Martindale Hall Ghosts SA

[KANACKI]

What is it about old manor house that the grander they are the more haunted they are? I Suppose what's a manor house without a ghost or two? Looking like a house from 19th century England this masterpiece of 19th century architectural designed Australian country manor is out  in the middle of nowhere.

 Martindale Hall was built in 1879 for the 21-year-old son of deceased pastoralist Sir Edmund Bowman, who promptly squandered his fathers wealth preferring to play cricket than manage his late fathers empire and set up a cricket oval on the grounds and sent his father's booming estate into debt and financial ruin.

The house and estate were later sold to the Mortlock family, which eventually bequeathed it to the University of Adelaide. It was used in Picnic at Hanging Rock – the 1975 film, for most of the film's interior shots.

These days, it's the Martindale Hall Conservation Park, a museum that offers overnight stays, dinners, and group murder-mystery nights. I wonder what these allege ghost of a by gone era think of these modern coming and goings? The ghosts, allegedly a man has reportedly been seen sitting on the stairs wearing clothes from a bygone era. Was it the ghost of Sir Edmund Bowmen ruing the day he had left his fortune and estate to his son? Or perhaps the son now a lost soul from his miss deeds? But its not the only alleged ghost to haunt this rambling mansion?

A guest reportedly once woke up and found a child in bed with her. And the owner once woke to see a child standing in her room, possibly Valentine Mortlock, who died in 1906, aged nine. The owner reassures people all the ghosts at Martindale Hall are however friendly all be it a little unnerving when encountered.
Is there any truth to these stories? I let you be the Judge. If the ghosts are real or not are helping to preserve this architectural wonder of our past? Then may they long go on haunting....

[KANACKI]

And what of the people whose history is connected to the hall? It must of been a Massive disappointment for Edmund Bowman Sr  pictured on the horse Below to have his son Edmund Donant Bowman Jr (The child pictured below to squander the family fortune. I wonder the matriarch Annie Bowman of the family felt to see her son fail so miserably.

Ironic to think of the old saying "It takes one generation to make wealth and the next to waste it? Could the ghost of the man sighted on the stairs be of the father or the Son?

To be continued...

Kanacki

[Christine]

Great movie. I loved the interior of the house in it. Edmund had very long hair...

[KANACKI]

Hello Christine

I loved the movie sound track, very haunting.... As yes well spotted he does have long hair. I wonder if that was the fashion for young children back then?

Kanacki

[Christine]

I wondered that too. It seems rather girly though.

[KANACKI]

I have a photograph of him and  his younger sisters Eunice and Vera posted below.

Notice girls baby bonnets which must of been the height of fashion of the day?


Kanacki

[Christine]

Goodness, they are like little dolls!

[KANACKI]

Records do show Valentine Mortlock, died there in 1906 actually aged 7 and 11 months. So indeed perhaps Valentine was haunting the house.

Here is picture below of the haunted bedroom.

Here is a Photo of Valentine Mortlock as  a baby.

Newspaper story of the death of Valentine in The Advertiser 11th Jan 1906

Kanacki

[Colleen]

I would love to go there.

[KANACKI]

Hello Colleen

I am not sure I think they have history tours there every now and again?

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Greeting all here is another ghost story associated with Martindale Hall .

Headless found another story associated with grand old building.

Published by Recorder Port Pirie, SA Sat 12 Sep 1931 reported the following story.

One does not, however, expect to hear of spooky experiences in Australia, but I well remember listening to a weird yarn recounted with great seriousness by a traveller in the commercial room of a modern hotel. He stated that one night he was driving home with his wife and little ones to a rather large house they were then occupying in Mintaro, and when he got to the gate he noticed that every window in the place seemed to be blazing with light.

He knew the place had been securely locked up before they went away, and at first he was filled with
astonishment, a feeling that was steadily succeeded by a fearsome dread of the unknown and supernatural which literally made his hair stand on end and his flesh creep with horror. He turned the horse and drove back to a neighbour’s about a mile away, and when he arrived there questions were asked regarding his obvious agitation.

to be continued......

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

On being informed of the mysterious lights, his friends told him they were not surprised, for a local legend credited the big house with being haunted, the result of a mysterious crime committed many years before, and many other people had, they stated, witnessed uncanny manifestations there. The man responsible for this remarkable recital stated that , he shortly afterwards had a breakdown in health, which the doctor who attended him diagnosed as the result of shock, the effect of which had been a displacement of the heart. He assured his headers with marked solemnity that the experience of that night would never be effaced from his memory.


Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Martindale hall is awesome place to visit.

Kanacki