Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

WRITING DESK

Date Range From

1900

Date Range To

1910

Materials

WOOD, BRASS, GLASS

No. Pieces

3

Height

139.6

Length

71.7

Width

35.9

Description

SHELF ON TOP WITH 2 GLASS DOORS. COMPARTMENTS & SECRET DRAWER UNDER SHELF. DRAWER & 2 SHELVES BENEATH DROP LEAF. PINE & OAK CONSTRUCTION. TWO PIECES OF WOOD FOUND IN DRAWER; 1 FINISHED; 1 NOT. TAG STAPLED TO BACK "E14 20". BLUE WRITING ON BACK "#214/140". LEADED GLASS CABINET DOORS.

Subjects

FURNITURE

Historical Association

FURNISHINGS

History

DONATED BY MRS. N.B. PEAT, & STATED PURCHASED IN 1901. *UPDATE* IN 2010, NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT INTERVIEWED CAMPBELL PEAT (SON OF NORMAN BONNER AND ANNIE STAFFORD PEAT). THE DESK BELONGED TO PEAT’S GRANDFATHER. HE SAID THAT OUR ARCHIVES HAVE PAPERS WRITTEN BETWEEN E.T. GALT AND HIS GRANDFATHER. HE WOULD HAVE WRITTEN ALL OF HIS LETTERS, CONDUCTED BUSINESS, BOUGHT CATTLE AND HAY AND MORE FROM THIS DESK. HIS GRANDFATHER BROUGHT THE DESK FROM NOVA SCOTIA. HE STARTED WORKING WITH A. T. GALT IN 1880 BUT HE DIDN’T BRING HIS FAMILY TO LETHBRIDGE UNTIL 1882. WILLIAM STAFFORD CAME FROM A DEPRESSION IN SCOTLAND. HE HAD MINING TRAINING SO HE WORKED FOR THE ACADIA COAL COMPANY WHEN HE GOT TO NOVA SCOTIA. IN THE MEANTIME, ALEXANDER GALT AND HIS SON ELLIOT WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO EXTEND THE RAILWAY ACROSS CANADA. ALEXANDER WORKED TO RAISE MONEY IN ENGLAND. ELLIOT, IN THE WEST, WAS LOOKING TO DEVELOP THE COAL INDUSTRY, WHICH WOULD SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE CROSS-CANADA RAILWAY, AS THE LOCOMOTIVES WERE STEAM POWERED. ELLIOT FOUND DEPOSITS IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA AND REPORTED THEM TO ALEXANDER GALT. WILLIAM STAFFORD WAS THEN HIRED BY E. T. GALT. WILLIAM WAS IN CHARGE OF GAUGING THE QUALITY OF COAL AT VARIOUS SITES. MEDICINE HAT’S COAL WAS CONSIDERED TO SHALEY, AND LETHBRIDGE’S (AS IT IS NOW KNOWN) COAL WAS DEEMED SUPERIOR. WILLIAM STAFFORD DIED IN 1907. HE IS BURIED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETARY. SEE LACROSSE STICKS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW PEAT’S MOTHER WOULD HAVE ACQUIRED THE DESK. PEAT IMAGINES THEY WOULD HAVE USED THE DESK BUT HE COULDN’T PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ON HOW THEY USED IT. SHE DONATED IT BECAUSE SHE HAD TIES TO THE MUSEUM (SEE LACROSSE STICKS FOR MORE DETAILS ON PEAT CONNECTION WITH THE GALT MUSEUM). SEE P19693787000 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Catalogue Number

P19694000000

Acquisition Date

1969-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail