Directly across from the entrance to the harbour is the ‘Portsmouth Tavern’, which was formerly called ‘Beaupré’s Tavern’ or ‘Beaup’s’ for short. Beaupré’s Tavern opened in 1860 and was owned and operated by the Beaupré family. The Beaupré’s have had ties to Portsmouth village since its inception and the Beaupré name is listed on the original town council. The family is also linked to Kingston Penitentiary, and members of the family have appeared on most of the staff lists from the beginning of the institution.
As such, it is no wonder that Beaupré’s Tavern is also part of the penitentiary’s history. Located a short distance from the prison, Beaup’s became the local tavern for the many officers who worked at the penitentiary. At one time the tavern had a separate backroom that was reserved for uniformed penitentiary guards. This was due to rules that forbade them from being seen in a drinking establishment while still in uniform.
