Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

STEEL, NAUGAHYDE

No. Pieces

1

Height

107.0

Length

156.0

Width

58.0 (SEAT)

Diameter

55.7 (BASE)

Description

SEAT, BACKREST AND ARMREST (ON LEFT SIDE OF CHAIR) ARE COVERED IN BLACK NAUGAHYDE. SEAT AND FOOTREST ARE ONE PIECE. STEEL FRAME OF CHAIR IS PAINTED CREAM COLOR. REVERSE SIDE OF BACKREST HAS A CHROME LEVER THAT ADJUSTS SEAT BACK. THERE IS ALSO A CREAM COLOURED PLASTIC LIGHTSWITCH COVER WITH A BUTTON IN THE CENTER. BASE OF FRAME IS CIRCULAR AND HAS 4 CHROME LEVERS: 1. IN A VERTICAL POSITION, ON CENTER BACK OF BASE; 2. IN A VERTICAL POSITION, ON RIGHT SIDE OF BASE; 3. SHORT, STICKS OUT HORIZONTALLY FROM UNDER SEAT; 4. IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION, HAS A LONG SHAFT THAT GOES TOWARD BACK OF SEAT (USED TO ADJUST CHAIR HEIGHT). THERE ARE SILVER COLOURED TACKS ON UNDERSIDE AND BACK TO SECURE NAUGAHYDE. AROUND BASE IS A FLAT STEEL RING THAT HAS A STYLIZED LEAF DESIGN IN RELIEF. THERE IS A BLACK ELECTRICAL CORD COMING FROM UNDERNEATH SEAT AT BACK OF CHAIR WITH FRAYED WIRES AT ONE END. NAUGAHYDE IS WORN ON TOP OF BACKREST AND ON ARM REST; OTHER SCRATCHES AND PITTING THROUGHOUT.

Subjects

MEDICAL & DENTAL T&E

Historical Association

HEALTH SERVICES

History

CHAIR IS PART OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT CHRISTOU PURCHASED FROM DR. J.S. STEWART IN THE 1950S. ORIGINALLY FROM ASH TEMPLE LTD. IN CALGARY, CHAIR WAS ALTERED IN THE EARLY 1950S. CHRISTOU RETROFITTED THIS CHAIR TO THE "MORE MODERN LOOKING" CHAISE-RECLINING STYLE, WHICH ALSO PROVIDED MORE COMFORT WITH THE BUILT-IN FOOTREST. A HOME BASED UPHOLSTERER IN COALDALE RE-COVERED THE CHAIR IN NAUGAHYDE. THE CHAIR WAS USED BY CHRISTOU THROUGHOUT HIS 37 YEAR PRACTICE. DR. VAN CHRISTOU WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LETHBRIDGE. HE ATTENDED BOWMAN SCHOOL AND THE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. IN 1943 HE BEGAN STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, AND IN 1948 RECEIVED THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY. AS A WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS EASTMAN FELLOWSHIP HE COMPLETED 2 YEARS OF GRADUATE STUDY IN NEW YORK IN ORTHODONTICS AND PEDODONTICS. IN 1950 HE RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE TO PRACTICE WITH DR. J.S. STEWART - ONE OF LETHBRIDGE'S FIRST DENTISTS - WHO BECAME HIS MENTOR. THEIR PRACTICE WAS LOCATED IN THE ORIGINAL BIGELOW FOWLER CLINIC BUILDING ON 7TH STREET SOUTH, WHICH WOULD LATER BE PURCHASED BY CHRISTOU AND MAYOR ANDY ANDERSON AND NAMED THE A-C BUILDING - PRESENTLY IT IS THE GLYN STREET PROFESSIONAL BUILDING. WHEN STEWART RETIRED IN 1951, CHRISTOU BOUGHT HIS EQUIPMENT AND "GOOD WILL" FOR $9,000. CHRISTOU USED STEWART'S EQUIPMENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER. DR. CHRISTOU WAS THE ONLY ORTHODONTIST IN LETHBRIDGE FOR 25 OF HIS 37 YEARS OF PRACTICE. PATIENTS CAME TO HIM FROM SOUTHEAST BRITISH COLUMBIA, SASKATCHEWAN AND NORTHERN MONTANA. HE WAS BOOKED AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF AHEAD AT ALL TIMES. DR. CHRISTOU'S PHILOSOPHY WAS TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IN HIGH OFFICE OVERHEAD, BOTH IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING. HE HAD A RECEPTIONIST AND A DENTAL NURSE, WHO HE TRAINED HIMSELF. HE PRIDED HIMSELF ON PERSONALIZED TREATMENT AND HIS EXCELLENT TRAINING HAD EXPOSED HIM TO STATE-OF-THE-ART DENTAL EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES. EARLY ON, HE PURCHASED A CUTTING-EDGE CEPHALOMETER X-RAY MACHINE, THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN WESTERN CANADA FOR MANY YEARS. DR. CHRISTOU ALSO CUSTOM MADE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NOT ON THE MARKET, SUCH AS A MOTOR-DRIVEN WATER SUPPLY AND SUCTION UNIT, SUPERIOR TO THOSE DRIVEN BY THE VENTURI-EFFECT. CHRISTOU WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER ATTEMPTED TO CREATE LINKS BETWEEN ART AND DENTISTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, HE CREATED A STAINED GLASS U OF L CREST (WHICH HE DONATED TO THE UNIVERSITY) WHICH UTILIZED ORTHODONTIC WIRE. ALONG WITH JIM COUSINS HE DESIGNED THE U OF L CREST AND MOTTO "FIAT LUX". HE SERVED ON THE FIRST BOARD OF GOVERNORS AT THE U OF L AND LATER AS CHANCELLOR (1975), AND RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY. HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALSO INCLUDE: CHAIRMAN OF THE 1958 YMCA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE; PRESIDENT OF THE LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY FOR 1952-53; PRESIDENT OF THE ST. JOHN'S AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION; PRESIDENT OF THE ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL OF LETHBRIDGE; CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION COMMITTEES OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; CHAIRMAN OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR COLLEGE LIBRARY FUND; AND CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL IN 1983. SEE HARD COPY FILE FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORY. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON DEVELOPED A BIOGRAPHY OF BRIGADIER GENERAL DR. J.S. STEWART, THE DENTIST THAT THE DONOR, VAN CHRISTOU, PURCHASED THIS OBJECT FROM. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS DEVELOPED UTILIZING THE GALT ARCHIVES, THE GALT MUSEUM BROCHURE ‘ALL FIRED UP!’, PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF ALBERTA, AND AN EXCERPT FROM JOHN BLUE’S BOOK ‘ALBERTA, PAST AND PRESENT, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL’ (VOLUME 2, 1924). STEWART WAS BORN IN BRAMPTON, ONTARIO IN 1877, AND ATTENDED NORMAL SCHOOL IN EDMONTON IN 1896 BEFORE RETURNING TO ONTARIO IN 1899 TO STUDY AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGEONS. IN 1900 STEWART BECAME A PRIVATE IN THE LORD STRATHCONA HORSE REGIMENT AND SERVED IN THE BOER WAR. HE MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1902 AND FOUNDED THE FIRM MCCLURE & STEWART WITH HIS FUTURE BROTHER-IN-LAW. IN 1907 STEWART MARRIED JEAN CHESNEY MCCLURE, AND THAT SAME YEAR HE ATTENDED ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE IN KINGSTON, ACHIEVING THE RANK OF MAJOR IN THE 25TH BATTERY, CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY. IN 1911 STEWART WAS ELECTED AS A CONSERVATIVE MEMBER OF THE ALBERTA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, REPRESENTING LETHBRIDGE, A POSITION HE HELD UNTIL 1925. WITH THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I, STEWART WAS AUTHORIZED TO RAISE THE 20TH BATTERY, CFA IN LETHBRIDGE, AND IN 1915 WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AND WENT OVERSEAS TO FRANCE. THERE HE COMMANDED THE 7TH AND 4TH BRIGADES, CFA. IN 1917 STEWART BECAME THE BRIGADIER GENERAL IN COMMAND OF THE 3RD CANADIAN DIVISION, A POSITION THAT HE HELD UNTIL 1919. HE WAS TWICE MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES AND WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, CROIX DE GUERRE, AND COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE, AND WAS MADE AN HONOURARY LIFE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION. UPON RETURNING HOME FROM WAR STEWART CONTINUED TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY IN LETHBRIDGE, AND IN 1930 HE WAS ELECTED THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE LETHBRIDGE RIDING, A POSITION HE HELD UNTIL 1935. STEWART PRACTICED DENTISTRY FOR OVER 50 YEARS IN LETHBRIDGE, AND RECEIVED AN HONOURARY DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA AND HONOURARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPS IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN DENTAL CORPS ASSOCIATION, CALGARY DENTAL SOCIETY, EDMONTON AND DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY, AND LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY. BRIGADIER GENERAL DR. J.S. STEWART DIED IN 1970 AT THE AGE OF 93. HE WAS SURVIVED BY HIS SECOND WIFE, ELLA WHITSON STEWART, WHO DIED IN 1981. SEE PERMANENT FILE P20120043000 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE MATERIAL ON DR. J.S. STEWART.

Catalogue Number

P20010080001

Acquisition Date

2004-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail