Found Foote Photo #14: Labour Day, Part Two

"Late last August, just in time for Labour Day, I shared what is called a 'real photo' postcard by L. B. Foote.

The image shows some Stonewall residents, back in 1913, apparently preparing for their annual Labour Day parade. As an avid collector of Manitoba postcards, I have only occasionally come across any by Foote. While he did occasionally produce postcards, Foote was by no means prolific.

We postcard collectors, more officially known as 'deltiologists,' scour our worlds in search of items to add to our collections. Admittedly an odd lot, you’ll find us poking around garage sales, flea markets, auctions and antique shops. Nowadays we’ll often spend our evenings scouring internet sources like eBay. Egged on by the occasional thrill of acquiring a rare card, we likely have a lot in common with folks who play the slots. That Labour Day card by Foote was a “payday” for me – a rare treat.

Those of us who specialize in historic Manitoba postcards quickly become amateur detectives and 'accidental' historians. As is true of the Foote photographs of Winnipeg, the cards we acquire teach us about the past and many challenge us to discover even more. As an example; after I submitted Stonewall postcard to this blog, I noticed that the license plate on one of the automobiles was visible amidst its decorations – number 2828. I contacted a friend who has catalogued automobile license plates and vehicle owners from 1912. I learned that this vehicle was owned by William A. Williamson, born in Manitoba. In 1912, he was 26 years old, single, and employed as a clerk in a hardware store at Stonewall. That is likely William behind the wheel.

While Foote postcards are rare, lightning sometimes strikes twice. About a month ago, I encountered and acquired yet another one! Very surprisingly, it was taken in Stonewall on the same day as my earlier postcard – and shows the actual parade in progress. The parade is being led by two of the largest floats. The first, a horse-drawn canopied float is identified (by a banner in front of the lead horses) as “Presbyterian S.S.” (Sunday School?). Directly behind it is a self-propelled float in the shape of a boat, likely constructed over an automobile. Also shown in this image, on the left side, is Stonewall’s Canadian Pacific Hotel which was constructed in 1880.

Once again, a thankful salute to L. B. – for a lifetime of work that now enables us to retrace and reconstruct our own 'forgotten' history."
 
- Rob McInnes, Postcard Accumulator and Purveyor

* * *
 
Though this blog is shutting down, we thought we'd share one last 'found' Foote, again from Rob McInnes.

I will miss being able to share the contents of Rob's emails. But am consoled by things like the Manitoba Historical Maps flickr site, the Vintage Winnipeg page on Facebook, and even the sales of Imagining Winnipeg.

But do try to come out to the two final library visits, won't you? If you haven't heard Esyllt speak yet on this book and these photos, you've missed something...

Precarious Foote-ings

"It was really a pleasure to attend the Imagining Winnipeg launch a few weeks ago at McNally's!

One of my surprise takeaways from the book launch was a new appreciation for the variety of perspectives from which Foote's body of work can be viewed, analysed and interpreted – from such overarching quandaries as what Esyllt Jones dubs the "mystery of his intent," to personal connections to memories and histories, through to John Paskievich's unveiling of Foote's evolution to the "fortuitous and dynamic arrangement of triangles" (in the photo of the young Queen Elizabeth).

As a collector of historic images, let me add to this mix – with yet another line of inquiry. Beyond the images themselves, I am often intrigued by attempting to imagine where, in taking a particular photo, the photographer might have positioned themselves. I don't think it readily occurs to many of us, but early photographers were often quite the aerialists. From the photos in Imagining Winnipeg, here are a few examples:

Page 1 – Looking out over a skating rink on the Red River.
Where was Foote when he took this picture? How was he able to take this photo from such a high elevation? My guess is he was atop the large wooden toboggan slide that was constructed every year next to this ice rink. In the image, can you see those smoke stacks in the distance? I have another photo postcard image, by an earlier photographer, that I believe was actually taken from atop one of those chimneys.

Page 2 – Overview of the construction of the new Legislative Buildings.
This picture was most likely taken from the top of the bell tower of the old Broadway Methodist Church (since burned and dismantled) on the South East corner of Broadway & Kennedy.

Page 58 – Peace Day celebration at Portage & Main. This one was likely taken from a second storey window of the building that stood on the SW corner of Portage & Main (current site of the Trizec Building).

Page 70 – Veterans’ march at City Hall.
This one is particularly intriguing. The shot is taken looking up the portion of Market Street that used to exist on the West side of Main Street – land now occupied by the current City Hall. Foote took this shot from the East side of Main. The side of the building that shows on the right of the photo was the south wall of a building that once stood at the North East corner of Main & Market. It was four stories high and, from images I’ve seen of it, there were no balconies or fire escapes evident on that building's south side. My best guess is that Foote took this west-looking shot from a high (4th storey?) south-facing window.

Well, by now you get the picture (no pun intended). I'm just pointing out that L.B. Foote, like other photographers of his day, didn't always keep both feet firmly planted on the ground."

- Rob McInnes, Postcard Accumulator and Purveyor

* * *

Another beautiful little postcard from Rob McInnes! 

Found Foote #14: Winnipeg Press Club

As I've noted elsewhere on this blog, during the process of putting together this book, we were contacted by many individuals and organizations, all eager to share images/resources.

Of course, during the hubbub, one or two of these communiques were, ahem, missed.

Like this obit marking Foote's death in 1957, sent back in January by Wendy Hart, VP – Admin & Communications for the Winnipeg Press Club.

Here's what Wendy had to say:

"Attached is a short Lewis Foote obit that appeared in the Winnipeg Press Club’s annual Beer and Skits program from 1958 (April 26/58). It appears to be a more or less a condensed version of the obit from the Tribune (which was probably written by a press club member), but perhaps it is useful to have one from a different source.

As mentioned in the piece, Foote was a charter member of the Winnipeg Press Club.

The WPC was established in 1887, while Foote was still living down east. 'Charter member' in this case is in reference to the year 1922, when a group of approximately 25 newspapermen (including Foote) signed on as charter members and for the first time drafted a formal constitution for the Winnipeg Press Club.

His fellow members in 1922 included such colourful figures as John W. Dafoe, George Ham, Hay Stead, A. V. Thomas, Jack Sifton (son of Sir Clifford), A. E. Coo, Frank 'Never Break' Turner and Nate Zimmerman."

Our thanks/apologies (cough) to the Wendy and the Winnipeg Press Club!

Found Foote Photo #13: Labour Day!

"As an avid collector of early Winnipeg & Manitoba postcards, I am always on the alert for L.B. Foote’s 'real photo' postcards.

I have only run into a handful but was thrilled when this one crossed my path just recently.

Early postcards of Stonewall, MB are also very hard to come by, so I was particularly thrilled to find this doubly-rare card!

According to the caption, it was taken on Labor (Labour) Day in 1913. Back then, parades were a major component of Labour Day celebrations in many, if not all, communities throughout the nation. It appears as though Stonewall was not an exception to this. The eclectic gathering captured in this photograph is obviously a collection of some of the decorated bicycles, automobiles and horse-drawn carriages that appeared in the town’s parade that day.

Stonewall’s train station appears in the upper left corner. I believe that the hexagonal structure to the right of the station is likely a water tower for steam engines.

The image itself covers only about ¾ of the front of this postcard. This particular postcard was never used/posted – or the blank area, as intended, would have been filled in with a message from the sender."

- Rob McInnes, Postcard Accumulator and Purveyor

* * *

The best part of doing this blog and this book is when people like Rob McInnes start sending you their Foote-related finds...

This came in yesterday, on the eve of the Labour Day weekend. I just had to post it!

Happy Labour Day from everyone at UMP!

Found Foote Photo #12: Diamond Anniversary

"I’m enclosing an L.B. Foote family photo taken in September 1942.

The McCowan family arrived in Manitoba from Pertheshire, Scotland in 1921.

This one of the original photos given to family members on the occasion of the diamond (60th) wedding anniversary of William and Helen McCowan.

The small photo in the corner of their oldest son, who was in the air force during WWII. Their children are sitting beside them and one son is behind Helen. The rest of the people in the photo are sons-in-law and daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

My husband is the boy in front of William.

I met Mr. Foote in the latter part of his life. The McCowans became friends of his, as they lived at 406 Wardlaw Avenue and he lived on Gertrude Avenue. They both belonged to St. Augustine Church near the corner of River and Osborne Street.

Sincerely,

Margaret McCowan"

Found Foote Photo #11: Sunday School in Elmwood

Back in January, June Sanderson brought in a photo of her father, Henry James Hunter.

He is one of the boys in this 1920s-era group photo. June didn’t know which one. She knew this was of a Sunday school in Elmwood, but didn’t know which church it was.

June didn’t see these photos until after her mother’s death in 1985…so she couldn’t ask which little boy was her father.

Henry James – Jim to his friends – was a salesman for 3M before the war. June said she heard that he sold the first roll of tape in Winnipeg.

He joined the air force in 1942 and was in training all over Canada. He went overseas in March of 1945, toward the end of WWII. June was born while her father was away, though she notes he was there for her christening.

Post-war, Jim was a foreman in the baggage department for CPR and lived at 689 Moncton Avenue in East Kildonan. He died in 1956 at the age of 45.

A few months after our meeting, June contacted me again. Though she’d initially been leaning towards John Black Memorial United on Henderson Highway, she was now quite certain it was Gordon-King Memorial United.

Located on on Cobourg Avenue in Elmwood, the church was named in honour of Rev. Dr. Charles W. Gordon (also known as writer Ralph Connor), and his father-in-law, John Mark King. King was the first principal of Manitoba College (now the University of Winnipeg).

This supposition was confirmed by a search of the website for Gordon-King Memorial, which contains images of their meeting hall, which looks very similar to the room in June’s photo.

Thanks to June for sharing her photo…and her mystery!

Can any readers identify any of the other people in the photo? If Jim wound up with one, it makes me wonder how many other copies are in people’s attics and spare rooms in a box of old photos…

Found Foote Photos #10: Foote's Neighbour

"This is my father, who is standing in our front yard at 494 Gertrude Avenue.

The house to the left is where the Footes lived. Their daughter Norma was brides-maid in my sister’s wedding party in April 1953.

My father, Martin Toth, was in the army reserve during WWII. This picture, I assume, was taken somewhere during WWII.

My father always kept a beautiful garden and many people would compliment him on his gardening talent.

If you look closely, you’ll see no. 492 above the door of the Footes’ front door.

Yours truly,

Barbara McDowall
Pinawa, MB

p.s. This photo was taken from an elevated position. What would he have used to do this? Just wondering…."

Found Foote Photos #9: terminology

So why did a bunch of gentlemen involved in the construction trade call themselves The Mechanic’s Club?

Joanna Effler has an answer for that too:

"It is speculated by the grandson-in-law (Barry Effler) of Vernon Ferris Bolton that in the particular time frame that The Mechanic’s Club would have come into existence, automobiles were still quite new and not quite so commonly seen as now.

In today’s world, when your car or vehicle is broken or in need of maintenance, you take it to your local mechanic for service. There were no mechanics as we know them now back then. But when a builder was to put a lien on a property they were working on, it was called a mechanic’s lien. The term mechanic was originally used when referring to the construction industry."

Found Foote #9: The Mechanic's Club

Winnipeg's Johanna Effler and her mother, M. Marie McGrath (nee Bolton), compiled this article about their relative, which includes several Foote photos, including this one, damaged in the 1950s flood.

Johanna was kind enough to share it with us:

"The Mechanic’s Club was a group of eight gentlemen who worked together in the construction industry. They jointly owned a cabin at the end of North Cross Lake, in Cross Lakes, Manitoba, which was situated on parkland leased from the Province of Manitoba.

The gentlemen in the accompanying picture are:

Alonzo Simpson, a builder;

Alec McLennan, an engineer and foreman who worked for Bolton Construction and a close Bolton family friend;

Mr. Clarke, builder – electrician;

R. E. (Ed) Wright, President, Principle, and Owner of Wright Painting and Decorating, and the shortest member of The Mechanic’s Club;

Vernon Ferris Bolton, Principle, President and Owner of Bolton Construction (also known as Grandpa);

Keith Hopwood, the youngest member of The Mechanic’s Club and the only one who actually did do repair work on cars and trucks, owned his own garage and dealership.

The gentlemen were some of the members who had chosen to go on the annual post-construction season, two-week hunting trip, which took place towards the end of November each year. The one room cabin, or more correctly, the one-room hunting lodge, was known at that time as the Mechanic’s Club.

The Mechanic’s Club cabin was located at the end of North Cross Lake in Manitoba.

To get to it spring through fall, you had to take the train to Caddy Lake and then take a small boat or canoe for the remaining approximately eight to ten mile long trip over two of the chain lakes. The boat trip took one through two train tunnels, the first a Canadian Pacific Rail tunnel at the north end of Caddy Lake leading into South Cross Lake, and the second a Canadian National Railways tunnel located at the north end of South Cross Lake, at a point where it narrows down to about river width, and leads into North Cross Lake. Both tunnels were blasted out of solid rock. In late summer and fall the tunnels had such reduced water flow, that Marie McGrath (nee Bolton) remembers having to get out of the boat, and in bare feet, in the small trickle of water that remained, help to push the boat over the rocks and through the tunnels. In spring the water can be so high, that you had to crouch down in your boat to avoid hitting the roof of the tunnel. In the wintertime, the hunters would take the train and then make the long cold journey, hiking to the cabin, through the snow and over the ice of Nason Lake. It may sound like getting to the cabin was a hardship and as if the conditions were much too harsh to ever be enjoyable, but Vernon Bolton absolutely loved the cabin and the companionship of the other members, and made the journey to it as often as he could.

Only Alonzo Simpson and Vernon Bolton brought their families up to the cabin for little vacations or respites in the spring, summer and/or fall. They were also the ones who took care of most of the furnishing of the cabin and the cabin as well, as they used it the most. When both families happened to be there at the same time, they would hang a blanket up between the four beds – separating then into roomettes of two and two, males on one side and females on the other, to allow for some privacy for the family members.

When the members of The Mechanic’s Club went to the cabin on their hunting trips, they always set times for which they would return to the cabin from their hunting forays. This was simply a matter of security for the members. When a member was overdue, those members already at the cabin, would go outside and fire their guns up into the air to let the missing member or members know where they and the cabin were. The missing member or members were then able to follow the sound of the guns back to the cabin. Conversely, if a member found himself lost or at least puzzled as to his location in relation to the cabin, he would simply fire his gun into the air, and wait for replying volley of gunfire from those already at or near the cabin. Again, he would then just follow the sound back to the cabin, his fellow hunters and friends. Despite the remote location, The Mechanic’s Club never lost a member."

* * *

If you're wondering what the Foote connection was, Johanna explains it like this:

"As I recall, my mother explained that Mr. Foote met my grandfather and his friends when my grandfather’s construction company won the contract to basically start the building of a large portion of Thompson, Manitoba. Foote was the photographer who took the pictures. They all became friends and on at least one occasion, possibly more, he accompanied them on their annual fall hunt."

Photo #8: Boxshall Family Portrait

This photo arrived via email from Cartwright, MB:

"Hello! I read about your book in in the Free Press and was sure I'd seen Foote on a family photo.

Started going through them and found this one (not the one I'd been thinking of) that says "Foote & James" on the embossed paper frame. This is a photo of my grandparents, George and Ruth Boxshall and children, in 1923.

George Edward Boxshall was born in Tunbridge Wells, England in 1885. In 1902 he came to Canada (at age 17) and worked for farmers in the Cartwright/Holmfield, Manitoba area. He was the only one of his family to make that trip. At the age of 21 he went back to England but decided to come back and make his home in Canada. He returned to the Cartwright area where he worked on farms until joining the Winnipeg Police in February 1910. In 1911 he was married to Ruth Cantlon, who he had met while working in Cartwright.

George was promoted to Patrol Sergeant on May 1, 1916 and then to full Sergeant on January 19, 1923. He was on the first motorcycle squad. (Incidentally, his photo is in the 2012 City of Winnipeg Archives calendar, with his police motorcycle.) He was in great demand as an entertainer at police balls and other functions, where he would do imitations, recitations, and songs (with wife Ruth accompanying on the piano). He sang a lot of English music-hall type songs.

They raised 8 children (5 others were stillborn or died as infants). George was forced to retired from the police force due to health reasons. He had 'sleeping sickness' in the late 1920s which weakened him. (I'm not sure, but this may have been polio.) He retired on May 1, 1931 with a police pension and the family decided that moving back to Cartwright would make the money stretch further. Their youngest child was just a year old then.

With George and Ruth Boxshall in the 1923 photo are children: Sylvia, George Jr., Jack on his father's knee, Enid (in front), Eileen, and Dorothea. This was before the arrival of Allan and Shirley.

My mother was Sylvia, the second-eldest (1916-2005). She and her sister Eileen married brothers and lived their lives in Cartwright after moving here when Mum was 15. They were the ones who looked after their parents, and ended up with a lot of the family photos. And then I looked after them...

While I am very interested in family history, other cousins are, too, and the photos are prized - no danger of them being unwanted! Thank goodness for the digital age which makes it so easy to copy and share."

- Vicki Wallace

Found Foote Photo #7: Girls on Bikes

Winnipeg's Fred Knight emailed this photo of a group of bike-riding girls on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature on Broadway in late January.

Now that we're (mostly) into cycling weather again, we thought it was prime time to share this photo...here's what Fred had to say about it:

"Now it is quite obvious that this is a somewhat posed picture I seem to recall a recollection by Gloria (my wife) that this gentleman stopped and asked if he could take their picture.

I don't know why they were at the Legislative grounds as no doubt these girls came from all over the city.

I only have knowledge of three girls (deceased) from the right # 2 Phyllis Hiley married Jim Armstrong (d), # 3 Gloria Chapman married Fred Knight, # 4 Marie Escaravage married William Roberts (d).

Phillys and Gloria were in the employment of the War-time Prices & Trade Board so stands to reason that this would befall on some or all of the others.

It sure is interesting to note the change in casual attire. Something has been lost over the years...

Take Care!"

- Fred Knight

Found Foote Photo #6: Postcards!

I was excited when this email arrived in my inbox from a vintage postcard collector:

"I just acquired this Foote & James portrait postcard. (It has 'Foote & James, Winnipeg' embossed in the lower left corner.)

It makes sense that they would offer postcards of their portrait photos - as postal rates for postcards were cheaper than for letter mail. Images on postcards were the most cost-effective way to send your fiends/relatives an image of yourself.

Several companies sold photographic paper with pre-printed postcard imprinting on the reverse side to photographers.

This is helpful for us postcard collectors to approximate the age of postcards, like this one, which were never mailed. This particular one has an AZO Stamp Box - with four squares in the corners.

Using online resources (like this site: http://www.the2buds.com/rp.htm), we can come up at least with date ranges for cards produced on the more popular photographic postcard papers.

In this case, the Foote & James portrait card was made sometime after 1926 through to the 1940s."

- Rob McInnes, Postcard Accumulator and Purveyor

Found Foote Photo #5: Cycles

From Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon, Margaret Shaw's daughter:

"Margaret Shaw, our mom, created Cycles while she was in the Penhandler’s writing group, a Winnipeg women’s writers’ criticism group that was founded in 1940 and that ran until 2010.

Cycles was published in The Penhandler’s Almanac in 1988.

The Penhandler’s group at the time consisted of Helen Norrie, Kay Dalton, Bernice Cunnington, Olive Goldie, Isabel Reimer, Anne Fairley, Marjorie MacDonald, Muriel Leeson, Audrey Peterkin, Betty Dyck, Margaret Shaw, Mary Lile Benham, Anita Schmidt, Lillian Downes, Bess Kaplan, Joan Grenon, Margaret Owen, Beatrice Fines, and Dorothy Garbutt.

I look back fondly to the time when Mom was writing the story and sharing her process with me. She was reading Ann Moray’s A Fair Stream of Silver: Love Tales from Celtic Lore (1965) as part of her story-writing inspiration, and she would read me passages that struck her as particularly moving and lyrical. I had completed my MA in English at the U of M and was busy with Ph.D. coursework. Mom had lost Dad, Dr. E.C. Shaw, back in 1980, and several years later when she was writing Cycles, she could still easily write out of that loss.

A bright light for her and for me was that we were constantly in dialogue over writing matters — including her Cycles story inspired by the family photo she cherished that was taken by Lewis Foote and in which she includes him."

* * *

An excerpt from Cycles by Margaret Shaw:

I coast down the little ravine, then up the other side, keeping up the speed now that I'm on the level. I want to see my mother again...and my father, with his good-natured teasing, and dependable kindness.

Past the bridge now, the path splits on the left into the clay-covered 'monkey trails,' which fall sharply down to the edge of the river. On an impulse I turn into one, but misjudge my speed and the slipperiness of the clay, damp in the deep shade, even in this heat.

"Oh!" I yell as the bicycle skids sideways and I fall. Eyes closed, my head is spinning. Then it stops.

Coming back along a hollow passageway, I feel someone patting my hand, as if to waken me.

"Oh!" I cry again. A man, possibly in his late 30s, kneels beside me with a worried expression on his face. He has bright blue eyes, not unlike my own, and is dressed in a plain vest and pants, and a white shirt with a stiffly starched collar. There is something vaguely out-of-date about his clothing.

He smiles, a slightly asymmetrical smile, again like my own.

"You're alright then. That's a relief. You had me worried. I'm afraid you'll be hurting after a fall like that."

"Oh, it doesn't matter."

He smiles encouragingly. "If you're hurting, it matters. But you'll be alright. Time heals, as they say."

He lifts my bicycle and gives me his hand. There is a world of strength in it. As I stand to brush myself off, he says, "You must have come down that path at quite a clip. Whoever taught you how to ride should have taught you how to stop as well."

I can't help smiling. "It's the brakes. I often back-pedal, instead of using my hands."

He is inspecting the hand brakes with interest when a voice calls, "Alistair! We're taking the picture!"

As I turn I see a group of about 20 people, dressed in clothing from the 20s. Laughing and talking, they are arranging themselves for a photograph against a backdrop of trees.

"Are those your friends?"

"Aye, and maybe relatives one day. They're here for a family picture with Lewis Foote, the photographer. That's him with the camera. They want me in the picture but I'm just engaged to one of the daughters - I'm not married yet!"

A craggy-faced man comes out from under the black cover of the tripod, and waves in the direction of the trees.

"I'd better be getting back. You'll be alright now." A statement, yet with a questioning lilt.

"I think so. It's a good thing you came by."

"I wanted to...to let you know that we are here." He indicated with a nod the laughing group on the lawn. An intent look of concern, a smile, and then, "You'll not forget I'm wishing you well."

"No, no," I say. "Thank you."

I don't look at the group again, and their voices still to silence by the time I am at the end of the clay trail and out in the sunshine again.

Back on the main path, I notice the chaotic designs of patches in the asphalt. I walk the bicycle a little farther until the pedal is in the right position for my foot, then ease myself onto the seat and start riding. Gingerly, I test the hand brakes once or twice. Then I pick up speed and feel the fresh air on my face as I head toward home.

Back in the house, I set the keys down on the kitchen counter and start up the stairs to the attic. In a large dust-sprinkled cardboard box, I find a stack of old albums, and open one to a dimly-remembered family group. They have been interrupted at a picnic, as my cousins have baseball bats and a soccer ball in front of them. Smiling, loving faces - aunts and uncles, one after another, Grandma and Grandpa as the heads of the clan, cousins' young faces showing traces of their adult features. Mother with bobbed hair, graceful in her chemise dress and buttoned pumps, calm eyes looking at the camera.

Father isn't there.

I study the photograph for a long time, and then gently close the page and put the book away.

Found Foote Photo #5: Picnic in Assiniboine Forest, 1923

"The McLean family was very proud to have a photo taken by L.B. Foote.

Our grandmother, Janet McLean (second from the left in the middle row), came to Canada in 1912. When this family photo was taken at Assiniboine Park, she was engaged to our grandfather, Alexander Munro. Our grandfather, who was at this family get-together, was asked to join the family photo. However, he felt that since he hadn't officially joined the family through marriage yet, he shouldn't be included in the photo. Our grandparents married in the 1920s. Our mother, Margaret, was born in 1929.

John and Norman McLean (far left and far right, back row) came to Canada in 1911 to work for a newspaper in Regina. They left Regina to purchase a newspaper in Transcona. Originally the paper was called the Transcona Times. Later, they became the founders of The Elmwood Herald.

The rest of the family moved from Scotland to Transcona in 1912. The other two brothers, Robert and Archibald (far right and far left, middle row), worked at the Transcona Times. Our grandmother was a stenographer and her sister, Margaret (second from the right, back row), was a clerk for the CNR. Our great-grandfather, John McLean (third from right, back row), also worked for the CNR. Both Archie and Robert served during the First World War in France as did our grandfather, Alex."

Submitted by the family of Margaret and Ed Shaw:
Janet, Sandra, Margaret, Ed, and Irene

* * *

Thanks to Janet Shaw-Russell for sharing both this photo and the story behind the photo!

Found Foote Photo #4: Regalia!

As was mentioned in the previous post, in addition to her Foote photo Joan Lyons brought in a few pieces of her grandfather’s AOF ensemble: a medal and a ribbon that proclaimed that he belonged to Court Excelsior, No. 6898.

Interestingly, the teal ribbon could be turned over to reveal a black version, presumably for attending funeral services when a fellow member died.

Sewn between the two ribbons was piece of cardboard printed with the following:

Jas. C. McQuade
Society Regalia

Badges Banners Seals Stamps Etc.

Manton Block
Winnipeg, Manitoba

It seems surprising that a business could exist solely on the basis of selling regalia for fraternal and friendly societies...until you read biographies from that era.

For instance, Winnipeg’s Frederick McArthur, who was a lawyer and a member of the AOF from the same era, had the following affiliations:

“He was a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons (Past Supreme Master at Arms, Ancient Landmark Lodge), Knights of Pythias (Supreme Representative), Knights of the Maccabees, Ancient Order of Foresters, Woodmen of the World, SOS, Modern Woodmen of America, and Baptist Church.”

Thanks to the Manitoba Historical Society for McArthur’s biography!

Found Foote Photo #4: Ancient Order of Foresters

Winnipeg's Joan Lyons brought in an altogether fascinating collection of items that centered around a Foote photo of the Winnipeg 'court' of the Ancient Order of Foresters.

As we sat down in the St John's College cafeteria, she explained that her maternal grandfather, Timothy James Webster, is the gentleman on the extreme right of the image.

The photo is 12” X 14” and “Foote Photo. Wpg.” is written the photo just under Timothy’s feet. Joan inherited the framed photo and had it archivally re-framed a few years ago.

Timothy Webster came to Canada from England in 1905. He worked as a tinsmith for the CNR and brought his wife Edith and their two children to Winnipeg in 1906.

Eventually, he heard about available farmland in rural Manitoba. The family moved to Ashern in 1910, where Timothy started a mixed farm and eventually become Reeve. He and Edith had seven children, the last of which was born in 1920.

The farm was sold in the 40s and Timothy died in 1956 but the family still has a cottage in Ashern.

But between 1905 and 1910, when Timothy was still in Winnipeg, he joined the Ancient Order of Foresters. Given that the AOF originated in England, Joan thinks that her grandfather may have been a member before immigrating to Canada.

According to the Foresters Friendly Society, the modern incarnation of the AOF, the Ancient Order of Foresters

“seems at first to have been a purely sociable society until the members decided that they had a duty to assist their fellow men who fell into need ‘as they walked through the forests of life’. This 'need' arose principally when a breadwinner fell ill, could not work and, therefore, received no wages. Illness and death left families financially distressed and often destitute. Relief of this need has been the main purpose of the Foresters throughout their long history. It was achieved by members paying, initially, a few pence a week into a common fund from which sick pay and funeral grants could be drawn.”

It's sort of hard to reconcile the elaborate costumes, the medals on their chests and the plumes in their hats, with the very practical - and probably much-needed - social safety net that these kinds of groups offered their members.

But you have to remember that for men like Timothy Webster, these groups offered a chance to meet other recent British immigrants, men who had similar backgrounds. And there's nothing wrong with a little pomp and circumstance every now and then.

Thanks to Joan for sitting in the SJC cafeteria with me, sipping tea and sharing the story of her photo!

UPDATE: According to Esyllt Jones, the award-winning U of M historian who will select and also introduce the photos used in UMP's Foote book, Foote worked "as a recruiter for the Order of Foresters, playing his autoharp and hosting entertainment all along the south shore of Nova Scotia, encouraging people to join the Order." This would have been early in his career, somewhere between 1891 and 1902.

Found Foote Photo #3: Retirement Party

The day the Winnipeg Free Press article appeared, a folder was dropped off at UMP.

Inside was an slightly battered 8" X 10" group photo and a cheery blue guide to the eighty-nine people in the photograph.

Ian Park, the Manager of Food Services at St. John's College (where UMP has its office), happened to have the photos in his office.

The photo commemorates the retirement supper of Ian's maternal great-grandfather, W.A. Aldridge. It has the following signature on it: "Jan. 15th 1944, L.B. Foote Photo." It also bears the number "2163."

William Aldridge is the tall man standing against the wall at the back of the photo, or, according to the diagram, #5.

William was the Deputy City Engineer for the City of Winnipeg. We know that he graduated from St. John's College with a BA in 1900, so he was retiring after more than 40 years' service.

According to Ian, William was a Freemason and president, in 1928, of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba. He also played the trumpet and followed Winnipeg's jazz scene.

Interestingly, according to this Manitoba Historical Society article, William was a diarist. But not of his personal doings: he kept a record of flood information.

Here's a quote from William D. Hurst, who became City Engineer in 1944:

"In 1896, Mr. William Aldridge commenced to draw a graph of river elevations for each spring break-up and he continued this practice until his retirement as Deputy City Engineer in 1945. Commencing in 1922, he added a diary narrative to each year's break-up as well as the drawing of the hydrograph."

Although he retired in 1944/5, William lived to the age of 103. Ian was 20 when he died and remembers him clearly...

We were initially confused by the chart that came with the photo. It would have taken Foote at least three times as much time to compile the names of all the people in the photograph than it would to TAKE the photo.

Ian explained that his great-grandfather had drawn up the diagram himself, which given his engineering background, made sense. William was very likely to have had scrap blueprint paper in his possession as well as the inclination to want to label all 89 invitees to his dinner.

Thanks to Ian for sharing this photo!

Found Photo #1: Sacred Heart Parish Church

This email arrived in my inbox the day the article appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press:

"Hello, here is a scan of a Foote photo.

The image is of the altar boys of the former Belgian Sacred Heart Parish Church in St Boniface. The parish was located at 501 Plinquet Street in St. Boniface from 1917 until 1993. This photo was taken about 1920.

People in the photo:

1. Henry Van Elslander - he went on to be the first priest ordained from western Canada for the Belgian Capuchin Fathers.

2. John Van Buckenhout - born in 1908.

3. Father E. Kwakman - first priest of the parish from 1917-1928.

4. Jos. Verschaere

I was given the photo a few years ago from the daughter of John Van Buckenhout. Miss Louise Van Buckenhout was getting rid of things at the time.

I have no particular interest in old photos, I don’t collect them. I went to that church."

- Neil Pryce

Found Foote Photo #2: Claydon Bro's CONTINUED

Norman Claydon, the grandson of the founders of Claydon Brothers Contractors, shared this photo with us. He started at Claydon as as labourer and ended as secretary-treasurer.

The company closed its doors in approx. 1971.

* * *

From the City of Winnipeg's Historical Buildings Committee report on 626 Wardlaw Avenue:

"Claydon Brothers was founded in 1904 by Ebenezer (1881-1954) and Arthur Claydon, two of the five Claydon brothers. Ebenezer Claydon was born in Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire, England in 1881. After receiving his education in England, he immigrated to Canada in 1902, coming to Winnipeg shortly thereafter and establishing the general contracting firm Claydon Brothers in 1904. During his career, Ebenezer Claydon was also president of the Winnipeg Builders Exchange and vice-president of the Canadian Construction Association.

A third brother, Ernest, came to Winnipeg and joined the firm ca.1912. Arthur and Ernest enlisted and fought overseas during World War I and Arthur was killed in action in 1917. Ernest returned to Winnipeg and rejoined Claydon Brothers as the secretary-treasurer, with Ebenezer as president.

The firm was reorganized in 1917 and renamed Claydon Company Limited. By 1945, it had been expanded to handle home and business fuels and to include five Claydons: Ebenezer; his two sons, Oliver and Gurth E.; and Ernest and his son Rowland. Ebenezer died on February 26, 1954 and Ernest died in 1976. J. Norman Claydon, a son of Gurth E., was also associated with the business in the 1970s and continues to live in the city.

Like other medium-scale contracting firms, Claydon Brothers also designed and owned some of the structures they built, usually single-family dwellings. All of Winnipeg's important early twentieth-century architects used this firm. Some of its better known and larger projects include:

Broadway Baptist Church, Broadway (1906 and 1914 addition)
Dominion Bank, 678 Main Street (1907)
Church of Christ, Sherbrook Street (1907)
Canadian Pacific Railway Immigration Office, Maple Street (1907)
Assiniboine Park, first Pavilion (1908)
Windermere Apartments, 224 Kennedy Street (1909)
Kennedy Building, 317 Portage Avenue (1909)
Havergal Ladies' College, 122 Carlton Street (major renovations, 1909)
Kenilworth Court Apartments, 44 Hargrave Street (1910)
St. Elmo Apartments, 177 Colony Street (1910)
W.J. Christie House, 365 Wellington Crescent (1910)
Ackland and Son Limited Warehouse, 67 Higgins Avenue (1911)
DeBary (Highgate) Apartments, 626 Wardlaw Avenue (1912)
Anvers Apartments, 758 McMillan Avenue (1912)
Brussels Apartments, 150-56 Lilac Street (1912)
Brown Block, 902 Home Street (1912)
W.A. Hossie House, 66 Waterloo Street (1913)
Sunnycrest Apartments, 667 Wolseley Avenue (1913)
William Whyte School, Powers Street (1913)
King George Hospital, 1 Morley Avenue (completed 1914)
City Light and Power, Terminal Station, McFarlane Street (1918)
St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, 300 Hugo Street North (1920)
Lord Selkirk School No. 1, Brazier Street (major renovations, 1921)
Isaac Newton Junior High School, 730 Aberdeen Avenue (1921)
Indian Affairs Industrial School, Edmonton, AB (1923)
T. Eaton's Company Garage, 349 Graham Avenue (1926)
T. Eaton's Company Mail Order Building, Graham Avenue (additional storey, 1926)
T. Eaton's Company Warehouse, 130 Galt Avenue (1927)
Princess Elizabeth Hospital, 1 Morley Avenue (completed 1950)"

Found Foote Photo #2: Claydon Bro's Contractors

I came to work today...and discovered that a manilla envelope had been pushed under my door sometime over the weekend.

I stared at it for a moment, then stepped over it. I hung up my jacket, set down my purse and lunch bag, and reached for the envelope.

On the front was an address label from a Mr. Claydon with a phone number written in pen underneath. A few names had been crossed out where the addressee's name would normally go...and the new label inscribed: "Foote Foto."

My favourite part was that the name had been written vertically and horizontally, with the "F" doing double duty as the beginning of "Foote" and "Foto."

Inside, there was a photo of a construction scene, mounted on cardboard, with an index card taped to the back:

CONSTRUCTION OF WINNIPEG GENERAL HOSPITAL -- 1910.
Showing First Steam Shovel To
Work on General Building
Construction in Winnipeg

CLAYDON COMPANY LIMITED
Winnipeg, Manitoba

More mysterious still was the fact that someone had penciled in a question mark next to "1910."

Now to call Mr. Claydon! And find out the story of the picture...

(A note to my numbering system above: this is the second 'lost' Foote photo we've received. The first was dropped off at our office on Friday by someone who works at St. John's College...but more on that later.)

Ariel Gordon
UMP Promotions/Editorial Assistant