CAP

Description: MUSKRAT FUR CAP, STRING AT TOP OF CAP UNTIES TO ALLOW EAR FLAPS TO HANG DOWN, OUTER SURFACE OF CAP WITH BLACK FABRIC, IN SIDE OF CAP WITH BLACK LINING AND LABEL READING, "RELIABLE FUR CO. LTD....MONTREAL, F. R. KORTH."

History: DONOR'S FATHER, FRANCIS ALLAN KORTH, RECEIVED FUR CAP AND BUFFALO COAT (P20080002002) WHEN DONOR'S GRANDFATHER, FRANCIS (FRANK) RAYMOND KORTH, PASSED AWAY NOVEMBER 27, 1998. CAP AND COAT WERE ISSUED BY LETHBRIDGE CITY POLICE, AND WORN BY OFFICERS WHO WALKED THE BEAT. ALLAN HAD A FAMILY "KORTH" ROOM IN BASEMENT WHICH FEATURED PHOTOS, OLD IRON, AND OTHER MISC. ITEMS FROM, "BACK IN THE DAY." DONOR'S GRANDFATHER FELT HIS ONLY SON WOULD VALUE THE CAP AND COAT. FRANCIS ALLAN PASSED AWAY MAY 9, 2007. DONOR MAINTAINED CAP AND COAT AT FATHER'S FORMER HOME UNTIL DONATION. THE DONATION WAS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE FATHER AND GRANDFATHER DUE TO THEIR PASSION FOR FAMILY HISTORY. BETWEEN 2008 AND 2009, LETHBRIDGE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT GLEN MICHELSON CLAIMED THAT THIS STYLE OF CAP WAS IN USE WHEN HE JOINED IN 1950. INSPECTOR BILL KAYE STATED THAT ITS USE WAS DISCONTINUED BY THE LATE 90S, HOWEVER, IT WAS RE-INTRODUCED A DECADE LATER DUE TO ITS WARMTH. *UPDATE*: ON NOVEMBER 24TH, 2016, UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE GRAD STUDENT JOSH READ, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, INTERVIEWED RETIRED LETHBRIDGE POLICE SERVICE (FORCE) MEMBER MARCEL ST. ONGE ON ACCOUNT OF HIS INTEREST IN THE FORCE’S PAST USE OF FUR CLOTHING IN POLICE PATROLS. ON DECEMBER 2ND, 2016, READ JOINTLY INTERVIEWED RETIREES BILL PLOMP AND GLEN MICHELSON ON THE SAME SUBJECT. TO READ COPIES OF THESE TWO INTERVIEWS, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE FOR DONATION P20080002002. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE PERMANENT RECORD.