Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

“WIKUNA” CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, CRATED

Date Range From

1943

Date Range To

1949

Materials

CAST IRON, STEEL, WOOD

No. Pieces

211

Height

48

Length

61

Width

54

Description

.1 WOODEN CRATE HELD TOGETHER WITH NAILS AND STRIPS OF METAL. LID IS HINGED AND HAS METAL HASP CLOSURE. TEXT HANDWRITTEN ON LID READS “GLASS, BVD, THIS SIDE UP, BARNEVELD”. UPWARD ARROW ON FRONT SIDE NEXT TO THE WORD “UP” AND A STAMP READING “S.N. BUDDINGH J. BARNEVELD”. GENERAL WEAR AND GRIME, WITH SOME SPLINTERING OF WOOD ALONG EDGES. METAL REINFORCING STRIPS ARE RUSTED. .2 KNITTING MACHINE BASE, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH AREAS ON WHICH OTHER SEPARATE COMPONENTS FIT FOR MACHINE OPERATION. CENTRAL METAL CYLINDER IS FITTED WITH NEEDLES AROUND PERIMETER. BLACK RIBBER ARM WITH ELBOW BEND EMERGING FROM CENTRE. ATTACHED HAND CRANK WITH WOODEN HANDLE OPERATES GROOVED GEAR TO TURN MECHANISM ON BASE. GOLD LETTERING ON BASE READS “WIKUNA LEBENSKRAFTSTRAHLER – PRODUCTIE VAN GEBREIDE GOEDEREN ALS HUISWERK MET BREIMACHINES”. BASE IS ATTACHED TO CRATE’S WOODEN SUPPORT WITH ONE ROBERTSON SCREW AND RESTS ON SECOND WOODEN SUPPORT BEAM. 30H X 33L X 32W .3 CRANK WHEEL, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH CURVING INNER SUPPORTS. WOOD HANDLE, LEATHER PULLEY. STRAIGHT PIN AT ONE END, SCREW AND CLAMPING MECHANISM AT OPPOSITE. 23H X 18DIA .4 WEIGHT, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH KEYHOLE-SHAPED VOID AT CENTRE. STAMPED WITH TEXT READING “EX 307 R”. SOME PAINT LOSS AND RUST ACROSS TOP SURFACE. 2.5H X 6.5DIA .5 WEIGHT, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH KEYHOLE-SHAPED VOID AT CENTRE. STAMPED WITH TEXT READING “R E & 306”. 1.5H X 6.5DIA .6 WEIGHT, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH KEYHOLE-SHAPED VOID AT CENTRE. STAMPED WITH TEXT READING “E & 305 R”. SOME PAINT LOSS AND RUST ACROSS TOP SURFACE. 1H X 6.5DIA .7 WEIGHT HOOK, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR BASE STAMPED WITH “R 304”. METAL HOOK RAISED VERTICALLY FROM CENTRE. 18.25H X 6.5DIA .8 CLAMP, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. FRAGMENT – BUTTERFLY SCREW AT ONE END, BROKEN AT OPPOSITE END WITH VISIBLE LOSS. 3.5H X 9.5L X 6.5W .9 C-CLAMP, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. BUTTERFLY SCREW AT TOP, HOLLOW CIRCULAR FITTING AT BOTTOM. SOME PAINT LOSS AND RUST. 3.5H X 12L X 5.5W .10 BUCKLE, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. RECTANGULAR BOTTOM HINGED TO ARCHED TOP. TOP PIECE HAS GROOVED TEETH ALONG ITS BOTTOM EDGE. 1.25H X 9.5L X 8.5W .11 CRESCENT TOOL, TIN. FLAT, CRESCENT-SHAPED WITH CIRCULAR INDENT NEAR CENTRE. MINOR LINEAR ABRASIONS ACROSS SURFACE AND BENDING ALONG EDGES. 0.1H X 9L X 5W .12 CLAMP PADS (4 PCE), CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. CIRCULAR WITH RECESSED BOTTOM AND INDENTED TOP. SOME PAINT LOSS AND RUST. 1H X 3DIA .13 BRACKET, ALUMINIUM. RECTANGULAR WITH HOOKED LIP AND THREADED HOLE AT TOP. 1.25H X 3.5L X 1.5W .14 SET-UP BASKET, COPPER ALLOY. BELL-SHAPED WITH CURVED HANDLE. RETRACTING CIRCULAR BASE MOVES UP HANDLE, EXPANDING RING OF HOOKED NEEDLES TO 11DIA. MINOR TARNISHING/DISCOLOURATION OF METAL. 16.5H X 5DIA .15 BOBBINS (9 PCE), WOOD. SPOOLS WITH ROUND BASES AND TAPERING VERTICAL CENTRES. GENERAL GRIME AND STAINING. 19.5H X 7DIA .16 COLLAPSIBLE WOOL REEL, WOOD. SLATS TIED TO EACH OTHER WITH PINK THREAD AND HINGED AT CENTRES WITH METAL RIVETS. CENTRAL POST HELD BY WOODEN COLLARS AT TOP AND BOTTOM, WITH WOODEN SCREW AT TOP. THREADS ARE FRAGILE, SLATS HAVE SOME STAINING. 9H X 50.5L X 15W .17 GREEN GLASS BOTTLE CONTAINING YELLOW LUBRICATING OIL. GOLD CAP ON BOTTLE READS “BULLOCH LADE SCOTCH WHISKEY”. EMBOSSING ON BOTTOM READS “1 LITER”. 32.5H X 8.5DIA .18 YARN STAND, CAST IRON PAINTED BLACK. THREE-PRONGED FORK SHAPE WITH METAL VERTICAL ROD FITTED AT CENTRE. ROD HAS THREADED END WITH NUT. FORK HAS TWISTED VERTICAL WIRE ATTACHED NEAR CENTRE, AND ANOTHER CURVED METAL WIRE AT END OPPOSITE FROM PRONGS. 13.5H X 61L X 31W .19 ENVELOPE CONTAINING MANUAL AND RECEIPTS (8 PCE), PAPER. 74 PAGE MACHINE MANUAL, WRITTEN IN DUTCH. COVER HAS ILLUSTRATION OF MACHINE AND TEXT READING “LEERBOEK – HANDLEIDING VOOR DE AUTOMATISCHE SNELBREIMACHINE “WIKUNA””. FOLDED INSIDE MANUAL ARE 6 PIECES OF LOOSE PAPER: AN INSTURCTION SHEET; A “CONTRACT” SIGNED BY “R. V. HELL” WITH FIVE RED RATION STAMPS FIXED TO THE BOTTOM, DATED 1943; A FACTORY RECEIPT WITH AN ILLUSTRATION OF AN EAGLE AND TEXT READING “UTRECHTSCHE KRACHTVOEDERHANDEL “DE ADELAAR””; A TYPED DOCUMENT ITEMIZING THE COST OF THE CRATE’S CONTENTS, SIGNED AT THE BOTTOM AND STAMPED “EENIG IMPORTEUR RONDBREIMACHINES, GERHARD HOLLAND ARHEM”; A FULL-COLOUR ADVERTISEMENT WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOCKS, HATS, AND A SHIRT; A SOCK-SHAPED PATTERN, WITH PRINT AND MEASUREMENTS. ENVELOPE HAS WEAR AND SOME TEARING ALONG EDGES. 2H X 24.5L X 16W .20 BLOCK OF WAX, WHITE. TOP RIGHT CORNER BROKEN OFF, LINEAR GROOVES THROUGHOUT WITH THREAD AND FIBER REMNANTS. 3.5H X 7L X 7.5W .21 TIN CONTAINER, RED AND GOLD. ILLUSTRATION OF SMOKING JESTER AND TEXT ON LID READING “HOFNAR MASCOTTE”. HINGED LID HAS GRAPHICS OF FACTORIES ON INSIDE AND TEXT READING “SIGAREN”. PAINT LOSS ON OUTER EDGES. 1.5H X 16.25L X 11.5W .22 PAPER PACKET CONTAINING METAL NEEDLES, ORANGE. PACKET IS FOLDED AND PRINTED WITH TEXT READING “100 STRICKMASCHINEN – NADELN PRIMA QUALITAT, LEVANA 65117 – SYST: CYL. 25 A M.VORB”. FOLDED WAX PAPER INSIDE PACKET CONTAINS 89 NEEDLES WITH HINGED HOOKS AT ONE END, EACH MEASURING 8.5L. 1.25H X 10.5L X 7.5W .23 PAPER PACKET CONTAINING METAL NEEDLES, ORANGE. PACKET IS FOLDED AND PRINTED WITH TEXT READING “100 STRICKMASCHINEN – NADELN PRIMA QUALITAT, BERA 39115– SYST: RIPP NO. 40”. PAPER IS RIPPED AT BOTTOM LEFT. FOLDED WAX PAPER INSIDE PACKET CONTAINS 80 NEEDLES WITH HINGED HOOKS AT ONE END, EACH MEASURING 3.5L. 2H X 11L X 7W .24 CLEAR PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING METAL NEEDLES, KNOTTED SHUT. BAG CONTAINS METAL NEEDLES WITH HINGED HOOKS AT ONE END, EACH MEASURING 3.5L. PLASTIC IS WORN; RUST VISIBLE ON INSIDE. 1.5H X 13L X 5W

Subjects

TEXTILEWORKING T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

THIS KNITTING MACHINE WAS BROUGHT TO CANADA FROM THE NETHERLANDS IN 1949 BY THE PARENTS OF THE DONOR, JEAN VOGELAAR, WHEN THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED AND SETTLED IN IRON SPRINGS, ALBERTA. VOGELAAR’S PARENTS, RUTH AND ALBERTHA VAN HELL, WERE FARMERS AND MOVED TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR FIVE SONS AND ONE DAUGHTER. VOGELAAR WAS 15 YEARS OLD WHEN THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED TO CANADA. IN MARCH 2014, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED VOGELAAR ABOUT HER FAMILY HISTORY AND THE KNITTING MACHINE. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT WAS EXTRACTED FROM THAT INTERVIEW, AS WELL AS FROM A DOCUMENT WRITTEN BY HER AT THE TIME OF THE DONATION. VOGELAAR SAID: “[BEFORE IMMIGRATING] MANY DECISIONS WERE MADE ABOUT WHAT TO BRING TO [OUR] NEW HOMELAND. MONEY WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED THAT EACH EMIGRANT WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE ONLY $100 OUT OF THE COUNTRY… THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT SAW THAT A LOT OF THE DUTCH MONEY WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN OUT BY THE EMIGRANTS THAT ALL LEFT. AND YOU KNOW, THERE WEREN’T ONLY A FEW; THERE WERE LOTS OF THEM. SO THEY SAW ALL THAT MONEY DISAPPEARING OUT OF HOLLAND AND THAT’S WHY THEY PUT A STOP TO TAKING MONEY. [EMIGRANTS] COULD [TAKE] GOODS BUT THEY COULD NOT [TAKE] MONEY… SO INSTEAD THEY TOOK WITH THEM LOTS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS – FURNITURE (INCLUDING BEDS AND BEDDING), SMALL APPLIANCES, TOOLS, CLOTHES AND YARN, AND THIS KNITTING MACHINE. CANADA WAS KNOWN FOR LOTS OF SNOW AND FRIGID TEMPERATURES AND WITH FIVE BOYS IN THE FAMILY THEY WOULD WEAR OUT LOTS OF SOCKS. SO THE KNITTING MACHINE WAS PACKED SECURELY IN A PERFECTLY SIZED WOODEN EGG CRATE AND BROUGHT TO CANADA. HOWEVER WHEN [WE] ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE [WE] WERE TO LIVE IN, IT WAS FAR TOO SMALL FOR EVERYTHING [WE] HAD BROUGHT AND MANY THINGS NOT NEEDED IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING THE KNITTING MACHINE, WERE PUT INTO STORAGE. YEAR AFTER YEAR WENT BY AND WHILE ACCOMMODATIONS IMPROVED, THE URGE TO KNIT SOCKS DIMINISHED. THE MACHINE WAS NEVER TAKEN OUT OF THE CRATE TO BE USED… IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME, SINCE THERE’S SUCH A STORY BEHIND IT. IT WAS BROUGHT TO BE USED AND IT’S NEVER BEEN USED AFTER ALL THESE YEARS." VOGELAAR CONTINUED: "IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE IMMIGRANTS, AND THAT SUCH AN ITEM IS GOING TO BE SHOWN, BECAUSE KNITTING MACHINES WEREN’T VERY POPULAR AT THAT TIME. SEWING MACHINES – EVERYBODY HAD A SEWING MACHINE – BUT NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE HAD A KNITTING MACHINE… A LOT OF MENDING TOOK PLACE DURING THE FIRST YEARS, [MY PARENTS] HAD TO GET AROUND WITH LITTLE MONEY, SO THE CLOTHES WERE PATCHED AND PATCHED AGAIN… [IN 1966] WHEN [MY PARENTS] MOVED OFF THE FARM, THEY HAD [THE MACHINE] IN AN AUCTION SALE… MY LATE HUSBAND WAS OUT THERE AND HE BOUGHT IT… HE PAID MONEY FOR IT, BECAUSE WHATEVER YOU BRING TO AN AUCTION YOU CANNOT JUST TAKE BACK, EVEN IF IT IS YOUR OWN… HE BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS BRAND NEW AND WANTED TO SEE IF IT WOULD WORK. HE ALSO THOUGHT THAT MY MOTHER WOULD BE PLEASED THAT IT WENT TO HER DAUGHTER SINCE IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE MACHINE WHEN THEY BROUGHT IT TO CANADA… I THINK IT TOOK A TOLL ON BOTH MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER TO SEE THEIR BELONGINGS BEING SOLD. I WANTED TO COMFORT MY MOM… I THINK [MY HUSBAND] WANTED TO PLEASE MY FATHER AND MOTHER… HE MAY HAVE SEEN SOME VALUE IN IT, AND IN THE MEANWHILE HE KNEW THAT IT WAS BRAND NEW AND THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN USED. AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE HE HAD WANTED TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND SEE IF IT WORKED. I DON’T KNOW. HE WAS QUITE A MECHANIC… IT STAYED IN THE CRATE. WE NEVER TOOK IT OUT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A LOT OF WORK TO PUT IT TOGETHER, AND SINCE I HAD LITTLE CHILDREN, I WAS BUSY. AND WE HAD STARTED TO FARM [IN PINCHER CREEK] IN ’63 AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER HOW BUSY IT IS WHEN YOU START A FARM, AND SO I NEVER GOT IT OUT. THEN WE MOVED OFF THE FARM AND ON TO THE ACREAGE WHICH WAS ABOUT 1997. THEN THE KNITTING MACHINE MOVED ALONG AND I PUT IT IN A STORAGE SPACE, AND THAT’S WHERE IT SAT UNTIL I MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE [IN 2012]… I THOUGHT ALWAYS, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND SEE IF IT WOULD WORK. I WAS CURIOUS IF IT WOULD STILL WORK. BUT I DIDN’T GET AROUND TO SETTING IT UP EITHER.” THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ABOUT THE VAN HELL FAMILY IS EXCERPTED FROM THE MARCH 2014 INTERVIEW AND FURTHER NOTES PROVIDED BY VOGELAAR AFTERWARD. VOGELAAR SAID: “IN SEPTEMBER 1949 RUTH AND ALBERTHA VAN HELL, WITH THEIR FAMILY, BOARDED A SHIP IN ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, FOR DEPARTURE TO NO MAN’S ISLAND, NEW YORK, USA. AFTER A LONG 10 DAY VOYAGE THEIR LUGGAGE WAS CHECKED AND THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE TRAIN STATION WHERE, WITH HELP, THEY FOUND A TRAIN ENROUTE TO LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, CANADA… [IMMIGRATING TOOK] INITIATIVE AND COURAGE FOR THE PARENTS, FOR MY FATHER AND MOTHER, BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE WHERE THE BOYS WOULD HAVE A BETTER START… [MY PARENTS] GAVE UP THEIR GOOD PLACE IN THE NETHERLANDS; THEY HAD A GOOD HOUSE, THEY HAD A GOOD LIVING WHAT THEY GAVE UP FOR THEIR CHILDREN… IN THE NETHERLANDS THERE WAS VERY LITTLE LAND AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS AND THE LAND WHICH WAS FOR SALE, WAS SO EXPENSIVE THAT AN AVERAGE PERSON COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY IT… SO FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS [IN CANADA] THE WHOLE FAMILY WORKED TOGETHER TO BUILD UP A PLACE FOR MOM AND DAD. THEN EACH COULD START TO WORK FOR THEMSELVES." VOGELAAR CONTINUED: "WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE IMMIGRATED DURING THE LATE FORTIES AND FIFTIES A [DUTCH] ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED IN ALBERTA TO LOOK AFTER THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONCERNS. EVERY FAMILY, COUPLE OR SINGLE PERSON WANTING TO IMMIGRATE TO CANADA FROM THE NETHERLANDS, NEEDED A QUALIFIED PERSON OR FAMILY IN CANADA, TO SPONSOR THEM BEFORE THEY COULD GET A VISA FROM THE HAGUE IN THE NETHERLANDS. SO THE ORGANIZATION WAS LOOKING FOR A LIAISON AND FOUND SUCH A MAN, CALLED BERNARD NIEBOER, AN IMMIGRANT HIMSELF DURING THE 1920 ERA. HE PLACED A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, THE LIFESTYLE, OCCUPATION, RELIGION, AGE, ETC. HE MATCHED THEM THE BEST HE COULD WITH THE FAMILIES IN CANADA WHO NEEDED WORKERS. AT THAT TIME A LOT OF WORK WAS DONE BY HAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA WHERE FARMERS GREW A LOT OF BEETS. IRON SPRINGS WAS SUCH AN AREA. SO IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE AROUND IRON SPRINGS TO BECOME A HUB OF DUTCH PEOPLE. IF ONE LISTENED TO THE CONVERSATIONS ON SUNDAYS WHEN PEOPLE GATHERED TO ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES, YOU WOULD HEAR A LOT OF BOASTING ABOUT HOW MANY ACRES OF BEETS WERE HOED OR HOW MANY TONS OF BEETS WERE HARVESTED. BIG FAMILIES WITH SMALLER CHILDREN, 8 - 10 YEARS, COULD ALREADY HELP WITH THE WEEDING IN THE BEET FIELDS. BUT TOPPING THE BEETS IN THE FALL NEEDED TO BE DONE BY STRONGER PERSONS, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE BEETS… [OUR FAMILY] DIDN’T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CASH AT THIS TIME, BUT NEITHER DID THE OTHER IMMIGRANTS. EVERYBODY, FARMERS, IMMIGRANTS AND STORE OWNERS WERE DEPENDENT ON THE HARVEST. MACDONALD’S GENERAL STORE IN IRON SPRINGS HAD A CHARGE ACCOUNT SET UP FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT PAY THEIR BILLS UNTIL AFTER THE HARVEST... SOME FAMILIES WORKED LARGE FIELDS OF BEETS, WOULD NOT GET PAID BY THE SUGAR FACTORY, UNTIL THE HARVEST WAS COMPLETE. AN AGREEMENT MADE BETWEEN THE SUGAR FACTORY AND THE FARMERS." VOGELAAR CONTINUED: "LIVING CONDITIONS WERE VERY POOR… ONE HOUSE WAS SO BAD THAT THEY COULD SEE DAYLIGHT COMING THROUGH THE WALLS IN A BEDROOM. HOUSES WERE KEPT WARM BY A COOK STOVE OR A POTBELLY STOVE… I THINK THE REASON WHY [THE IMMIGRANTS] MADE DO AND COULD SURVIVE WAS BECAUSE ALL THE IMMIGRANTS WERE IN THE SAME BOAT. YOU KNOW, NEITHER ONE OF THEM COULD COME WITH MONEY AND SO THEY WERE ALL KIND OF ON THE SAME LEVEL… AND ONLY IN THE LATER YEARS DID MAYBE ONE DO BETTER THAN THE OTHER… THAT WORK ETHIC, I THINK WE ALL HAVE FROM OUR PARENTS, WE HAVE A LOT TO THANK OUR PARENTS FOR… THERE WERE A LOT OF [DUTCH] PEOPLE [IN THE IRON SPRINGS AREA] ALREADY, AND WHAT I REMEMBER BEST IS DURING THE WEEK, WE HAD NO TIME TO COMMUNICATE, SO WE JUST HAD TO WORK. AND ON SUNDAYS, EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER, AND SO HERE WERE ALL THE IMMIGRANTS, AND IN THE BEGINNING, WE ALL WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH, THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW… WE WENT TO CHURCH TWICE A DAY AND THAT WAS WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED, EVEN IN THE WINTER. THEY’D SHOVEL THE ROAD OUT IF IT WAS SNOWED IN SO THAT THEY COULD GO TO CHURCH. AND ALSO AT NIGHT THAT WAS QUITE A GATHERING, BECAUSE AT ONE TIME WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED YOUNG PEOPLE RANGING FROM, SAY, FIFTEEN TO TWENTY-FIVE OR TWENTY-EIGHT HOWEVER, IF THEY WERE STILL SINGLE AND WE HAD PLENTY OF YOUNG PEOPLE… WHAT AMAZED ME, AMAZES ME NOW, IS FROM THE IMMIGRANTS, FROM THE LITTLE MONEY THEY HAD, BECAUSE THEY ALL BOUGHT PLACES SO THERE WASN’T A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO THROW AROUND, THEY BUILT A WHOLE NEW CHURCH. AND AFTER I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT WAS, IT BURNED DOWN ONCE AND THEY BUILT A SECOND CHURCH, WHICH IS STILL IN IRON SPRINGS [THE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH] AND THERE IS QUITE A BIG CONGREGATION THERE NOW… “ SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW AND HARDCOPIES OF THE ADVERTISEMENT OF THE VAN HELL’S FARM AUCTION AND OBITUARIES OF RUTH AND ALBERTHA VAN HELL.

Catalogue Number

P20140007000

Acquisition Date

2014-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail