Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SMITH & WESSON "VICTORY" .38

Date Range From

1910

Date Range To

1920

Materials

STEEL, WOOD

No. Pieces

1

Height

14

Length

26

Width

3.5

Description

38 CAL. REVOLVER. REVOLVER IS MADE OF STEEL WHICH HAS BLUE TARNISH. HAS 1.9 X 0.8CM SIGHT POST AT MUZZLE. STAMPED INTO ROUND BARREL IS "SMITH & WESSON" ON ONE SIDE AND "S. & W. CTG". ON TOP "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS, U.S.A. PATENTED FEB. 6. 06, SEPT. 14. 09, DEC 29. 14." IS STAMPED INTO BARREL. STAMPED INTO TOP OF CYLINDER HOUSING IS "8 U.S. PROPERTY G.H.D.". CYLINDER HAS SPRING LOADED EJECTION SHAFT RUNNING THROUGH CENTER. STAMPED ON END OF CYLINDER IS "496561". STAMPED INTO SIDE OF CYLINDER HOUSING IS CIRCULAR LOGO WITH "TRADE" AT TOP AND "MARK" AT BOTTOM. INSIDE IS STYLIZED "W" OVER TOP "S" BENEATH THAT IS "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.". STAMPED IN FRONT OF TRIGGER GUARD ON RIGHT SIDE IS "MADE IN U.S.A.". STOCK IS MADE OF FINISHED WOOD. ON BOTTOM OF BUTT IS STEEL LOOP RING. STAMPED ON BUTT IS "V 496561".

Subjects

ARMAMENT-FIREARM

Historical Association

SPORTS

History

WAS A PART OF GUN COLLECTION GATHERED BY BILL SKELTON. *UPDATE* IN 2017, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILES AND ARTIFACTS IN RELATED LOCATIONS, INCLUDING AN ARMLET DONATED BY BILL SKELTON. ATTACHED TO THE PERMANENT RECORD WAS A BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM HERBERT SCORESBY SKELTON. EXCERPTS FROM THAT BIOGRAPHY FOLLOW: “WILLIAM HERBERT SCORESBY SKELTON WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE ON 6 APRIL 1920. HIS PARENTS WERE MARION SCORESBY SKELTON AND HERBERT SCORESBY SKELTON. EDUCATED LOCALLY, MR. SKELTON WORKED AT THE DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARM (NOW THE LETHBRIDGE RESEARCH CENTRE) FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A REPORTER WITH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD IN 1943. AFTER FIVE YEARS AT THE NEWSPAPER, HE BECAME NEWS DIRECTOR AT THE RADIO STATION CJOC ON 15 FEBRUARY 1948. DURING HIS FIRST TWO YEARS AT THE RADIO STATION, MR. SKELTON WAS THE ONLY EMPLOYEE IN THE NEWS DEPARTMENT. MR. SKELTON ORGANIZED THE FIRST FULL-TIME NEWS DEPARTMENT AT THE RADIO STATION AND WAS NEWS DIRECTOR FOR THE JOINT RADIO – TELEVISION OPERATIONS OF SELKIRK COMMUNICATIONS IN LETHBRIDGE AND SOUTHERN ALBERTA. BY THE TIME OF HIS RETIREMENT IN APRIL 1978, CJOC HAD EIGHT EMPLOYEES IN THE NEWS DEPARTMENT. WILLIAM SKELTON MARRIED MARY THERESA FRANCIS IN SOUTHMINSTER UNITED CHURCH, LETHBRIDGE ON 3 AUGUST 1957. THE COUPLE DID NOT HAVE CHILDREN. DURING HIS LIKE MR. SKELTON WAS VERY ACTIVE AS A VOLUNTEER WITH MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS… WILLIAM SKELTON DIED ON 13 JULY 1998, AGE 78, AND IS BURIED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY IN LETHBRIDGE. MARY THERESA SKELTON (NEE FRANCIS) WAS THE DAUGHTER OF DR. AND MRS. JAMES R. FRANCIS AND THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF REVEREND JAMES ROBERTSON D. D., A FORMER MODERATOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA. A TEACHER AT LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE FROM 1945 UNTIL HER RETIREMENT, MARY SKELTON WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY… MARY SKELTON DIED ON 23 AUGUST 2000, AGE 80, AND IS BURIED BESIDE HER HUSBAND IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY. [SOURCES: THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, VARIOUS ISSUES; WHO’S WHO IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA 1988-1989 (HISTORICAL RESEARCH CENTRE, 1989) PAGES 739-740].” FOR FULL BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENT, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P19950069035

Acquisition Date

1995-08

Collection

Museum

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