Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1899

Date Range To

1968

Materials

LEATHER, WOOD, METAL

No. Pieces

12

Height

55.5

Length

28.5

Width

10

Description

A: RIGHT BROWN LEATHER BOOT. THE LEATHER IS ABOUT 2CM THICK, MEASURED FROM THE TOP. WORN BLACK LEATHER SOLE, HEEL AFFIXED WITH WORN METAL NAILS. TWO LACE LINES ARE ON THE BOOT, ONE MEASURES SEVEN HOLES LONG ABOVE THE TOP OF THE FOOT, THE OTHER MEASURING FIVE HOLES LONG ON THE TOP OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE BOOT. THE LACE HOLES ARE RIMMED WITH RED METAL FRAMES. THE SOLE IS WORN, STAINED, AND FRAYED RED. TEXT STAMPED ON THE SOLE READS “A.E. N…ON CO. SYRACCUSE N.Y. U.S.A.” THE BOOTS LEATHER IS WORN ON THE TOE AND SCRATCHED ALL OVER. A CUT IN THE LEATHER SITS ABOVE THE TOE. THE STITCHING AT THE BACK OF THE BOOT HAS TORN OPEN AND AT THE TOP OF THE BOOT, NEXT TO THE LEATHER PULL, THE BOOT IS SPLIT NEXT TO THE SEAM. THE LEATHER INSIDE THE BOOT IS FLAKING OFF IN THE HEEL AND THE INSIDE EDGE. WHITE FABRIC PULL LOOPS SIT ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT INSIDE OF THE BOOT. DIMENSIONS: H: 46 CM, L: 28.5CM, W: 10 CM. CONDITION: GOOD. B: THE TOE-SHAPED PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. MADE OUT OF THE FOOT-SHAPED PIECE AND A HANDLE PIECE TO FIT INTO THE FRONT LEG INSERT PIECE, ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER WITH TWO LARGE SCREWS. WRITTEN ON TOP OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS THE LETTER “R”. THE VARNISH IS CHIPPED AND DENTED. DIMENSIONS: H: 10 CM, L: 21 CM, W: 8 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. C: THE FRONT PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. ENDS IN TWO PRONGS TO SLOT OVER THE TOE INSERT OF THE BOOT, A TRACK RUNS ON THE BACK SIDE FOR THE INSERTION OF THE HANDLED INSERT PIECE. STAMPED ONTO THE TOP OF THE WOOD INSERT ARE THE WORDS “ROBINBROS. MONTREAL” AND “MADE IN CANADA”. ON THE LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “R”. WRITTEN ON THE UNVARNISHED BACK OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS “R” AND “6 R…”. THE VARNISH IS SCRATCHED AND DENTED, JUST AT THE TOP FRONT EDGE. H: 43 CM, L: 5 CM, W: 8.4 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. D: THE BACK PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. SHAPED LIKE THE BACK OF THE LEG, ENDING IN THE HEEL. THE FLAT FRONT HAS WRITTEN ON IT IN BLACK INK “R”. THE VARNISH IS SCRATCHED AND DIMPLED. STAMPED ONTO THE TOP OF THE WOOD INSERT ARE THE WORDS “ROBINBROS. MONTREAL” AND “MADE IN CANADA”. ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE TOP RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “R”. DIMENSIONS: H: 42.5 CM, L: 5.5 CM, W: 9 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. E: THE MIDDLE PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. THIN, THE INSERT TAPERS FROM THE TOP TO THE HEEL. THE VARNISH IS DARK, MINIMALLY SCRATCHED BUT DENTED AND DIMPLED. DIMENSIONS: H: 44.2 CM, L: 2.2 CM, W: 9 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. F: THE HANDLED PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT, MEANT TO FIT BETWEEN THE FRONT AND MIDDLE INSERT PIECE. THE FRONT OF THE PIECE FITS INTO THE FRONT WOOD INSERT’S TRACK. THE VARNISH IS MOSTLY WORN AWAY, SURVIVING ON THE HANDLE. THE WOOD IS SCRATCHED AND DIMPLED. ON THE BACK OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS THE LETTER “L”. STAMPED ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE TOP RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “R”. DIMENSIONS: H: 55 CM, L: 1.6 CM, W: 8.5 CM. CONDITION: GOOD. G: THE LEFT BROWN LEATHER BOOT. THE LEATHER IS ABOUT 2CM THICK, MEASURED FROM THE TOP. WORN BLACK LEATHER SOLE, HEEL AFFIXED WITH WORN SILVER NAILS. TWO LACE LINES ARE ON THE BOOT, ONE MEASURES SEVEN HOLES LONG ABOVE THE TOP OF THE FOOT, THE OTHER MEASURING FIVE HOLES LONG ON THE TOP OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE BOOT. THE LACE HOLES ARE RIMMED WITH RED METAL FRAMES. THE SOLE IS WORN, STAINED, AND FRAYED RED. TEXT STAMPED ON THE SOLE READS “A.E. NETTLET… CO. S…SE N.Y. ...S.A.” THE BOOTS LEATHER IS WORN OVER THE TOP OF THE FOOT, THE SIDE OF THE HEEL, AND SCRATCHED ALL OVER. THE LEATHER INSIDE THE BOOT IS FLAKING OFF IN THE HEEL AND THE INSIDE EDGE. WHITE FABRIC PULL LOOPS SIT ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT INSIDE OF THE BOOT. DIMENSIONS: H: 46 CM, L: 28.8 CM, W: 9.7 CM. CONDITION: GOOD. H: THE TOE SHAPED PIECE OF THE LEFT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. MADE OUT OF THE FOOT SHAPED PIECE AND A HANDLE PIECE TO FIT INTO THE FRONT LEG INSERT PIECE, ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER WITH TWO LARGE SCREWS. WRITTEN ON TOP OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS THE LETTER “L”. THE VARNISH IS MINIMALLY DENTED. DIMENSIONS: H: 10 CM, L: 21 CM, W: 8 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. I: THE FRONT PIECE OF THE LEFT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. ENDS IN TWO PRONGS TO SLOT OVER THE TOE INSERT OF THE BOOT, A TRACK RUNS ON THE BACK SIDE FOR THE INSERTION OF THE HANDLED INSERT PIECE. STAMPED ONTO THE TOP OF THE WOOD INSERT ARE THE WORDS “ROBINBROS. MONTREAL” AND “MADE IN CANADA”. ON THE LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “L”. WRITTEN ON THE UNVARNISHED BACK OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS “L” AND “6 LEFT”. THE VARNISH IS SCRATCHED AND DENTED, MOSTLY AT THE TOP FRONT EDGE. DIMENSIONS: H: 43 CM, L: 5 CM, W: 8.4 CM. CONDITION: GOOD. J: THE BACK PIECE OF THE LEFT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. SHAPED LIKE THE BACK OF THE LEG, ENDING IN THE HEEL. THE FLAT FRONT HAS WRITTEN ON IT IN BLACK INK “L”. THE VARNISH IS MINIMALLY SCRATCHED AND DIMPLED. STAMPED ONTO THE TOP OF THE WOOD INSERT ARE THE WORDS “ROBINBROS. MONTREAL” AND “MADE IN CANADA”. ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE TOP RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “L”. DIMENSIONS: H: 42.5 CM, L: 5.5 CM, W: 9 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. K: THE MIDDLE PIECE OF THE LEFT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT. THIN, THE INSERT TAPERS FROM THE TOP TO THE HEEL. THE VARNISH IS DARK, SCRATCHED AND WORN IN PLACES. A KNOT IN THE WOOD HAS FALLEN OUT AND LEFT A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE INSERT. DIMENSIONS: H: 44.3 CM, L: 2.5 CM, W: 9 CM. CONDITION: VERY GOOD. L: THE HANDLED PIECE OF THE RIGHT BOOT’S WOOD INSERT, MEANT TO FIT BETWEEN THE FRONT AND MIDDLE INSERT PIECE. THE FRONT OF THE PIECE FITS INTO THE FRONT WOOD INSERT’S TRACK. THE VARNISH IS MOSTLY WORN AWAY, SURVIVING ON THE HANDLE. THE WOOD IS SCRATCHED AND DIMPLED. ON THE BACK OF THE INSERT IN BLACK INK IS THE LETTER “R” WITH TWO LINES DRAWN OVER IT. STAMPED ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE IS A STAMPED “6” AND ON THE TOP RIGHT SIDE IS A STAMPED “L”. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INSERT IS A NAIL, THE TOP GRINDED DOWN. DIMENSIONS: H: 55.5 CM, L: 1.9 CM, W: 8.6 CM. CONDITION: GOOD.

Subjects

CLOTHING-FOOTWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

MILITARY

PROFESSIONS

LEISURE

History

THIS PAIR OF RIDING BOOTS BELONGED TO MURRAY NELSON, THE BROTHER DONOR KATHRYN HINMAN. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THESE BOOTS AND THEIR OWNER, GALT COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED HINMAN AT THE MUSEUM ON MARCH 20, 2017. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM THAT INTERVIEW: “THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THESE BOOTS WAS MY BROTHER, MURRAY [NELSON],” HINMAN BEGAN, “HE PASSED AWAY AT THE END OF NOVEMBER 2015… HE WAS A LOCAL MUSICIAN. HE CAME INTO THE POSSESSION OF THESE BOOTS FROM MY GRANDFATHER, GEORGE S. BROWN, WHO WAS LIEUTENANT COLONEL GEORGE S. BROWN. MY GRANDDAD WAS A GREAT FRIEND OF BRIGADIER GENERAL STEWART. GRANDDAD CAME INTO POSSESSION OF THESE BOOTS AT SOME POINT FROM DR. STEWART AND WHEN MY BROTHER WAS ABOUT EIGHTEEN, MY GRANDFATHER PASSED THEM ON TO HIM.” “[MURRAY DID] TELL ME THAT HE WAS IN THE GARAGE OUT AT THE FARM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY BROWN ROAD JUST OFF THE COUTTS’ HIGHWAY AND THAT WAS WHERE MY GRANDFATHER’S ACREAGE WAS. ON THAT ACREAGE, THERE WAS A GARAGE [AMONG] MANY BUILDINGS. MURRAY HAD SAID GRANDDAD HAD TAKEN HIM INTO THE GARAGE AND WHEN MURRAY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN [THE BOOTS THERE] GRANDDAD SAID, ‘YUP, YOU CAN HAVE THEM. THEY WERE GENERAL STEWART’S FROM THE BOER WAR. TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM.’” “[MY BROTHER] USED TO WEAR THEM PLAYING IN BANDS WHEN HE WAS EIGHTEEN AND UP,” HINMAN CONTINUED, “[THEY WERE] PART OF HIS DRESS CODE… THEY’RE LOVELY BOOTS. THE STORY WAS THAT THEY WERE FROM THE BOER WAR, WHICH PUTS THEM OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD… [MY BROTHER] PROBABLY ACQUIRED [THESE BOOTS WHEN] MY GRANDFATHER PASSED AWAY IN 1968. MURRAY WOULD HAVE BEEN EIGHTEEN [THAT YEAR]. HE WAS IN HIS ELEMENT PLAYING WITH THE BANDS, EXPERIMENTING WITH ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC [AT THAT TIME]. I REMEMBER HIM LOOKING VERY COOL WEARING THEM. ALTHOUGH THESE ARE A VERY SMALL SIZE, RIGHT? SO I’M SURE THEY WERE A LITTLE PINCHEY.” “[MY BROTHER HAD] LONG HAIR – WELL EVERYBODY HAD LONG HAIR IN THE 60’S AND 70’S. [HE WAS] VERY COOL AND AT THAT POINT TOO MY DAD (BILL NELSON) HAD ACQUIRED A SMALL MGA, BURGUNDY-COLOURED, AND [MY BROTHER] USED TO BOMB AROUND AND GO TO BAND PRACTICE IN THAT. OH YEAH, HE WAS NOTORIOUS,” HINMAN LAUGHED, REMEMBERING. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER BROTHER, HINMAN REPLIED, “MY BROTHER WAS BORN IN 1950. HE WAS JUST A LITTLE OVER SIXTY-FIVE WHEN HE PASSED AWAY. HE WAS AN ACTIVE MUSIC TEACHER AND LOCAL GUITAR TEACHER IN TOWN. YOU COULD SEE HIM BUSKING ON THE STREETS IN FRONT OF THE PENNY COFFEE HOUSE AND IN FRONT OF ESQUIRE’S COFFEE HOUSE. EVERYBODY KNEW HIM. HE USED TO BUSK AT THE FARMER’S MARKET ON FIFTH STREET ON FIRST FRIDAYS. HE PLAYED IN BANDS FOREVER.” “[HE WAS IN A] ROCK’N ROLL BAND. HE WAS IN SO MANY BANDS OVER THE YEARS AND I DON’T KNOW THE NAMES OF THE EARLY BANDS. ONE OF [THE BANDS HE PLAYED WITH] WAS KRANDEL’S KLOUD MACHINE, ONE OF THEM WAS THE SHAMAN, AND THEN HE MOVED TO VANCOUVER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND PLAYED IN VANCOUVER – UP AND DOWN THE WEST COAST. WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THE COAST, HE JUST PLAYED EVERYWHERE IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE… ANYWAY HE WAS VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE BAND SCENE AND HE HAD A RECORDING STUDIO. THAT WAS A PASSION. HE CALLED HIS RECORDING STUDIO, AARDVARK RECORDINGS. HE HAD HIS FIRST RECORDING STUDIO IN THE BASEMENT OF KRUEGER’S MUSIC, WHERE HE TAUGHT MUSIC FOR BILL KRUEGER. THEN HE MOVED ALL HIS STUFF OVER AND HE WAS IN THE BASEMENT OF THE TRIANON FOR YEARS TEACHING RECORDING AND THEN HE GOT INVOLVED IN TECHNOLOGY, SO HE STARTED FIXING COMPUTERS AND DID COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. HE KIND OF USED TECHNOLOGY IN THE RECORDING STUDIO. HE HAD THIS HUGE SOUND BOARD WITH ALL THE SWITCHES AND WHATEVER AND HE HAD TONS OF LIKE STACKS OF MACHINES [FOR RECORDING],” HINMAN REMEMBERED. “[MY BROTHER] HAD A REPUTATION,” HINMAN WENT ON, “[PEOPLE WOULD SAY TO ME], ‘OH YOUR MURRAY’S SISTER.’ IT WAS GREAT AND ACTUALLY MY HUSBAND WAS BORN IN CARDSTON AND HE HAD A BAND THAT HE USED TO PLAY IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA WITH. WE HAVE AN ACTUAL RECORDING FROM THE BASEMENT RECORDING STUDIO AT KRUEGER’S, WHEN [MY BROTHER] RECORDED WITH MY HUSBAND’S BAND. IT WAS GREAT.” WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE MUSICAL INFLUENCE WITHIN HER FAMILY, HINMAN EXPLAINED, “MY MOM (MARGARET NELSON) WAS A LOCAL MUSIC TEACHER. SHE WAS A PIANO TEACHER. MY DAD’S MOTHER WAS KATE MARQUIS NELSON, WHO WAS A LOCAL PIANO TEACHER SO [WE HAD INFLUENCE] FROM BOTH ENDS. WE ALL GREW UP IN OUR HOUSEHOLD WITH MUSIC. I HAVE A DEGREE IN MUSIC AND I’M A MUSIC TEACHER AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER, MARK, PLAYS CLASSICAL GUITAR. WE HAD MUSIC EVERYWHERE. I HAVE SOME PICTURES AT HOME OF THE THREE KIDS WITH A DRUM SET AND I’M ON THE KEYBOARD AND MURRAY IS PLAYING GUITAR AND, EVEN A PICTURE OF MY MOM SITTING AT THE DRUMS TAKING PART IN THE MERRIMENT IN OUR BASEMENT.” “MY DAD PLAYED IN THE SYMPHONY. IN FACT, MY MOM AND DAD REVIVED THE SYMPHONY IN THE EARLY ‘60S. SO IT WAS JUST NATURAL FOR MURRAY TO [BE MUSICAL]. HE PLAYED EVERYTHING. HE PLAYED BANJO WITH MUSICAL THEATRE ONE YEAR, AND TAUGHT BANJO. HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS THE ‘ONLY’ BANJO TEACHER IN LETHBRIDGE. HE [ALSO] THOUGHT THAT HE WAS THE ONLY REAL GOOD GUITARIST TEACHER IN LETHBRIDGE TOO,” HINMAN LAUGHED. “SO ANYWAY,” SHE CONTINUED, “IT WAS A STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY. MUSIC IS NOT AN EASY, AN EASY PROFESSION TO BE IN, A PERFORMING MUSICIAN. HE QUIT HIGH SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS PROBABLY SIXTEEN, BUT IN HIS MID TO LATE TWENTIES, HE FINISHED HIS DIPLOMA AND HE STARTED NURSING AT THE COLLEGE. HE DID PRETTY WELL [THERE], BUT HE DIDN’T DEAL WELL WITH AUTHORITY, SO HE DIDN’T FINISH IT. BUT [THROUGH THAT HE] GOT A LOT OF GOOD PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE. [AFTERWARDS] PROCEEDED TO PURSUE HIS PASSION, WHICH WAS MUSIC. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS OF HIS LIFE HE FIXED THOSE COMPUTER SIGNS THAT SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE WOULD FIX THE MOTHER BOARD… HE JUST DID WHAT HE WANTED. HE LIVED IS LIFE HIS WAY.” TO THE QUESTION OF WHY HER GRANDFATHER, GEORGE S. BROWN, RECEIVED THE BOOTS FROM GENERAL JOHN SMITH STEWART, HINMAN ANSWERED, “THE ONLY REASON I CAN THINK OF IS THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE GREAT FRIENDS… [IF GENERAL STEWART PASSED AWAY IN THE 1970S], THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AFTER MY GRANDFATHER [DIED]. I KNOW THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN THE MILITARY STUFF LOCALLY. ELLA STEWART AND MY GRANDMOTHER WERE GREAT FRIENDS. SOMEHOW [THESE BOOTS WERE] JUST PASSED ALONG TO GRANDDAD.” “WHEN MURRAY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE CANCER IN JUNE OF 2015, I KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOME ITEMS THAT HE HAD THAT I NEEDED TO RETRIEVE BECAUSE THEY WERE FAMILY HISTORY,” HINMAN REMEMBERED, “[AMONG THOSE TREASURED THINGS WERE] GENERAL STEWART’S BOOTS, SO I RETRIEVED THEM IN JULY… [MURRAY SAID], ‘TAKE THEM. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH THEM.’” “[ONE REASON MY BROTHER HELD ON TO THE BOOTS WAS] HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY GRANDPARENTS, BECAUSE HE USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUT AT THE FARM,” HINMAN EXPLAINED, “I THINK THAT HE JUST COULDN’T BRING HIMSELF TO PART WITH THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE PART OF HIS FAMILY HISTORY. IT WAS A SPECIAL KIND OF THING BECAUSE GRANDDAD HAD ACTUALLY PASSED THEM TO HIM.” MURRAY NELSON’S OBITUARY WAS PUBLISHED ON THE MARTIN BROTHERS FUNERAL CHAPELS WEBSITE. IT STATES, “WILLIAM MURRAY NELSON, AGE 65, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT THE LETHBRIDGE REGIONAL HOSPITAL ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2015, AFTER A VALIANT BATTLE WITH CANCER. MUSICIAN, PERFORMER, TEACHER, MENTOR, SOUND GUY, RECORDING GUY, VIDEO GUY, COMPUTER GUY, SIGN GUY; HE WAS A MAN WHO LIVED LIFE HIS WAY, ON HIS TERMS, DOING WHAT HE LOVED.” AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ON DECEMBER 9, 2015, SHORTLY AFTER THE MUSICIAN’S DEATH STATES THAT AT A LOCAL MUSIC SHOW, PROMINENT LEHTBRIDGE SONGWRITER, LEEROY STAGGER, BEGAN THE SHOW WITH A TRIBUTE TO NELSON. TO FURTHER UNDERSCORE NELSON’S REPUTATION IN THE CITY, A DECEMBER 23, 2015 ARTICLE TITLED, “2015 WAS A MEMORABLE YEAR FOR CITY MUSIC SCENE,” WRITTEN FOR THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD BY RICHARD AMERY STATED, “LETHBRIDGE SAID GOODBYE TO MURRAY NELSON, WHO PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER THIS YEAR. NELSON WAS ONE OF THE SCENE’S MORE PROMINENT PERFORMERS ON STAGE PERFORMING SOLO AND WITH A VARIETY OF BANDS AS WELL AS BUSKING ON THE STREETS ALL OVER LETHBRIDGE…HIS MEMORY WILL LIVE ON IN THE STUDENTS HE TAUGHT AND THE SOULS HE TOUCHED ON STAGE OR JUST CHATTING AT VARIOUS WATER HOLES.” PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION AND THE COPIES OF LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES REFERENCED.

Catalogue Number

P20170010000

Acquisition Date

2017-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail