GREY-GREEN ELECTRICAL WALL SCONCE. TWO CANDLE-LIKE STRUCTURES EXTEND FROM EITHER SIDE OF SCONCE, BASE OF CANDLES RESEMBLE FLOWERS. BACK OF SCONE REDDISH BROWN WITH RUST SPOTS THROUGHOUTS. RAISED TEXT READS, "32148...MOF-BRIDGES, MILWAUKEE WIS." YELLOW ELECTRICAL CORDS VISIBLE FROM BACK. SMALL DECORATIVE BOLT TAPED TO FRONT SURFACE OF SCONCE.
THIS SCONCE WAS REMOVED FROM THE STAIRWELL WALL LEADING UP TO THE PROJECTIONIST AREA OF PARAMOUNT THEATRE AFTER ITS CLOSURE IN 2007.
ACCORDING TO JOEY SHACKLEFORD, GRANDSON OF A. W. SHACKLEFORD, SCONCES SUCH AS THIS LINED THE BACK WALL AND SIDES OF THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE. THEY WERE A DECORATIVE AND SAFETY FEATURE- LOW-LEVEL LIGHT WAS EMITTED BY THEM. SHACKLEFORD SAID, "IT GOT DARK (WITHOUT THE LIGHTS) - YOU COULDN'T SEE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. I WAS SCARED AS A KID." 10-15 WATT BULBS KEPT IT JUST LIGHT ENOUGH. LATER ON, FLOOR LIGHTING WAS ADDED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE P20070023001 AND PERMANENT RECORD.
*UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING A PORTRAIT OF ALFRED WILLIAM SHACKLEFORD (P20060025001-GA), OWNER OF THE SHACKLEFORD THEATRES. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY OF MAYOR SHACKLEFORD WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM ARCHIVES CANADA ONLINE AND A LETHBRIDGE HERALD TRIBUTE ARTICLE FROM MAY 31, 1992. A.W. SHACKLEFORD WAS BORN IN ESSEX, ENGLAND IN 1899 AND CAME TO CALGARY WITH HIS PARENTS IN 1909. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE TRAINED AS A DRAFTSMAN BUT WAS EMPLOYED BY THE FILM EXCHANGE AND FOX FILMS. IN 1921 HE WAS HIRED TO MANAGED THE KING'S THEATRE IN LETHBRIDGE AND BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH MARK ROGERS, A LETHBRIDGE BUSINESSMAN WHO OWNED THREE LOCAL MOVIE THEATRES. SHACKLEFORD ALSO BECAME PARTNER IN THE AMUSEMENT COMPANY THAT OPENED THE HENDERSON LAKE PAVILLION IN 1924. BY 1925 HE WAS PART-OWNER OF THE FORMER EMPRESS THEATRE ON 5TH AVENUE SOUTH, RENAMING IT THE ROXY. HE THEN TEAMED UP WITH THE FAMOUS PLAYERS COMPANY TO REMODEL THE FORMER PALACE THEATRE AND RENAME IT THE CAPITOL. SHACKLEFORD ALSO OPENED THE THEATRE IN THE FORMER COLLEGE MALL, BUILT THE 960-SEAT PARAMOUNT THEATRE ON 4TH AVENUE SOUTH, AND TOOK OVER OPERATION OF THE DIRVE-IN THEATRE AT THE SOUTH CITY LIMITS. SHACKLEFORD WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN CIVIC LIFE, ACTIVE IN GROUPS INCLUDING THE CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY, THE GYRO CLUB, UNITED WAY, LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT EXHIBITION BOARD, BOARD OF TRADE, ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH, AND THE ALBERTA THEATRE OPERATORS ASSOCIATION. HE AND HIS WIFE ADA HAD TWO SONS, ROBERT AND DOUGLAS. AFTER SEVERAL TERMS AS ALDERMAN STARTING IN 1939, SHACKLEFORD FIRST SERVED AS MAYOR FROM 1944 - 1947, AND FOR TWO MORE TERMS FROM 1952 - 1955 AND 1957 - 1961. HE WORKED FOR 68 YEARS IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS, RETIRING AT AGE 90. W.A. SHACKLEFORD DIED IN LETHBRIDGE ON MAY 30, 1992.
SEE PERMANENT FILE P20060025001 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE MATERIAL.