Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

W/ HOLDER

Date Range From

1970

Date Range To

1980

Materials

GLASS, ALUMINUM

No. Pieces

1

Height

9.0

Length

11.4

Width

10.7

Description

GENERIC GLASS ASHTRAY MOUNTED IN ALUMINUM HANGER. ASHTRAY IS CLEAR GLASS AND SQUARE WITH SLIGHTLY ROUNDED SIDES AND CORNERS. UNDERSIDE OF ASHTRAY HAS RIBBED TEXTURE. THERE IS AN INDENT IN EACH CORNER FOR HOLDING CIGARETTES. HOLDER IS A SHALLOW BOWL SHAPE WITH WAVY EDGES WITH A BRACKET MOUNTED TO ONE SIDE. BRACKET HAS 2 HOLES IN IT. A LARGE DOLLOP OF GLUE IS VISIBLE THROUGH BOTTOM OF ASHTRAY. SOME CORROSION OF METAL UNDERNEATH GLUE.

Subjects

HOUSEHOLD ACCESSORY

Historical Association

ASSOCIATIONS

History

RETRIEVED FROM THE MINERS' LIBRARY BUILDING ON 13TH STREET NORTH AFTER ITS CLOSURE. ORIGINALLY ASHTRAY WAS MOUNTED (ALONG WITH OTHERS) ALONG DART LANES IN BAR OF MINERS' LIBRARY. THE ORIGIN OF THE LETHBRIDGE MINERS' LIBRARY BEGINS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LIBRARY AND READING ROOM BY THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ALBERTA RAILWAY AND COAL CO., IN 1890. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIBRARY WAS FOLLOWING IN THE TRADITION OF THE MECHANICS' LIBRARIES, ALSO CALLED MECAHNICS' INSTITUTES, THAT SPRANG UP ACROSS EASTERN NORTH AMERICA IN THE MID 1800S. THEY WERE SELF-HELP INSTITUTES SET UP BY WORKING MEN TO PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR WORKING MEN SO THEY COULD BETTER THEMSELVES IN LIFE. THE MINERS' LIBRARY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO WANTED TO MOVE UP THE ECHELON IN THE COAL MINE. IT WAS ORIGINALLY HOUSED IN A SMALL BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO 108 5TH STREET SOUTH, AND MEMBERSHIP WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO MINERS. A YEAR LATER THE EMPLOYEES RENOVATED THE FORMER #1 BOARDING HOUSE, LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MACLEOD ROAD, FOR RELOCATION OF THE LIBRARY AND WHEN THIS LARGER BUILDING OPENED IT IS SAID TO HAVE HAD 300 BOOKS. WITH THE REORGANIZATION OF THE GALT COMPANIES IN 1904, THE AR&C COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES' READING ROOM AND LIBRARY SOCIETY BECAME THE ALBERTA RAILWAY AND IRRIGATION COMPANY'S EMPLOYEE'S READING ROOM AND LIBRARY SOCIETY. THE LIBRARY CONTAINED 1500 BOOKS, PLUS MANY MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS. IN 1908 THE SOCIETY WAS REFERRED TO AS THE GALT MINER'S LIBRARY, AND STILL IN THE #1 BOARDING HOUSE BUILDING, IT CONTAINED A BILLIARD ROOM AND GYMNASIUM. THE NEXT KNOWN MOVE OF THE LIBRARY WAS IN 1917 WHEN THE GALT MINES LIBRARY PURCHASED THE BAILEY ST. SCHOOL AND MOVED IT TO 733 13TH ST. NORTH - WHERE IT IS STILL PART OF THE MODERN BUILDING THAT USED TO BE THE MINER'S LIBRARY. AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LIBRARY IN THE YMCA IN 1919 AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CARNEGIE FUNDED LIBRARY IN GALT GARDENS, THE 'LIBRARY AND READING ROOM' ACTIVITIES BECAME OF LESSER IMPORTANCE. THE MINERS' LIBRARY BECAME MORE OF A SOCIAL CLUB WHICH HAS GIVEN GREAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO MANY ASPECTS OF THE LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY. A BAR AREA IN THE CLUB'S BASEMENT PROVIDED A SPACE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS WEDDINGS, OFFICE PARTIES, FUNERALS AND VARIOUS CLUB ACTIVITIES. THE UPSTAIRS BLACK NUGGET LOUNGE OFFERED MEALS, DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, DARTS, POOL, CRIB AND VLTS. LONG TIME MEMBERS COULD BUY THEIR CHAIR AND HAVE THEIR NAME ON IT. A REGISTERED NON-PROFIT SOCIETY, THE CLUB MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FORMER ADAMS PARK BALL FIELD AND SPECTATOR STANDS, AND SUPPORTED MANY SPORTS AND SPORTS TEAMS THROUGH THE YEARS. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL PARKS THAT HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN FUNDS FROM THE LIBRARY. THE CLUB WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING PAVAN PARK, AND VARIOUS SPORTS VENUES. AS MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLUB DWINDLED THE CLUB'S SALES COULD NOT COVER THE DAILY COSTS OF RUNNING THE OPERATION. IN 2000 FUNDRAISING EFFORTS WERE UNDERTAKEN, AND ALONG WITH AN AUCTION AND CRAFT AND BAKE SALES, THE CLUB SOLICITED DONATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY. HOWEVER, BY 2003 THE CLUB HAD ONLY 300 MEMBERS (LESS THAN 1/3 OF THAT 3 YEARS PRIOR) AND AFTER 113 YEARS IT WAS FORCED TO CLOSE IT'S DOORS. AT THE TIME OF ITS CLOSURE THE LETHBRIDGE MINERS' LIBRARY CLUB WAS THE LONGEST STANDING MEN-ONLY CLUB, AND THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY RUNNING CLUB IN ALBERTA.

Catalogue Number

P20030051030

Acquisition Date

2004-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail