Tuesday 20 September 2011

The Liverpool Jail - Brunswick Street, Liverpool, N.S.

Brunswick Street has been the site of the Liverpool Jail for many years. The older jail building was behind the one that many of us remember on the corner of Brunswick and Payzant Street.. I was just a young child when the remains of the older jail building was burned by the Liverpool Fire Dept. This would've probably been around 1969 or so. Simon Chandler (grandfather of Peter Chandler) was jail keeper at the old jail for a number of years. The newer jail building I recall be operated by Larry and Marie Lamrock but I remember hearing that Ida Grimshaw was jail keeper for a time as well. My aunt and uncle, Earl and Barb West lived just up the street from the jail and I recall when I went to visit them on many occasions seeing younger guys inside the fence at the jail, most of them probably didn't commit much of a crime but were in for a short stay. As the years passed and things change as they do, the jail ceased to be used and it was later that the FOR SALE sign was put on the building. Unfortunately the building didn't sell and in March 1994 the jail was demolished. The land was used for buses to turn on when dropping kids off for school at the neighboring Gorham School. Another part of Liverpool's History gone.

14 comments:

  1. I always think that is funny, that they allowed a jail next to the school. Never today, but no harm. I remember going to Gorham School when I was 5yrs-7yrs and talking to the prisoners at recess and lunch through their windows.

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  2. I grew up across the street from the jail and spent alot of time there visiting. Clayton Brennan was the jailer for many years as well as Clint and Joyce Sears. Then Jim and Freda Norman looked after it.

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  3. I remember when i was small,Lenora Sears lived at the jail house. Her father ran it. I think he was the chief of police.It was around 1962.

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    1. Lenora is my mom! They moved to Ontario in 1968ish I think. I might be going to NS this year and thought it would be neat to read up on the history of it and to find out if anything had been built on the land since it was torn down. I would love to take my daughter. Too bad the old building was burned. Have heard a lot of stories about that place.

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  4. Geraldine Cunningham21 September 2011 at 07:01

    I remember the jail very well We lived up the street by the track .Remember Bob White,Clayton Brennan and Clint Sears very well. The men were kept downstairs and the women up stairs.I was friends with Claudia Brennan.When us girl's walked by some of the guy's would whistle at us Ha Ha.

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  5. I spent some time at the old jail, but I was on the good side of the bars. LOL I visited Marie and Larry Lamrock when they were the jailors. I also remember the Brennans and Sears. I think Claudia Brennan was also a friend of one of my sisters..So many years ago....

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  6. susan whynot(harlow)21 September 2011 at 16:43

    i use to go there with the Salvation Army to hold small services and sing hymns for the prisioners.i think we use to go every other wednesday night.David Ingersol was the minister at that time

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  7. Cynthia (MacIsaac) Dorey23 September 2011 at 17:10

    My Grandmother Matilda MacIsaac worked at the jail looking after the children of Clint and Joyce Sear"s back in the early 60's, I spent lunchtime with her since I went to the Goreham school, and Mom did not want me walking to the Pre Fabs for the lunch hour. Also Clayton Brannen was my Great Uncle, on my Mom's side of the family. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Reading these comments is so neat! Clint and Joyce Sears are my grandparents.

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  8. i remember being a student at gorham and seing clayton brennan dress up his little dog in some sort of outfit they would sit on the back step he would play some sort of instrument and the dog would sing to us as 5 to 8 year olds during recess and lunch breaks it was a very popular lunch time treat

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  10. I remember how they would sneak weed in the jail by putting it under the skin of the chicken fron kfc never caught first time this story has ever been told

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  11. How does one search for possible inmates in the 1940s?

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