The Gaol Carpenter’s Diary

The year is 1849. It’s Michael Callaghan’s 16th birthday when he arrives in Toronto, an Irish immigrant with few prospects. He manages to find work as a carpenter at the Home District Gaol. One of his first duties: building the gallows for a condemned man. For most, that might be reason enough to seek other employment. But Michael stays on for nearly five decades, and encounters several high-profile murder cases. His diary is a record of stories that had a city hanging on every word.