Author Topic: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW  (Read 809 times)

Offline KANACKI

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Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« on: June 01, 2022, 10:03:30 PM »
Ah its a cold windy night to be tell ghost stories. So garb a warm brew and sit by the fireplace of lost ghost stories. Its hard to think some stories of hauntings disappear through the generations forgotten or half forgotten. Even still old Kanacki is amazed when such a story pops from almost nowhere? Yet such stories hidden and forgotten gems of folklore do get discovered  through persistent  searching for these stories. However I cannot credit today's yarn to myself as it was not so?

Headless has be working tirelessly through old newspaper stories and found the following story. In fact it was one perhaps of many I have missed so a big pat on the back to Headless for an amazing discovery. Some stories there is some times just not enough information to really identified anymore then the story as told. The following story intrigued me so to point I have the time today to go through papers, obituaries, documents from universities to Have a Wow! Wow! Wow! moment. And it is all thanks to Headless.

But First of all my friends around the fireplace of lost ghost stories enjoy a swig of favorite brew coffee or tea and enjoy the following story.

To be continued......

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2022, 10:06:45 PM »
Published by Sunday Times newspaper  Sydney, NSW. Sun 25 Aug 1901, reported the following ghost story that was found by Headless.

What I am about to relate is quite fresh in my memory. In 1892 we occupied a cottage in Surry Hills containing seven rooms and an attic. It was very old, and, strange to say, whenever I entered the door, I immediately felt depressed, and the uncanny sounds which I heard at times often mystified me. Even in the dead of night strains of music could be heard, and a noise like someone tapping the floor. A friend of mine called one day when I was out, and she declared she heard somebody playing and singing inside.

As there was a splendid view from the attic window I often stood there, but never without the feeling that some one was near me. One day, when alone, and the people next door were all at a picnic, I was singing 'The Lost Chord,' and I distinctly heard a deep, rich voice join in. I stopped suddenly, but the voice still kept on. A few minutes later an awful cold shiver ran through me as something flitted past.

To be continued......

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2022, 10:08:19 PM »
The same evening a boy of twelve came down from the country to stay with us. He knew nothing whatsoever about the noises I had heard. At 10 o'clock we each retired to our rooms, and the boy to the attic.

During the night, I dreamt that I crept on tip-toe up the stairs and peeped in the open door, and, to my great surprise, I saw the figure of a man sitting by the bedside of the boy and looking at him. He wore a peaked cap, with gilt buttons on the front. He had such a ghastly appearance, and such a strange light hovered round him, that I fairly leapt down the stairs with fright. Of course, I woke up feeling terribly uneasy. However, I resolved not to mention my dream to anyone until after breakfast, because most people feel more inclined to listen to you then.

We were gathered round the table, when the boy suddenly exclaimed to my father:

“What do you think ? Last night I woke up as somebody in the room was singing. There was such a funny light all round. I sat up, and I saw a man sitting on the chair watching me. He wore a cap with brass buttons. I sang out ‘Hello' then he cleared, chair and all. I'll take my oath it was a ghost.”

I asked: “Were you frightened?”  “No,” he replied; “but I don't want to see him again. I got out of bed to see if the window was fastened. It was all right.”

To be continued.....

Kanacki

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2022, 10:10:43 PM »
The lad was healthy and strong, and not given to romancing. Then I told my dream, which corresponded exactly, and everyone admitted, it was very strange that I should dream of a ghost, and the boy should see one.

Later on I went upstairs and tapped the walls to see if I could find any hollow parts, but they were quite firm. In a few place's where the wainscot was wide enough I pushed a flat stick underneath; and raked out several little things, such as pins, buttons, scraps of paper, and a half-sheet of music, crumpled up, very old and discoloured. I tried it on the piano, but it was weird, so I burnt it.

A shop at the corner of the street was next to us, only divided by a big garden. During the day I made it my business to ask the man who had lived there many years, a few questions concerning the cottage. He informed me that it was very old, and the people who occupied it when he first opened his shop were foreigners, and that a musician rented the attic, and died there.

Several parties, to his knowledge, had been in and out since them. Of course, I naturally pictured to myself some poor struggling musician, ekeing out his existence in an attic, perhaps unknown, and uncared for. A week later we quitted the cottage, and left the ghost alone in its glory.

To be continued.....

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2022, 10:20:41 PM »
Once again Old Kanacki thanks headless for the story. some times in these newspaper stories it hard to know the fact from the fiction? Was there really a ghost of musician haunting a cottage in Surry Hills? If show what was the name of this ghost who was he? Does the house in Question still exists?

But how do we find out who this dead man was who was believed to be a ghost and which house did he haunt?

Well on a cold windy day where I had the liberty of the warmth of my house. A cup of tea and some hours to kill I believe I hound him and the place he had haunted?

To be continued.....

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2022, 10:34:32 PM »
First of all my friends and lovers of lost ghost stories is to look at the story headless found and find out the key points. First of all we know "the haunted house is in Surry hills?" Second "the cottage had 3 stories including the attic." The alleged ghost "wore a cap with brass buttons." Another version "He wore a peaked cap, with gilt buttons on the front?" Another clue was "A shop at the corner of the street was next to us, only divided by a big garden?" And finally "he was musician?"

All of these clues was mind candy for old Kanacki.....

How do we find a phantom?

Well its called process of elimination. But first we needed to find a name?

To be continued....

Kanacki

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2022, 11:13:31 PM »
So drink up your favorite brew I shall continue. First we had to check for murders, suicides and obituaries  in old news papers before 1892?

He had to be male, died before 1892 and was musician, and lived in Surry Hills in a house that had a yard in between and a shop on the corner, 3 stories, the third floor had an attic window and wore a uniform with a cap brass buttons?

Quite criteria as you could imagine? While over years before 1891 there was many deaths of people in Surry Hills, but only one fits all the criteria?

And his name is........

To be continued.......

Kanacki


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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2022, 12:05:38 AM »
His name is George Vincent. VINCENT.—At his residence, No. 2, Edgeley-street, Surry Hills, Mr. George Vincent, musician, aged 87 years.

This was reported in Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 3 October 1885, page 756

However you can never trust newspaper 100 percent because a typo kicks in. But it matches the story below.

During the day I made it my business to ask the man who had lived there many years, a few questions concerning the cottage. He informed me that it was very old, and the people who occupied it when he first opened his shop were foreigners, and that a musician rented the attic, and died there?

Notice very old? Well this informant may of read the above story that had mistakenly said 87?

You can see the typescript below of the newspaper for those who cannot see the pictures I suggest signing up to the wonderful forum to get a unique insight into haunted places in Australia. Some well known other hidden gems such as this one?

Why is 87 a mistake? Well following picture newspaper below gave 37. Clearly the type setter put and 8 instead of a 3, Thus man claiming the musician was living there was old man by what he read with was typo.


You can see a notice of the funeral below.

MEMBERS of the different Bands in Sydney and Suburbs, who have been under the tuition of Mr. GEORGE VINCENT, Bandmaster, are most respectively invited to attend his Funeral; procession will move from his residence, No. 2, Edgeley street, Surry Hills, THIS (Tuesday) AFTERNOON, 29th instant, at 1 30 o'clock, for Necropolis.

Most telling of all the person telling story said he was singing the "lost cord" in the attic"? well at Benefit concert for his widow and family. One of songs was "An old Score" Very similar are they not?

The university of Sydney there are records of all the bands that exist in the past. One which was the band Sydney a Volunteer Artillery Corps. They had a band in which George Vincent was band leader.

VINCENT, George (George VINCENT)

Musician, bandmaster Born c. 1848 Died Sydney, NSW, September 1885, aged 37

https://sydney.edu.au/paradisec/australharmony/register-V.php#VINCENT-George-d1885

Documentation:

"Deaths", The Sydney Morning Herald (29 September 1885), VINCENT. - At his residence, No. 2, Edgeley-street, Surry Hills, Mr. George Vincent, musician, aged 37 years, leaving an affectionate wife and large family to mourn their loss. "There is sweet rest in heaven."

"FUNERALS", The Sydney Morning Herald (29 September 1885), 16 MEMBERS of the different Bands in Sydney and Suburbs, who have been under the tuition of Mr. GEORGE VINCENT, Bandmaster, are most respectively invited to attend his Funeral; procession will move from his residence, No. 2, Edgeley street, Surry Hills, THIS (Tuesday) AFTERNOON, 29th instant, at 1 30 o'clock, for Necropolis.

So the fact remains George Vincent died on 29 September 1885. A band leader of volunteer artillery military band that had uniforms in the picture below?

To be continued....

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2022, 12:11:40 AM »
Gee old kanackis eyes are tricking him the last picture in the last post is of his son. He went on to lead a band in Bowral for years after ward in his own right. His father is pictured below.

Picture below is of George Vincent band leader with sword dress into volunteer artillery band uniform notice brass button and caps?

To be continued......

Kanacki


Offline KANACKI

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Re: Man in the Attic : Surry Hills : Sydney : NSW
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2022, 12:29:00 AM »
But what of the address where George Vincent died in 1885 in 2 Edgely ST  Surry Hills in a house that had a yard in between and a shop on the corner, 3 stories, the third floor had an attic window?

Well the house still exists. In the pictures below. You can see the back of the house 2 floor and up stairs attic window giving 3 floors. The terrace house is the last in the line with a garden and terrace house that used to be a shop in 1892 still there.

Everything is there matching the story of 1901 of the alleged haunting in 1892 that was once the abode of a band leader of volunteer artillery brass band still there today?

Is George still haunting the place today?

Why was he haunting the place in 1892? Was he looking for his young son? Or was lost cord triggered the haunting of lost memories?

Kanacki

 


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