"Oakalla" Shoulder title?

[Johnny A]

Was at a local shop today and there was a "Oakalla" metal shoulder title? Is that a Canadian item? Only thing I could think of was the prison in B.C. Is it related or am I missing something.

[Phillip Herring]

I asked a retired police officer in BC about this one a few years ago.
Oakalla was (is?) the old provincial jail in Burnaby BC.
This shoulder title was worn by the guards. The same gentleman told me that some BC Provincial Police officers would be employed there as guards if they were no longer physically fit for regular police duty.

phil

[Johnny A]

Interesting, Thanks Phillip. Do you know the time period when the titles were worn? Cheers!

[shootemup]

I know a former Oakalla guard who was taught that the cons were only to be shot on the outside of the fence when escaping...if they fell inwards, it wouldn't be justified.

[Voltigeur]

The prison was opened 2 September,1912, closed 30 June 1991.Originally designed to house a maximum of 484 prisoners Oakalla's population peaked in 1962-63 at 1,269 inmates. From 1919 until the abolition of the death penalty in 1959, 44 prisoners were executed by hanging on the Oakalla site. The first execution was that of 25 year-old Alex Ignace on August 29, 1919. Leo Mantha was the last prisoner executed, on April 28, 1959. In 1936 there were several double and even one triple hanging.
From:Wikimapia.org

Jo

[geezer#199]

Johnny

Did you pick up the item? Was it at a shop in Canada, the Lower Mainland?Oakalla was a very interesting place. I never worked there per se but spent many an hour there investigating various offences when I was stationed in Burnaby with the RCMP.

It was known as Oakalla Prison Farm when I first got to Burnaby in 1973. The prisoner raised cattle, pigs, etc and grew crops. Then it was decided that was not proper making them work so hard and the farm portion was taken away.

It was also used to house a number of females in the male part of the prison, specifically Doukabours(SP) who were known for setting fires to government buildings and setting off bombs in the 1950's and 1960's as a way of protesting. It was very hard keeping them there as they were forbidden to have anything that could be used to light anything on fire. I do not know how they did it but they somehow would get matches and set the prison on fire. When you arrived to investigate there they were, 60 year old women standing in the unit in their birthday suits. Not a pretty sight.

I could go on but I won't.

Jack

[shootemup]

Some interesting BC history there. My first supervisor was one of two female sheriffs hired specifically to deal with the Doukhabour women during the court proceedings.

[jim a]

My mothers first cousin was the Warden at Oakalla... I'd have to check with her for the time frame... His last name was Bjarnason...

[Johnny A]

Originally Posted by geezer#199

Johnny

Did you pick up the item? Was it at a shop in Canada, the Lower Mainland?Oakalla was a very interesting place. <snip>

Jack

Yes, I went back and picked it up yesterday, I`m in Ontario. Not really my area of collecting, but seems like an interesting piece. I `d heard of Oakalla, but thanks for the extra info on the jail. Cheers!

[geezer#199]

Shootemup

What was her name, I might know her. When I arrived in B.C. the sheriffs did not exist. They were brought in by Barrett, the NDP Premier and were known as Barrett's Brownie's.

Jack

[shootemup]

PM sent. I think she lives in the Langley area, too.