Christie Mansion. Tucked away behind Queen’s Park and the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto. This simple Victorian Mansion once housed the Christie family. Known for building the largest cookie empire in Canadian history.
But does the house hide a dark secret? The son of the founder, William Christie, and a hidden woman used for horrible desires, leading to her death!
What happened? And is the legend true? Let’s find out.
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History | Dark Legend | Ghost of Room 29
by Ghost Guide Daniel
House of Cookies
Rented by Regis College (on land owned by the University of Toronto). Turned into class and study rooms.
Originally built in 1881 for William Christie. This was over 10 years after he started the Christie Brand. Diving into a mastery for making amazing biscuits (aka, cookies).
A Sweet Life
William truly loved making biscuits. Starting in the 1840s, at the young age of only 19 years old in Scotland.
He apprenticed for a local biscuit maker. Later coming to Toronto and finding work at the Mathers & Brown Bakery once in Toronto’s Yorkville area. Dedicating himself to the bakery’s most popular product… cookies!
For almost 10 years he worked there. Later making a deal with the ‘Brown’ of Mathers & Brown.
William partnered with Alexander Brown to start, Christie, Brown & Company. A factory needed after a couple years of success.
Christie, Brown & Company
The company grew quickly. Led to the building of a massive factory in Toronto, once on Adelaide Street (back then called Duke).
Surprisingly, the building is still there. Now utilized by George Brown College.
Curious thought… the two most important buildings to William Christie ended up as educational institutions.
By the 1870s, William Christie bought out Alexander Brown and continued on alone.
The Most Popular Christie Cookie
Speaking of being curious. I wondered… what is the most known cookies invented by the Christie company in Canada?
Funny thing, it was difficult to track down. A Google search brought results hinting Oreo, Fig Newtons, Arrowroot, etc, were all invented by Christie. But I knew (as a cookie master), “… that can’t be true!”
Confusion comes from the sale of Christie to Nabisco in the 1920’s (more below).
Deeper searches did find one proud Canadian cookie. Created by the company, combining two popular flavours and inventing a delicious Frankenstein.
It’s Pirate! Still a big seller today.
Mixing Oatmeal cookies with Peanut Butter filling. A winning combo, even from my own childhood.
And a cookie we can claim for Canada!
Even with the previous success, William’s son Robert gave away the cookie empire after dragging it down. Maybe due to the guilt of causing a woman’s death.
Second Generation of Christie
William Christie died in June of 1900 from bone cancer. This happened inside the Christie Mansion.
Everything transferred to his son, Robert Jaffray Christie. Who leaned into his father’s processes for 20 years of decent business.
Then we get to the 1920’s… everything changed!
Sickness & Strange Business
This is where legend seeps into rumour, causing mystery.
Official history states… sickness clouded Robert’s leadership. Poor decisions brought the company down. Losing profits and killing the Christie brand.
In 1928, Christie was sold to a United States company named Nabisco.
This was 2 years after Robert’s death in 1926 (also inside Christie Mansion).
History says after getting sick, Robert feared ruining of his family’s legacy. He setup the sale before his death. Which makes sense! Knowing he was going to die, to ensure the family’s future.
However, that doesn’t explain the Secret Room!
The Horrific Legend of Robert Christie
As mentioned, Robert died inside the house in 1926. Just like his father, it’s said to be from a severe illness. He was only 57 years old.
Even though Robert was sick for months. That’s lots of time to document and announce his affliction. But, even today, his cause of death is labelled “unidentifiable”.
The mysterious diagnosis is a cause for the infamous legend. Because many think he died from guilt!
The Secret Room
Soon after Robert Christie’s death… a secret room was discovered inside the Christie Mansion. It had entrances off the main hallway and library. Doorways make to look like wood-panelled walls hid a space inside.
It’s in this room, Robert kept his mistress!
An unknown woman brought into the house. Held like a captive to serve one person, Robert, and his darkest needs and desires.
A servant was brought into his confidence. Tasked with checking, feeding and sneaking her outside at night for fresh air.
Is this Possible?
In short… yes.
Not to get into political weeds. But in Robert’s time, odd treatment of the impoverished by the wealthy wasn’t strange.
It’s possible a woman with no family in Canada, an immigrant with no papers. She can be disappeared.
With no modern licenses. No Internet or social media footprints. Only the word of someone with the last name Christie.
Because of this thought, the following becomes possible.
Death
The legend states Robert grew tired of the woman. No longer visiting her in the Secret Room. Leaving only small, infrequent visits by the servant.
Was it too much for her? The servant walked in one day to find the woman hanging from a chandelier.
She had pulled the bedsheets off the bed. Spinning them into a rope to fashion a noose. Tied up to the light and looped around her neck. She jumped from a chair.
By the time the servant arrived… the woman was dead.
Running to get Robert and bringing him back. He must have stifled a reaction as not to alert the other servants or family.
A deal was made to wait till nightfall. Sneaking the woman out and burying her somewhere on the grounds of Christie Mansion.
That’s the legend of the Christie Mansion. Which is also said to be haunted. But before I share a ghost story, let me think a bit on the woman’s grave.
Where is She?
The legend states she was buried on the grounds. That doesn’t make sense.
If the legend were real, she’d be buried in Queen’s Park.
Queen’s Park was founded in 1860. 21 years before the Christie Mansion was built. And 66 years before the death of Robert Christie.
Much has been developed around Christie Mansion since the timeframe of this legend. Built up close to the house. If she was on the grounds, her bones would have been unearthed, like the graves of condemned men at Toronto’s Don Jail.
This didn’t happen.
And thinking as a cowardly deviant (like the legend’s version of Robert) for a moment. That’s too easy. Instead, put her body in the park!
A space that’s government created and run. Queen’s Park will be around for generations to come. Never to be touched or developed upon.
So, if the legend were real… I believe her body is in Queen’s Park. But guess we’ll never know.
Ghost Story of Room 29
The mansion is now rented out by Regis College. Turned into a small school space, with William Christie’s original library turned into a study room.
And a smaller, confined space off the library known as “Room 29”. This is the Secret Room (legend says it’s where the Mistress was kept by Robert).
One night, a couple female students ducked into Room 29 to study alone. They closed over the door, leaving it slightly open as not to feel claustrophobic. Then getting lost in the textbooks.
They jumped when the door slammed shut.
Freaked out, one of the ladies grabbed the door handle. Pulling hard, but the door didn’t budge. Not even a little. As if jammed shut, or being held from the other side.
They screamed. Wanting to get out. Feeling trapped and scared.
Then the door popped open! Another student was walking by and heard the screams. She only pushed lightly from the other side. The door swung easily open.
The students never forgot the fear and dread they felt when trapped inside the room.
Perfectly mirroring the legendary Mistress… maybe more proof the it’s real.
Written by Ghost Guide Daniel
