Norman J. Agnew
Killed  27 Oct 1921
Assistant Superintendent, Industries
Ontario Reformatory, Guelph

During WW1, the Ontario Reformatory, Guelph was turned over to the military for rehabilitation of soldiers returning from overseas. The place was remodeled, and renamed ‘Speedwell’ until 1920 when it resumed its purpose as a prison. Norman J. Agnew was one of those returning soldiers. As it turned out, the duties he performed fit well into the redeployment of the O.R. as a prison, and he remained as an Assistant Superintendent, and Director of Industries at the prison. On Thursday 27 October 1921 Agnew went to the prisons stone quarry at the back of the O.R. property. At about 1130 hours he drove out there to see about repairs to some of the equipment. As was the practice, blasting in the quarry took place when most of the inmates had gone in for lunch or at the end of the day after the inmates had left for the day. The usual warning was given before one of the blasts. Upon reentering the quarry after the blast Agnew was found amongst the broken rocks. He had been struck in the head by a piece of rock, and received a severe head injury. He was taken to the Guelph General Hospital where he died later in the afternoon. His wife of six months arrived only minutes after he died, she had returned from Toronto. Agnew and his wife had lived in the house at the entrance to the O.R. on York Road. The house is still there. Agnew was buried in the Hamilton Municipal Cemetery.