Omni King Edward Hotel

The Omni King Edward Hotel is located on an entire block that is bounded by King Street, Victoria Street, Colborne Street and Leader Lane in downtown Toronto, Ontario.  The King Edward was designed by Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, known for his Richardsonian, Romanesque and Victorian Gothic styles and Toronto architect E.J Lennox, who was responsible for the design of many prominent buildings in Toronto.   The building was commissioned by developer, businessman and politician, George Gooderham for his Toronto Hotel Company.  The hotel cost $6 million to build. When the hotel opened it was billed as the most luxurious hotel in Toronto, equipped with electricity, telephones and all the modern facilities in each room for guests to enjoy.  All guests rooms had private bathrooms and showers and were beautifully carpeted and decorated with rich colours and soft furnishings.  

The hotel was named in honour of King Edward VII and opened in 1903 boasting 400 hundred rooms and 300 baths.  The hotel claimed to be fireproof. In 1922 an18 storey tower was added with 530 additional rooms.  The top two floors of the tower contain the Crystal Ballroom, the most lavish in the city. High above the city with floor to ceiling windows the Crystal Ballroom boasted the best views in the city. When stricter fire codes were introduced in the 1950s in Toronto the Crystal Ballroom didn’t comply and was closed.  As part of the luxurious style of the time four large murals depicting Canadian history, painted by American artist William de Leftwiche Dodge were commissioned for the hotel.  The four murals depicted the French fur traders, First Nations People, exploration of North America by John Cabot and General Wolfe’s victory at the Plains of Abraham.  The fourth of the mural depicting Wolfe and the Plains of Abraham was not to the liking of architect Lennox, and following a court ruling in favour of the artist, Lennox replaced the mural anyway with a work by Canadian artist Frederick Challener.  The mural painted by Challener was titled Trading at Fort Rouille.  Sadly these murals disappeared during the renovations of the hotel in the 1980s.

 The hotel became an exclusive destination for gentlemen to smoke cigars and women who sipped tea in the hotel's elegant sitting rooms.  In  accordance with the strict gender role expectations of the time, the King Edward was sensitive to females travelling alone and had a seperate entrance for such women for the check in process.  This entrance was known as the Ladies Booking Room and served as a place that women could use the telephone, make bookings for events and even receive guests.  A Ladies Parlour on the second floor was a place women could relax and look down at the going on at the hotel.  The Palour was furnished with beautiful soft furnishings and artworks, including an ivory jewel box owned by a French Noble woman during the renaissance in the 16th century, Diane de Poitiers. For men the hotel boasted a mahogany newsstand and cigar store, that was situated in the main lobby.  The Bar and Gentlemen’s Cafe, located on the main floor of the hotel was strictly for men only.  The Grill Room was a place that men could have the finest grilled meats and like the male only Billiard Room was located in the basement of the hotel.  A well equipped and modern barber shop was also located in the hotel for the use of its male patrons.

The artwork in the hotel is worth over $75 million.  When the hotel opened, the art installations in the hotel included, paintings, carvings, metalwork and pottery.  Some of the art work was purchased from the Clemenceau collection of Paris. Clemenceau was a physician, the Prime Minister of France  and reportedly a good friend of Monet.  Some of the artwork was purchased from a church in Bruges, Brussels. Other rare pieces include the terracotta statue of Venus dating back to 300BC and the Japanese Bronze Temple Lantern from the 15th century.  Paintings by John Constable, Jean Baptiste Regnault, Charles-Francois Daubigny, Adolphe-Joseph Thomas Monticelli and Caspar Netscher adorn the walls of the hotel.  

The Omni King Edward was also famous for housing one of the first radio stations in Toronto. CKGW, a Toronto based station, was owned by Gooderham and Worts Ltd, the local distillery that belonged to George Gooderham.  With Radio stations becoming a popular source of promotion, Gooderham and Worts set up offices and studios in the King Edward Hotel.  CKGW began broadcasting from the hotel on March 5th 1928.  Having the lasted equipment the station shared its wavelength and broadcast only six hours every other day.  

The hotel passed through a number of hands in the following years.  In 1933 the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company became the owners of the hotel.  Between 1941 and 1950 the hotel was owned by C.A Ripley and Vernon Cardy. The Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, the Royal ConnaughtHotel in Hamilton, the General Brock in Niagara Falls, the Prince Edward in Windsor and the Alpine Inn in Sainte Adele Quebec were all owned by the Cardy's hotel chain.  In 1950s Sheraton bought the Cardy Hotel chain.  Following several years of decline the King Edward Hotel was bought by Trans Inc in 1979.  They paid 6.3 million dollars for the establishment.  The hotel was closed for a 30 million dollar restoration completed by Stanford Downey Architects Inc. The property reopened in 1981 as part of the Trusthouse Forte Hotels, after Forte had acquired the Meridien Hotels from Air France.  In 1994 the King Edward was renamed Le Meridien King Edward.  

On the hotel's 100th anniversary Ontario Heritage Trust unveiled a commemorative plaque.  The Crystal Ballroom was also renovated with a $6.5 million dollar makeover. In 2005 Starwood Hotels purchased the property.  A huge restoration ensued and Omni Hotel assumed the management in 2013.  The hotel was renamed Omni King Edward Hotel buying it outright in 2015.  

Many notable people have stayed at the hotel including Mark Twain, Rudolph Valentino, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley and Ernest Hemingway, who lived there for a period of time.  The Beatles stayed in the hotel,.  Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor carried on a notorious affair in the hotel.  Leonard Cohen wrote a musical set in the hotel called "I am a Hotel".

The Omni King Edward is a source of many paranormal reports. The service elevator to the Crystal Ballroom behaves erratically, stopping for no reason.  Chandeliers have been known to swing with vigour for no apparent reason.  Guests staying in rooms below the deserted Crystal Ballroom have reportedly heard music and the sounds of celebration and people talking. 

I thought that the Omni King Edward Hotel was a beautiful place to stay.  My suite was huge and opulent with gorgeous views of Toronto.  The breakfast was served in an opulent room that was adorned with magnificent art and tapestries.  The foyer of the hotel is grand and luxurious.  I would definitely recommend this gorgeous hotel.  

Luna Park Melbourne

Luna Park, Melbourne, opened on Friday 13th in December 1912 to a first-night crowd of 22,000 people. One of five Luna parks created - and one of two still open today - Luna Park Melbourne was developed on the site of a demolished fun park called Dreamland by American Film producer James Dixon Williams.  Later to become famous for the creation of the film company First National Film (Warner Brothers) and signing the most lucrative film contract of its time with actor Charlie Chaplin, JD Williams arrived in Australia in 1910.  Teaming up with fellow Americans, the Phillips brothers, JD Williams developed Luna Park, which on its opening night was illuminated by 15,000 electric lights.

Still having the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world and the largest and most elaborate carousel in the Southern Hemisphere, Luna Park is perhaps best known for its iconic 'Mr Moon' entrance, the mouth of which visitors have to walk through to enter the park.  Luna Park has a rich and interesting history, including some unusual deaths.  In 1913, a snake charmer called Henry Deline died violently in the first week of his season performing at the park.  Deline's act involved a woman known as "Sleeping Beauty" who laid very still as he placed snakes on her body.  As Deline was taking a tiger snake from the box of snakes, it hissed and bit him.  The woman known as "Sleeping Beauty" tried to save Deline by cutting the wound and sucking the poison out; it was to no avail, as Deline died.  The act caused fainting and screaming in the audience.

 

In 1926, a Mr Clarence Hurst was killed on the Scenic Railway as he turned to talk to someone, hitting his head on one of the support pylons. 1935 saw a Mr Dyer fall from a car at the high point of the Big Dipper, while just a year later a Harry Maltby died falling from one of the trolley cars and being struck by another.  Probably the most unusual chain of events that led to three shootings happened in 1940. Staff and three youths were arguing when one of the staff members pulled out a gun he was authorised to carry as part of his job transporting earnings from the park.  In the ensuing dispute, an onlooker was shot, a woman leaving the park was shot and killed by a stray bullet, and another attendant who took the gun from the first park worker shot himself by accident. 

It seems reasonable to say that, with this amount of violent death, it is to be expected that there have been sightings of unusual and unexplained phenomena.  The most famous sighting is that of "The Joker", first reported in 1940.  He has been reported as suddenly appearing on the track of the Scenic Railway in front of oncoming cars; or, more terrifyingly, appearing in the cages of the Ferris Wheel, terrifying patrons. 

I have been to Luna Park in Melbourne many times and, though it's a place that's fun, there is something a little disconcerting about entering into the sinister-looking Mr Moon's mouth.  The rickety sound of the Scenic Railway can be slightly disturbing, as can the cacophony of fairground music to which the dark spirited horses following the Eagle Chariot, the gentler horses following the Peace Chariot, and the golden lead horse, cavort up and down on their never-ending radial journey. 

Abbotsford

Caressing the south bank of the river Tweed is Abbotsford, the beautiful home of renowned Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. Lovingly referred to as his 'Conundrum Castle' I visited his auspicious home just as spring was starting and the first of the seasons flowers were bravely poking their heads up in search of the sun.

 

As soon as you walk into the walled gardens of the property you feel as though you have slipped back in time. Throughout the gardens are statues and other such follies, all adding to the magical feeling of the place.  What is most impressive is Scott's collections which decorate the house and even the garden in the form of ancient stones.  There are gifts from Lord Byron, Flora MacDonald's purse and even the key for the tower Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in. His collection is eclectic and astonishing.

 

It is said that Sir Walter Scott saw a ghost in his own home.  He was awakened by loud noises and armed with a sword went looking for the source of the disturbance. He couldn't find anything but the noises apparently coincided with the death of the head builder of Abbotsford, while the building was in progress.  The builder, George Bullock died in London before the building was completed and has apparently been seen at Abbotsford a few times since his death. 

I am not sure if it was merely being overwhelmed by standing with in touching distance of such things as Byron's mourning ring or a sword belonging to Rob Roy but I believe I saw something at Abbotsford.

It was a cool day and I was standing looking towards the River Tweed from the room in which it is said Sir Walter Scott died, when I saw the figure of a man, his back to me. He was wearing a black, grand coat with a high collar.  I didn't see his face and the second I was distracted he was gone.  It was a quiet day and all the other tourists that had arrived at opening time when I did where still inside.  The figure had appeared and disappeared.  I have no idea who it was but his clothes seemed incongruent to the time.  I like to think it was one of the many ancient visitors that had come to Abbotsford to spend time with Sir Walter Scott or perhaps Scott himself looking at his beloved river in the shadow of his adored Abbotsford. 

If you are interested in more information there is a wonderful website 

http://www.scottsabbotsford.com/

The Queen Mary

 

Moored in Long Beach California, the Cunard ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary is a formidable sight passing it by sea or land. I have been aboard her and in her shadow enroute to Catalina many times and each time I am in awe of this amazing vessel.  Serving as the flag ship of the Cunard Line, from her maiden voyage in 1936 until 1946, the Queen Mary also held the Blue Riband several times and for several years.  This unofficial accolade was awarded to a passenger liner, in regular service, that crossed the Atlantic ocean the fastest.  Strolling along her promenade deck one is reminded of an elegant past. The Art Deco style of the Queen Mary is enhanced by a tribute to an older style with various woods enhancing the interior throughout the ship.

At the outbreak of World War Two the Queen Mary was converted to serve as a troop carrier. She was painted grey and referred to as The Grey Ghost.  On the 2nd October 1942 the Queen Mary accidentally collided with an escort ship called the Curacao.  The collision occurred off of the Irish coast and the Queen Mary was under orders not to stop due to the dangers of U-boats and the fact that the ship was escorting American troops.  Over 239 people were left to die after the collision as the Queen Mary continued on, performing her duty as an escort ship.

 

Following the conclusion of the war The Queen Mary was outfitted as a cruise liner again and recommenced her transatlantic crossings.  She was retired and sent to Long Beach in 1967, where she serves as a tourist attraction.

With as many as fifty people purported to have died on the Queen Mary while she served as a cruise ship and over 239 due to her collision with the Curacao, it is little wonder that the ship has been the site of many strange and unexplained phenomena.  I personally felt uncomfortable in the Engine Room and had to leave after a minute or so.  People have reported seeing bright lights and the ghost of a man. On July 10th 1966 a routine fire drill ended in tragedy with one of the crew, a John Pedder, being crushed to death in the engine room door.  It is his ghost that is said to be seen in this area called Shaft Alley, wandering along and vanishing into the very door he was crushed in.

 

The pool area is said to be haunted by a child called Jackie.  She has been clearly heard answering the questions of the many paranormal investigators that go to the Queen Mary.  There are conflicting reports about the way that Jackie died, some believed she drowned while others say she broke her back when she fell off a staircase railing after a large wave hit the ship.  Either way the little girl has made her presence felt on the ship, even leaving wet footprints in the pool area and singing and speaking to tourists.  The pool area is also said to be haunted by two women, one that died in the the 1930s and one in the 1960s.  They are often seen walking around the pool area in bathing attire appropriate to the era in which they lived.

The sound of tearing metal, banging on the side of the ship and a chorus of screams coming from the water have been reported on the Queen Mary. This strange and unexplained phenomena is attributed to the ships collision with and subsequent inaction to assist the crew of the Curacao.  It is believed that many of the crew survived the collision and died in the wake of the retreating Queen Mary, drowning or being eaten by sharks. 

There is also a more sinister set of entities reported to have been filmed, photographed and seen on board the Queen Mary.  Many paranormal investigators believe that the change rooms at the back of the pool area have a "vortex" of energy, some of it very dark.  It is said that a girl was raped and murdered in one of the change rooms.  The link below was a small film made by the American Paranormal Research Association (APRA) have a look at what is sitting on the floor in one of the change rooms, accidentally filmed as the camera makes a sweep of the area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3bY_PTHE6Y

There is no doubt that a trip to the Queen Mary is an amazing experience and standing on her deck you are reminded of a bygone, more glamorous time.