Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Post date: Mar 9, 2016 5:12:30 PM

On Feb 10^th, 2016, we had Luke Fischer present: Victorian ideal of improvement manifested in material culture- A look at how the Victorian ethic of ‘Improvement’ shaped material culture in Britain and abroad. The discussion included how improved material culture was meant to alter behaviour and how agency in implementation or resistance of improvement ideals affected the material record. There was also a discussion of how the Goderich Jail could be understood within this context.

The Goderich jail was originally established in 1841 with segregated areas in a hexagon shape with the actual jail cells in the center of the facility and the jailers living inside the jail with the inmates. The purpose of this was to make the inmates feel like they were always being watched and that there was nowhere to hide, commit another crime or escape. The shape of the jail was also to give this feeling of nowhere to hide. The truth of the matter was that there were areas that an inmate could easily be out of the sight of the watchmen and escape was a real problem at the Goderich jail. Later in the history of the jail, the jail workers were moved to housing outside of the actual jail.

Mr. Fisher was able to perform what is known as standing building archaeology as the jail still remains standing and no actual ground penetrating digs have yet been performed on the site. He did express an interest in doing so, but there is not likely to be much present as no midden would be found (all refuse was hauled away) and no burials ever took place on site. With standing building archaeology you are able to note changes to the building; additions, bricked up walls, windows, doors, etc. You can essentially create a Harris Matrix of the history of the building just by looking at what remains. Mr. Fisher took the time to laser scan the Goderich site in order to make an accurate three dimensional plan of the jail.

Mr. Fisher also described what a pan opticon was in the construction of jails. The construction of pan opticon jails marks the first time that people were actually watched while in jail rather than being just shoved into a dark dungeon to await torture or death. Instead the jail was bright, you were watched and given a chance to improve yourself and correct your ways. The jail was built circular in nature with the cells being on the outside of the circle, included windows, and the jailers were supervising from the centre of the structure. (Think of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie jail scene.) The Goderich jail is not a true pan opticon in design but has attributes similar to it.

Luke Fischer has 13 years of experience working in CRM and has a Master's degree in Historic Archaeology. Mr Fischer has been involved in several local projects including the work done on the Windsor Essex Parkway that was just recently completed. I wish to express my thanks for him taking the time to come and present for the chapter.