Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

W/ KEY

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1970

Materials

LEATHER, STEEL

No. Pieces

3

Height

1.8

Length

12.4

Width

3.8

Description

BROWN, OVAL, LEATHER KEY CHAIN. HAS A "6" TOOLED IN THE CENTER WITH A LINE BELOW IT. BOTTOM HAS A SMALL HOLE IN IT, AS DOES THE TOP, THROUGH WHICH A STEEL KEY RING IS INSERTED. ON OTHER END OF RING IS A METAL KEY THAT READS "SCHLAGE C 23688".

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

HOUSEHOLD ACCESSORY

Historical Association

BUSINESS

History

A ROOM KEY FROM THE CECIL HOTEL, LOCATED AT 308 1ST AVENUE SOUTH IN LETHBRIDGE. THE CECIL HOTEL AND CAFE WERE FREQUENTED BY RETIREES AND TRANSIENTS, AS IT WAS LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE TRAIN TRACKS ON 1ST AVENUE SOUTH. THE FIRST MENTION OF THE 'FONG' NAME IN THE HENDERSON DIRECTORIES IS IN 1912, AND HAS JOE FONG LISTED UNDER CAFES & RESTAURANTS (NAME OF BUSINESS NOT INDICATED). JOE FONG WAS THE GRANDFATHER OF DONOR (LORNE FONG'S FATHER). THIS IS PERHAPS THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CECIL CAFE. THE JOE FONG CAFE IS LISTED IN 1913 AND FONG, JOE & CO UNDER RESTAURANTS IN 1914. IN 1917 IS THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE NAME CECIL CAFE. FROM 1917 TO 1934, THE CECIL CAFE WAS LISTED WITH DIFFERENT PROPRIETORS, INCLUDING JOE FONG, HUE LUNG (UNKNOWN RELATIONSHIP TO DONOR), TOO FONG AND MRS J HOW FONG - ASSUMEDLY ALL THE SAME FAMILY. IN 1934 THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE CECIL CAFE, BUT THE CANADIAN CAFE IS IN ITS PLACE, WITH THE PROPRIETOR ELIZABETH LEE (DAUGHTER OF JOE FONG). THE CECIL CAFE REAPPEARS IN 1936, AGAIN LISTED WITH DIFFERENT PROPRIETORS, ALL BELONGING TO THE FONG FAMILY, INCLUDING LEE WAH FONG, WHO WAS THE WIFE OF JOE FONG. IN 1950, DONOR LORNE FONG BECOMES PROPRIETOR OF THE CAFE. THE LAST MENTION OF THE CECIL CAFE IS IN 1956; A NEW ADDITION WAS ADDED TO THE CAFE AND ITS EXISTING ROOMS, CREATING THE CECIL HOTEL WHICH WAS OPENED IN 1953 BY LORNE FONG. THE HOTEL IS LISTED IN THE DIRECTORIES UNTIL 1980, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 1975-77. IN 1979 AND 1980, LORNE FONG IS NO LONGER LISTED AS PROPRIETOR OF THE HOTEL, BUT INSTEAD GEO ANDRICHUCK AND NICK HUSKA/FRED BAKER ARE MENTIONED INSTEAD. IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE HOTEL CLOSED IN 1980, BUT THE BUILDING REMAINED UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF THE FONG FAMILY. IN 2001/2 THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE PURCHASED THE LAND ON WHICH THE HOTEL SITS, AND THE FONG FAMILY OFFERED OBJECTS IN THE BUILDING FOR DONATION AT THIS TIME. AFTER THE HOTEL CLOSED LORNE FONG CONTINUED ON WITH HIS SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A SALESMAN (GRANDMASTER SALESMAN STATUS) FOR GM (ENERSON MOTORS).

Catalogue Number

P20010078025

Acquisition Date

2001-12

Collection

Museum

Less detail