The Timeline: 1833

THE BEGINNINGS

The current SDG Gaol was built in 1833 to replace the original jail that was burnt down in 1826 supposedly by a debtor who was incarcerated.[1] This prison was approved to be built in 1827 by the British crown since Cornwall and the surrounding areas no longer had a courthouse or prison due to the fire. The architectural style of this prison is 1800s regency which can be seen in the square design of the main buildings and the evenly spaced windows. It matches closely with the most popular style of the time for government-related buildings. 

Three men were the given the title of commissioners for the new courthouse and prison: the first being Donald McDonell, who was sheriff at the time; James Pringle who worked as a lawyer, and Noah Dickenson who was an esquire and doctor at the time.[2] 

Originally the prison functioned as a catch-all, combining men, women, children, non-violent and violent as it only contained one cell block. This prison held everyone from those with severe sentences such as homicide to minor offenses such as thieves. Over time, the additions of cell blocks allowed the prison to segregate prisons based on gender and the severity of their crimes. 

The building is a staple for the waterfront of downtown Cornwall and preserves many different decades of the history of SDG and the justice system from its almost 169 years of activity

[1] Dennis Carter-Edwards. “Court House and Jail of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry”. Introductory Historical Report. 2000

[2] The statutes of the province of upper Canada. Chapter XV.  1827