December 31, 1862: Been celebrating the spirit of the season at the gaol by taking in vagrants and giving them a place to stay, and regular meals, over the holidays. It’s hard to believe how many poor there are in Ottawa…can’t help thinking back to when Father died, and I could’ve ended up one of them.

Now that we’re expecting our own little one, Alice has taken a particular interest in the various street urchins who’re sent over by the court. The youngest are coming in with their homeless mothers, but there are a few coming in on their own as young as six and seven.

Kinda breaks your heart.

Makes it even worse when it’s part of your job to discipline them, and keep them in order. They’re just children.

December 24, 1862: Already got my Christmas present this year: Alice is pregnant.

December 17, 1862: Broke up a fight today between two prisoners. They refused to tell me what it was over, and then mounted a unified front swearing and cursing at me, complaining about last night’s supper (something about the pea soup).

Sent them both to the dark cell for a week, on a reduced diet of bread and water. Let’s see what they think about that.

December 10, 1862: Had our first snowfall last night – I don’t think it’ll last on the ground, but it gave us a clear idea of what to expect this winter:

The wind blew the snow directly through the cellblock windows where there’s no glass – only bars and shutters that proved no defence against the strong gusts.

What a mess.

The governor says we’ll just have to get the inmates to mop up more often. Honestly, I don’t think it’ll be a mop we’ll be needing come January. More like a shovel.

December 3, 1862: Gets dirty in the cellblocks real fast. Gotta be because we have so many people coming and going. To make matters worse for those that are sticking around, we still haven’t really got any means of regular washing set up for them – no bath, basins or tubs. Nothing.

So, for lack of any other available means of washing, we’re constantly getting the prisoners to mop up the cells and corridors – up to three times a day – just to keep it moderately clean….I’m not liking what it’s doing to the bedding, though…we still have no bedsteads so it all just sits there in the damp.

November 25, 1862: Had to administer my first official punishment today. Not for anything too serious – just an inmate with excessively bad language. Warned him a few times, but after he kept up in front of the chaplain, I had to make it a formal reprimand. Wrote him up, and gave him three days in the dark cell.

Should have seen his face when I closed that door on him. Looked terrified.

He’s the first to go in there.

November 21, 1862: It would seem the prisoners are a little disappointed with their new accommodations. Can’t say I blame them. They’ve gone from large communal cells in the old gaol where they could chat with one another and receive visitors at the windows (and any food, clothes, or other items that could be passed through the bars) to this fortress. Cramped cells, no talking after lock down, limited mingling in the corridors during the day, and very limited access to visitors. And did I forget to mention their night buckets? They stink. Well, at least I’m not sleeping right next to them.

Where discipline and rules were pretty much non-existent before, now there are people like me to enforce them. Constantly. With force, if necessary.

No…I really can’t say that I blame them one whit.

November 19, 1862: Well, they’re here – seems a little anti-climactic, to be honest.

November 15, 1862: It’s official: we’re moving the prisoners in next week. Me and George – the other turnkey – haven’t stopped making preparations, ensuring everything is in working order, and trying to clarify procedure for any situation we can think of. Can’t say the same about our night watchmen…thankfully they don’t get access to keys – I wouldn’t trust them.

Mrs. Mason, the matron who’ll be in charge of any women brought here, is another story entirely. Alice says she means well – but the woman gets on my nerves. Has an opinion about everything. I hope we have a flood of women coming through here, just to keep her busy and away from me!

Apart from that, I’m just worried there’s something I’ve forgotten to do, or learn, or find out. It just seems we’re not ready yet.

We haven’t even received any bedsteads for the cells.

November 12, 1862: Got my uniforms. Alice was right: I do look handsome!