Haunting of the Patrick Taylor Cottage: Albany, Western Australia

The Patrick Taylor Cottage

The Patrick Taylor Cottage is a quaint, little house surrounded by manicured gardens. It is well known in the coastal town of Albany for being Western Australia’s oldest surviving dwelling, dating back to 1832. It was constructed when Albany was still just a military outpost and made use of wattle and daub materials to form its walls, like so many other houses of the time.

It was the Morley Brothers who were responsible for building the small cottage, with John Lawrence Morley becoming one of Albany’s earliest settlers, after finding his way ashore working for the East India Trading Company. Eventually, the home was sold to Patrick Taylor in 1835, who lived in the house with his wife, until his death in 1877. The cottage remained in the family for many more years before being sold off to others.

Over time, the cottage fell into disrepair, yet was thankfully restored and set up as Albany’s first museum. It now even contains over 2000 items of historical significance. It would be in these later years that tales of hauntings would pop up surrounding the cottage.

Ghost of the Patrick Taylor Cottage

The haunting of the Patrick Taylor Cottage is a peculiar one. It seems to occur each year during the month of September and then goes into remission for the remainder of the year.

During September, objects are said to be violently knocked over and moved around the cottage. In addition to this poltergeist activity, many people claim to have sighted the apparition of a man. He is said to appear in full military uniform with his arm in a sling before disappearing into thin air. He typically will make his way towards the bedroom and has even been sighted laying within the bed in this room.

This spirit is believed to be that of Major Frederick Ingoldby, who was a former tenant of the Patrick Taylor Cottage when he passed away in its bedroom in September of 1942. It is believed that he returns to the cottage each year around the anniversary of his death, though no one is quite sure why. He is also said to be adorned in his military uniform since he served during the Boer War, where he was also injured, hence his arm appearing in the sling.

Visiting the Haunted Patrick Taylor Cottage

The Patrick Taylor Cottage remains open to the public as a historic museum. It is well worth visiting if you are in the area and contains so many artifacts of interest. Although the cottage itself is small, there is plenty to explore.

If you enjoyed this article you may also find interest in the haunted Albany Convict Gaol.

Thanks for reading!

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