Kept under lock and key: Dartmouth neighbourhood once housed Napoleonic-era prison

DARTMOUTH -

Historian David Jones says long before the Dartmouth subdivision near Old Ferry Road existed, there used to stand a Napoleonic-era prison.

"That's a part of our history that people did not know exists," says Jones.

The prison was located on Newcastle Street and was set up by the British to detain captured French sailors.

According to Jones, historical records and maps prove the prison existed from 1793 until 1805.

"The building survived probably into the 1920s and 1930s," says Jones.

Old pictures show the prison being about the size of a country barn.

"So I think we would be dealing with dozens of prisoners," said Jones.

The most fascinating part of its history is a prison break that happened in 1805. Twelve French sailors pulled off a brazen getaway.

"They captured a ferry at the bottom of today's Old Ferry Road and sailed out of Halifax Harbour," says Jones, who adding the authorities at the time never found the ferry or the prisoners.

 “I think that should be a heritage minute here in Canada."

As for remnants of the prison, there are various reports from people who built homes in the area having made some interesting discoveries over the years.

"They found iron bolts, hinges and planks," said Jones.

They were traces of a long-forgotten prison that existed in Dartmouth more than 200 years ago.