Our Investigation
On the evening of August 3rd, 2001: A member of P.R.O had met a recently employed staff member of the Guild Inn who shared the following with us:
"Paul" has been at the Inn for about a month and is usually one of
the last to leave for the evening. I had told Paul a bit of the history of the Inn as well as some unexplained experiences that have happened to myself. Judging by his reaction that I was "open minded" and had experiences at the Inn, he proceeded to tell me something that had happened to him a few nights into his employment.
Paul was just returning the kitchen keys to the front desk after ending his nightly routine of cleaning, locking the refrigerators, and turning off the lights. The only people in the hotel at the time were
himself and the front desk clerk, who was not at the desk when Paul was returning the keys. All of a sudden, he heard a crash and the distinct sound of a refrigerator door "opening up" in the kitchen. He had remembered locking the refrigerators with a 12 foot bar and padlock only a few minutes prior and the only set of keys were still in his hand. He put the keys down walked into the kitchen expecting to find the front desk clerk. He was surprised to find nobody there. As he rounded a corner he noticed that some lights had been turned on and one of the refrigerator doors was wide open. The crash he had heard was the metal bar now laying on the ground and the padlock was missing from the immediate vicinity. Paul went in search of the lock while trying to reason with the events that had just happened. After a few minutes, he found the lock on the other side of the kitchen. The lock was open so he walked over to replace the fallen bar and prepare to leave the building. While he was locking the bar for the second time, he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall in his direction. Paul was feeling a little relieved that he was no longer alone and called out to what he thought was the front desk clerk. Hoping to hear a reasonable explanation to what had happened, he turned to confront an apparition. Paul had told us that the ghost was not completely solid but he could distinctly make out a tall man wearing a black top hat. It then disappeared. Paul was in disbelief as to what he had seen and left the Inn immediately. Before we spoke with him, he had no intentions of mentioning his story to anyone for fear of ridicule, so he kept it to himself and placed it in the back of his mind. I imagine he was relieved to know he was not the only person who has had something unusual happen to them there.
This witness was later more fully questioned by two P.R.O investigators.
Update: Sept 16th 2001
Written by Sue Darroch
Steve and I entered the tunnel area in question. The lighting was extremely poor and furnished solely by our flashlight. This
particular chamber was devoid of any furnishings etc..- completely empty.. My eyes had not fully adjusted, however I immediately pointed out to Steve that I believed there was something in the far corner. It appeared to be a dark, huddled, humanish mass for lack of a better description. I do not believe that Anita nor Dee had overheard this statement made by myself and I know that they were not privy to my thoughts on the appearance of what I was seeing at the time as I did not verbalize them. Shortly thereafter Anita and Dee entered this room and both immediately and almost in unison stated that there was an 'entity' in the corner that I had previously pointed out to Steve. I found this to be corroboration to what I was physically seeing with
my eyes as well as 'feeling'. My two fellow investigators of the
paranormal (Dee & Anita) quickly began what I can only describe as an 'intervention' in order to 'rescue' this perceived soul. They used encouraging and loving words in order to have the said entity 'move on'. While Dee maintained her composure, Anita (in closer proximity to the 'entity') appeared to be physically and emotionally shaken by the unfolding experience. She was in fact crying. At the approximate halfway point of this event my eyes (more properly adjusted) were drawn to a point in the tunnel area directly behind my colleagues, L. Reid and K. Leigh. I saw what appeared to be movement (as if someone had entered the tunnel area) coming towards us. This apparent movement had stopped just short of L. Reid whose position was at the approximate 1/4 mark of the tunnel in relation to us. As my attention had become solely focused on this new event; I did not notice the apparent departure of the 'entity' in the far corner. However, upon completion of their joint 'intervention' I did notice that the 'dark huddled humanish mass' was no longer visible. Very interesting! I would also like to add at this time that I personally had never witnessed this type of interaction before. As for whatever it was that had stopped in the tunnel it was my 'feeling' at the time that whatever 'it' was, was still there as we exited the area.
Other notes of interest: I did not notice any 'cold spots' or other dramatic change in temperature/atmosphere
during this event, the total duration of this event was approximately 5 -10 minutes, (my best guestimate as I was not wearing a watch), I did not notice any unusual smells nor hear any sounds associated, my own composure remained throughout and oddly I do not remember a sense of fear or anxiety take hold at any time, which could be interpreted as strange in and of itself considering the circumstances and despite the fact that I was in the company of 5 others. One's senses/emotions typically become more heightened during such an experience. This is only a natural human reaction to that which we do not fully understand.
At this time I will refrain from theorizing and opinionizing on this particular experience other than to say
that I believe 'something' of a paranormal nature DID in fact occur, was witnessed to varying degrees by six people, and that this was not what could be classed as a 'residual haunting'. I state this based on my own research and investigation of this type of phenomena to date and my beliefs which are borne out of my own life's experience.
Written By Lisa Reid
As I have lived near the Guild Inn all of my life, I have always viewed it as a grand, exciting, mysterious place. The beautiful gardens, unique sculptures and
interesting buildings make it a place with a great story.
As you enter the gates of the Guild Inn, everything seems so calm, quiet and beautiful. Upon entering the building, you realize that it is a place
that has been around for quite some time and that it has been well enjoyed by many people over the years, however you would never expect what was/is lurking below the mail floor. I know I certainly didn't.
Having
explored the tunnels below the Guild before with Krystal and friends, I knew what to expect in terms of the condition of the area. There are low ceilings, broken tiles, low pipes, a mildew smell, a feeling of stuffiness and a sense of abandonment.
As we began to explore the tunnels, Krystal
took us to a room that does not make sense. As we opened the metal door, we filed in one by one, along a narrow hallway (if that is what I can call it) to an area that is maybe 12 feet by 12 feet at the most. The floor slopes in this space and there is a small section of the back wall that has been cut out and has an opening like a sewer at the top, that we think leads to the outside grounds. Its purpose is still unknown.
As we
explored this small area, I heard Sue telling Steve that there is something in the corner of this area. I'm thinking it's a spider or a mouse. As I see her flash the light in the corner, Dee and Anita begin to sense a presence in this area. Anita went to the corner to be with the spirit and Dee started speaking to the spirit. She said that he was sitting in the corner, with his eyes covered, not looking into the light. As Dee kept speaking to him, I had the feeling that someone may be coming down the hallway - maybe the evening desk clerk?; highly unlikely, but possible. Then Sue mentions that she senses someone in the hall area. I thought to myself, I'm having the same feeling. That can't be! As Dee continues to urge the spirit to look at the light, to go to the light, she explains that he has passed on, to not be afraid, and tells Anita to say a few words. I can not see Anita's actions, but I know that she is with the spirit, consoling him. My thoughts are, "is this really happening?, Am I really experiencing this? What is really going on here?", Then Dee announces that he has left the room and that he is now in a safer place. This entire incident lasted about, maybe, 5 minutes at the most.
As we continued to explore the tunnels, Anita and Dee
had more feelings in other rooms, of things that had taken place. As we discussed our experiences over coffee, I asked Dee and Anita how many times they had done their team work in helping a spirit move on. They said that this was the first time. This pretty much confirmed for me that something really did happen down there.
So, as it stands, the Guild Inn is a place with a lot of history, with so much more to be discovered! I can't wait to see what we discover next!
Update Sept 24th 2001
Update Sept. 24th 2001: Joint overnight investigation with members of HRG and TGHRS was conducted - areas covered included most of the original structure and grounds. This was a fairly quiet evening, EVP recordings and photos taken showed no anomalies. One member of the TGHRS staff reported hearing scuffling or footsteps in the 'empty' attic area and upon investigation of the sounds complained of the internal sensation of a "tugging" or "pulling" of his chest, which was noted .
Update: Oct. 13th 2001
On October
13th 2001 out of town members of P.R.O and H.R.G booked overnight rooms at the Guild Inn following the Toronto Ghosts & Hauntings Research Society's Anniversary Party and Ghost Conference.
One of the members of
H.R.G a 'sensitive' was “bothered“in the middle of the night by what she claimed was the spirit of a young fellow with the distinct features of one blue eye and
one brown. Her announcement created quite a stir during the following morning's coffee get-together as P.R.O had previously received reports by a resident of the hotel who had been plagued by strange dreams of a young fellow matching the description given by the 'sensitive.' P.R.O can state with certainty that H.R.G and in particular this member had no prior knowledge of our reports, nor had they been previously published. The description being rare in and of itself seems to defy any sort of random chance or coincidence.
Other notes of interest include an outside
report from hotel guests of banging in the early morning hours, the witnessing of door handles turning between adjoining rooms and severe temperature fluctuation. Both guests and P.R.O members who shared rooms on either side had made the logical assumption that the noises and rattling door knobs were coming from each others rooms, however this was not the case.
Close to check out time one of H.R.G's members noticed that her jewelery placed on the dresser and under a pair of gloves was missing.The
gloves and a wallet were undisturbed. A thorough search of the room by 5 persons including members of P.R.O yeilded nothing. One P.R.O member removed all bed coverings and linens and shook these out over the floor. Again no jewelery. In frustration and following the advice of another H.R.G member, the owner requested aloud to have her jewelery returned. The jewelery was then spotted (as if neatly placed) on the bed which the P.R.O member had thoroughly searched. No one had left the room nor entered. No one had noticed the jewelery's 'reappearance'. Could this have been a purposeful hoax - yes, it is within the realm of possibilities. However, P.R.O will without hesitation vouch for the absolute integrity of all those present in the room at the time.
All of these occurences including the above account of the one blue eyed - one brown eyed boy occurred on the 6th floor of the new wing.
Update: Feb. 5th 2002
Due to the public closure of The Guild Inn - PRO will no longer be able to pursue active field investigation of this location - however we would be interested in hearing from anyone who has had a personal account to share. These may be submitted through our online form or via email: admin@pararesearchers.org
The directors and staff of Para-Researchers Of Ontario would like to express our sincere sadness at the closure of this once grand hotel. The Guild Inn offers an interesting piece of Scarborough history on both a community level and for so many of those who have fond personal memories. However, we are confident that whatever is finally decided upon in regards to the historic structures (those designated heritage sites) and grounds - The Guild will be an enjoyable spot for all once again.
For a complete history on the Guild Inn please see:
The History Of The Guild Inn Carole M. Lidgold Brookridge Publishing House ISBN # 0-9698244-8-3
Update: March 11th, 2002
The following “ghostly” experiences were recently submitted to PRO - names our withheld for the privacy of witnesses:
“I found your article about the Guild Inn extremely interesting.
Approximately a year and a half ago, I stayed there for two nights while attending a seminar.
I was unaware of its existence until that weekend, but was intrigued by the historic significance of the building and grounds. All we knew at that time was that the rooms that our party were using as the hospitality suite, were used at some point by one of the owners. Webmaster’s note: The room being referred to is the “Spencer Suite” which is/was located on the 3rd floor.
The first afternoon I arrived I immediately closed the drapes, as is my habit. I then went to supper and spent a few hours in the hospitality suite before retiring to my room for the night. When I re-entered my room (it was on the same floor as the hospitality suite) the drapes were open. No one else had been in the room, so my only conclusion was I had a "visitor". Several members on my party said that they had heard noises when they were in the hall (on other floors) and one said she saw a lady in a long blue dress. I cannot state with certainty that they actually did experience anything.
We also heard noises in the second floor of the building across the driveway. This was during the day and no one else was around.
I sincerely hope that they do re-open the Inn. The food was excellent and it was such a great place to stay.
We were told that we were in the older part of the Inn. That explained the lumpy old mattress. This added to the ambiance of the Inn. The staff at that time were also nice.”
Have you had a similar experience at the Guild Inn? Can you shed some light on who the “lady in blue” may be?
If so, we’d appreciate hearing fom you! You may send us your Guild Inn experiences via email admin@pararesearchers.org or you may use our submissions form by clicking here.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have shared their Guild Inn experiences with us.
Update: October 14th 2006
Guild Inn photos taken October 14th 2006 during the Ghost and Hauntings Investigation classes taught for The Toronto District School Board. Instructor Robin Bellamy.
Methodology based on the PSICAN Guide Book written by Matthew J. Didier and Sue Darroch.
Nothing out of the ordinary was captured or experienced during the TDSB class visit to The Guild Inn. However, the following
photos give an excellent idea of the current state of this historical site.
Update: February2007
Another chilling account from the Guild Inn.
"I have been meaning to send this story in for a long time. But have changed my mind time and time again. It
gives me chills just thinking about it. I reconsidered after hearing a paranormal radio program on Saturday night as callers called in talking about their experiences first hand. Here it goes.
On the New Years Eve
1999-2000, my girlfriend and I were staying at the Guild Inn. We were not the only ones in the hotel. As other guests checked in. We were greeted warmly, and I remember we even signed the guest book. I cant remember exactly
what room we were in, but I am certain we were on the 3rd floor about the middle of the hall of the new section of the hotel. I remember admiring the big stone arch outside from the window, as this was where the room was facing
the park. I admired the artwork that was in the hallway. I remember it as being very quiet, but yet warm and there was a nice musty and musky smell that made you feel that you were home. As the continuation we had our fun, had
our little party and watched the New Years Celebration. The room was warm yet, if you went to the window area of the room it was really cold. We did what a normal couple would do in bed. As we were doing what we were doing as a
couple there was like a loud boom, boom, boom coming from the wall where our head board was. The head board of our bed was against this wall. I yelled back sorry, for disturbing. As we slept I had this nightmare, at that the
time I thought it was a nightmare. I was staring at a blonde women, wearing a red dress, floating above me, just kept on asking me for my soul. I remember it was like a half male and half women distorted. I thought I was just
having a dream and then realized a cold wind blowing on my face as it spoke, the womens pupils dilated and turned black. As it asked for my soul again, I my hair was on its back and I yelled out my girlfriend has my soul. It
looked at me and growled and looked at her and turned away as if horrified and left through the window of our room. I don t know why but I got up and ran, and looked out the window in the snow and saw footprints one step after
another if someone was running but no one was there. I was feeling faint and fell right back in to bed, it was morning when my girlfriend at the time woke me up and told me just get our stuff and lets get out of the place. When
I asked her why, she said didn t want to talk about. Till this day she still does not want to talk about."
Our thanks to the witness for contacting us. From the Webmaster: Please note the Asian folkloric overtones
of this experience, which make it highly intriguing! I am currently studing Japanese ghost lore and we have noted that as Toronto becomes more and more diverse and cosmopolitan these types of ghost encounters are becoming more
frequently reported. Very interesting!
