Lorna shares her thoughts about The Don, Drop Dead and other topics with audiences across Canada.
The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society to host presentation on the Don Jail by author Lorna Poplak
The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society will host a presentation by true crime author and historian Lorna Poplak later this month.
The presentation will feature Poplak speaking about her book The Don: The Story of Toronto’s Infamous Jail.
Poplak’s presentation will share with those attending what she knows about the rise and fall of the Don Jail that first opened in 1864 and continued to operate as prison in the Gerrard Street East and Broadview Avenue area until 2013.
This free presentation will be taking place at Beaches Sandbox, 2181 Queen St. E., on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Delving into Darkness: Lorna Poplak Explores Toronto's Historic Don Jail in Upcoming Presentation
Join true crime author Lorna Poplak as she uncovers the dark and fascinating history of the Don Jail in Toronto. Explore the evolution of justice, punishment, and rehabilitation in the city through this riveting presentation.
In the heart of Toronto's bustling city lies a story of a structure that once epitomized fear and punishment. On a chilly evening late in February, an eager audience at Beaches Sandbox on Queen St. E. will gather to hear true crime author and historian Lorna Poplak share the chilling yet fascinating history of the Don Jail. The event, orchestrated by The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society, promises to be a riveting journey through time, shedding light on the rise and fall of one of Toronto's most notorious jails.
This free presentation, scheduled for February 28, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., is not just a recounting of history but an exploration of how the past shadows the present.
Booze peddlers, ruffians, and railways: The checkered past of one tiny Ontario town
Biscotasing (or Bisco), located on Lake Biscotasi some 120 kilometres to the northwest of Sudbury, owes its existence to the railroads — specifically, the Canadian Pacific Railway, which, in the early 1880s, was punching its way across the Canadian hinterland tie by tie, rail by rail, to link the east and west coasts of this vast country.
Boarding houses, shanties, and tents sprang up to accommodate a fluctuating population of workers and hangers-on — sneak thieves, professional gamblers, brothel keepers, and the like.
Biscotasing was humming in the late 19th century. But the combination of money and liquor was combustible — and in 1885, it exploded into the Whiskeyville riot
The Don Inmates, Guards, Governors and the Gallows
Lorna presented to the North Toronto Historical Society in April 2023 and her talk was summarized in their Summer newsletter.
The article is excerpted here as a pdf .
The History of Capital Punishment in Canada
Lorna was recently interviewed ahead of her presentation for the Kamloops Adult Learners Society on May 30.
You can read the full interview in this pdf.
The assassination of Thomas D’Arcy McGee: A murder mystery for the record books
In a 300-word early morning dispatch George Gregg, Ottawa correspondent of the Toronto Leader, described what happened next: “At half-past two o’clock this morning Hon. T. D. McGee was shot dead by an unknown assassin, just as he was entering the door of his lodging house. The ball passed through his head and lodged in the door which he was just opening … The body, as I write, is still prostrate on the pavement, hardly yet cold in death.”
‘OLD NEVER-LET-GO’: THE (MOSTLY) TRUE STORY OF ONTARIO’S FIRST DETECTIVE
Funny, determined, and “schooled in the details of information of every class of crime,” John Wilson Murray in 1875 starting hunting lawbreakers as the provincial detective of Ontario
On February 21, 1890, he received word that two woodsmen had made a grisly discovery: amid a tangle of briars, fallen logs, and dense brush, the body of a man with two bullet holes in the back of his head.
Mean Streets of Toronto: FAN EXPO 2022
Lorna appeared on a true crime panel at FanExpo in Toronto in August. TalkShoe.com and Dundurn Press recorded the session and have released it as a series of podcast episodes from Mean Streets of Toronto.
You can hear Lorna's readings in Episodes 2 and 5.
‘LOUD, LAZY HOODLUMS’: THE RISE AND FALL OF TORONTO’S INFAMOUS BEANERY GANG
In the late 1940s, they loitered on corners, haunted dance halls, stole cars — and made waves by battling a rival gang at Wasaga Beach
THE DON is nominated for 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence
Nominated for The Brass Knuckles Award: Best Nonfiction Crime Book
How architect William Thomas helped build Ontario
He designed St. Michael’s Cathedral, St. Lawrence Hall, and the Don Jail — that last one might have signed his death warrant.
"GRAVE DOUBT": A tale of two murders in prince edward county
The fateful events unfolded on Saturday, December 21, 1883. Gilbert Jones went to Bloomfield Station that afternoon to sell part of his hop harvest, for a considerable sum. Toward evening, he and his wife, Margaret, welcomed Peter Lazier, a relative from Belleville, who would be staying overnight.
Around 10 p.m., Margaret Jones answered a knock at the kitchen door. Two armed and masked men burst in. Her frightened screams catapulted Lazier out of the guest bedroom. In the ensuing tussle, one of the intruders struck Lazier on the head. The bandits fled when Jones emerged from his bedroom clutching a gun; on the way out, one of them “deliberately” fired at Lazier, “the shot,” according to the Gazette, “taking effect almost instantly, when he gradually sank to the floor and expired.”
A group of concerned neighbours, including the county constable, rushed to the Joneses’ farm. By lantern light, the posse was able to follow two sets of footprints heading away from the house toward the homes of Joseph Thomset and the Lowder family.
What followed was a classic case of how not to conduct an investigation.
NO FIXED ADDRESS: The History of Hoboes in Ontario
For decades, transients took to the roads and the rails, hopping freight cars, establishing hobo jungles — and risking death at every junction.
In August 2017, TVO Ontario published Lorna's fascinating look at the culture of hoboes, tramps and bums in Canada from the 1890's through to World War II.
Learn about Three Fingered Jack, "Tough Lennie" Jackson who went on to become a notorious bank robber, and more!
THE DON ON "CANADIAN HISTORY EHX?"
In February 2021, Lorna was interviewed by Craig Baird for his podcast Canadian History Ehx?
This podcast looks for interesting and amazing stories from Canadian history "from the simplest farmer to the craziest outlaw".
ESCAPE WITH A WRITER with Diane Bator
Writer Diane Bator interviewed Lorna for her blog Pens, Paints and Paper about her research methods and favourite books.
DROP DEAD IN FIRST DRAFT
Drop Dead was reviewed by Carol Newhouse in the "By the Book" section in the January issue of First Draft, a publication by The Guppies, a chapter of Sisters in Crime.
"By The Book" looks at the writing styles of various authors and dissects their books, illustrating techniques and stylistic choices. Carol chats with Lorna about the history of writing Drop Dead, and shares the backstory behind the story. (p18 - 19)
WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS?
Lorna told the audience the story of Marguerite Pitre at a recent Sisters in Crime panel discussion at the Toronto Public Library.
Sisters in crime - September newsletter
This summer, Lorna took part in the Sisters in Crime Field Trip to Bakka Books. There, presenters were challenged to present their favourite books in 1 minute each - covering 20 books in only 20 minutes!
Lorna recommended The Complete Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. She even brought props for her presentation – the Complete Sherlock Holmes downloaded on her phone and a 3D model of the famous detective. The legend reads "Elementary, my dear Watson," which the illustrious detective famously never said.
Thank you to our friends at Sisters in Crime Toronto for promoting Lorna's November 21 appearance as well.
DROP DEAD IN CANADA'S HISTORY
"At the risk of being labelled morbid, I have to confess that I found this book fascinating.
In Drop Dead by Lorna Poplak, the author has provided a serious exploration of Canada’s history of capital punishment from Confederation to abolition, honing in on the preferred method: public hanging. Poplak uses the results of her research well and tells captivating stories about the people who were involved — from the accusers, to the accused, to those who carried out the sentences....."
A review of Drop Dead by Tanja Hütter appeared in the October/November 2019 issue of Canada's History.
Crime writers unravel the mystery of writing
Bradford Library hosts a fascinating discussion by Crime Writers and learn strategies ranging from 'pantsers' to 'plotters'
CRIME WRITERS BRING MURDER AND MAYHEM TO NEWMARKET
Murder, mayhem, intrigue and revenge came to Newmarket.
As one of the events celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Crime Writers of Canada, six area crime writers came to Chapters to meet their readers and promote their books [on Saturday, October 27].
Lorna has a featured post on the John Howard Society of Canada's blog where she discusses the history of Toronto's Don Jail.
Lorna Poplak appearing on a panel discussion at the Toronto South African Film Festival
Henry Smith, shown in 1890 newspaper sketch.
Chatham This Week, September 13, 2017
Lorna with Mark Leslie at Word on The Street Halifax.
(Audio recording no longer available online)
