This section of www.mckendry.net concentrates on the village of Portsmouth, now part of Kingston, and the subject of my book, Portsmouth Village, Kingston, an Illustrated History of 2005, available through this website buy this book or at Novel Idea bookstore (Bagot at Princess St) in Kingston for $22.  Over time, I will  add extra historical material plus photographs© I have taken from the 1970s to now (see Gallery below). Please also visit Lake Ontario Park & Area which is immediately west of Portsmouth Village.

I hope you enjoy it.

above view© of Portsmouth Olympic Harbour with Kingston Penitentiary in the background from the public walkway bridge by Jennifer McKendry

Here is a summary of the village's history from the text on a plaque (below©) raised in 1999 by the Kingston Historical Society with the assistance of the Ontario Heritage Foundation and the Portsmouth Villagers:

"PORTSMOUTH VILLAGE    Originally part of Kingston Township, this area was granted to United Empire Loyalists in 1784.  A village, first known as 'Hatter’s Bay,' grew in response to the establishment of the Provincial Penitentiary in 1833, and was formally incorporated in 1858. King Street West was extended across a bay south of here in 1845, and a stone town hall, designed by William Coverdale, was erected on the reclaimed land in 1865.   This common was named Aberdeen Park by 1900.  Villagers worked in tanneries, breweries, shipyards, sawmills, as well as the penitentiary and nearby asylum, but economic opportunities declined in the late 19th-century.  The village was annexed by the city of Kingston in 1952.  Many interesting early stone, brick, and frame buildings have survived in this area."

Details from Owen's map (NMC 21943) of 1818 showing "Hatt's Bay" (now the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour Site) considerably west of the town of Kingston, which is located where three bodies of water meet: the Great Cataraqui River (top), the St Lawrence River (upper right) and Lake Ontario (centre and bottom). Compare with a map of the 1960s below. 

Abbott's Point is now Alwington Avenue and the Penitentiary, Cataraqui Point is Lake Ontario Park and Cataraqui Bay is Elevator Bay. Note the heights of land and slopes to the water's edge. Hatt's Bay is portrayed with its original deep cut into the shoreline, now heavily infilled. A few buildings are indicated around the bay.

Map from the 1960s with an arrow pointing to Portsmouth Harbour (now Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, once Hatter's Bay or Hatt's Bay); compare with Owen's map of 1818 (above) -- Kingston has expanded west to engulf Portsmouth Village; subdivisions further to the west (to the left of Little Cataraqui Creek) are now part of Greater Kingston

By the time Meacham's county atlas was published in 1878, Portsmouth Village was fully evolved from its beginnings in the early 1830s as a home for employees of and a service provider for the penitentiary to its golden era of ship building and repairs in the 1840s to the beginnings of a period of decline, which culminated in the early 20th century. However, the existence of two major institutions -- the penitentiary and the insane asylum -- provided steady employment as other economic sources such as ship-building waned and the tannery burnt. Ambitious subdivisions, as seen on both sides of Gardiner's Road north of Union Street never materialized. Front Street is now King Street West with the bay water reaching close to its south side; the water to its north side has been filled in for the "Town Hall Lot". Main Street is Yonge, King Street is Mowat and Forty foot Road is Portsmouth Avenue.

1924 fire insurance plan: blue represents stone buildings, yellow frame, pink brick and grey sheds; the brewery is misplaced for purposes of the drawing

The village is flanked to the west by Rockwood Lunatic Asylum (renamed Penrose in recent times) of 1859-70. Upper photograph© from the walkway near the shore; the drawing (Brosius, 1875) shows the north facade and the huge centre dome (now missing).

To the east the village is flanked by the Kingston Penitentiary (originally the Provincial Penitentiary, begun early 1830s), seen aove in a view of 1875 (Brosius) from King St W. at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd; the bell tower has not yet been added to the north gate; like the asylum, the penitentiary is a complex of buildings; photographed from the bridge on the public walkway; photo© J. McKendry

GALLERY OF VILLAGE ARCHITECTURE

all photographs© Jennifer McKendry

for building dates & histories , please see book on Portsmouth Village click here

above 56 Alwington Avenue

25 Richard Street

25 Richard Street

46 Kennedy Street

37 Kennedy Street at Yonge

9 Kennedy Street

61 Alwington Avenue

61 Alwington Avenue

46 Alwington Avenue

73 Baiden Street

quarry at Garrigan Park

quarry behind 662 King St W.

42 Kennedy Street

St John's Church

St John's Church

St John's Church

King Street West looking west to Church Street

quoining & corbel at 678 King Street Westff

685 King Street West

Rockwood Villa

Rockwood Villa

Rockwood Villa

Golf Club, King Street West

162 Mowat Avenue

176 Mowat Avenue, St John's Rectory

176 Mowat Avenue, St John's Rectory

176 Mowat Avenue, St John's Rectory

176 Mowat Avenue, St John's Rectory

176 Mowat Avenue, St John's Rectory

673 King Street West at Church Street (window and shutters now removed)

12-pane windows

84 Yonge on left  & 29 Baiden on right with original                                                    louvred shutters

574 Union Street

Yonge Street south of King Street West

Yonge at Logan Street

The Water Tower, Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard

The Water Tower, Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard

Penitentiary farmhouse, Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Moved houses, Corrections Canada, Union St at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Moved houses, Corrections Canada, Union St at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Moved houses, Corrections Canada, Union St at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Warden's House (museum), King St W. at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Warden's House (museum), King St W. at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Warden's House (museum), King St W. at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

Warden's House (museum), King St W. at Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd

140-142 Yonge Street

114 Yonge Street at King Street West

1 Baiden Street

1 Baiden Street

Church of the Good Thief manse

Church of the Good Thief nave

Church of the Good Thief

South Cottage, hospital grounds

Leahurst, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds

Industrial building, hospital grounds

Industrial building, hospital grounds

Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, hospital grounds at King Street West

Union and Kennedy Streets with the Prison for Women in the background

Newcourt House, King Street West, on grounds of St Lawrence College

Newcourt House, King Street West, on grounds of St Lawrence College

Newcourt House, King Street West, on grounds of St Lawrence College

107 Logan Street

107 Logan Street

Portsmouth Town Hall, King Street West between Gardiners and Yonge Streets

Portsmouth Town Hall, King Street West between Gardiners and Yonge Streets

King Street West from the harbour

716 King Street West, Portsmouth Methodist Church

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