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Housing the fate of the country once, the Old Parliament House in Canberra, Australia is said to house more than one ghost today. Perhaps one of the most notorious ones is that of the Minister of Murder.
Housing the fate of the country once, the Old Parliament House in Canberra, Australia is said to house more than one ghost today. Perhaps one of the most notorious ones is that of the Minister of Murder.
Canberra is known for its beautiful landmarks, but few places in the city hold a darker history than Old Parliament House. This iconic building was the seat of power for Australia’s government for over six decades and witnessed countless political battles. However, there are whispers that the former occupants of this grand structure still linger within its walls.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Australia
Although an office building, the place has seen its fair share of death. Many visitors have reported eerie experiences ranging from unexplained noises to ghostly apparitions. The ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts have long been drawn to this site, and their investigations have uncovered some spine-chilling stories.
The Haunted Parliament Building: The Old Parliament House in Canberra, surrounded by serene waters and clouds, holds a darker history with reports of ghostly apparitions. // Source: Wiki
Brief history of Old Parliament House
Old Parliament House is an iconic building that has served as the seat of Australia’s government for over six decades. It was built in 1927 and served as the home of the Australian Parliament until 1988 when it was replaced by the new Parliament House. The building is located on Capital Hill in Canberra and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and parks.
Opening Day: A painting by H. Septimus Power in circa May 1927. The painting shows the official opening of “Old Parliament House” as the centre of administration for the Commonwealth of Australia. // Source: Wiki
It used to be the place where they passed the bills and debated the important decisions of the country. Now the building belongs to the Museum of Australian Democracy to teach and keep the wisdom and history that has happened between the walls of this building.
Opening of Old Parliament House, Canberra, 9 May 1927.
Strange things are said to happen in the building though, and visitors keep seeing shadows in the corners and hearing whispers in the halls when there’s no one there. Could it be ghosts haunting the building? When the building was set aflame during a protest in 2021, it is said that people saw an apparition of a man running through King’s Hall out of the House of Representatives chamber.
The Minister of Murder Haunting the Halls
A lot of the ghost stories we get from the Old Parliament House come from the night shift staff. One of the most well-known apparitions that security guards and other night-time attendees have claimed to have seen has been dubbed the Minister of Murder.
During 1922-25, Thomas Ley, a former NSW state parliamentarian became the minister of justice with a desire to become the prime minister. He signed off on many death sentences at work. He was also tied to suspicious deaths, like with the man who helped fund his election campaign. He was thought to be involved in many shady dealings.
In March 1947 he ended up in prison for the murder of John McBain Mudie. He was a barman that Ley thought slept with his mistress. Three days before his sentencing, the death sentence no less, it was changed and he was deemed mentally unstable. He died not long after in an asylum.
Thomas John Ley: (28 October 1880 – 24 July 1947) was an Australian politician who was convicted of murder in England. He is widely suspected to have been involved in the deaths of a number of people in Australia, including political rivals. Here, speaking at a federal election rally held in Macquarie Place in Sydney
Dying in disgrace without being able to fulfill his ambition of becoming the prime minister, he is said to haunt the Old Parliament House, hanging around the government party room in the building in the dead of night.
The Paranormal Activity Reported at Old Parliament House
Over the years, many visitors have reported strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena. These include mysterious footsteps, unexplained noises, and ghostly apparitions. Some people have even reported feeling a cold breeze or a touch on their shoulder when no one is around.
The Haunted Parliament Building: The Chamber of the Old Parliament House Canberra. // Source: Wiki
There are also stories about a tradie, a man on a painting job of some sort walking around the building in white painter’s overalls and carrying a tin of open paint. When security try to chase him down though, they find nothing, not even a drop of paint.
There have also been apparitions that people attribute to former prime ministers, politicians and other well known figures that once passed through these gates.
After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.
Moon Mausoleum
