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Grey County Courthouse & Gaol (Jail) |
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According to Edith Marsh's book, A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF GREY, 1931, P. 223, the builder of the Courthouse building and gaol was Mr. John Harkness. There was a very interesting winding stone staircase built in it. English-born Thomas Chatwin (a carpenter / turner) also worked on the project. A number of Scottish masons (e.g James Duff and others) worked on the stonework. Corbet & Christie made furnishings for the building (at Toronto prices). Corbet & Christie were iron and brass foundrymen, so perhaps their furnishings were metal objects, although they did have a carpenter on staff? It is not known yet who made the Judge's bench, evidence table, and finished wooden railing pieces that still exist in 2014. In 2018, Grey Roots has three wooden and cast iron councillor's double desks that were formerly at the Grey County Courthouse. They were made by ___________. They have central shared inkwells, so they likely pre-date the 1920s. The Corporation of the County of Grey moved their municipal offices out of the Grey County Courthouse building in 19__ and relocated to ___ 9th Avenue East, in 19__. Melba Croft's book, Fourth Entrance to Huronia, p. 53, mentions that it was the firm of Bay & Bruce of Guelph, who were the successful bidders in the early 1850s for the Grey County courthouse and gaol project. "By November, the contract had been let to Dowling and Douglas of Sydenham. The builder was Harkness. The Architect and Superintendent was George Bruce." Stones for the project were quarried near the town. T. A. Davidson's book re Grey just said the project had a "Guelph architect" (p. 32). Edward Miller, and later his son John Miller, were the first two Gaolers. There are photographs of them in in the Grey County Archives. The Grey County Archives has a batch of gaol inspector reports, and vintage images of the Courthouse building. There are also vintage images of Grey County Council posed in front of the building. The structure is also shown in two fire insurance map books. An engraved illustration of the Courthouse, from a side angle, was published in 1880 by Henry Belden in one of his illustrated historical atlases. Alex Dobie (b. 1847-d. 1917) was from Sullivan Township and was appointed Turnkey at the Owen Sound gaol from 1875-1880. Peter Telfer worked as a Turnkey at the Gaol. He later became a Marine Captain. In 2017, there was some consideration to demolishing the jail area A newspaper article that year stated that it was a "164-year-old former provincial jail". It was operated as a correctional facility by the province until December, 2011. In December of 2017, an article in the TORONTO STAR advertised the need for someone to purchase this historic Courthouse building. The jail part of the site is considered in poor condition currently, and it has been hard to find a buyer for the property. - - - - "Jailhouse Charm at a Bargain Basement Price", THE STAR (Toronto), Dec. 12, 2017 |
