A Unique Building with Unique Stories to Tell!

The former Vaughan St Jail, originally called the Eastern Judicial District Gaol, was constructed in 1880-81. It housed inmates from North-Western Ontario, Manitoba and the Territories of Saskatchewan & Alberta. This jail didn't just house men, as one might assume, but rather incarcerated women, children and people suffering from mental health issues. In the building's earliest years, between 1881-1909, the East Wing held men, women and children in the same cells! Can you imagine what that might have looked like? When referring to children, this was not exclusive to adolescent youth but children as young as 5 years of age. And what could a child that young do to earn time in a jail? Mostly petty theft and truancy (skipping school).

Three Reasons for Advocacy:

1. it is the oldest provincially owned building still standing in Western Canada,

2. there are significant local & Canadian historical figures connected to this site,

3. and there is still no heritage designation on this 143 year old site.

Some of the Canadian historical figures connected to the jail:
1st Juvenile Court Judge in Canada; Thomas Mayne Daly
1st public health nurse in Canada; Margaret Scott
1st Eastern Judicial District Sheriff; Colin Inkster
1st Provincial Architect; Samuel Hooper
1st Warden of Manitoba; Col. Samuel Bedson

1st Provincial Corner; Dr. E Benson; jail surgeon
1st Official Dominion Executioner; Arthur English (A.K.A Ellis)
1st Jailor at this facility; Patrick Lawlor of Wolseley Expedition
1st double hanging at this jail; May 27th, 1899
1st Flogging Oct 1884 for John McCormack
1st Mobile serial killer of North America, Earl Leonard Nelson, Hanged January, Friday 13th, 1928
1st Provincial Coroner, jail surgeon; Dr. E Benson
1st Licensed female Doctors in Mb: Dr. Amelia Yeomans & Dr. Lillian Yeomans

Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 Leaders consisting of: John Queen, William Ivens, RE Bray, Richard Johns, William Pritchard and RB Russell.
Wpg Gen. Strike Leader: Helen Armstrong
E. Cora Hind: Suffragist, journalist
James Dodds: Arsonist
J. S. Woodsworth; Founder of the All People’s Mission, Strike leader
Executioner John Radclive: 1890-1913
Manitoba Provincial Police Detective: Jacob Seel
Chicago Detective Allan Pinkerton ll (grandson of Founder of Pinkerton Det. Agency USA)

Albert Westgate: two time Murderer
Charles Tupper, grandson of Charles Tupper PM
William Luxton, founder of the Manitoba Free Press
Rev. Charles William Gordon (better known as the author Ralph Connor)
“Bloody Jack” Krafchenko: Notorious bank robber from Manitoba, hanged 1914
Big Bear & Poundmaker; allies of Louis Riel 1885

Hugh John MacDonald, son of 1st Prime Minister & Premier of Manitoba 1900
Ken Leishman: the “Flying Bandit”; stole gold bouillon 1960s