Comments on: Boot Hill: New Westminster’s Strangest Cemetery

By: Garry Lash

Garry Lash — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 06:07:56 +0000

Was the hanging tower at the court house on Canarvon st ever used ?

By: UsedToLivehere

UsedToLivehere — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 12:09:14 +0000

I lived in NW for a good 27 years don’t ask how and what I know but this is true as to what ARTPOL & Nikki said, thank you all for exposing this

By: Denise

Denise — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 20:02:49 +0000

Let’s not forget the unmarked graves of patients who died at the hospitals with no one to claim them and were buried in Potters fields .
St. Paul’s hospital used to use the funeral home on East Hastings st . It was an old white washed building.
I believe they have long since moved up to Hastings and Cassiar St .

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 16:35:38 +0000

In reply to Dean Edwards. The execution occurred to the right, after you exit the main gate. To the right was a long rectangular building where Mary had her office. The gallows was set up by the horse staples just next to the Classification building.

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 16:32:16 +0000

In reply to ART POL.

While their tunnels, they were service tunnels that led from the wharf to the main gate to the wardens and deputy wardens house. Despite the urban myth no inmates were transported through the tunnels.

Like modern day Kent Institution. Those tunnels were used to access control posts and 1 gun walk in the prison. Never used for inmates.

The filming of parts of Rambo used the BC Pen tunnels

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 21:51:28 +0000

It’s not just the mass graves at schools that are un marked. I live in Toronto and have travelled extensively .jails, hospitals of many types,etc have unmarked graves and some with No records. Terrible how we treat the less fortunate. We seem to glob on to jails!
May they all R.I.P.

By: Dale

Dale — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 18:51:01 +0000

I am interested in finding a map that provides the location of the gallows too. I think some of the history should also focus on the inhumane punishment suffered by petty crime legislation. Thank you for taking the time to uncover this history .

By: Val W

Val W — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 18:38:26 +0000

Hi, Eve. I follow your fascinating stories of Vancouver and surrounding areas. Have you ever heard of the Tartaria/Mudflood theories that seem to have encompassed the world. How maybe the history has been kinda hidden? I see a lot of anomalies in some of the history you report. Unknowingly may have overlooked. Lots of pics on You Tube if you choose to go down that rabbit hole.

By: Neil MacLean

Neil MacLean — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 09:04:32 +0000

In reply to Dean Edwards. The gallows used in the only executive was at the far end of the classification building where Mary Steinhauser was killed. Where the stables used to be. Smith killed young guard JH Joynson in 1912. Smith was hung in 1913. Wilson would die from a gun shot wound. All other executions were carried out at Oakalla prison farm in Burnaby.

By: Neil MacLean

Neil MacLean — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 08:59:09 +0000

In reply to ART POL. Sadly there were no tunnels leading from the Coal building on the wharf. The tunnels started at the main gate house and went to the Warden's and Deputy Warden's houses. Sorry

By: Arran

Arran — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 02:34:15 +0000

In reply to Dean Edwards. What were your experiences, Dean Edwards? That sounds so fascinating!

By: Chaeryl Balanko

Chaeryl Balanko — Sat, 15 May 2021 20:45:38 +0000

Nostalgic/Sentimental New Westminster-Pictures on facebook has lots of historical content.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Wed, 12 May 2021 04:36:58 +0000

In reply to ART POL. It is true. A friend who worked at Valuev Village on Front street said in their downstairs there was a door that led to tunnels that was eventually blocked off.

By: Dean Edwards

Dean Edwards — Sun, 09 May 2021 15:40:26 +0000

I am curious to know if there is a map available of the prison grounds that would show the precise location of where the executions would have been carried out. I’m a resident of Richmond Street, directly across from the building which we have been told was the warden offices and guard barracks. I would like to know this because as life long non believer of paranormal activity, ever since moving here 12 years ago, we have had numerous paranormal experiences.
I am no longer a non believer.

By: Andy Murray

Andy Murray — Sun, 09 May 2021 14:45:24 +0000

Great job I researched a bit about the Pen I used to see these graves walkung my dog at queens park hospital and have watched buildings go up and old hospital buildings come down and wonderd if these graves would be forgoton. Thank you for your research.

By: Loretta Houben

Loretta Houben — Sun, 09 May 2021 03:53:36 +0000

So very sad. I absolutely hate prisons. I didn’t know there was a cemetery. Thanks for the story.

By: James

James — Sun, 09 May 2021 01:13:00 +0000

No words. Just horror of the injustice. Sox’s? Most likely the crime in winter.
Executed? Did he kill the guard? And even if so this childish tit for tat nonsense and so illegal.
Who dies at 18? And what possible crime could have led to one that young in there?
Thanks Eve! Proving this place is no sunshine and lollypops heaven. Au contrary!

By: Robert DeBou

Robert DeBou — Sat, 08 May 2021 22:52:58 +0000

Eve, I love you. Fascinating. Of course I visited clients at BC Pen, a lasting memory. I also recall hearing the tunnel story connecting to the River.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Sat, 08 May 2021 17:40:18 +0000

And, of course, in recent history some developers wanted that land for more residences. I suspect the BC Cemeteries Act was used to foil their plans, for the time being anyway.

By: ART POL

ART POL — Sat, 08 May 2021 16:54:20 +0000

I once heard that there was a underground tunnel that led to the wharf on the Fraser River ,from the prison area ,where inmates were brought to the prison. This tunnel would have gone underneath the road and railway tracks . I wonder if this information could be investigated to be substantiated as “true” fact