The Peel County Jail
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| Architect: |
William Kauffmann, Toronto |
| Built by: |
Kestevan and Storey, Toronto |
| Opened: |
January 1867 |
| Material: |
Quarried limestone, river stone |
| Style: |
Georgian |
Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. |
Function and style
With a very grim outward appearance, the jail served as a constant reminder that breaking the law had very undesirable consequences. Life on the inside would be just as unattractive as the building’s exterior.
The Georgian architectural style was first popular between c. 1840-1870. The balance, order, and formality of the style was a good choice for public buildings. The style was also popular for early homes in the area. One surviving example is Historic Bovaird House.
Hallmarks of the Georgian style:
- uncluttered design
- adherence to conventional rules of symmetry and proportion
- formal arrangement of building elements with an equal balance of parts on either side of a central motif (the door)
- accentuated with a select distribution of Classical embellishments including room and window cornices, moulded surrounds and a small entrance portico
- generous amount of wall space relative to the smaller window openings – a mark of the style and also a practical consideration.
Fitting in
Wondering what a jail is doing in the midst of a residential neighbourhood?
Well, the jail and courthouse were built first, on land originally used as Peel’s fair grounds. The neighbourhood developed after the jail and courthouse were built, and most of the houses date from the 1880s onward.
The County Jail was part of a Provincial system of correctional facilities. It housed people on remand (awaiting trial or sentencing); serving sentences of less than two years; or those awaiting capital punishment, which took place in the jurisdiction in which the crime was committed. The jail was closed in 1977.
At that time there was much discussion as to whether or not the building should be saved. The Region of Peel committed to the renovation of the structure as a permanent home for its museum and archives. This work began in 1984 and was completed in 1986.
The discovery of human remains buried within the former yard area of the jail was an interesting find. Although unidentified, research revealed it was likely the body of Stephan Swyryda, who was hanged for murder in the jail in 1909. The body was reburied in Meadowvale cemetery. Two other hangings occurred at the jail before capital punishment was abolished.
When the Peel Heritage Complex reopens, the jail will house the Region of Peel Museum and Archives.
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