Letter from H. Stethem, to the Warden, November 7, 1940 - solo in inglese

This typewritten letter was sent by Lieut-Colonel H. Stethem (Assistant Director of Internment Operations), to the Warden, Kingston Penitentiary, November 7, 1940. The letter addresses rules and regulations pertaining to visits to the female internees housed at the prison. At the date of writing, visitors were not permitted to the internment camps where the male internees were held, but "It is not thought that these female internees could transmit any message which would be of value to the enemy". Handwritten notes appear on the letter but are difficult to decipher.

Four Italian Canadian women were interned during World War II. They, along with 17 German Canadian women, were held at the Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario. The prison was located on the north side of King St. West, across from the Kingston Penitentiary. The women were held in a separate wing known as the Internment Quarters. Family members could visit the prison, but meetings were limited to 15 minutes and supervised by a guard. If the visit was conducted in Italian, a translator was provided at the internee’s cost. Visitors were limited to two persons at a time, and visits could not take place on Sundays or statutory holidays.