Five years ago, , a young woman in a flowing blue dress who haunts Shirreff Hall.
I thought it was time to check in.
Shirreff鈥檚 facilities manager, Mateo Yorke, filled me in. Although there are no historical records of Penelope, the tale is well known: 鈥淢ost students who have lived here over the last 91 years have heard a story of a ghost in Shirreff Hall.鈥�
When Shirreff Hall opened in 1923, staff used to live in the annex, a residence space above the kitchen, also known as the 鈥渟ervants鈥� quarters.鈥� Penelope 鈥� a student in some versions of the tale and a worker in others 鈥� fell in love with a professor, and when she became pregnant and he refused to help her, she hanged herself in the bell tower. And as the story goes, she鈥檚 been there ever since.
Yorke told me a more recent tale: 鈥淥ne night, a former residence life manager who lived in Sherriff not too long ago saw a set of footprints in the hallway that went straight into a wall and just kept going. Wet footsteps along a fresh hallway that just disappeared. There were no other footsteps moving away from that area or anything.鈥�
Yorke assures me he鈥檚 a 鈥渟cience person,鈥� but this story is undeniably creepy.
Thankfully, 鈥渢here鈥檚 never been any hauntings in the sense that someone鈥檚 being terrorized by noise or banging or anything like that,鈥� says Yorke. 鈥淎nything that comes across those lines is usually something I have to deal with in terms of a ventilation problem or a plumbing problem.鈥�
Phew.
All work and no play...
Steve Vernon 鈥� Nova Scotia storyteller, author of Halifax Haunts, and master of the booga-booga 鈥� knows about another ghost, one who lurks in The Pit underneath King鈥檚 College Chapel. It鈥檚 the ghost of a janitor who Vernon thinks has unfinished business, as he鈥檚 generally seen still working and cleaning and still wearing his bright yellow work jacket.
鈥淓very story that I鈥檝e encountered seems to be that it鈥檚 more a tale of either a little bit of regret, little bit of unfinished business,鈥� says Vernon. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 like habit. The ghost of the janitor, he鈥檚 just there by habit 鈥� that鈥檚 where he frequented, it was his life鈥檚 pattern, he probably always felt like 鈥極K, I better clean up just a little bit more.鈥� If his spirit has lingered on, it鈥檚 just trying to get his work done.鈥�
Vernon tells me a local team of paranormal researchers spent an entire October night in 2007 in The Pit. However, their investigations were inconclusive except for having a video camera stolen and not being able to turn off a light. The lead investigator, Rob Fader, reported that no strange data was captured on the team鈥檚 digital camera, video camera, or audio records, and there were no fluctuations in EMS or temperature.
鈥淚鈥檓 not really a ghost hunter,鈥� admits Vernon. 鈥淚鈥檓 a storyteller.鈥�
He explains that ghost stories often provide solace. 鈥淚n a way, a ghost story is great therapy,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople know the janitor didn鈥檛 just disappear; he鈥檚 still around.鈥�
In terms of Penelope鈥檚 tale, Vernon says it鈥檚 sort of like an oral orientation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost become a tradition. It鈥檚 less of ghost story and a more of a tradition and initiation.鈥�
Since Sherriff Hall went co-ed eight years ago and a generator was installed, there have been fewer sightings of Penelope. 鈥淓ven when we do have our dark and stormy nights, the building doesn鈥檛 go into total darkness,鈥� says Yorke.
This may be a reason why Penelope has been quiet lately, but there鈥檚 no way to be certain. Perhaps Penelope still has some unfinished business. What do you think? Have you had any ghostly encounters of your own on campus?