Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1980

Date Range To

2015

Materials

POLYESTER, WOOL, METAL

No. Pieces

1

Length

74

Width

50

Description

PURPLE BLAZER JACKET WITH PURPLE LINING; FRONT LAPELS OF JACKET ARE DECORATED WITH PINS. FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT POCKETS LINED WITH GREY PATTERNED FABRIC; FRONT POCKETS HAVE WHITE AND PURPLE “LETHBRIDGE, NO. 32, OORP” AND “BRANDON, NO. 138, OORP” DIAMOND BADGES SEWN ON, WITH WHITE STAG IN CENTER OF TEXT. INSIDE OF BLAZER HAS BLACK TAG WITH WHITE STITCHED TEXT AT BACK OF COLLAR, “MADE IN / FABRIQUE EN CANADA”. TWO POCKETS SEWN INTO BLAZER LINING WITH WHITE CLOTH LINING; INSIDE RIGHT-WEARING INNER POCKET IS WHITE TAG WITH BILINGUAL (FRENCH AND ENGLISH) TEXT “MADE IN CANADA, CA – 00023, 55% POLYESTER, 45% WOOL DRY CLEAN ONLY”. OUTSIDE OF RIGHT-WEARING INNER POCKET HAS TAG SEWN ON; BLACK WITH WHITE TEXT “VETEMENTS, CLOTHES” AND GOLD-STITCHED TEXT BETWEEN WHITE READING “BILTMORE” AND GOLD AND WHITE LOGO IN UPPER LEFT CORNER “LP”. TWO GOLD CHECKERED BUTTONS DOWN FRONT OF BLAZER AND TWO AT EACH CUFF. BLAZER HAS FADING ON INSIDE OF CUFFS, AND STAINING ON FRONT LEFT-WEARING SIDE; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. ON FRONT RIGHT-WEARING LAPEL, PINS INCLUDE: GOLD-FINISHED PIN WITH RED AND WHITE CANADA FLAG AND BLUE AND WHITE CROSS FLAG; GOLD-FINISHED FLYING DOVE PIN; RED AND WHITE CANADA FLAG PIN; WHITE PLASTIC NAME TAG WITH SILVER ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE SEAL AND BLACK TEXT “LETHBRIDGE LODGE NO. 32, DOROTHY TAYLOR”; GOLD-FINISHED PIN GREY, WHITE AND PEACH IMAGE OF WOMAN AND BLACK TEXT ABOVE IMAGE “DEAF DETECTION” AND BLACK TEXT BELOW IMAGE “PHOEBE MCCULLOUGH, 1896-1971”; GOLD-FINISHED PIN OF MAPLE LEAF WITH GOLD ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE STAG ON A PURPLE BACKGROUND SURROUNDED BY GOLD LETTERS “OORP”; GOLD-FINISHED PIN WITH BAR SHAPED LIKE BOW AND HANGING SEAL OF THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE; GOLD-FINISHED PIN WITH GOLD BORDER AROUND PURPLE AND YELLOW FLOWERS ON GREEN BACKGROUND, WITH ENGRAVED TEXT ON BORDER “MANITOBA ROYAL PURPLE ASSOCIATION”. ON LEFT-WEARING LAPEL IS PURPLE RIBBON WITH GOLD-FINISHED ATTACHMENT TO JACKET AND WHITE FRINGE, ON RIBBON GOLD-FINISHED PINS INCLUDE: TWO GOLD BARS ATTACHED WITH CHAIN AND HANGING ORNATE SEAL OF THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE, TEXT ON TOP BAR READS “BRANDON LODGE NO. 138”, LOWER BAR TEXT READS “1998-1999”; BAR PIN WITH PURPLE TEXT “15 YRS” AND ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE SEAL IN CENTER; BAR PIN WITH TWO TEXT BANNERS TO THE UPPER LEFT AND LOWER RIGHT OF ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE SEAL, UPPER BANNER READS “20” AND LOWER BANNER READS “YRS”; OVAL PIN WITH ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE SEAL IN CENTER AND BOTTOM BANNER READING “LIFE MEMBER”; FLOWER PIN WITH ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE SEAL IN CENTER AND SIX HANGING BARS THAT READ “25 YEARS”, “30 YEARS”, “35 YEARS”, “40 YEARS”, “45 YEARS”, “50 YEARS”.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

ASSOCIATIONS

PERSONAL CARE

History

ON FEBRUARY 22, 2017, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED WILMA WOOD, DAUGHTER OF DOROTHY TAYLOR, ABOUT HER DONATION OF TAYLOR’S ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE REGALIA. THE REGALIA REPRESENTED TAYLOR’S 50-YEAR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE FROM BRANDON, MANITOBA TO LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER MOTHER’S BLAZER, WOOD RECALLED, “[MY MOTHER WAS WEARING THIS] WITHIN THE [PAST] TWO OR THREE YEARS, AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE HAD IT ON WHEN SHE RECEIVED HER 50 YEAR PIN. I THINK SHE WENT TO ONE MORE ACTIVITY BEFORE SHE COULDN’T ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE’S BEEN WHEELCHAIR BOUND FOR 15 YEARS. IT GOT MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR HER TO GET OUT.” MACLEAN ADDITIONALLY INTERVIEWED ANN MARIE MCDONALD OF THE LETHBRIDGE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE ON JUNE 6, 2017. ON THE BLAZER, MCDONALD ELABORATED, “WHEN I JOINED IN ’89, THEY WERE MOVING INTO THE NEW JACKETS…WE USED TO PASS DOWN JACKETS. WE USED TO HAVE A CUPBOARD. IF A LADY PASSED AWAY, YOU’D DRY-CLEAN HER JACKET, AND PUT IT INTO THE CUPBOARD…PROBABLY ABOUT 1985 THEY STARTED REPLACING THE JACKETS. I KNOW [THIS WAS DOROTHY’S JACKET] ORIGINALLY, IT HAD PIPING ON IT, AND…IT HAD BRANDON. SHE WORE THE BRANDON [BADGE] ON IT – THEN, SHE OBVIOUSLY GOT THE NEW JACKET MADE, AND THEN PUT THE [PATCH] ON HER POCKETS. IN THOSE DAYS, BEFORE I JOINED ROYAL PURPLE, YOU HAD A PATCH. YOU ALWAYS WORE THE PATCH OF YOUR LODGE ON YOUR JACKET.” “YOU WEAR WHAT ARE CALLED YOUR JEWELS ON YOUR LEFT SIDE. THIS [RIBBON WITH HER YEARS] WOULD BE A JEWEL.” “SHE WAS HONORABLE ROYAL LADY IN BRANDON, IN, POSSIBLY, 1975-76, THAT’S WHEN SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN.” MCDONALD ELABORATED ON THE PINS ON TAYLOR’S BLAZER, NOTING, “EACH YEAR THAT YOU STAY IN LODGE, THEY GIVE YOU A BAR. I’M THINKING MAYBE SHE DIDN’T [A BAR PIN] FROM OUR LODGE, BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY AN HONORED ROYAL LADY IN BRANDON. SHE JUST TOOK THE BAR, AND HAD THE BAR PUT ON HER OLD PIN – HER BRANDON PIN.” “BARS WERE [GIVEN] IF, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE ON THE DRILL TEAM. YOU WOULD GET A BAR EVERY YEAR THAT YOU’RE ON THE DRILL TEAM. IF YOU WERE OUR PIANIST, YOU GOT A BAR EVERY YEAR THAT YOU STAYED AS PIANIST. SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY ON THE DRILL TEAM FOR 3 YEARS HERE. EVERY YEAR THEY GIVE YOU 1, UP TO 10. EVERY 5 YEARS YOU GOT A BAR.” “[THE CLASP PIN] IS HER 15TH YEAR BAR, SO WHEN SHE WAS IN OUR LODGE 15 YEARS…ALTHOUGH I’M NOT SURE WITH DOROTHY, IF THEY COMBINED HERS OR NOT. I KNOW THEY COMBINED HERS FOR HER 50TH. YOU WOULD WEAR IT ON [THE] RIBBON. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. THE LEFT SIDE IS WHAT WE CONSIDER IS OVER YOUR HEART. YOU WEAR ALL YOUR JEWELS OVER YOUR HEART.” “[THE MAPLE LEAF] IS AN INSTALLATION PIN. WHEN YOU JOIN THE LODGE, THEY GIVE YOU AN INSTALLATION PIN. THEY WANT ACKNOWLEDGE [YOUR INSTALLATION], IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU EARN. IT’S KIND OF “WELCOME TO THE LODGE”. SHE WOULD WEAR THIS…ON HER REGALIA [LEFT] SIDE.” “NOW [THE PINS ON THE RIGHT SIDE] I DON’T KNOW WHAT [THEY ALL] ARE. DEAF DETECTION…ARE PINS, IN OUR ORGANIZATION THEY PUT OUT TONS OF PINS AND THEN SELL THEM. THERE WAS SOME FUND-RAISER FOR DEAF DETECTION, AND SHE BOUGHT A PIN.” “[THE PURPLE FLORAL PIN] IS A MANITOBA ROYAL PURPLE ASSOCIATION. SHE WOULDN’T HAVE [WORN THIS ON HER REGALIA] BECAUSE…THEY SELL THE PINS AND THEY MAKE MONEY. HER PERFECT ATTENDANCE [PIN], 5 YEARS SHE COULD WEAR ON HER REGALIA PIN. THERE IS A KEEPSAKE [PIN] THAT THEY HAD WHEN THEY HAD THEIR YEAR 2000…[YOU] BOUGHT THE PIN TO SUPPORT THE LODGE. THERE IS A BRANDON PIN. SHE WOULDN’T WEAR IT WITH HER REGALIA THOUGH…IT’S PURCHASED FOR BRANDON. [THERE IS] THE 12TH COLLECTION EDITION OF ROYAL PURPLE. THE BIRD [HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE] WITH OUR LODGE. ON DOROTHY TAYLOR’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE, MCDONALD RECALLED, “SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN OUR LODGE BY [1989]. SHE WAS A DUAL MEMBER OF OUR LODGE. SHE PAID HER DUES TO BRANDON, AND SHE PAID TO US FOR MANY YEARS, BECAUSE SHE LOVED BRANDON, AND HER HEART WAS IN BRANDON. SHE HAD FRIENDS, TOO, LADIES IN BRANDON THAT SHE STAYED REALLY GOOD FRIENDS WITH…WHEN SHE WAS HONORABLE ROYAL LADY, [THE BAR PIN] WASN’T THERE. [THE REST] ARE ALL FUND-RAISERS…[THERE IS ONE FOR] FUND FOR CHILDREN, WHICH WAS OUR NATIONAL CHARITY.” WOOD DISCUSSED HER MOTHER’S TIME IN THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE, STATING, “SHE CONSIDERS [THESE OBJECTS IN ACTIVE USE]. SHE IS VERY MUCH A PERSON WHO VALUES THAT SOCIETY. IT HELPED HER A NUMBER OF TIMES. AS YOU GROW OLDER, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU DISCOVER THAT YOUR BRAIN ISN’T AS ACTIVE AS IT SHOULD BE AND THE MEMORY IS GOING. SHE WOULD PUT HERSELF INTO POSITIONS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDING BEING PRESIDENT, THREE OR FOUR TIMES. SHE HAD TO BE AN ORGANIZER, SHE HAD TO GET HER BRAIN AND KEEP HER BRAIN FUNCTIONING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY ADMIRABLE FOR A WOMAN HER AGE BECAUSE…SHE WAS IN HER EIGHTIES. SHE RECEIVED HER 50 YEAR PIN, I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO OR THREE.” “SHE JOINED [THE ORDER OF ROYAL PURPLE] IN BRANDON, MANITOBA WHERE [MY PARENTS] WERE LIVING AT THE TIME, AND MY DAD RETIRED THERE. THEY MOVED HERE TO LETHBRIDGE BECAUSE MY BROTHER LIVED HERE, AND MY UNCLE ART GOOD…HE LIVED HERE AND THEY WANTED TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY. THEY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE AND MY DAD DIED SHORTLY AFTER THAT.” “[SHE JOINED] BECAUSE OF HER FRIENDS. SHE HAD A FRIENDSHIP GROUP AND THEY BELONGED. THEY RECRUITED HER.” “WHEN SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE, SHE WAS A MAJOR RECRUITER. SHE WENT OUT AND FOUND YOUNG WOMEN BUT THEY FELL BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE OF LIFE. SHE WAS CERTAINLY VERY ACTIVE IN THEIR PROJECTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS FINDING FINANCES TO EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE. WHATEVER THEY WERE [DOING], SHE WAS INTO IT FULL TILT BECAUSE THAT’S THE KIND OF PERSON SHE IS…WHATEVER SHE DOES IS FULL BLAST, FULL BORE. SHE NEVER TOLD ME ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE SOCIETY BECAUSE IT’S ONE OF THOSE SECRET SISTERHOODS. SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF IT.” “THIS [CHAPTER] DID A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT…SHE TRAVELED WITH THEM BECAUSE IT WAS A CANADIAN ORGANIZATION, SO THEY HAD THEIR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS ALL OVER CANADA. SHE CAME OUT TO VANCOUVER TO A MEETING AND I WENT OVER TO VANCOUVER TO MEET HER AND SAY “HOWDY”. SHE WENT OUT TO THE PREMIER’S, AT THAT TIME WAS VANDER ZALM, AND HE HAD THE BIG GARDENS OUT NEAR STEVESTON. SHE WENT OUT THERE AND SHE MET HIM.” “A YEAR AGO ABOUT THIS TIME, THAT’S WHEN [THE ORDER WAS] FOLDING. THE ALBERTA CLUBS WERE ALL IMPLODING, AND I THINK THERE’S ONLY ONE LEFT IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA. IT WAS THE ISSUE THAT THEY WERE ALL OLD PEOPLE AND YOUNG PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO JOIN THESE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS ANY LONGER…[THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE] I THINK WE HAVE MORE LEGAL SUPPORT. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET UP HEALTH CARE, COMMUNITIES HAVE SET UP ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN WHO ARE ABUSED, THERE’S DRUG ASSISTANCE. THERE IS MUCH MORE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. IN THE EARLY DAYS ON THE PRAIRIES, IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, WHO MIGHT BE TWENTY MILES AWAY, YOU WERE IN DEEP DOO-DOO IF YOU HAD A BIG PROBLEM. THAT’S WHAT THESE SOCIETIES CAME OUT OF WAS THAT NEED. THE NEED PRETTY WELL HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, I THINK. THERE ARE STILL CLUBS BUT THEY’RE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLUBS NOW.” WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER MOTIVATION FOR DONATING HER MOTHER’S REGALIA TO THE MUSEUM, WOOD NOTED, “MY MOTHER HAS TURNED 99 YEARS OLD IN JANUARY. SHE HAS DEMENTIA AND SO WE’VE HAD TO MOVE HER FROM HER SENIOR’S LODGE ROOM INTO A MORE SECURE ROOM. CONSEQUENTLY THE LAST OF THE THINGS THAT SHE TREASURED OR VALUED MUST BE DISPERSED. MY BROTHER AND I DECIDED THAT, SINCE THE ELKS AND THE ROYAL PURPLE MEANT SO MUCH TO HER, THAT [THESE WERE] THE [OBJECTS] WE WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE MUSEUM. IT DEPICTS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE WOMEN USED THESE ASSOCIATIONS AS A SUPPORT GROUP FOR THEMSELVES. IT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE SECRET SOCIETIES, WHEN IN FACT THEY WERE SISTERHOODS. THEY WERE MEANT MAINLY FOR THEM TO HAVE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. SINCE THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BASICALLY COLLAPSED, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE MUSEUM SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE IT DOES SHOW THAT PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF CANADA.” FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170007001-GA.

Catalogue Number

P20170007001

Acquisition Date

2017-02

Collection

Museum

Less detail