Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

RECEPTION DESK

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1970

Materials

WOOD, PLASTIC, STEEL

No. Pieces

4

Height

119.5

Length

97.0

Width

44.5

Description

DESK IS ENTIRELY MADE OF WOOD. SIDES, BACK AND TOP ARE ALL PAINTED IVORY (PAINT IS WORN OFF REST OF DESK). ABOVE WRITING SURFACE OF DESK ARE MULTIPLE SMALL COMPARTMENTS. BELOW WRITING SURFACE ARE 4 DRAWERS (3 OF WHICH ARE MISSING). PULL ON THE EXISTING DRAWER IS GREEN PLASTIC WITH A STRIP OF METAL ACROSS IT. BACK AND UPPER HALF OF SIDES HAVE GROOVES IN THE WOOD; TOP OF DESK IS MADE FROM 3 SLATS OF WOOD. ONE SIDE PANEL OF WRITING SURFACE IS BROKEN OFF, AS WELL AS A WOOD PENCIL HOLDER. BACK OF DESK HAS MULTIPLE NAILS STICKING OUT. DESK HAS NUMEROUS SCRATCHES & CARVINGS IN IT; WRITING SURFACE IS BADLY STAINED AND DIRTY. ALSO INCLUDED WITH DESK WERE 2 PIECES OF PAPER: 1)"CANADIAN PACIFIC EXPRESS CO. REMITTER'S RECEIPT" "979847" (2) "CITY OF LETHBRIDGE ASSESSMENT NOTICE FOR THE YEAR 1953" ADDRESSED TO THE CECIL CAFE. ALSO INCLUDED WITH DESK IS A SQUARE BOTTLE OF RED INK THAT READS "CARTER'S RUBBER STAMP INK RED"; HAS A BLACK, SCREW-ON, TIN LID.

Subjects

FURNITURE

Historical Association

BUSINESS

History

RECEPTION DESK 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

P20020066000

Acquisition Date

2002-11

Collection

Museum

Less detail