"Penelope" The Resident Ghost of Shirreff Hall

Also known the Old Eddy House, Shirreff Hall is the oldest residence at Dalhousie University. When it opened in 1923, staff used to live in the annex, a residence space above the kitchen, also known as the “servants’ quarters.”

Although there are no historical records of Penelope, the tale is well known. Most students who have lived here have heard the story of Penelope, the ghost who haunts Shirreff Hall.

There are different versions to this story, some say that Penelope was a staff member who fell in love with a professor, while others say she was a student and that her death was due to a boyfriend overseas. However, both versions have one thing in common, Penelope became pregnant, and when her lover refused to help her, so she hanged herself in the tower on the fourth floor, of the old Eddy wing. And as the story goes, she’s been there ever since.

Many people claim to have witnessed inexplicable things while living, and working there. There have been reports of lights and electronic devices turning on and off, doors unlocking and opening by themselves, temperature changes, disembodied footsteps running down the hall, shadow figures, and even some sightings of Penelope, who witnesses describe as beautiful woman in a blue dress.

“One night, a former residence life manager who lived in Shirreff not too long ago saw a set of footprints in the hallway that went straight into a wall and just kept going. Wet footsteps along a fresh hallway that just disappeared. There were no other footsteps moving away from that area or anything.” - Shirreff’s facilities manager, Mateo Yorke

“We got out into the stairwell and there’s really loud organ music (playing) at four in the morning,” she says. “Shirreff didn’t have an organ and we couldn’t locate one.” Wilson describes the organ music as “surround-sound loud” and says it was only playing in the stairwell. - Brittany Wilson, former resident.

We may never know the true story behind Penelope, but if you are fortunate enough to see her ghost, maybe she will share her story with you. 


Have you had any ghostly encounters of your own while on campus? We would love to share your story! 

Sources:

dalgazette.com

dal.ca

signalhfx.ca

Photo Credit:

dal200.ca