself.

2 story wooden houses built in 1860 was being torn down for brick 4-5 stories tenement in central districts of Melbourne. It was in effect one of Australians first housing booms. The prices of houses went so high that majority of people could not afford to buy their own home in Melbourne and was renting tenement houses to survive. (strangely reminiscent of current housing boom in some capital cities we are experiencing at the moment?) With wages being driven down because ample supply of willing and cheap labour because of the pressures to survive. Over crowded inner Melbourne suburbs rapidly became slums and tenements was subdivided many times to accommodate the masses.

With this overcrowding came all the problems and social ills. Melbourne had a pub, almost on every corner and cheap boarding hotels designed for a transient gold rush population. In the city it was not uncommon for  boarding houses to have 2 -3 people sharing a room.  Total strangers may have been sharing the same room. This as you could imagine could been the reason for more than its fair share of fights and even some murders. Alcoholism was rife, wife beating and other domestic violence was common. And life in general was struggle for everyday survival as the crime rate soared.

The great Australian dream for many had become a nightmare. Ironic to think Cocaine and Heroine at the time could be legally purchased at the corner store adding to the misery poverty and destitution of the masses at best condemned to a life of servitude to the wealthy. By the 1890's Australia was in recession that for some did improve until about 1900. It was in this chaotic era I began searching for this mysterious mistress of the night, the alleged ghost that haunts the back alleys of old Melbourne.

So began my journey in search of her....I had a few clues. The most logical one was to search the era most fashionable to have parasols? Sadly this was not much help but it did narrow down the later decades from the 1870,s to about 1900. Finally we knew from the story the ghost was prostitute and her throat was cut. Thus I began to search through old newspapers and archive records of those eras.

To be continued ....

Kanacki.

[KANACKI]

Searching through death  records and old newspapers. There was strange enough not many cases of prostitutes in Melbourne having their throats cut. Alarmingly there was many suicides of entire families and husbands murdering their wives by cutting ones throat. The art of throat cutting became popular from the 1880's onwards to the end  of the 1920's. Where poisoning became a more popular preferred method of murder.

However I did find one case dating back to 1889. The More I researched her life the more pieces fell into the puzzle.

To be continued...

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

On the 20th of July 1889 a landlord that had not revived rent from a tenant was in the process of evicting the tenant when he got suspicious and called two policemen. Who in turned used a small boy to unlock the door of two room wooden tenement in Somerset Place North Calton now today Melborne after later boundary changes.

The boy found the body of women on the bed. Police entered and discovered the women had been murdered and her throat had been cut from ear to ear. They found a wedding ring on the floor, a pool of blood and he marriage certificate on a table in another room.

Her name was Ann Thronton. She was apparently known to police for engaging in prostitution around various pubs. Some do not exist today like the Flower, The princes bridge hotel and the Druid. However the Jackson and young hotel today was the Princes Bridge Hotel back then. She went by other alias such as "Ann Wilson" and used her maiden name "Ann Gorry." Her brother was a well known  jockey who came third in the Melbourne cup in 1888.

How did her life come to this? What happened to her and what was her story?

Was she the ghost who haunts the streets of old Melbourne?

I had to know more?

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

The more I searched the more I discovered of  this fem-me fatal . Life for women in the later half of 19th century was hard one. Stereo typed by a rigorous Victorian class system. Where ones station in life your not expected to better ones self. Womens emancipation and right to vote was still decades away. If you were born a servant you was expected to die one. I can imagine how claustrophobic society would of been back then?

For Ann the marriage to her husband was reading between the lines not a happy one. Was he the murderer of his way wood wife? A first he would seem the most likely suspect? Many women were locked into abusive relationships at the time where it common for men to beat there wives and was generally accepted in society. The life of relationships deteriorated with the economy as a culture of more men drank heavily at the number of bars that spread about the city. Alcoholism was common and what money was available was often spent at bar at the expense of the family. Poverty and violence went hand in hand, with a life time of hard struggle. Such was the dream of many who came to gold rush seeking a better life fell into a world no different from where they came from.

It was in this era many women some abused by domestic violence, poverty eventually turned to prostitution as a means of survival.  was Ann one of these unfortunate souls forced by circumstance?

It is easy to build up through history a false picture of a person as we can only ever obtain so much of persons profile. Ann was still quite a beautiful women that regretted her marriage to a common black smith? Perhaps she pigeon holed in society by the class system of Victorian era wanted more?

And perhaps this desire to be some thing more set the scene for her eventual murder?


to be continued.

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

In all assumptions it was supposed the murderer pinned down the victim on the bed with his knees before slashing her throat. as this illustration shows below.


Ann Thornton's husband Henry had gone to Ballarat to work. It at first all too easy to suspect a drunken jealousy husband murdering his wife. But it was not the case as the following newspaper story reports on a court case of the real murderer. A cook from a nearby hotel.

The following newspaper story below. The Argus Melbourne 20th of August 1889  gives a insight into her life and death

At the Criminal Court yesterday, before Mr Justice Williams, Filipo Cartin Castillo,   a coloured man, was placed in the dock charged with the wilful murder of the woman Annie Thornton, whose dead body was found on the 17th of July, in her house, at No. 8 Somerset-place, Carlton. Mr Walsh prose-cuter on behalf of the Crown, and the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty, was defended by Mr. Forlonge. 

Mr. WALSH, in opening the case for the Crown, detailed the history of the murdered woman, and the relations which subsisted between her and her husband, and between her and other men. It would be shown that she was murdered on the night of the 8th of July at about 10 minutes to 11. In Janu- ary last the husband came down from Ballarat and stayed with his wife. He had   previously quarrelled with her, but on his return a reconciliation took place. He lived with her until about the last day of May. During the time he was living with her she removed to the house in which she was sub- sequently murdered, No. 8 Somerset-place,   Drummond street, Carlton. A man named Middleton afterwards lived with the woman for some weeks. It would be shown that the   woman was murdered at about 10 minutes to 11 on the night of the 8th ult. At that time she was known to be on intimate terms with the prisoner and he was the last person seen in her company on the night in question, hav- ing been seen to go to Carlton with   her on a tram after leaving the Druids'   Hotel, in Russell-street. A woman   named Mrs Kennedy, who lived near the house occupied by the deceased, was going home at about half-past 10 on the evening   of the 8th ult., when she saw the figure of a woman, apparently letting herself into the house. Subsequently Mrs. Kennedy, while going to fetch some beer, heard a frightful scream issuing from the house of the deceased. The scream sounded as if it were muffled, and then ceased. When Mrs. Kennedy came back all was quiet. Till the evening of the 17th of July nothing was seen of Mrs. Thornton, when a policeman and a boy entered the house, and found her lying on the floor with her throat cut. On the Sunday following the discovery of the body the police went to Antonio's Hotel, in Flinders-street, where the prisoner was     employed as a cook, and arrested him in connection with the murder, having traced a quantity of jewellery which had be- longed to Mrs. Thornton to his possession. On     the evening of the 8th ult. the prisoner drew £4 from his master as wages and went out,   returning on the following day at 5 a.m., not   

having occupied his bed during the night.   He explained that some bruises which he exhibited were the result of a quarrel which he had got into at Port Melbourne. Next day he said he did not feel well, and went out on a holiday. It would be shown that he had a considerable sum of money in his possession at this time, which he spent in dissipation, and he also made presents of jewellery to different women. Mrs. Thornton   had been in the habit of carrying from £15 to £20 about with her in order to bail herself out whenever she was arrested for vagrancy or insulting behaviour. When arrested the prisoner had in his possession articles of jewellery which had belonged to the murdered woman, and portions of his clothing were stained with blood. The prisoner, when first arrested and shown a photograph of the deceased, denied all knowledge of her, but afterwards acknowledged that he had killed her after she had struck him first. He said he had done the deed with a pocket knife which was found in his room, but the wound was not of a nature to be caused by such a small knife. The prisoner was known to possess a large sheath knife, which had not been seen since the discovery of the woman's   body. No money was found in the woman's   house, except one threepenny piece, and there could not be a shadow of doubt that the prisoner had deliberately murdered the woman, and afterwards robbed her.

Henry Thornton, a labourer, residing at Ballarat, deposed that the deceased was his wife. She was in the habit of carrying from     £10 to £20 about with her, rolled up in her dress. The jewellery produced, which had been traced to the possession of the prisoner, was the property of his wife to the best of his belief. He could swear to a silver locket with the name of "Maggie O'Neil" engraved   upon it. The purse produced was similar in every respect to the one possessed by his

wife.

Robert Middleton, a laborer, residing at   Collingwood, recognised the photograph pro- duced as the portrait of a woman whom he had known for about three years under the name of Annie Thornton, alias Wilson, alias Gorry. He had lived with her a little over two months ago for a period of two weeks and four days, when he left her owing to a quarrel. The collar produced, which was found in the woman's house, did not belong   to him, he never wore collars.

Cross-examined by Mr. Forlonge.—Witness           admitted that he was the cause of the rup- ture between Thornton and his wife. She used to keep liquor on the premises and occasionally he and the deceased woman drank it to excess.

Constable Hugh Taylor, watchhouse-keeper   of Little Lonsdale street, said he knew the     murdered woman. She had been locked up   in April last for insulting behaviour, and had   bailed herself out with £10 which she took from the bosom of her dress. She was in the habit of carrying a sum of money for the purpose.

Elizabeth Buchanan, residing in Davis's-   lane, off Little Lonsdale-street, said that the   deceased woman came to her house in com- pany with a small dark man and another woman named Ellis, on the night of the 8th   of July. The same man had frequently come   to the house before in company with Mrs. Thornton. 

Mary Anne Ellis identified the prisoner as the man with whom she had been in com- pany, together with Mrs. Thornton, on the night of July 8. She went with the prisoner and the murdered woman to the Druids' Hotel, Russell-street, after which the prisoner   and the deceased went off together on a tram to Carlton.

Louisa Kennedy a married woman, whose husband is employed at the Melbourne General Cemetery, said that she resided in Somerset-place, near the house of the deceased woman. She came back to her own     house on the evening of the 8th ult., and saw a figure, clothed in a long coat, apparently looking through the keyhole of the deceased's house. She had occasion to leave her own house at about 20 minutes to 11 for some beer, and when close to the top of the lane she heard screams, which immediately became muffled and then ceased entirely, issuing from the back bedroom of the house occupied by the deceased. On her return all was quiet. There was no light in the house. On the morning of the 9th ult. the blinds of the house were not drawn up, and remained down until the body was discovered.

Constable Kentfield deposed to having discovered the body on the evening of the 17th.

Professor H. B. Allen deposed that he had made an examination of the body of the woman Thornton. He described the wounds on the neck of the deceased, and stated that in his opinion they were inflicted with a long sharp knife, and not the pocketknife produced.

Detective Considine gave particulars of the arrest of the prisoner. When he was in custody the prisoner said to him, "I will tell   no more lies. She hit me. Then I stabbed her, and cut her throat. I am sorry for it".

In the woman's house in Carlton, witness  found a sock saturated with blood. He washed it himself, and found that it corresponded exactly with another sock found in the prisoner's box.

Evidence was given by a number of women, who proved that the prisoner had presented them with money and jewellery after the date of the murder. The case was then adjourned until today.

To be continued

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

In the following newspaper Camperdown Chronicle 17th September 1889 article tells of the execution of murderer. Filipo Cartin Castillo

Who calmly resigned to his fate, went to to gallows and went through his last rights slightly trembling at the gallows met his maker.

To be continued...


Kanacki

[KANACKI]

It would not be hard to imagine as Ann Was murdered. Her trouble spirit floated over her dead body realizing her throat had been cut. Some how in her mind perhaps to get help as he body lay on bed of locked up house for 9 days as it decomposed that she try to get help. Perhaps in some cruel way her ghost still haunts the lane ways after her death to tell her story?

Old Melbourne has change vastly since her time. Her murderer hung at Melbourne jail. Her home at Somerset place was torn down and replaced with 3 story tenement building in 1900 which is still at the site today. The street can still be visited. The Flower Hotel, Antonio Hotel, The Druid hotel are all consigned to History.

Ironic to think her story would of be lost to history if it was not for the stories of an alleged ghost that haunts the old alley ways of old Melbourne and the Young and Jackson hotel.

to be continued....


Kanacki

[GaryTheDemon]

Amazing research there!

[KANACKI]

Thanks Garry.

In the course of my research on her I discovered a lot about her and her family. Her father Joseph Gorry was no angel either. However they were a product of their time and circumstances. Joseph Gorry was one of those hopefuls that came to gold rush only to find poverty and failure. By 1854 many gold miners was drifting back to their former occupations because most of easy surface gold had already been recovered in the last 3 years.

By 1854 the young Joseph Gorry drifted back to his old occupation as a butcher. He opened up a butchers shop in a small hamlet servicing miners still looking for gold at the Lamplough gold field about 6 km from Avoca. Today the site of village does not exist. Back then it had two pubs, a school and even a theater. In 1970 road widen project tore down the old buildings . The only building still existing is the old school house now surrounded by a car wrecking yard in the picture below.

However business was not good as miners drifted away to more prosperous gold fields. He ended up getting involved in sheep stealing selling the meat. He was in debt and eventually forced to liquidate. Such was the fortunes of many who came to the gold rush.

During this time his then wife Lavina had a child Lavina Jane Gorry in 1858. But sickness and disease was prevalent during the gold rush era and the child after year died in 1858. In 1859 perhaps from heartbreak of losing her baby Lavina died. Joseph Gorry now a widow with several run ins with the law spent the next couple of year opening up butcher shops only close in debts and being involved in petty thefts,  around Geelong and Ballarat. We know this from newspaper articles on his bankruptcies and involvement in cattle, pig, sheep stealing, 1n 1854, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1867, 1868.

In 1861 he remarried a women by the name of Charlotte Marria Smith. Annie their daughter was born in 1862 in Cowes on Phillip Island. However old habits died hard for Joseph Gorry as the family were back in Geelong and after another failure moved back to Ballarat in around 1868. Strange enough what happened to Ann's Mother by then is a mystery as there is no death record of her. We can only speculate if there was an abusive relation ship between father and daughter.

You can see from what we know Ann's young life was beset from fleeing one failure to another. By 1881 she had met a young Henry Thronton from Ballarat often described as a blacksmith or laborer and married him in 1882. And set out for a new life in Melbourne where there relationship went sour after 7 years. Reading between the lines Ann never had a intention to return to Ballarat even when it could of possibly saved her relationship with Henry after 7 years of Marriage.

Reading through old newspapers it is clear that Ann had many of her father traits of being independently minded, indifferent to police and some what of  loose moral character. In a world where opportunities for a independent minded women was bleak. Prostitution became only recourse for some sort of financial independence.

Early on in the police investigation Ann's murder her  estranged husband claimed he was sporting her. in which we can only rely on his alleged claims. Searching through records it appears he never remarried and died-in Ballarat in 1923. Prostitution it seems was already part of Ann's life before her husband had parted.

And so, the world in which prostitutes live is a dangerous one and Ann paid the ultimate price. The story of her ghost haunting real or not is a timely reminder in era not so different than in the era she lived of economic decline with more and more living pressures.

Her story, her fathers story was just one of many stories of struggle and failure on the rocky road of life. A story not just of her generation or era but a universal one in similar stories and situations today. A stark reminder to all of us on our own rocky road of life how horrible things can go in life. Where dreams and aspirations can become broken and life can be a dangerous gamble of survival.

The following song is tribute to her and all of those women who have suffered from broken dreams on the  rocky road of life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX8M3vD_ONI

Kanacki

[Colleen]

Fantastic reading. Great research. Life was just so very tough for a lot of people.

[KANACKI]

Thank you Colleen . Life was indeed a hard grind back then. None of time saving appliances we have today.

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

The amazing thing is the street where this terrible murder took place still exists.

Kanacki

[Christine]

Amazing amazing!! Amazing! I won't ever look at the place the same way again!

[KANACKI]

Hello Christine I am happy you have enjoyed the story.

I too will never look at the back streets of Melbourne again with the same Eyes. As Ann Thronton's story in life as well as in death was a powerful one wanting to be told.

Kanacki