Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

BEDSIDE TABLE

Date

1949

Materials

WOOD, ARBORITE

No. Pieces

1

Height

30.0

Length

66.2

Width

31.5

Description

WOODEN APPLE CRATE, CONVERTED INTO A TABLE. 3 LONG SIDES OF CRATE ARE MADE FROM 2 HORIZONTAL PLANKS EACH. MIDDLE DIVIDER AND ONE END OF CRATE ARE MADE FROM SMALLER VERTICAL PIECE OF WOOD, WITH A HORIZONTAL PIECE ON TOP AND BOTTOM. OTHER END OF CRATE IS MADE FROM 3 HORIZONTAL PIECES OF WOOD. ATTACHED TO OUTSIDE OF THIS END IS A PIECE OF ARBORITE THAT IS PINK WITH WHITE LINES (MADE TO LOOK LIKE MARBLE TILE). WRITTEN ON UNDERSIDE OF CRATE, IN BLUE, IS "220/45".

Subjects

CONTAINER

FURNITURE

Historical Association

FURNISHINGS

History

DONOR MADE CRATE INTO A BEDSIDE TABLE, WHEN HE AND HIS WIFE FIRST MARRIED, IN 1949. DONOR MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1949, AND WAS WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION AS A CARPENTER. DONOR AND WIFE HAD VERY LITTLE MONEY SO HAD TO BE THRIFTY; COULD NOT AFFORD FURNITURE SO DONOR MADE CRATE INTO BEDSIDE TABLE. FOR A TIME, THE ONLY FURNITURE IN THEIR LIVING ROOM WAS A LAMP THAT WAS GIVEN TO THEM AS A GIFT. MR BURNESS WAS RAISED IN THE AREA NEAR BURDETT. HIS GRANDFATHER HOMESTEADED IN THAT DISTRICT CIRCA 1910. AT THE TIME OF WWII MR. BURNESS JOINED THE 4TH FIELD AMBULACE AT THUNDER BAY, ONT., AND WAS LATER ATTACHED TO THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS' 1ST DIVISION AS A MEDIC. MR. BURNESS SAW COMBAT SERVICE IN ITALY, FRANCE, AND THE NETHERLANDS. AFTER THE WAR, HE DECIDED TO TRAIN AS A CARPENTER. IN 1955 MR. BURNESS DECIDED TO ABANDON CARPENTRY BECAUSE HE FELT THE TRAINING WAS OUTDATED. HE THEN TOOK A JOB AS A MAIL SORTER AT THE LETHBRIDGE POST OFFICE, WHERE HE WORKED UNTIL RETIREMENT IN 1979. DONOR WAS A COMMISSIONAIRE IN LETHBRIDGE FROM 1981-1983. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS, INCLUDING SOME DONATED BY JAMES BURNESS. ACCORDING TO HIS LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY, THE DONOR, "JAMES (JIM) NICOL BURNESS OF LETHBRIDGE, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2005 AT THE AGE OF 86. JIM, THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF ANN BURNESS (NEE YANOTA), WAS BORN MAY 11, 1918 IN LETHBRIDGE. A DESCENDANT OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA PIONEERS, JIM GREW UP AND RECEIVED HIS EDUCATION IN BURDETT, ALBERTA AND AT THE AGE OF 24 ENLISTED IN THE CANADIAN ARMY, WHERE HE SERVED PROUDLY AS A STRETCHER-BEARER WITH THE INFANTRY IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN OF WORLD WAR TWO. AFTER THE WAR HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION FOR TEN YEARS IN BANFF AND LETHBRIDGE. IN 1949 HE MARRIED ANN YANOTA OF BLAIRMORE AND THEY SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE. THEY BUILT THEIR OWN HOME, ONE IN WHICH THEY LIVED FOR OVER 50 YEARS. JIM COMPLETED A 24-YEAR CAREER WITH THE POST OFFICE, HELPING REVITALIZE THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION... HE WAS A MEMBER OF ROTARY, KINSMEN, SHRINERS, SCOTTISH RITE, AND THE LETHBRIDGE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB." SEE PERMANENT RECORD P19860042001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Catalogue Number

P20010029001

Acquisition Date

2001-09

Collection

Museum

Less detail