Historical Stories
Justice & Judgement
The History of Manitoba’s First Courthouses and Jails, Escapes, and Hangings
Story by John Burchill
Courthouses and jails in Manitoba have a history dating back over 150 years and are of significant importance to the province. These buildings represented the formal introduction of a justice system in Manitoba and symbolized the province’s commitment to maintaining peace and order.
The Hangman's Graveyard
Hangman’s Graveyard is a Canadian documentary film which was originally broadcast in Canada on History Television on December 6, 2009. The film follows an archaeological investigation at Toronto’s old Don Jail beginning in September 2007. The archaeologists uncovered a cemetery behind the jail and began a process of identifying the remains. In total, 15 bodies were found, and all are thought to be remains of executed inmates. The archaeological team is led by Dr. Ronald Williamson of Archaeological Services Inc. the film follows the lives of three men found in the forgotten cemetery – George Bennett, Jan Ziolko and Frederick Davis – and examines the history of the Don Jail, capital punishment in Canada and the nation’s most feared hangman, Arthur Ellis.
Agnes Macphail
In 1921, Agnes Macphail became the first woman Member of Parliament elected to the Canadian House of Commons. In the 19 years that she served in office, she fought for prison reform, disarmament, and equal pay for equal work for women. She was a major character in the changing role of women, and the advancement of women in politics.