Paranormal activity is found in the former home of the prominent Massey family who founded the Massey Ferguson empire in Canada.
Located at 515 Jarvis street, Lord William McMaster, who founded McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario, built this mansion in the mid 1800s. Approximately 10 years later, he sold the property to Hart Massey who was the founder of Massey Ferguson and Massey Hall. Two famous grandsons were Raymond Massey, the actor, and Vincent Massey who was the Governor General of Canada. This was a grand mansion where dignitaries and royal family members such King George IV and Queen Mary were entertained.
The building was bequeathed to the University of Toronto in the early 1900s and served as a radio station, then an art gallery until the 1960s. It was turned into a privately owned restaurant and then taken over by the Keg restaurants in the mid 1970s.
Washrooms in the Keg Mansion
Hart Massey’s daughter Lillian Massey passed away on the second floor. Her ghost is seen wandering around that area. Her presence is felt in the second floor washroom. People have felt like they are being watched. There have been occasions when patrons have locked the bathroom door when using the facilities, only to hear the door being unlocked and sometimes open slightly. Upon investigation, nobody was in the vicinity of the bathroom. Another patron reported that a bag she hung on a hook in the bathroom stall was lifted and set gently set down on the floor at her feet. Visitors have reported toilets that spontaneously flushed when nobody else was in the bathroom. In addition, toilet paper dispensers sometimes rattle in empty stalls.
Upper Floors of the Keg Mansion
Sounds of laughter have been heard from the upper floors when they are unoccupied. In addition, many people have heard the sounds of children playing. The ghost of a little boy has been seen running up and down the staircase. He sometimes stops on the stairs and looks out over the crowd of diners. Patrons and staff have seen spirits of domestic employees roaming around the mansion.
Main Foyer of the Keg Mansion
The most famous ghost is that of a maid of the Massey family who hung herself from the second floor oval opening in the main foyer. She can be seen with a noose hanging around her neck. It is believed she was an employee of Lillian Massey and committed suicide when she heard the news of her employer’s death. It is rumoured that she had an affair with one of the Massey men and she was forced to hang herself in order to keep her pregnancy a secret.
Dining Area of the Keg Mansion
Patrons have reported the feeling of being watched, especially in the Parlour room. Some diners have seen the spirit of a man milling around and then he disappears without exiting through a door. There are intermitted cold drafts felt and lights flicker off and on for no apparent reason.
Even though the Massey family no longer owns the mansion, their spiritual presence and those of their household staff is felt. Customers may end up getting more than just a meal!
Related Articles and Blog to Haunted Places in Canada:
The copyright of the article Haunted Keg Mansion Toronto in Ghosts & Hauntings is owned by Maureen K. Fleury. Permission to republish Haunted Keg Mansion Toronto in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
i was in the keg mansion 2005.i was on staying at the days inn not too far
away.we were recomended the keg mansion but knew nothing of its history. there was me my mum,dad ,brother ,sister and her two children and my wife
to be and her father. when we arrived we were told they wee full up
some how i talked them around and they told us to go up stairs and wait and
have a drink probably knowing we were irish and wouldnt refuse an offer
like that. up we went happily knowing we were going to get fed. we sat
at the bar which was great and not long after that we were told we could
eat up stairs if we didnt mind. so we took the seats at the back of
the room.there we sat in three alcoves my dad,mummy bro and his wife to be
now.me my bride to be and her father then my sis and here two weans my best
man and his now wife. we all got starters massive prawns which were
lovely.my sister kept coming round to taste what we were eating.shirley was
in the corner of the room with here back to the wall and kept saying she
was getting a chill and was cold, we were thinking what you on about. then one of the waitress came up to us and told us we would have to go
down stairs as it was past nine oclock and we wernt aloud to have the
children in the bar vicinity. it wasnt a problem so we all set about
moving down stairs.me my dad and my brides father walked down the stairs
together but before we went down the stairs we stoped for 3 or 4 minutes
looking over the balcony.talking bout how its strange feel.taking no notice
of it we walked down the stairs.i remember looking at all the old photos
and really having an interest in them.the massey family thinking of the
tractors on my grannys farm in donegal.i can still picture them on the wall
yet. so we all sat down in the bottom room.this girl welcomed us which
we never had before and thought it was great.most of us ordered the surf
and turf which was beautiful and plentyful. then as one of the girls
was serving food she accidently knocked over a glass of red wine on my
mothers dress. the girl couldnt be sorry enough and couldnt believe it
and helped in drying it off. so after the meal my mum went outside for
a cigeratte . it was only when we came outside that we found out what
had happened in the keg.one of the staff had been out for a smoke and to my
ma the craic.i took photos outside.my mum got up in the morning and there
was no trace of wine and when we got home the camera i had used had gone.
russellallen62@hotmail.com
Jun 4, 2008 12:38 PM
Maureen Fleury :
Awesome story about your experiences at the Keg Mansion! Thank you for
taking the time to share with us. :-)
Sep 26, 2008 7:16 AM
Guest :
The last time we were at the Keg Mansion was about 20 yrs ago. I happened
to find this article because I was curious to see if it was still in
operation since we will be going to Toronto soon.
I definitely
know there is a presence there. We were waiting upstairs for a table
downstairs and I had to use the washroom. It was as soon as I opened the
door that the entire mood, atmosphere had changed completely. I felt I was
NOT alone. Nothing out of the ordinary happened to me except the sound of
dripping water which I had no idea where it was coming from. The whole
time, I felt a little uneasy because there was a definite presence there;
it was all around me and actually felt a little overwhelming. I really was
expecting to see a ghostly figure or a tap on my shoulder or something ...
but nothing except a sterile cold; almost what might feel as a tomblike
sensation.
The feeling was very intense. One other was the old
jail in Ottawa (on their Haunted Walk tour. That also felt occupied by the
spirit world but for me, not nearly a strong a feeling as this one upstairs
washroom at the Keg Mansion. Quite eerie, indeed.
Janice
Lefave Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Dec 22, 2008 7:37 AM
Guest :
We were just at the Keg Mansion tonight about an hour ago for a family
get-together for my moms birthday. we knew that it was haunted but sdisnt
know what exactly happend. a couple of strange things happend to us. I
persanally belive in ghosts and all that ... and i am only 12. I knew that
the bathroom was one of the haunted spots and i had to go alot(i ordered
alot of pop) and the first time i went i felt something wierd in the
bathroom up stairs. Whne i came back i started complaing that i was
freexzing cold. Everyone looked at me wired coz the fire place wasgoing
full balst right berhind me and they were all sweating. then later on the
waiter happned to trip with 3 members of our familys dinner. ot was just
plain creepy and then even though i didnt have to go to the bathroom
anymore--i felt that i had to --like someone was calling me there. Weird.
Then where it says that she hung herself....i was atracted to that . so i
decided to come home and research its exact history. me and my mom and dad
read it figuring out a bunch of things --coincidenes. Very wierd i love
haunted things so this has been a real good experience for me .
May 25, 2009 4:43 AM
Guest :
Wow has anyone been there cause it looks AWSOME!!! I wonder how haunted it
is. On the outside it looks rusty old and if you open the Keg Mansion
Toronto it looks like theres a face in a window. Look hard ppl look hard...
Aug 18, 2009 4:08 PM
Guest :
Yesterday my boyfriend, his parents and I went to The Keg mansion and I had
only heard it was haunted that very day. It was my boyfriends 19th birthday
so we went to have a nice relaxing dinner. Right when we sat down, the fire
alarm went off and no body really knew what to do. Some of us had to go
outside but we came back in about half an hour later. We sat down again and
not too long after the fire alarm kept going off and on for the rest of our
2 hours there! I also went up to the washroom on the second floor and I
felt strange, someone just past by me when I came in but i didn't really
see ( I honestly had no idea about the hauntings until today ) I heard a
toilet flush and I was looking at myself in the mirror and washing my hands
.. I felt like I was being watched so I looked all over the washroom and I
felt kind of chilly. Now that I think about it the stalls were empty when I
was looking at the room.. Once again I only heard it was
"haunted" before right now.. Freaky!
