Locked away: 5 fascinating artefacts from Canada’s Penitentiary Museum

The prison that would become a Canadian icon — Kingston Penitentiary — was quite literally built by the people it was meant to contain. On display are the original stone quarry tools — chisels, hammers, and picks — used by inmates throughout the 19th century to cut and shape the limestone blocks that form the prison’s towering walls. This grueling labour was central to early penal philosophies that emphasized discipline through hard work. These tools were not only instrumental in building the penitentiary itself but also in the construction of many surrounding institutional buildings.

One notable example is the Mackenzie Block at RMC. “They also cut stone for other projects well outside Kingston— a number of lighthouses, churches and even limestone windowsills for private homes,” says Dave St. Onge, the museum’s historian and curator. This work was truly laying the foundation for Canada’s federal correctional infrastructure and the surrounding communities.

On December 19, 2022, correctional officers at Pacific Institution in British Columbia intercepted an unlikely drug mule: a pigeon wearing a tiny handmade cloth backpack. Inside was crystal meth, valued at $16,000 institutionally. The bird’s daring mission is a bizarre but real example of how smuggling tactics inside correctional facilities are constantly evolving. While the pigeon itself isn’t part of the museum collection, the recovered backpack harness is. “It’s a great example of trying to beat technological advances in security by going ‘backwards’ and using more organic methods,” says Dave.

A Ruger Mini-14 rifle, now locked away in the museum’s basement collection, was used during a dramatic helicopter escape attempt at Kent Institution in June 1990. During the incident, inmates opened fire from a hijacked helicopter. Correctional Officer Rip Kirby, patrolling the perimeter, was shot in the leg through his vehicle door. Despite his injury, he returned fire and damaged the helicopter. Although the escape was successful, the inmates were located and apprehended two days later on an island in Harrison Lake.  The rifle was later disarmed and donated to the museum by the Agassiz, B.C. division of the RCMP. It remains a powerful reminder of the risks faced by correctional staff and the complexities of managing high-security facilities.

Two of Fryer’s recordings are now part of the museum’s collection, preserving not only his musical talent but also a rare cultural link to one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. In addition to his music, Fryer also left behind two music-themed paintings dated 1952, both of which are held in the museum’s collection.

These works further reflect his deep connection to the arts during his time behind bars, and even beyond, says Dave, who notes he went on to work as a lounge pianist across Ontario and Northern New York. “Apparently, he even returned to play at the penitentiary in the Woodhouse shows after his release,” he says. 

When the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) was scheduled to visit Canada in 1860, Kingston Penitentiary inmates were commissioned to craft furniture for the Royal residence. Each room was to be outfitted in a different native Canadian wood to showcase the country’s natural resources.