I have always been a fan of haunted houses and historical mysteries. I starting researching the Eden Hotel in Argentina at the suggested of my friend Maria Silvia. Now it seems I can't stop looking into different types of hauntings and this time my research landed me in Australia. The Old Melbourne Gaol is located in Melbourne, Victoria and has a dark history.
The Old Melbourne Gaol (pronounced jail), was built in 1839, it was the only penal fortress in the area. It once stood over the city reminding the citizens of the city’s unforgiving justice system. The facility wasn’t your random Gaol, it didn’t hold just your everyday criminal. The occupants of the Gaol were lazy children to murderous criminals. It housed the mentally ill lunatics, serial killers, and unruly young children. The youngest inmate on record was a 3-year-old, who was held for 6 months for the offense of being idle.
The prison carried out more than 133 hangings during the 90 years that it was used. The era’s most infamous criminals were put to death, including Frederick Bailey Deeming and Ned Kelly. Frederick Bailey Deeming convicted of murdering a couple of his wives and a handful of children, many believed him to be the Jack the Ripper, he was hung May 23, 1892.
Ned Kelly was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police murderer. Ned Kelly, after a shootout was captured wearing a homemade bullet proof metal armor. Ned Kelly was hung November 11, 1880 at the age of 25. The first woman in Victoria was hung on November 11, 1863, Elizabeth Scott, she was convicted of aiding in the murder of her husband.
The last person to hung was Angus Murray, he was convicted of bank robbery and murder and was hung April 15, 1924. It ceased operation around around 1924 and officially closed 1929, many structured were taken down but the remaining facility was used to house AWOL soldiers in World War II.
The museum was established in 1957, it displays many mementos such as the death masks of prisoners who were executed including Ned Kelly. Supposedly his skull was also on display until the mid 1970s when it was stolen. The original scaffold is still standing today, the trap door where Ned Kelly’s body fell threw is also still there.
Of course with this type of notorious history, there are a lot of unusual activity that has been reported. There are voices heard throughout the jail, some say its the prisoners right before or during their executions. Reportedly a female’s voice and also be heard, many say that its the voice of Elizabeth Scott calling out. Ghostly figures with rotting flesh were seen standing in the doorways. Footsteps are heard in different cells throughout the facility.
