Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1950

Materials

STEEL, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

2

Height

22

Length

50

Width

40

Description

A. TYPERWRITER, 22 CM TALL X 50 CM LONG X 40 CM WIDE. DARK GREY WITH SILVER TRIM AND BLACK DECK; TYPEWRITR HAS BLACK AND RED RIBBON FIXED UNDER DARK GREY COVER; TYPEWRITER HAS FULL SET OF KEYS MARKED WITH BLACK AND CREAM LABELS. TYPEWRITER HAS TWO SILVER SWITCHES ON FRONT LEFT SIDE ABOVE “TAB CLEAR” BUTTON, AND TWO SILVER SWITCHES ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE WITH RED, BLUE AND WHITE MARKS BETWEEN, ABOVE “TAB SET” BUTTON. FRONT HAS GOLD PLATE TARNISHED BLACK WITH SILVER TEXT “ROYAL”, AND WHITE WORN PAINTED TEXT “MADE IN CANADA” BELOW. TYPEWRITER HAS WIDE DECK. RIGHT SIDE OF TYPEWRITER HAS BLACK TURN-KNOB WITH WORN WHITE PAINTED TEXT “TOUCH CONTROL” AND METAL ADJUSTMENT PLATE BELOW. BACK HAS WORN WHITE PAINTED LABEL “ROYAL”; UPPER LEFT CORNER OF BACK HAS WORN WHITE PAINTED LABEL “PATENTED, 1910, 1915, 1916, 1924”; BOTTOM OF BACK HAS WORN WHITE PAINTED LABEL “PROTECTED BY AMERICAN AND FOREIGN PATENTS, NOT FOR EXPORT, TOUCH CONTROL”. SERIAL NUMBER ENGRAVED INSIDE BACK LEFT SIDE OF CARRIAGE DECK, “KMM14-2685751”. CARRIAGE DECK IS WORN AND SOILED; PAINTED LABELS ARE WORN; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. B. TYPEWRITER COVER, 51.5 CM LONG X 50.5 CM WIDE. GREY-GREEN CANVAS COVER WITH COTTON LINING. COVER HAS WHITE MACHINE-STITCHED EDGES THAT ARE WORN AND FRAYING. COVER HAS HOLES AND TEARS IN SIDES AND FRONT; COVER IS CREASED AND FLAKING ON FRONT AND SIDES. OVERALL GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION T&E

Historical Association

BUSINESS

COAL MINING

INDUSTRY

History

ON JULY 26, 2017, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED GLORIA MARTENS REGARDING HER DONATION OF A “ROYAL” TYPEWRITER. MARTENS ACQUIRED THE TYPEWRITER FROM DON LIVINGSTON WITH BRIDGE VALLEY GOLF IN LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA. ON HER MEMORIES OF THE TYPEWRITER, MARTENS RECALLED, “I DIDN’T [KNOW IT WAS THERE] PRIOR TO TAKING IT. IT WAS UP ON A HIGH SHELF IN THE BACK CORNER AND I WAS UP TRYING TO FIND WHAT WAS UP THERE AND THAT’S WHEN I COME ACROSS IT. I NEVER [SAW MR. LIVINGSTON USE IT].” “I WAS WORKING DOWN AT BRIDGE VALLEY GOLF FOR MR. DON LIVINGSTON. I WAS CLEANING UP THE OFFICE ONE DAY AND IT WAS UP ON A TOP SHELF IN THE BACK CORNER. I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT AND HE INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD BEEN HIS DAD’S AND THAT HE HAD USED IT IN THE MINE, IN HIS OFFICE. MR. LIVINGSTON SAID, “IF YOU WANT IT YOU CAN TAKE IT HOME.” I BROUGHT IT HOME THINKING IT WAS QUITE AN INTERESTING PIECE AND IT’S MOVED WITH ME A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT IT’S GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I DON’T USE IT SO, THEREFORE, MAYBE IT CAN BE PUT TO SOME USE SOMEWHERE.” “IT HAS TO BE 30 OR SO YEARS AGO [SINCE I WAS GIVEN THE TYPEWRITER].” “IT WAS JUST AN OLD TYPEWRITER AND IT WAS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT MY GRANDFATHER PROBABLY USED, AND SO IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME. SO I BROUGHT IT HOME.” “I HAD A SMALL LITTLE TYPEWRITER, BUT I NEVER DID MUCH TYPING.” IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY FOR R. DONALD LIVINGSTONE [MARCH 13, 2001], IT IS RECOUNTED THAT R. LIVINGSTONE WORKED FOR THE #8 MINE UNDERGROUND BEFORE ADVANCING TO ENGINEER, MANAGER, AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR LETHBRIDGE COLLIERIES FOR 34 YEARS. R. LIVINGSTONE WAS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE LETHBRIDGE COUNTRY CLUB AND OWNED BRIDGE VALLEY PAR-3 GOLF COURSE AND DRIVING RANGE. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING THE FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION AND LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170024000-GA.

Catalogue Number

P20170024000

Acquisition Date

2017-07

Collection

Museum

Less detail