Murder, Deceit and Ghosts
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The Halifax Club
Murder, Deceit and Ghosts
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Submitted by: Devonna Edwards
Murder, Deceit and Ghosts
The Halifax Club was established in January 1862 on Hollis Street in Halifax and holds the title as being the first private social club in Halifax. The club’s building stands in the same location today as it did in 1862 and still remains in operation. It began when fifteen distinguished gentlemen of wealth and influence met in the Hollis Street office of Robie Uniacke. These powerful men belonged to a close knit group whose reach extended all over the world due to their involvement in finance, politics, military and religion. They decided to organize the formation of the Halifax Club which would be a relaxing refuge for Halifax’s leaders in business, politic and military. Many of these gentlemen had family or business ties in England and a social club would help adjust to living in isolated Halifax.
The organizers then began to lay the plans for their establishment, first had to raise money, find land to build on, design their clubhouse and recruit members. They purchased property on Hollis Street for $8000 from Mr. J.D. Nash. The club organizers plan was to build a magnificence building on the site, fitted in the most modern style and including all the improvements of the age. Architect David Sterling was chosen to design it and the contract for building the new clubhouse was given to George Laing.
When the Halifax Club building was completed it was thought to be the most beautiful structure in the city. It was given the highest rating in an edition of the Illustrated London News, England on November 14, 1863 and the Acadian Recorder newspaper in Halifax. The style of the structure is Italian Palazzo which refers to the mode that architects used to build palaces for wealthy families of the Italian Renaissance in the 19th and 20th century. The Club’s building was described as having a bold and striking appearance with its main front constructed of native freestone which is stone soft enough that it can be cut easily without shattering or splitting. The front of the building looks quite impressive, with a mixture of different shaped windows adorned with various sculptures above the curved window case. The third storey has a center oriel window with carved scroll work and a shield and crown above. Also displayed on the third storey are six very decorative beautifully carved female busts enriched with wreaths and drops of fruit and flowers.
In the internal arrangements every regard has been paid to the comfort of the members, combined with elegance of architectural finish. The main central hall is paved with Maw’s encaustic tiles (Maw’s was the name of a company that made tiles since the 1850s) and encaustic tiles mean that the pattern along with the colour is only on the surface of the tile, not deep within the tile. The grand staircase at the entrance is quite striking as it winds its way up to the second and third story. On the ground floor is situated a spacious coffee room, with waiter’s compartments adjoining, also the library and reading rooms of corresponding dimensions. On the first floor are arranged a fine billiard room (the entire depth of the building), a private dining room which may also be used as a committee room and card and writing rooms. In the upper story it is proposed to give partial accommodation to lodgers, after the manner of some of the London clubhouses. The basement is appropriated to the various kitchen and housekeeper’s offices, together with bath and dressing rooms for the convenience of members.
On the inside of the club the ceilings are very high adorned with sparkling chandeliers and the walls are covered with beautiful old paintings. There are many fireplaces in various rooms and some of their mantles hold antique clocks. A good deal of the paintings and ornamental decorations were donated to the club over time. There are seven rooms in the Club House named after some of the original members, their names are scrolled in gold paint over the doors: Almon Room, Cunnard Room, Kenny Room, Morrow Room, Pryor Room, Tobin Room, and Uniacke Room. In the earlier years the committee of the club imported young men and women from England to be employed there.
An interesting feature can be found in the basement, where there is a trap door leading down to an tunnel that goes under Hollis Street to Lower Water Street. The tunnel was still accessible several years ago.
The first meeting in the new Halifax Club was held on November 20, 1863, prior to that meetings were held at the office of Robie Uniacke or Henry Pryor. Women could not hold membership and were only allowed in the “Good Old Boys Club” after 6 PM, later the time was changed to 5 PM, then in 1985 women were allowed in the dining room at noon and finally that same year, women were allowed to become members. Noella Fisher was the first lady member of the Club.
The Club’s building had many renovations over the years which greatly improved the facility. In the 1960s they purchased the building next door on Hollis Street. On December 6, 1917 when the Halifax Explosion happened, the clubhouse had minimal damaged due to its heavy stone construction. During this time the clubhouse provided lodging to doctors who arrived from New England to tend to the wounded.
A few restless spirits roam about the establishment after their untimely deaths at the Club. One tale told that in the 1870s one distinguished, married Club member had a rendezvous with a ‘lady of the night’ in one of the bedchambers located on the third floor of the Club House. The gentleman had a heart attack and her cry of help brought other members to the room. The members quickly decided that they didn’t want to ruin the man’s reputation nor that of the club, so they carried the 300 pound man down the stairs and arranged his body on the staircase to make it look like the man had a major heart attack while climbing the stairs. Wanting to keep this scandal silent they plotted to murder the witness, which they did by throwing the unfortunate girl off the roof to her death. They say that both the ‘Lady of the night’ and the gentlemen, who had the heart attack both haunt the third floor.
Another story that was passed down through the years was about a Steward who was employed at the Club in the late 1870s. He was affected with a mental illness and decided to commit suicide by stabbing himself in front of startled Club members and then shockingly he jump out a window to his death. Apparently his unhappy spirit never left the building and he wanders about the Club House causing mischief.
While locking up the Club at night the staff has heard the unmistaken sound of whispering and also have heard the glass from the chandlers clicking while swaying back and forth. One area of concern is the cloakroom on the first floor, which can turn ice cold suddenly sending chills down the staff’s spine.
Today The Halifax Club is still open and offering membership. Members as well as non- members can book room rentals at the Club for business meetings, events and weddings in which they provide in-house catering service. They have fine and casual dining for members daily, but they do not offer overnight accommodations.