Did she fall or was she pushed??

The British Arms Hotel in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie was built in 1899 and operated as a hotel until it was delicenced in 1924. It is reputed to be the narrowest two-story hotel in the southern hemisphere measuring only 3.2 meters in width.

Although small in size, the hotel did a brisk trade in the early part of the century as it was situated directly opposite the Hannan Street Railway Station. This was the busiest station on the Kalgoorlie/Boulder Loopline, conveniently situated close to the shops of Hannan Street. There was even a subway to allow passengers to cross under the rail line to Hannan Street safely.

The British Arms Hotel Kalgoorlie

From 1924 to 1963 the British Arms Hotel building was used as a boarding house. In 1966 the Kalgoorlie Boulder Jaycees set up a steering committee to establish a Museum in the British Arms and the Hotel opened as the Golden Mile Museum in 1968. In 1989 the hotel became part of the Western Australian Museum and with a Federal Grant, magnificent support from the mining industry, local government, and others, a larger complex was built adjoining the hotel and the Museum reopened as the Museum of the Goldfields, re-named the Western Australian Museum Kalgoorlie-Boulder in 2000.

A Ghostly Tale

It has been reported that there is a ghostly presence that haunts the British Arms. It is supposedly the spirit of Mrs. Edith McKay, the hotel publicans 37yr old wife who fell down the staircase of the hotel on the 17th December 1913 and died three days later in a private hospital.

The Sun , Sunday 21 December 1913, page 1

It has been speculated that her fall was not an accident but this has never been proved. Many visitors and staff have reported seeing or feeling Edith McKay’s presence and many unexplained incidents in the Museum have been attributed to her.

The steep and narrow staircase on the British Arms Hotel

On the 100th anniversary of Edith’s death, 20th December 2013, ABC Mornings presenter and ghost hunter Lorraine Horsley visited the British Arms after hours with museum education officer Peta Osborne to find out more. You can listen to Lorraine and Peta’s interview and the recording they made on the night. To hear all the ghostly sounds from inside the British Arms Hotel follow the audio player in the following link  Did she fall or was she Pushed

Edith is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery and has an impressive grave memorial.

Inscription

In memory of Edith beloved wife of
F. C. MCKAY who died at Kalgoorlie,
20th December 1913 aged
37 years at rest

Francis Charles ‘Charlie’ know as ‘Mac’ never remarried after the untimely death of his wife. Prior to coming to the British Arms Hotel, Charlie was running the Australia Hotel just down the street. In 1900,  the year that he married Edith NORMAN in Coolgardie, he took over the British Arms Hotel. Here he sold his ‘signature drink:

Refresh yourselves with Pioneer Orange Phosphate and soda water

He continued to run the British Arms hotel with great success until the liquor license was not renewed among many other hotels in WA in 1924. He was the sole and last licensee for the hotel but for one year, a total of 23yrs.

Weekly Judge (Friday 28 February 1919, page 5

Sunday Times 3 September 1933, page 10

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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