The Murder of Francis Rattenbury & The Ghosts of the Fairmont Empress

12/30/20 • 27 min

Many ghosts haunt the famed Fairmont Empress in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada including that of its architect, Francis Rattenbury. Rattenbury himself was part of a salacious love triangle that led to a murder-suicide in Bournemouth, England. His ghost, however, haunts the Empress in Canada alongside the spirit of Lizzie McGrath and the lost soul of Margaret.

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Main podcast illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://gialigammari.wixsite.com/portfolio

Sources:

Accidental Death is Jury’s Verdict: Rider Against Contractors Recorded in Inquest on Death of Mrs. Elizabeth McGrath. (1910, August 2). The Victoria Daily Times, page 5.

Adultery, jealousy and murder: How the Rattenbury case gripped the nation. (n.d.). Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved December 24, 2020, from https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/13217933.adultery-jealousy-and-murder-how-the-rattenbury-case-gripped-the-nation/

Bournemouth’s most sensational murder | Dorset Life—The Dorset Magazine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 24, 2020, from https://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2006/08/bournemouths-most-sensational-murder/

British Columbia, Canada, Death Index, 1872-1990—AncestryLibrary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6093&h=463325&tid=&pid=&queryId=65f42413adf181b27bd90780bad3225e&usePUB=true&_phsrc=eBA210&_phstart=successSource

Cold spots, scandals and Victoria’s Empress Hotel – The Superstitious Times. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2020, from http://www.superstitioustimes.com/cold-spots-scandals-and-victorias-empress-hotel/

Elizabeth B. McGrath (Unknown-1910)—Find A... (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121312245/elizabeth-b.-mcgrath

Five haunted hotels with true-crime stories. - The Washington Post. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2020, from https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wA5SdAuQMGkJ:https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/like-a-good-scare-here-are-five-haunted-hotels-with-stories-fit-for-true-crime-files/2018/10/25/ddd4e70e-d3cb-11e8-b2d2-f397227b43f0_story.html+&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Francis Rattenbury. (2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francis_Rattenbury&oldid=995725423

Has anyone had a ghost experience here LOL. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers-g154945-d155472-t3751444-Has_anyone_had_a_ghost_experience_here_LOL.html

Mrs. Alma Rattenbury Found Dead in a River: Man Tells of Seeing Her Fall, Knife in Hand, Vain Efforts to Save Her, Six Stab Wounds. (1935, June 5). Gloucestershire Echo, Page 1.

Murder comes with a question mark. (2011, October 30). Vernon Morning Star. https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/life/murder-comes-with-a-question-mark/

Staveley-Wadham, R. (n.d.). A Seaside Drama – The 1935 Murder of...

Submit your feedback or personal stories to [email protected]

Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crimesandwitchdemeanors

Episode Transcript:

Visit the website: https://www.crimesandwitchdemeanors.com

Main podcast illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://gialigammari.wixsite.com/portfolio

Sources:

Accidental Death is Jury’s Verdict: Rider Against Contractors Recorded in Inquest on Death of Mrs. Elizabeth McGrath. (1910, August 2). The Victoria Daily Times, page 5.

Bournemouth’s most sensational murder | Dorset Life—The Dorset Magazine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 24, 2020, from https://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2006/08/bournemouths-most-sensational-murder/

Elizabeth B. McGrath (Unknown-1910)—Find A... (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121312245/elizabeth-b.-mcgrath

Francis Rattenbury. (2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francis_Rattenbury&oldid=995725423

Mrs. Alma Rattenbury Found Dead in a River: Man Tells of Seeing Her Fall, Knife in Hand, Vain Efforts to Save Her, Six Stab Wounds. (1935, June 5). Gloucestershire Echo, Page 1.

Murder comes with a question mark. (2011, October 30). Vernon Morning Star. https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/life/murder-comes-with-a-question-mark/

Staveley-Wadham, R. (n.d.). A Seaside Drama – The 1935 Murder of...

Previous Episode

The Witches of Winter (La Befana, Perchta, Frau Holle, and Gryla)

Did you know that many of the attributes Santa Claus actually come from a beloved winter witch? The giving gifts in a stocking if you’re good, leaving you a lump of coal if you’re bad, and the whole sliding down the chimney to do so schtick? Yeah, that’s all plucked straight from the mythology one of our winter witches. But be forewarned...not all of our witches are good: some are frightening cannibals or violent hags that embody the ruthless spirit of winter itself. But history suggests that these witches were not always haggard old crones or even witches at all, but instead were once beautiful goddesses. Today we’ll be looking at these winter witches, investigating their origins beyond superficial blog posts, and seeing how Christianity managed to turn divine goddesses into hook-nosed old crones who will rip our your organs.

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Episode Transcript: https://crimesandwitchdemeanors.com/2020/12/16/episode-007-the-witches-of-winter/

Visit the website: https://www.crimesandwitchdemeanors.com

Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crimesandwitchdemeanors

Main podcast illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://gialigammari.wixsite.com/portfolio

Sources:

Alexander, M. (2016, December 15). The Witches of Winter. Tor.Com. https://www.tor.com/2016/12/15/the-witches-of-winter/ Befana. (2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Befana&oldid=983971996 Crocker, S. (2020, November 19). The untold truth of Christmas witches. Grunge.Com. https://www.grunge.com/282226/the-untold-truth-of-christmas-witches/ Encyclopaedia Of The Impossible: Gryla. (2019, December 18). The Ghost In My Machine. https://theghostinmymachine.com/2019/12/18/encyclopaedia-of-the-impossible-gryla-iceland-christmas-ogre-troll-witch-cannibal-folklore-yule-lads-cat/ Frau Holle. (2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frau_Holle&oldid=991428091 Motz, L. (1984). The Winter Goddess: Percht, Holda, and Related Figures. Folklore, 95(2), 151–166. Perchta. (2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Perchta&oldid=994601711 Screw Santa Claus and Celebrate Befana, Italy’s Kidnapping Christmas Witch. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2020, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/595y9n/screw-santa-claus-and-celebrate-befana-italys-kidnapping-christmas-witch Smith, J. B. (2004). Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments. Folklore, 115(2), 167–186. Terrifying Christmas witches, the “Yule Lads” and other festive traditions you may be less familiar with. (2019, December 9). Inews.Co.Uk. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/terrifying-christmas-witches-the-yule-lads-and-other-festive-traditions-you-may-be-less-familiar-with-372005 The Icelandic Legend of Jólakötturinn, A Giant “Yule Cat” Who Stalks Those Without New Clothes at Christmas. (2019, December 23). Laughing Squid. https://laughingsquid.com/jolakotturinn-yule-cat-icelandic-legend/ Why Does Santa Claus Come Down the Chimney? (2018, December 22). https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/90217/why-does-santa-claus-come-down-chimney Wild Hunt. (2020). In Wikipedia.

Next Episode

The Artist, the Knight, and the Unnamed

This week we investigate the spirits of New York's State Capitol Building in Albany and the ghosts that reside there. However, the scariest ghost of all may be the lost history that resulting from the 1911 library fire. Learn about William Hunt, Samuel Abbott, and listen to uncover the names of two previously unknown ghosts!

Submit your feedback or personal stories to [email protected]

Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crimesandwitchdemeanors

Episode Transcript: Available below the sources in the show notes

Visit the website: https://www.crimesandwitchdemeanors.com

Main podcast illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://gialigammari.wixsite.com/portfolio

Sources:

1911 Capitol fire remains seared into city’s history. (2011, March 27). Times Union. https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/1911-Capitol-fire-remains-seared-into-city-s-1308984.php

Albany State Capitol. (2020, June 12). Haunted Houses. http://hauntedhouses.com/new-york/albany-state-capitol/

Body is Found in Albany Ruins: Samuel J. Abbott, a Watch-man, Discovered in West Wing Under Debris. (1911, March 31). Brooklyn Daily Times, page 1.

BUILDING BIG: Databank: New York State Capitol. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/ny_state_capitol.html

Capitol Fire of 1911: Online Exhibits: New York State Library. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/capitolfire/

Crimes and Casualties. (1878, October 29). The Buffalo Courier, page 1.

Find No Trace of Mr. Abbott: Searchers Believe Syracuse Man Perished in Capitol Fire. (1911, March 30). The Post Standard, page 7.

Fire at the New York State Library. (n.d.). New York Genealogical & Biographical Society. Retrieved January 5, 2021, from https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/blog/fire-new-york-state-library

Fire Destroys State Capitol: Cigar or Cigarette Causes $600,000 Damage. Started in Assembly Library. (1911, March 29). The Oswego Palladium.

Important River News: Items from our Exchanges ; Two Accidents At The Capital—Died From His Injuries—The Body of Eagan Found In The River—Fires—A Pet Dog Roasted In An Oven—Strange Disappearance Of An Aged Lady—Sad Accident in Troy. (1878, October 30). Poughkeepsie Eagle News, page 1.

John, T. S. (n.d.). With History Comes Hauntings – The New York State Capitol Has Its Fair Share. Retrieved January 3, 2021, from https://www.milesgeek.com/hauntings-new-york-state-capitol

March 27, T. A. P., & Pm, 2011 12:59. (n.d.). 100th anniversary of 1911 Capitol fire. Newsday. Retrieved January 5, 2021, from https://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/ny-marks-100th-anniversary-of-1911-capitol-fire-1.2785318

Pudney, T. G., & Editor, A. (n.d.). Ghosts, legends and lore come to life in “Capitol Hauntings” tour – The Legislative Gazette. Retrieved January 3, 2021, from https://legislativegazette.com/ghosts-legends-and-lore-come-to-life-in-capitol-hauntings-tour/

Snapshot. (n.d.-a). Retrieved January 3, 2021, from http://hauntedhouses.com/new-york/albany-state-capitol/

Snapshot. (n.d.-b). Retrieved January 3, 2021, from https://legislativegazette.com/ghosts-legends-and-lore-come-to-life-in-capitol-hauntings-tour/

State Capitol Wrecked By Fire; One Life Lost. (1911, March 29). The Standard Union, page 1.

Ten Million Loss When Fire Wrecks the Capitol: Priceless Documents are Destroyed: 400,000 Volumes Cannot B...