The Don Jail 1859-1864

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted September, 2006

On the Don Jail Roadway near Broadview Avenue stands a 2006 Heritage Toronto / Riverdale Historical Society plaque which tells us about the Don Jail. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.666172 -79.353004

The Don Jail is one of Toronto's most important mid-nineteenth-century public buildings. Located on a hill then outside City boundaries, it was constructed with exacting craftsmanship according to plans of William Thomas, Toronto architect and designer of other landmarks such as St. Lawrence Hall and St. Michael's Cathedral. Even though some cells measured only 1 by 3 metres, the Don Jail embodied progressive ideas of penal reform. It was once the largest prison of its kind in North America, and included a farm (now largely Riverdale Park) worked by prisoners. The building's Renaissance Revival style made jail appear suitably intimidating. Seventy executions took place on its gallows, including the last in Canada on December 11, 1962. After 113 years, the old Don Jail building was closed as a prison in 1977 - the east wing, completed in 1958, continued to serve as the Toronto Jail.

Related Toronto plaques
St. Lawrence Hall
St. Michael's Cathedral
York's First Jail

Related Ontario plaques
Kingston Penitentiary
Burwash Industrial Farm

More
Institutional Buildings

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Posted November 30, 2011
Been in the old Don for over 6 months while waiting for others charges and court dates but those were them old crazy days of being young. im wondering can you buy pcs. of the Don like bars etc. ?
Thanks Papa

Posted August 8, 2011
that name william Thomas is this not related also to a founder of a church in Oshawa,Ont or a house knowen as Williams house maybe Art Williams heres looking up well a old address!

Posted July 11, 2010
i would like to kmow if there are any visits into the old don jail comming up in the near futur buy i connot find out anywhere.does anyone know and if so please contact me at b.hannigan@hotmail.com with any info on any visits to veiw the inside.please and thnx

Posted September 13, 2009
I thought they used an electric chair for executions. At least in the late 1940's and early50's I seem to recall expecting the lights to dim as thte current flowed of course I was just a kid back then.

Posted June 11, 2009
The Don Jail is open for tours in the summer of 2009, prior to being converted into offices. It was open free during Doors Open in May this year, resulting in hours-long line-ups. See www.thedonjail.com for details on paid tours. Two men were hanged on the day of the last executions in the country: Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas. True Crime Library reports: "A hold-up man who snatched $632 from the till of the Red Rooster restaurant in Toronto in February, 1962, got clean away - until a traffic cop pulled him in for a broken taillight. The hold-up man, Ronald Turpin, 29, shot the cop, Frederick Nash, and then tried to escape in Nash's police car. He was caught almost immediately. Turpin was convicted of murder and sentenced to die by hanging. Arthur Lucas, 54, a black American, was also awaiting execution at the same time. In November 1961, he travelled from Detroit to Toronto to murder Therland Crater, who was scheduled to give evidence in a drugs trial along with his girl friend, Carolyn Newman. Lucas returned to Detroit after the double-murder but was arrested next day, and extradited to Canada before he was convicted. The Canadian Government held an emergency meeting on December 4th, 1961 to decide whether to commute the two death sentences, but the motion was thrown out. Accordingly, at two minutes after midnight on Tuesday, December 11th, 1962, Turpin and Lucas were taken to the execution chamber at Toronto's Don Jail and hanged. Other Canadian killers were more fortunate. Between 1957 and 1963 John Diefenbaker's Conservative government commuted 52 out of 66 death sentences, indicating that the end of the death penalty was near. When Turpin was told that he and Lucas would probably be the last people hanged in Canada, he replied, "Some consolation." Capital punishment for murder was abolished in 1976, and for all other offences under military law in 1987. Worldwide Hangings from True Crime Library."
-Wayne

Posted May 25, 2009
I did'nt see an answer to L.Brooks question-what about tours ?

Posted March 8, 2009
when will they be opening the old don jail for tours.
Laurie Brooks L_Brooks98@yahoo.com

Posted September 20, 2008
Who was the last person that hang in this jail

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