The Paranormal Guide Presents: Ghosts and Hauntings - Brisbane City Hall

Brisbane City Hall

Ghosts and Hauntings

The Brisbane City Hall you see today built between the 1920's and 1930's was not the only design. In 1909 a new town hall was designed for Brisbane but the plans were thrown out when property owners refused to approve the funds to build it. A foundation stone was laid in 1917 by the then Governor, Sir Hamilton Gould-Adam. This stone was laid before the halls plans were finalised and subsequently had to be removed. Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) laid the foundation stone under the new plans in July 1920.

It took ten years to build what was then the tallest structure in Brisbane. The final cost of construction and furnishing was just shy of one million pounds. The buildings exterior is largely constructed of Sandstone while the inside uses Maple and Silky Oak timbers. The different types of marble were sourced from as far as Italy and Belgium. It was during this period of construction that Brisbane's twenty separate local authorities and boards were merged into the one city government.

The most visible part of the buildings structure is the clock tower that rises to a height of ninety one meters above ground level. The four clock faces that adorn each side of the tower make the claim of being the largest in Australia. A lift runs up the centre of the tower to a viewing platform where one could look out over the city. It was here on 1st November 1935 that a man fell to his death. He fell 150 feet from the viewing platform, crashing through the roof 'rudely disturbing the employees throughout the building'. His 'crushed to pieces' body was recovered from the upper floor.

Two years later on the 21st December 1937 hundreds of people saw 32 year old Hikda Agnes Boardman plummet the 150 feet to crash and through the roof above the halls entrance. The fall did not kill her immediately but she died shortly afterwards in the Brisbane General Hospital.

Legend speaks of a council worker that committed suicide up on the third floor in the 1940's. Night watchmen would claim to see and hear the workers ghost in the area it is believed he took his life. It is said the council abandoned this area for quite sometime until in the 80's when the rooms were demolished and turned into a child day care center.

The ghost of a woman has also been seen within the building. There are many theories as to who she is including that she was a woman who drowned at the site long before the hall was built. The shadowy silhouette of a man was also seen up in the clock tower when it was being renovated. Maybe the man who fell to his death in the 1930's?

Some people think the recent renovations being done to the hall may disturb the spirits residing there. Workers have already dug up old roads, drains and rooftops several meters below the floor of the auditorium. These structures can be traced back to the 1850's. When the information desk lady was asked whether anything had stirred since construction began she replied that big band music had been heard playing over the PA system. The funny thing is that the system had been switched off!

By Ashley Hall - The Paranormal Guide 2014

Main: Brisbane City Hall 1930.

Upper: The second foundation laying.

Lower: Recent renovations caused a bit of a stir.

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