RIFLE, MILITARY

Description: S/N 508749CAL. 45/70. SINGLE SHOT BREECH LOADING RIFLE (TRAP DOOR MODEL), WAS EQUIPPED WITH A RARE AND POSITIVE EXTRACTOR TYPE ALLIN SYSTEM OF BREECH LOADING, CONSISTING OF A BREECHLOCK HINGED ON THE TOP OF THE BARREL SO THAT IT OPENED UP AND TO THE FRONT FOR LOADING THE CARTRIDGE. RAM ROD PRESENT. REAR SIGHT DAMAGED. FRONT SLING SWIVEL BENT. STOCK IS CRACKED IN RECEIVER AREA. "VPP" ON BARREL. "U.S. MODEL 1884" ON BREECH BLOCK. SERIAL NO. ON BREECH. "U.S. SPRINGFIELD" ON RECEIVER PLATE. "U.S." ON BUTT PLATE. BUTT PLATE HAS SLIDING PATCHBOX LID. A LATER ADAPTATION OF THE 1873 U.S. SPRINGFIELD MILITARY RIFLE. REF: CONSERVATION REPORT ON FILE.

History: BELONGED TO JAMES WALLUNK, BROTHER OF DONOR. THIS TYPE OF RIFLE USED IN SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR & BROUGHT TO CANADA BY AMERICAN SETTLERS. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. THOUGH UNABLE TO FIND ANY NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC RIFLE, SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE DONOR'S BROTHER HAD BEEN MISIDENTIFIED AT THE TIME OF ACQUISITION - HIS NAME WAS ACTUALLY JAMES WILLIAM WALLWORK. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN A LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLE WRITTEN UPON WALLWORK'S DEATH IN 1959 STATES THAT HE WAS BORN IN 1875 IN LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND, AND CAME TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1886 WITH HIS MOTHER AND SISTER TO MEET THEIR FATHER, WHO HAD IMMIGRATED THREE YEARS PRIOR. WALLWORK JOINED THE ALBERTA RAILWAY AND IRRIGATION COMPANY IN 1890 AS A MECHANICAL APPRENTICE, AND IN 1898 HE JOINED IN THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH TO DAWSON CITY. WALLWORK THEN RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE AND WORKED AS A FIREMAN ON THE RAILWAY BETWEEN LETHBRIDGE AND MONTANA. HE MARRIED MARGARET IN 1901, AND IN 1902 HE JOINED THE CPR, BEING PROMOTED TO ENGINEER IN 1905. HE HELPED CONSTRUCT LETHBRIDGE'S HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE, DRIVING THE ENGINE THAT CARRIED CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND STEEL BEAMS. WALLWORK RETIRED FROM THE RAILWAY IN 1939, AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE LETHBRIDGE OLDTIMER'S PEMMICAN CLUB. THE DONOR, AMY TOLAN, WAS WALLWORK'S SISTER, AND PASSED AWAY IN 1971. FOR HARDCOPIES OF BOTH WALLWORK AND TOLAN'S OBITUARIES, SEE PERMANENT FILE.