The Phantom Bell Ringers of PEI
One chilly October morning, a church bell unexpectedly rang through the streets of Charlottetown, PEI, guided by the hands of four ghostly women. Hours later a ship would sink halfway between Charlottetown and Pictou, Nova Scotia, killing four women. In this episode we'll explore this classic ghost story of PEI together with the historic account of a mostly-forgotten shipwreck. We'll learn how ghosts can foretell a disaster, how the truth can often be scarier than any legend, and how a ghost story can sometimes be a comfort in trying times.
Notes
Special thanks to the administration and congregation at St. James Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown, PEI. The sound of the tolling bell you heard in this episode is sourced from a clip of the actual church bell and is used here with their permission. An additional heartfelt thanks to Ian Scott of their Heritage Committee for sharing his knowledge and research.
Sources
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Watson, Julie V. Ghost Stories & Legends of Prince Edward Island. Hounslow Press, Toronto, 1998. P. 124-134.
Watson, Julie V. Shipwrecks & Seafaring Tales of Prince Edward Island. Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, 2009. P. 74-80.
Colombo, John Robert. Ghost Stories of Canada. Dundurn Press, Toronto, 2002. P. 31-32.
Schlosser, S. E. Spooky Canada: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore. Insider’s Guide, Guilford, CT, 2007. P. 122-127.
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“Bell Tolled By Phantom.” The Windsor Star, Windsor, ON. 14 March 1935, p. 21.
Lynch (nee. DeWolf), Christine. “The Tale of Two Drowned Sisters: A Sad Story with a Wolfville Connection.” Wolfville Historical Society Newsletter. Fall/Winter 2017, Volume 17, Issue 3, p. 3-4.
McMurrer, Daniel & MacKinnon, David. “Shipwrecks of Prince Edward Island: The Fairy Queen.” https://www.edu.pe.ca/eastwiltshire/grass01/Phys3a.htm. Accessed 3 June 2017.
Robinson, David. “Anniversary Sunday Message.” Sermon for Sunday, October 15, 2017.
Davis, Bob. “Bob Davis Reveals: ‘Eight Bells’ Foretells the Foundering of the Fairy Queen.” St. Joseph Gazette, St. Joseph, MO. 22 September 1934. P. 10.
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“List of Shipwrecks in 1853.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1853
