Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

LAP TOP WRITING DESK

Date

1873

Materials

WALNUT, BRASS, IVORY

No. Pieces

8

Height

17.4

Length

44.4

Width

23.4

Description

.1 DESK. ABOVE DIMENSIONS. WALNUT, BRASS, IVORY, LEATHERETTE, WOOL. 6 PIECES. HAS 3 DRAWERS ON INSIDE WITH TINY IVORY KNOBS. WRITING SURFACE COVERED BROWN LEATHERETTE WITH GOLD EDGING. ONE SURFACE OF WRITING SURFACE ISCRACKED. "MR. JOB REED" ENGRAVED ON BRASS NAMEPLATE ON COVER OF DESK. 2 BRASS INSERTS ON COVER, HAS PEN AND INK COMPARTMENTS. GREEN WOOL BASE. .2 BOTTLE INK. 3.8 CM HT. X 5 CM WTH. X 5 CM LTH.GLASS, BRASS, NICKEL PLATE. BRASS TIP NICKEL PLATE LID. .3 IDENTICAL TO .2 SEE CONSERVATION REPORT

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

Historical Association

PROFESSIONS

History

PRESENTED TO JOB REED, A TEACHER WHEN HE LEFT ENGLAND FOR TEXAS. LATER HE MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE TO HOMESTEAD. REF: JOB REED'S LETTERS, LIFE IN LETHBRIDGE, 1886-1906 L.H.S. OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 9. PUB. BY WHOOP-UP *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING ONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REED FAMILY. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY OF JOB REED WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM AN ARTICLE ON THE REED FAMILY AND FARM FROM THE DECEMBER 30, 1985 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, REED'S DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT FROM 1906, AND THE GALT ARCHIVES. JOB REED WAS BORN IN SOMERSETSHIRE, ENGLAND ON NOVEMBER 12, 1841. WHEN HE WAS 14, HIS FATHER DIED, LEAVING JOB THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING FOR HIMSELF AND HIS WIDOWED MOTHER. HE WORKED FOR THE BRITISH POSTAL SERVICE AND COMPLETED HIS TEACHING CERTIFICATION. HE MARRIED MARY ELIZABETH HOBBS IN 1869, AND IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1873, MOVING FROM NEW ORLEANS TO TEXAS AND THEN PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE REED OBTAINED A DEGREE IN MEDICINE. THE COUPLE RETURNED TO ENGLAND, BUT REED'S MEDICAL TRAINING WAS NOT RECOGNIZED THERE, AND IN 1882 THEY CROSSED THE ATLANTIC AGAIN, MOVING WEST ACROSS CANADA IN STAGES, FINALLY ARRIVING IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1886. THE FAMILY HAD SEVEN CHILDREN: RICHARD, HENRY, ELIZABETH (WHO MARRIED GEORGE HERBERT WATSON), JOB JUNIOR (KNOWN AS BUDD), GEORGE, ANNIE, AND ELLA. REED PURCHASED TWO LOTS ON WHAT IS NOW 6TH AVENUE SOUTH, BUILDING A MODEST HOME WITH A FLOORPLAN OF 24 X 14 FEET. THE FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED A MARKET GARDEN ON THE PROPERY, AND BUILT A STONE DUPLEX THAT STILL STANDS ON THE 1200 BLOCK OF 6TH AVENUE. REED WORKED AS A COAL MINER TO EARN MORE MONEY TOWARDS INVESTING IN FURTHER LAND, AND RAISED PIGS WITH SCRAP FOOD FROM THE NEARBY RCMP BARRACKS. IN 1901, REED PURCHASED 2.5 SECTIONS OF LAND NEAR PRESENT-DAY GRANUM WITH HIS FOUR SONS AND ONE SON-IN-LAW; HIS SON BILLY LATER TOOK OVER THIS RANCH. REED WAS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IN LETHBRIDGE AND A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. IN EARLY 1906, HE PURCHASED EDGEHILL FARM, NEAR SIX MILE COULEE, BUT HE DIED LATER THAT YEAR ON APRIL 25. MARY REED LIVED AT THE FARM FOR YEARS AFTERWARD, AND DIED IN KELOWNA, B.C. IN 1932 AT HOME OF ONE OF HER SONS. BOTH JOB AND MARY REED ARE BURIED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY IN LETHBRIDGE. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19980031006 FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, AND PERMANENT FILE P19920001001 FOR RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY AIMEE VIEL FOR A GALT MUSUEM EXHIBIT ON THE REED FAMILY..

Catalogue Number

P19705627000

Acquisition Date

1970-05

Collection

Museum

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