Christopher William Crawley (1841 - 1910)

Born 1841 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Lydia (Carr) Crawley — married 22 Sep 1862 in Tumut, New South Wales, Australia

Died 14 Dec 1910 at about age 69 in Junee, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Terry Wright [send private message]

• Youtube - Paranormal activity at Monte Cristo , Junee, NSW Australia
• Youtube - The Monte Cristo Homestead Haunted House (Sean Lynch, The Circle, Muirhouse)
• Youtube - Ghozt Crew Monte Cristo Homestead Promo
• Youtube - Monte Cristo - Australia's Most Haunted House

Biography

Christopher Crawley

Christopher Crawley (/kɹɪs.tə.fə krɔːliː/) was born in Sydney in 1841. His parents were William and Ellen Crawley (nee Redden). Christopher's parents immigrated to Sydney, Australia from Ireland. ^{[2] [3]}

Christopher Crawley married Elizabeth Carr on the 22 September 1862, at Tumut, New South Wales. The couple moved to Junee, but it wasn't until January 1876, that they bought land under the provisions of the Robertson Act of 1861. Christopher held two parcels of land on a conditional purchase, one of 400 acres and another 120 acres. Christopher and Elizabeth Crawley built a primitive slab hut on the land. They struggled with farming however Christopher Crawley acquired a license and built the Railway Hotel in 1877. ^[4]

It is said Christopher was tipped off that the Great Southern Railway Line would open in 1878. Before the Colonial Government routed the railway through the village of Junee, the only buildings in the village were Christopher Crawley's hotel, the adjoining Railway Store run by George Dobbyns, and a few slab houses and bark huts. But that changed with the railway and Junee began benefiting from the many travelers and the agricultural trade.

Christopher became a very wealthy man. His land holdings also increased and he owned almost the entire area of present-day Junee at this time.

Christopher Crawley was held in high regard by all the community. He donated a parcel of land to the church and helped finance the construction of St Joseph's Church and other important projects.

This is when Christopher Crawley built Monte Cristo meaning Mount of Christ, up until now the Crawley's lived in a small brick cottage, now called the Original Homestead. Built-in 1876 the Original Homestead later became the kitchen and servants quarters.

Their original home, a slab hut, had become servants' quarters when finances improved and a grander brick replacement was constructed. The slab hut made way for Stables to house Crawley's prized racehorses, which coincided with the construction of the Dairy and preceded a wood Ballroom which stood directly behind the Old Homestead and was connected to a carbide gas supply illuminating the main house in 1902.^[5]

Old Homestead at Monte Cristo

Monte Cristo

Christopher and Elizabeth Crawley were a very religious catholic couple. Elizabeth Crawley usually wore a black lace dress, lace cap with a stand up beaded collar, and lace cap. Staff would later tell stories of mistreatment by their employers, especially Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth Crawley ruled the house with an iron fist, Monte Cristo became one of the area's social centers, they held balls, the local land owners played tennis and golf on Junee and the surrounding area's first golf course. The Crawleys had seven children, four girls and 3 boys that survived. Ethel their 10-month-old daughter, was killed when a nanny carrying her dropped her down the stairs.

William Christopher Crawley ^[6]died at ^[7]Monte Cristo on 14th December 1910,he was 69 years old, the cause of death was blood poisoning, caused by a carbuncle on his neck, which became infected by a starched collar. It is said Elizabeth Crawley only left her house twice in 23 years after her husband died. She turned an upstairs storage room into a Chapel, where she read the bible for hours at a time. Elizabeth Crawley died at Monte Cristo on the 12th August 1933, she was 92 years old, the cause of death was heart failure and ruptured appendix.

On the 3rd June 1963 Reg Ryan bought Monte Cristo, by now a vandalized homestead, from the Crawley Estate for $1,000.00. The house had been vacant since 1943. The Ryans have restored Monte Cristo to its former glory.

The Ghosts of Monte Cristo

The house and grounds of Monte Cristo are considered the most haunted house in Australia. ^[8]Several ghosts are seen and heard on this property. After the Ryans bought the house, the breakfast room was used as their kitchen, it was in this room they found dead and mutilated kittens. Many witnesses over the years have said that they have sensed a dark presence that stopped them from walking up the home's staircase. Shadows and figures have been seen. Visitors often feel like someone is touching them, when no one else is around. Outside the house, the sad figure of a young boy is often seen near the coach house.

The apparition of a woman in period dress has been seen walking along the verandah. Faces have also been seen looking through the second-story windows, even though there is no balcony outside. Furniture has been moved and noises have been heard. Several witnesses have taken photographs that show figures reflected in the home's mirrors. They have feelings of sadness, and not being able to breathe in certain rooms, Strange mists appear in photos visitors have taken.

According to psychics the most dominant ghost is Elizabeth Crawley; she has been seen on the property for years. She is seen most often in the small room she converted into a chapel. She is described as a dark figure, dressed in black carrying a silver cross. Her ghost has been known to order people out of the Dining Room and her presence is felt when a room suddenly becomes icy cold. Christopher Crawley is usually seen in the hallway but is not seen as often as his wife.

There were a number of tragedies at Monte Cristo, while the Crawleys lived in the house.

A maid was carrying the Crawley's baby daughter Ethel, and fell down the stairs, Ethel dropped from her arms and was killed. The nanny claims something pushed the child from her arms. Many young children become extremely frightened and agitated when in the vicinity of the stairs. Several children have also suffered asthma attacks when on or near the stairs.

A young maid fell from the second floor balcony and was killed. It is claimed she was pregnant at the time.

A woman died in childbirth on the second floor.

A young stable boy Morris was sleeping with the horses and carriages, and was burned to death when his boss, thinking he was pretending to be ill, set his straw mattress on fire. He was too ill to get up.

The housekeeper's mentally disabled son Harold was chained to a wall of the caretakers cottage for 40 years. His mother would come and give him food. Children walking past would hear Harold howling, and thought the house was haunted. After many years his mother died, and when townspeople went up to the homestead, they found Harold in the Dairy. He had no food or water since his mother had died. Harold was placed in a home for the insane where he died a short time after.

In 1961 the caretaker of Monte Cristo was shot and killed by a local boy after he had watched Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho three times that day. He wrote "Die Jack Die" on the door of the dairy, which you can still see faintly to this day.

Sources

1. ↑ Visit Junee.com - The West side were it began
2. ↑ William Crawley - Ship: Fairlie, Date of Arrival: 6th December 1838
3. ↑ Fairlie ship indent - William Crawley
4. ↑ Trove Digitised Newspapers - Marriage announcement of Christopher Crawley and Elizabeth Carr- The Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 9 October 1862
5. ↑ Mote Crisco.com - The Crawley's
6. ↑ Trove Digitised Newspapers - Death Notice of Christopher Crawley - Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Thursday 15 December 1910
7. ↑ Family Search - Australia, Cemetery Inscriptions, Sydney Branch Genealogical Library, 1800-1960," index and images, FamilySearch Christopher Crawley, 14 Dec 1910; citing Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Cemetery, Public Library of New South Wales; FHL microfilm 887464.
8. ↑ Paranormal Australia - The Ghosts of Mote Cristo

See also:

• Aussie Ghosts.com - Monte Cristo, Junee
• Sydney Spirit Stalkers - Junee - monte cristo - most haunted house in Australia
• Monte Cristo - Timeline
• Wikipedia - Monte Cristo Homestead
• The Babbling Brooke Diaries - Hidden Treasures Uncovered - Australia's Most Haunted House – Monte Cristo Homestead