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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1977-09-21, Page 19Many visit Over 15,000 people went to jail this year in Goderich. There wasn't a crime wave though, The Huron Historic Jail in Goderich is one. of the only jails that people can get into without committing a crime. At one time only ministers and doctors were permitted to enter beyond the jail's waiting room. But for the past four years curious visitors have been able to roam freely around the jail, now empty of prisoners, at the cost of $1. The jail is the property of Huron County and is operated by the Huron Historic: Jail Board, and independent group of County residents. The Jail has been granted the status of a National Historic Monument. Harry Bosnell, the jail's curator, says the building sells itself on its unique. architecture. Built in 1839-42, the jail is the oldest public building in Western Ontario. It was constructed so that the District of Huron could be established allowing the people to govern their own affairs through a council of local representatives. As early as 1837 Dan Lizars had collected 402 signatures on a petition. When the building passed all legal requirements, the magistrates again petitioned the Parliament for action on the separate district. On October 14, 1841 the necessary bill was passed. The first county council met in the new building on February 8 1942. Dr. William (Tiger) Dunlop, MP, was the first Warden, However, the jail building was not regularly used by County Council as a number of meetings took place at Rattenbury's Hotel. The jail is an example of at- tractive and well-preserved nineteenth century architecture. Its stone walls are two feet thick and were originally quarried from the Maitland River. The building itself is octagonal, with a central stairhall lit by an oc- tagonal lantern or cupola. A jailer could oversee at a glance all activity on one level in each of the wings by walking around the central portion. While supervision was centralized, the system of separate blocks, and many individual exercise yards surrounding these, provided for - classification andsepartion of the different types of prisoners. This year the Governor's House was almost completely restored and Bosnell says it received many compliments from visitors. In the early years of the Huron County Jail, the Governor of the jail lived in four rooms, in the jail, each of which was divided in two. Later a house on the ad- jacent street was provided for him. An account in a local paper of 1898 records a request by the jailer to Huron County Council for better accommodation, The request was granted but the project was delayed until the following year due to budget restrictions. The wall around one exercise yard was removed and the stone used in the construction of the house. The jailer, Joseph Griffin, a former reeve of Ashfield Township, moved into the new house in 1900. A humane man, he believed that those imprisoned in the jail should:learn some means of earning a living in the outside world so they were taught car- pentry, stone masonry, kitchen and gardening skills. When Mr.' Griffin retired in 1922 he was succeeded by Mr. James Reynolds. From 1955 until 1968 the position was held by Mr. Robert Bell. In that year the Ministry of Correctional Services took over the administrationof all penal institutions in the province. The Ministry rented the jail from 'the county. A superintendent was brought in who did not occupy the house. There are very deep window ledges throughout the Governor's House due to the thickness of the stone walls. The wood is ash and varnished with dark varnish. The floors are pine. Oak was favorite wood for furniture as the supply of fine wood in the country became exhausted. In the dining room there is an ornate sideboard and oak serving table and chairs. The dining table in the centre of the room is cherry and varnished dark. Bosnell feels that one of the major features of the building is the contrast between the austerity of the jail and the beauty of the Governor's House. Diane Wunnink and Mary Moore served as hostesses at the jail this year. Part of their job was keeping the Governor's House clean. Visitors, they said, seemed to be most impressed with the cleanliness of the building and with all the an- tiques. This year was Mary's second year as hostess and Diane's first. The girls say the job is fun and a good way to meet people from all over the world. A busload of students on a Lions International Student Exchange visited the jail one day. There were students representing 28 different coun- tries on that tour. In the spring the jail has a lot visitors -from European" countries. The hostesses will conduct guided Citizens News, September 21, 1977 Page 19 Huron Historic Jail tours by previous arrangement. Otherwise people are allowed to wander freely through the jail. The hostesses try to talk to all the visitors and make them feel welcome. They say they don't want anyone to feel like an in- truder. The questions people ask most frequently, say the girls, are: "when was the jail closed", "when was it opened," and "where were the hangings"? People arc usually curious to see the leg irons as well. There ;s only one remaining ' "leg iron" in the building. Although it was orginally used for rowdy prisoners, it has not been used since 1950. The jail was used to keep prisoners until April of 1972. There were only two hangings at the jail. The first, in 1865 was the last public hanging in Canada. It was conducted on the park area adjacent to the main road. The second was in 1911 and conducted in one of the small courtyards. Contrary to popular belief, there•are no bodies buried in any of the courtyards. The body of the last prisoner executed was buried at the jail for a short time but his remains were claimed by friends and removed. Officially no prisoners were allowed outside the jail walls except under the strictest supervision. This •was usually to work in the jail garden. It is common knowledge however that one of the Governors was a very liberal minded soul and per- mitted the prisoners ample time to work several miles north ' of Goderich at the task of con- structing a cottage for his per- sonal use. One obligation at the Governor's expense was the provision of Christmas dinner for all prisoners in the building on December 25. This was the one feast of the year for any prisoner who spent that holiday in the building. Diets were simple and basic with- vegetables used from the prison garden. After 1968, when the Province of Ontario took over the operation of this jail, a prescribed menu was issued from Toronto which was mandatory t0 follow. There were few escapades, but it is known that a least one prisoner managed' to scale the walls with the aid of the table and several chairs stacked one on top of the other. The first prisoner ever kept at the jail received a 30 -day sen- tence for selling at an auction without a license. The„ jail ended its season this THE GODDARD'S POSE FOR FAMILY PORTRAIT -- Left to right, front, are; Jeff Mock, Peggy (God- dard) Mock, Helen and Dr. John Goddard, Beth (Goddard) Jamieson and Heather Jamieson. Left to right, second row are: Dennis Mock, John Goddard Junior, Joan Goddard, Scott Jamieson and Doug Jamieson. year on Labour Day. It will now be closed except for Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon until 5::30p.m. Group tours will be accepted until November 26, 1977 by previous agreement only and again after April 4, 1978. The jail will be open to the public again next year on a daily basis beginning May 20, 1978 during the hours of 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and continue through to Labour Day QUEEN JUDGES— The judges for Saturday's Queen of the Furrow contest held in conjunction with the Huron County Plowing match are shown above. They are Carol Taylor, manager of the Dashwood and Crediton branches of the Bank of Montreal and Bill Black, principal of Blyth Public School. PATIENTS FROM AWAY BACK — Esther Wright (left) and Ruby Triebner of the Kippen area, had been patients of Dr. Goddard from the time his practice began here.• Staff photo Th HURON CENTRE FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH We are pleased to announce the first Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors for the Huron Centre at Clinton Public School on Wed.,Oct. 5at7:30p.m. The Board of Directors dill be elected from among those nominated at this meeting. Dr. Paul Patterson, Psychiatric Consultant to the Centre, will speak on The Roll of the Family in the Treatment of Troubled Children. All residents of Huron County are invited to attend and vote.