History of The BC Penitentiary
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Season 1 - Episode 7; History of BC.
We visit landmarks around British Columbia and share the history and events about them.
In this episode we look at the history of British Columbia's first prison. The B.C. Penitentiary in New Westminster.
Neat. ☺️ When our Keg was renovated and modernized they auctioned off lots of the decor inside to the public. I bid on and won a wood-framed Bill Miner wanted poster which was a wee thrill.
That's really interesting. I grew up in the Lower Mainland but didn't know any of this. When I was young, one Christmas I received a covered wagon lamp. My dad told me a guy in BC Pen made it....a friend of someone he did business with. My mom immediately poked him and said..."Don't tell her that"! 😂 I still have it, some 50 years later!
Wow. So much work behind this video, not only the amount of work to investigate the history but the editing behind this video.
Well done !!
Thank you! Coming from you this means a lot especially being a fan of your channel!
I grew up in my youth driving past this place every day… I thought it looked like a castle the gatehouse. I found your video to be wonderfully produced and enjoyable to watch. I just wanted to say thank you for letting me see it again
Glad you enjoyed it
your video was a great way to start my Friday
Glad you enjoyed it!
I grew up a short distance from the BC Pen. My parents took us on the public tour in 1980. Later, in 1989, I worked on the restoration of the hospital building. There is a tunnel in the basement that was used to bring prisoners from the dock on the Fraser river.
Nice work, glad you mentioned the escape of Miner and the execution of Smith as these were rather significant. The construction of that first penitentiary building had taken nearly four years. The flooding you mentioned had been a problem even during the original construction, and BC's head of federal lands and works, Benjamin Pearse, caught heavy criticism (he later resigned). Another significant building was overseen by Pearse during this time, construction of the Customs House in Victoria, also still standing as a heritage building. One can't help but notice the similar style and materials of the two buildings. Also glad you pointed out the CPR did not yet exist in 1878... but implicitly and perhaps more importantly, Vancouver did not yet exist. The primary BC city was Victoria, but the second BC city and the primary mainland city was New Westminster, so of course it made sense to put the penitentiary nearby, especially in the animal-powered era. Another interesting factoid: the first warden of the 1878 penitentiary, Arthur Hill McBride, was father of future BC premier Richard McBride, and their family name carries on in McBride Boulevard, not far the penitentiary site.
Your colour commentary is interesting, and appreciated. History is easily forgotten. I'll add some myself, although not so much factual, but personal anecdotes:
In 1988 - 89, I got to spend time with my girlfriend's Grandfather, "Sandy" Wilson, who was 98 years old at the time (born 1890). He was born and raised in New Westminster to Scottish immigrant parents, and lived most of his life there. Although nearly 100 years old, he had very lucid moments and like to discuss the past.
He became a guard at "The Pen" in 1907, when he was just aged 17. Apparently the recruiting age was 18, but they took him on due to his size - 6'4" ~ 230 lbs. I saw several of his old portraits of him in uniform spanning a few decades. He discussed a variety of things about his time at The Pen - the building projects and expansions, the work environment, the warden(s) and other guards, quashing riots, some of the memorable inmates (to him at least), and the general changes in New West and around the prison. It was very interesting.
Although not related to The Pen, one our most interesting conversations was centered around White Rock and its relationship to New West. When he found out that I lived in White Rock (born and raised) his eyes lit up, as it was his family's annual summer vacation spot when he was young - camping at the beach by the Little Campbell River.
What really jarred my noggin', was when he told me it used to take two days to get to White Rock from New West (weather permitting)! All a horse and wagon trip! Most homes then didn't have indoor plumbing or electricity, and forget about automobiles, airplanes, or even radio. It was all horses or steam, and the telegraph was the 'internet' of the day.
He talked about a small steam ferry that ran to Brownsville, but that his Dad thought it too expensive (a real Scott), so they used to go farther up river and use some sort of roped "pull" ferry. Once across the river, if you were unlucky and a summer rainstorm hit, you couldn't get up what is now Scott Road and would have to layover on the Scott family homestead - apparently the Scott family was very accommodating as they were quite used to it. It was risky to attempt the trip in June, as the 'roads' through the Serpentine flats may be too boggy, forcing you to have to travel much farther east via panorama ridge to Cloverdale, then head south to cross the Nicomekl River and towards Hazelmere. He fondly reminisced about reaching the Woodward Family's place (Woodward Hill), as it was basically the halfway point of the journey.
Anyway, I was lucky to have had those conversations. There have been times when I really want to vent because it took me three hours to get from West Vancouver to Aldergrove, then I think of Sandy, and then just quietly go about the rest of my day.
Thank you for sharing your story. So great hearing personal experiences from the past.
I worked at Mountain in Agassiz for nearly 20 years.
An interesting BC pen side story was in the early 1900s they attempted to build a satellite work camp on Goose Island on Pitt Lake. It was eventually abandoned due to the remoteness, but there are workings visible to this day.
just before it closed.people were able to tour it.i went n saw it for myself very cool.our own alcatraz
I toured this place in the early 90's..
Now i have to visit the bar.
No mention of Woodlands school built a number years previous directly next to it, woodlands was the original prison but was shared with the mentally challenged. Obviously it was not appropriate so they built bc pen. Learned this in 2 orientation sessions at woodlands in the 80’s. Also, woodlands had a tunnel running to the river as it was used to bring prisoners in safely. I saw the bricked up entry in the basement of woodlands center building on my last shift in 87’. Very creepy.
I recall large farm fields behind penitentiary that eligible prisoners would work to supply crops for pen .
I nearly got arrested for taking a picture of the Pen from the road. A couple of guards came out and wanted to know what I was doing. Apparently it is illegal to take pictures of a penitentiary.
very interesting. I visited Boot Hill before it was gentrified due to the new nearby developments. Dont forget about the Island in Pitt Lake, Goose island. BC pen had inmates living there to harvest lumber and quarry stone for buildings. They had an escape, and had to use homing pigeons to communicate from the pen to the island lol
Wow, you are doing great work with these videos. Way to go! So well done,
Thank you!
Thanks for the insight into the Pen. It was a notorious place for decades, and many kids were scolded in response to bad behavior: "you don't want to end up in the Pen". Similar to Oakalla in that regard.
Great work. I wish someone would do something similar for Alberta.
Good video, but you kind of forgot the pub in Haney that was named after Minor, which if memory serves me right, a former bank that he once robbed.
I pass by this almost daily, just thought it was a medieval themed restaurant
Can you please do more on different jails in BC? Thank you
The beat at the end sounds like Historia Civilis channel
I remember well in the late 70’s as a member of 3PPCLI, guarding the prisoners from the towers when they barricaded themselves in the gym and would routinely mock us from a cage outside the gym which they would hang their clothing and show their disdain for people.
the ROE (Rules of Engagement ) were so ridiculous that by the time the required warnings were issued, the prisoners would be long gone.
As a small town 20 year old it was an eye opener to see that criminals had it better than those they had committed crimes against.
Great video bro! Awesome content for a one man show. Your 10th grade social studies teacher upgrades your grade to A+
Thank you!
Lived at Victoria hill for 2 years. While out f🎉a walk I came across the cemetery& another cemetery for the handicapped
Amazing chanel !
Thank you!
Please do Tranquille Sanitorium aka “Padova”
20 yrs ago we used to climb to the roof of that building lmao
Can you do a video on Vancouver aquarium please?
Very well done. I worked at LMRCC in Burnaby until they closed the joint in 1991 or '92.
I can't believe how built up the area has become.
abd the cemetery !! from the pen prisoners RIGHT BESIDE THE NEW CONDOS at victioria hill!
We need to bring back the paddle. So many people in this day and age could really use a session with it.
I went to the open house when it closed .
I never knew this even though I was born in BC and was in college when it closed.
Is the Billy Minor pub still in old Haney? ( Maple Ridge) Right be the train tracks on the Fraser River...
It is! I forgot about this place. springsgroup.ca/billyminer/
It is - great place for some pints and grub, lots of cool decor too!
Just had a fire.
@@stevegoad4133 building was saved by the timely and good work of the firefighters.
Back when Canada had a functioning criminal justice system.
It was known as The Silent Spot by inmates because they weren't allowed to talk to each other.
I remember the time when criminal behavior would get you sent to jail, but that was 30 years ago. 🇨🇦
I thought it was just a cool restaurant 😅
Poorly constructed? Sounds about right for BC.