The Banks House Ghost
The Banks or deGannes-Cosby House in Annapolis Royal The Banks House, or deGannes-Cosby House as we call it now is the oldest documented wooden structure in Nova Scotia built in 1708. The house is found along St. George Street in Annapolis Royal. Since it’s construction it has continuously been occupied with 16 different owners. The house features a low ceiling, very wide floor boards, fine old fire places and very thick walls. The house was also designed with a second roof above the first one to help insulate against the cold of winter and the heat of summer. On the doors in the house are the old type “H” & “L” hinges. These were known as Holy Lord hinges that would restrain the powers of witches from entering. Off the dining room was a door that opened outward and it is said that the Duke of Kent, while visiting the Banks house kissed a very pretty local serving girl here.
The first owners of the Banks house used to keep slaves and it is said the mistress of the house was not very kind to these slaves. There was an iron rod fastened on an upper floor which was said to have been used as a whipping post when she felt the slaves had done wrong. There is a tale of one poor slave girl who mistakenly tossed out a good piece of pie to the pigs while cleaning up one day. Unfortunately the mistress of the house witnessed this mistake and forced the girl to go into the pig pen to retrieve the piece of pie and then made her eat it. Another very young slave girl dressed in a sugar sack was punished for her wrongful deed by first being hung up by her thumbs and then locked in the closet. It is not known if the mistress of the house forgot about her, or if she carried out her punishment for too long, but the girl died while being locked in there all alone and in the dark. It was said that the mistress concealed the body in the fireplace. It seems the girl may have been quite scared by this and her ghost has not been able to rest as she is a frequent visitor in the Banks house. She has never tried to hurt anyone or make contact. People report seeing the young girl, still wearing the sugar sack, in the hallway walking toward them and then walk right through them. She just seems to be trapped inside this old house.
Owners of the Banks house have reported of another ghost living in the house with them. This ghost is known as the “Checkered Lady”. This elderly lady is seen quite often in one of the bedrooms upstairs sitting in a rocking chair just rocking back and forth weaving a plaid or grey shawl. It is said the ghost is a quiet well-mannered old lady who never bothers anyone, although most women who see her become very afraid; but most men who see her talk about her friendly smile. She is always wearing the same checkered dress and does not seem to do much of anything else but rock and weave. As the story goes this is the sister of Andrew MacDonald and she is seen in the same rocker she died in many, many years before and she can’t seem to leave it. She was first seen before 1821 and an article printed in the Sunday Leader on May 8, 1921 reported that the rocking chair still rocked for a long time after she had disappeared.
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