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The Huron Expositor, 1978-06-01, Page 13Serertatpity to BY Alice Gibb The Huron Gaol The antique clock seems to" count out the minutes graciously, as if time inside tee house moves -more slowly. Time in the governor's house of the Huron County Gaol does seem to have stayed unchanged--the spotless Meakin dishes on the dining room table, the 1909 copy of the Illustrated London News on the parlour stand and the' graceful curved neck of the 19001dison gramophone all invite visitors to imagine that at any moment the house will come alive--the longskirted governor's wife will trail through the rooms, or gaoler Joseph Griffin will walk through the door connecting his home and gaol, sit down in the parlour and pick up the Illustrated News, while the clock goes on ticking its gracious pace. Robert Cornish, a student who is spending his summer showing visitors through the Griffin home, said the house is typical of turn-of-the-century with the original ash grained woodwork; with the large Blitchford organ sitting in...the corner of the front room, and the traditional double livingroom divided by sliding doors. Upstairs, the daughter's bedroom is pink, white and very feminine, with an ivory bed, room set on the dresser, a frilly handembroidered pillow cover reminding its owner that "I woke and found that life was duty" and a charming brass and iron bed--called a lyre bed in honour of the harplike design on the front. • Brodhagen Chamber of Commerce 6th Annual SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT Brodhagen June 9, 10 & 11 Friday June 9th 9 pm Dance - Lincoln Green 18 and over, majortty cards one PROCEEDS FOR commuNtfirritiviRKENT T. Eaton The house, now any antique dealer's dream, has been, furnished to represent the lifestyle of a middle income family in the early 1900"s. Robert Cornish said• much of the furniture would likely be ordered from T. Eaton and Company. The diningroom sideboard is decorated with pressed glass, more affordable than cut glass, and the family ate with silver plate rather than sterling silver. One.of_the more _interesting_ pieces of _ furniture_in the _ diningroom is a comfortable lounge couch, since in these day's, a family wpuld use this room like our family room, spending much of their time there rather than in the parlour, which was reserved for more formal entertaining. Also On the diningroom floor are a set of gaily coloured carpet balls--uspd to play an indoor version of lawn bowling. The restoration of the house is continuing as more people donate artifacts typical of the turn of the century home. Although many items are on loan from other museums, the antique clock which can be heard throughout the house and the oak coatrack in the hall are gifts of Mr. Griffin's relatives and original furnishings of the home, But the governor's home is really the secondary attraction at one of fhis area's most fascinating historic sites--the Huron County Gaol, built between 1839 and 1842 and now believed to be the oldest existing public building in Western Ontario. The stone jailhouse is noteworthy not only- •for its age, its unusual architecture and its important role in Huron County's history, but also as evidence that a group of concerned citizens *ha are willing to donate their time, service and sometimes some family heirlooms, can preserve a building which represents so, much of their community's past. A Grant Today, the jail receives wmaintenance grant from the ministry of culture. and recreation, but the remainder of the funds come from donations, an from the admissions paid by visitors. CuratorHarry Bosnell 'lug every right to be pleased with the fact the museum is "self-sustaining" and has managed to survive five years of operation without a serious financial crisis. , The gaol was first erected to give Huron, and part of Perth and Bruce counties status as a separate district in Upper Canada, with their own magistrates, council and other privileges. When the gaol was completed, the magistrates in the area petitioned the Parliament for action in making Huron a separate entity and on October 14, 1841, the bill was passed. "Tiger" William Dunlop was made the first •warden,and county council first met in the jail in 1842. Now the style of the Huron County Gaol is 'unique--both as buildings go, and as gaols do. It was created in the shape of a perfect octagon with a cupola at the top of the building. Today, the octagon is missing one sideoince the decision to build a governor's home adjoining the jail destrOyed one of the radiating arms of the building. Still, as one will see later, the governor could hadly be blamed for wanting to move out of his apartment in the jail and into separate quarters. Canada Company , The building site for -Huron County's sanctuary for criminal offenders was purchased from the Canada Company for the princely-sum of $500 and cleared by one William Geary. When it came to quoting a price for designing and building the prison, the architect quoted a sumof 2,680 pqunds sterling. The cost_ turned-out-to--be--4,868--pounds as N% -h-man Bove relent projects, the quoted estimate and the actual pr showed a marked disparity. The original architect, who fell out of favour for his , poor financial -ccounting, abandoned the project and WilliaM Day ,of Goderich was called in to complete construction. The result is a gaol which.was far easier to get in to than out off for the stone walls are two feet thick, and were covered ,with loose stones as a final barricade to dissuade any prisoner who might have contemplated an evening stroll outside the walls of the gaol. However, after seeing the early narrow, 'dark cells with their wooden bed and rough hewn slab walls, one can 'hardly blame" the frustrated-men who tried to escape over the walls. The one prisoner who is definitely known to have succeeded however, didn't waste hit timetrying to scale the walls with his bare hands: or a piece of rope. He wisely carried out atablefrom the prisoners' common room; and then stacked several chairs, one on tpp of the other, until he _4. could walk over the wall and drop to the ground below, Since the jail's-exercise yards are little bigger than a pocket handkerchief and the walls are high, one can only surmise the prison guards , _ were in a particularly charitable mood that day, or more likely, 'the prisoner had quite a bit of help from his friends--either other inmates or more likely, from benefactors who helped from the other side of the wall. Major and Minor Since the Goderich gaol, was the only place of detentionin this part of the province, prisoners were held here for committing both major and• minor crimes, but there were only two hangings in the prisoner's history, including the last hanging in Canada witnessed by the public. Incidentally, the first prisoner ever housed within the dank smelling walls of the gaol committed the thoroughly despicable act of selling at an auction without first obtaining a licence from the local authorities--a crime for which he was sentenced to 30 days to contemplate the seriousness of his act., -The gpvernor's !muse of thejail stopped housing the governor some years ago, and was used as office by the Children's Aid Society until 1974; In 1972, the gaol itself was closed since it no loker met the standards_required _for penal institutions._ Immediately a SaVe the Jail Committee was formed, and they leased the building •from the Huron County council for five years. The lease was signed on June 30 .1974 and the jail was tq the public for the first time oh July 1--one of 'the only penal institutions 'ever to be opened to the public. Now while the architects original plans for the third floor of the jail called for a construction of a chapel, hopefully to at least redeem the souls of the prisoners if other means of rehabilitation 'failed, the chapel was never completed. Instead, the local magistrates decided the third floor could be used as a combination courtroom-meeting room for both the assize court . and council, a measure which would save the expense of putting. up a second building. But the council members and the judges who held various assizes soon showed a marked preference for holding their ,meetings in • the Rattenbury Hotel. Although a number of - reasons, including the one' that the hotel was more convenient, were offered as excuses, it was largely a matter of escaping to catch a breath of fresh air. Disposal Yard Now although the jail's exercise yards were designed to give prisoners a taste of the outdoors after their confinement in cramped cells,the yards soon came to be used as a disposal area for waste and sewage, and the air was far from fresh. The 'smells from the yards drifted Up to the third floor, which was poorly ventilated at the beSt of times, and finally his Honor Judge Rolph insisted he would no longer hold court in the building. First, there was the matter of ventilation (one didn't talk about such, coarse matters as smells) and secondly, the judge didn't feel it suited the dignity of his office to have to pass through the gaol to reach his seat of high office. The council stalled about building a separate courthouse-• promised the Ridge they'd put three ventilation &lets in the ceiling and 'even offered him a separate entrance so he wouldn't , have to passby the prisoners. But the Jduge persisted, and in 1856., the new Huron County courthouse opened its doors. The courthouse didn't survive, but Huron County Gaol has-as a reminder both of the men and events whiCh shaped the history of Huron County, as evidence of a time when we .were less' humane in our treatment of wrongdoers and as evidence of the accorrplishment pbssible when ordinary citizens decide they want part of their heritage preserved' for others to share. 6 While additional gifts have been received by the Lions Park and Pool •annual mainteriance fund the fund is short by more thdn $1,000., if last years receipt are equalled according to campaign committee chairman John Talbot. The total now stands at $2,214„ including $2,090. which has been previously acknowledged. Gifts received as follows: J.E. Papple 5,00 A. Irvin 5.00 J.W. Modeland 25.00- D, DeJong 10.00 W.F. Kelly 4.00 Ida Diehl 10.00 J. DeGroot 10.00 An Expositor Classified will pay you dividends. Have you tried one? Dial 527-0240. RON EX 0$11I0R, JUNE 1973 e— 113 ere`s where pipes play It you thrill to the swirl of the bagpipes, and enjoy nothing more than watching the Highland fling, then this may be your skiner. The Highland Games , As- sociation of Canada has an- nounced 'there will be 12 High- land Games held throughout the province this summer featuring pipe bands, dancers, caber tos- sers, tug of war teams and other events. , The first of the summer's Highland events are the Speyside Highland Games, held qn June 10 in Georgetown. On the Dominion Day weekend . there will be two games: the Zorra Highland Games in Ernbro and the ,.Cobourg ' Highland Games, held in Cobourg. On July 8, 'the town of Brantford 'will host their games and the following weekend, on July 15, the town of Burlington will hold their Highland Games. The gariies moves northward with the Huntsville Highland Games held on July 22 and the -Stidbuily Highland Gameg iaking place the following day. On August 7, the Dutton , Highland Games will be held, followed by the Fergus' games, on August 12. One of the popular -attractions of the Canadian National ,Ex- hibition this. year will be the • inter-continental pipe bands which are entertaining on August 20. ' The final two gamesof the season are the GuelphHigh'land Games held in Guelph on August 26 and the Windsor Highland Games on September 2. fund needs $1,000 J.R. Spittal 10.00 Mrs. Frank Dunn 10.00 Miss E.M. Beattie 5.00 Mrs. Agnes Hunter 5.00 •••••••••• Have fun at the Fair! Ontario's Largest Spring Fair OVER $22,000 IN CASH PRIZES - CLASS __CLINTON-COM-MUNITI-PARt 3 DAYS lusirJUNE 2-3-4 The family of Francis & Edythe COLEMAN • • S, WHEN GIRLS WERE GIRLS — The small girl's bedroom in the governor's house of the Huron County Gaol,,' Goderich reminds us of the days. when feminify was a ,virtue and as the needlework on the pillow says, "I woke and found that life was duty." • (E)43ositor Photo) Lions Park and K. Cardno Wilbert Maloney Pool 20.0.0 5.00 FORWARD A new book telling.-of, Harold Vodden's experience of blindness, of Chipper, his Leader Dog, and of how they have worked together to meet challenges joyfully. Beautiful colour pictures. by Harvey McDowell. Interesting reading and an ideal . gift. Available for $5.00 Needlecraft Shoppe, Blyth By Phone 523-9313 Mail Order: PTCL, Box 220, myth • ORDER NOW! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT! Friday, June 2 11:00 a.m.-4-11 Open Classes 12 Noon - Ontario Jersey Show 12:30 par:. - Huron Holstein Show 3:00 p.m. Arena Concessions open to Public 6:00 p.m. - Ladies' Exhibits in Auditorium 6:00 p.m. - Western Ontario Tractor Pull [Sanctioned] Open Classes - Out of Field Classes - $2,500. In Prize Money Bill Flynn, President RR 4, Clinton, Ontario invite their relatives, friends and neighbours to their parents 35th Wedding Anniversary Party Saturday, June 10 at Family Paradise Dancing 9.1 BEST WISHES ONLY The family of Neil & Marilyn HODGERT wish to invite friends neighbours and relatives to their parents 25th Wedding Anniversary Sat., June 10 at Seciforth Legion Hall Dancing 9:00 p.m..-- 1:00 a.m. DANCE Saturdaii, Jvne 24 Seaforth Community Centre Dancing to SHANNON Vincents, Larones, Bob & Betty's, Hurol Expositor, Rowcliffe, Whitney Stewart Bros., Seaforth Banks. Beef Bar-B-Q catered by Campbell and,Cahliff Dante Tickets only $3.00 per pepoin at the door. • JOYES MIDWAY IN FULL OPERATION ALL THREE DAYS LUNCH COUNTERS Operated by Ladies Division Sat., June 3 Sun., June 4 .12 Noon Ladies' Exhibit 1:00 pm. - Western Horse 1:00 p.m. - Parade Through 12:30 p.m. - Horse Show Town - Livestock Judging [Line Classes Begin] Association of Ontario - Beef Cattle Classes - Ladies' Exhibits [Approved Show] 2:00 p.m. - Official Opening - Baby Show 7:00 p.m. - Teams in Harness 9:00 p.m. - Evening Grandstand Show Mrs. Sarbera toveft, treasurer RR 1, Lorulesbor0, Ontario Provides a full evening including all the b,eef you can eat at the Beef Bar-B-Q HURON CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY RObert M. Cobbinos, Secretary RR 1, Clinton, Ontario