The Mhist is seeking individuals who “experienced” the Winter Prison

As part of its project to revitalize the Winter Prison, the Mhist-Musée d’histoire de Sherbrooke is seeking individuals (former inmates and guards, family members, etc.) who frequented the former provincial prison in Sherbrooke.

“The goal is to find these individuals so they can share their version of the Winter Prison. We have the official reports in newspapers and government reports, but only those who lived inside the prison can tell us about what happened within its walls on an average day, shed light on how the inmates and guards interacted, and share anecdotes,” announced David Lacoste, Mhist Executive Director.

Perched on one of the highest plateaus in Sherbrooke’s old town, the Winter Prison has marked the landscape and collective memory of the city for over 150 years. The Mhist plans to reopen the doors of this former prison, which closed in 1990, for historic visits.

“These witness accounts, which will be recorded, taped or filmed according to the individual’s comfort level, are complementary to the research in progress. Above all, they will enhance the human aspect of future visits,” added Yanick Laverdière, Project Manager for the Winter Prison research project.

If this call interests you, please email a brief description of your experience at the Winter Prison to [email protected] or call 819-821-5406.

The Musée d’histoire de Sherbrooke is working on a project worth just over $3M to launch phase 1 of the Winter Prison revitalization project. To date, the Ville de Sherbrooke, Destination Sherbrooke and various private partners have made financial contributions to the project. The Mhist received a grant from the Chantier de l’économie sociale pour la recherche, while the file has been submitted under the ministère de la Culture et des communications [Ministry of Culture and Communications] capital program.