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Yesterday, after a leisurely breakfast at the Bed and Breakfast, we headed over to the Corrections Canada Museum close to the now closed Kingston Penetentiary. Coincidentally, during breakfast I had mentioned that I was going there and Holly, who owns and operates the Rosemont Inn B & B, showed me the key to the North Gate of the Kingston Penetentiary though I don’t know how she came about having it. By the way, this was my first time staying at a B and B and I have to say that I would come back to this one in a heartbeat. Holly was a great hostess, the food was wonderful and the place was spotless.

Before we left, though, MY Jane decided to sit on the veranda for a bit just to experience what it might be like to actually live there.

We took off for the museum and had a self guided tour that took about an hour. One area of the museum that was somewhat disturbing for Jane was a room that displayed the various punishment methods used in Canadian prisons in the past.  Here’s a couple:

The above is a form of water boarding.

This coffin like box was initially used to punish female offenders, then a law was passed allowing it to be used for male offenders too. They were locked in this thing from 10  minutes at a time to 9 hours. Thankfully, they got rid of these inhumane devices.

From there, we headed back toward Barrie on a different route, turning off the 401 at Belleville and going through Stirling, Ontario, the hometown of a Correctional friend of mine, Firth Bateman, who now lives in BC. He told me to have a look for a covered bridge, a Rotary Club construction project that was organized by his Dad, Elwood Bateman. 

We had a FaceTime call with Firth while we were there and he told us where he used to live so we went to see his place and talked to the current owner, Jack Patterson, who is a retired teacher. Jack said that just after he bought the place, when people would ask where he lived and he gave the address and described it, people would respond by saying, “Oh, you mean the old Bateman place.” Jack said after that happened a few times, he just started telling people, “I bought the old Bateman place.” He laughed and told me it was just easier than giving the address and description.

We left Stirling and, at Peterborough stopped for lunch at a local restaurant after taking a look at the Peterborough Lift Lock, the highest lock of its kind in the world.

Another great time with MY Jane.