The Notoriously Haunted Queen Mary
Moored in Long Beach, California, the Queen Mary is a testament to a bygone era of opulence and wartime service. This retired British ocean liner, which sailed from 1936 to 1967, has become renowned not just for its luxurious past but for the eerie tales of hauntings that pervade its corridors and staterooms.
Over the years, countless visitors, staff, and paranormal investigators have reported strange occurrences and ghostly encounters aboard the ship.
But why is the Queen Mary haunted?
At the outbreak of World War II, the famed ocean liner became a military transport ship, hauling between 5,000 and 15,000 soldiers across the world. At least 47 people died aboard the Queen Mary during her time at sea. Keep reading to delve into its rich and turbulent history, and book a ghost tour with LA Ghosts to learn more about the most haunted locations in the area!
A Grand Beginning
The Queen Mary was launched in 1934 and completed its maiden voyage in 1936. It was a marvel of its time, offering unparalleled luxury and comfort to its passengers. The ship quickly gained a reputation as one of the most elegant and fastest vessels on the seas, transporting celebrities, dignitaries, and wealthy individuals across the Atlantic. However, its illustrious career as a luxury liner was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.
The Queen Mary was transformed into a troopship during World War II, painted a dull grey, and stripped of its lavish interiors. Renamed the “Grey Ghost,” it played a crucial role in transporting thousands of troops across the globe. The ship’s wartime service was not without incident. In 1942, the Queen Mary accidentally collided with and sank the HMS Curacoa, resulting in the deaths of over 300 crew members. The tragedy left a lasting scar on the ship’s legacy and is often cited as a source of its hauntings.
Post-War Service and Retirement
After the war, the Queen Mary was refurbished and returned to its former glory as a luxury liner. It continued to serve as a passenger ship until 1967 when it was retired and permanently docked in Long Beach. The ship was converted into a hotel and tourist attraction, preserving its rich history for future generations. However, it wasn’t long before reports of unexplained activity began to surface.
Hauntings of the Queen Mary
The Queen Mary is rife with locations where eerie encounters have been reported. Some of the most infamous haunted hotspots include:
- Stateroom B340: Perhaps the most notorious, Stateroom B340 has been the site of numerous ghostly sightings and unexplained phenomena. Guests have reported seeing apparitions, hearing strange noises, and experiencing physical interactions with unseen entities. Due to the intensity of the reported activity, the room was closed to guests for many years but has since been reopened for those brave enough to stay the night.
- The Pool Area: Both the first and second-class pool areas are said to be haunted by the spirits of women and children. Visitors have reported seeing wet footprints leading away from the pool, hearing laughter and splashing, and witnessing apparitions of women in vintage swimsuits. One of the most commonly reported ghosts is that of a little girl named Jackie, who is often heard giggling and calling for her mother.
- The Engine Room: The ship’s engine room, with its labyrinthine layout and imposing machinery, has long been associated with paranormal activity. One well-known story involves the ghost of a 17-year-old sailor named John Pedder, who was crushed to death by a watertight door during a routine drill. Visitors have reported seeing his apparition near the door where he met his tragic end.
- The Queen’s Salon: This elegant room, once used for formal gatherings and events, is another hotspot for ghostly encounters. Guests and staff have reported seeing a woman in a white evening gown dancing alone and hearing the sounds of phantom music and laughter.
Theories Behind the Hauntings
Several theories attempt to explain the persistent hauntings aboard the Queen Mary. One common belief is that the ship’s long and storied history, marked by both grandeur and tragedy, has imprinted itself on the vessel, leaving behind residual energy that manifests as ghostly activity. This concept, known as the “stone tape theory,” suggests that intense emotions and traumatic events can become etched into the fabric of a location, replaying like a recording under certain conditions.
Another theory posits that the Queen Mary’s status as a luxury liner and wartime vessel has attracted a variety of spirits who are drawn to the ship for different reasons. Some may be passengers or crew members who had a strong connection to the ship during their lives, while others could be spirits of those who died under tragic circumstances, such as the victims of the Curacoa collision or John Pedder in the engine room.
The ship’s structure and materials might also play a role in its haunted reputation. The Queen Mary is primarily constructed of metal, which some paranormal researchers believe can conduct and amplify paranormal energy. The ship’s enclosed spaces, long corridors, and numerous rooms provide an ideal environment for echoes of the past to linger and for ghostly activity to thrive.
Today, the Queen Mary continues to be a popular destination for paranormal enthusiasts and tourists alike. The ship offers a variety of ghost tours, including nighttime investigations and overnight stays in its most haunted rooms.
Many visitors have reported encountering cold spots, hearing disembodied voices, and feeling an overwhelming sense of being watched. Some have even captured photographic evidence of apparitions and strange anomalies. The ship’s reputation for being haunted has only grown over the years, attracting countless stories and eyewitness accounts that add to its mystique.
Haunted Los Angeles
The Queen Mary’s haunted legacy is a compelling blend of history, tragedy, and the unexplained. From its glamorous beginnings to its wartime service and eventual transformation into a hotel, the ship has witnessed countless human experiences, both joyous and sorrowful. These events have left an indelible mark on the vessel, creating an environment ripe for otherworldly activity.
Whether one believes in ghosts or not, the stories and encounters reported aboard the Queen Mary serve as a haunting reminder of its storied past and the mysteries that continue to surround it. For those who dare to explore its decks, the Queen Mary offers a unique and chilling glimpse into the unexplained, making it one of the most haunted places in the world.
Check out our blog to uncover more haunted hotspots near Los Angeles, and to see some of them in person, book a Los Angeles ghost tour with LA Ghosts!
Sources:
https://www.navyhistory.org.au/ss-queen-mary-the-loss-of-hms-curacoa-1942/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-06-11-vw-4030-story.html
https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotels-resorts/most-haunted-hotel-america-queen-mary
