Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

IN PURSUIT

Date

1937

Materials

WOOD, GLASS, PAPER, COTTON

No. Pieces

1

Height

3.2

Length

126.7

Width

87

Description

FRAMED WEAVING IS LIGHT BROWN LINEN WITH EMBROIDERED SCENE. SCENE IS OF THREE GREY DOGS RUNNING THROUGH LANDSCAPE OF TREES AND HILLS. ACROSS BOTTOM IS BROWN TITLE BORDER WITH "IN PURSUIT". WOOD FRAME IS INVERTED CORNICE STYLE WITH SCROLL WORK ALONG OUTER EDGE AND GOLD COLORED FINISH. SCROLL WORK IS WORN. BACK OF PICTURE HAS BROWN PAPER COVERING IN TOP LEFT CORNER IS WHITE PAPER WITH HAND WRITTEN LIST OF MATERIALS AND COST TO MAKE PICTURE "TOTAL COST 96.90" AS WELL AS "1937 - THIS IS THE PROPERTY OF MRS. B BIRCUMSHAW 1747 - 5TH AVE N. LETHBRIDGE ALTA."

Subjects

ART

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

HEALTH SERVICES

History

PICTURE WAS REMOVED FROM ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE RECOVERED FROM ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL PRIOR TO ITS DEMOLITION IN 1996. THE FOLLOWING HISTORY OF THE HOSPITAL WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM THE GALT ARCHIVES, ARCHIVES CANADA ONLINE, AND RECORD P19960116001. ST. MICHAEL'S GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS FOUNDED IN LETHBRIDGE BY CATHOLIC SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA OF ANTIGONISH IN MAY 1929. THE FACILITY OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED VAN HAARLEM HOSPITAL (1224 - 7TH AVE S.), ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 27 PATIENTS, WAS PURCHASED FOR $34000. A SMALL HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET SERVED AS A RESIDENCE FOR THE SISTERS, WITH ONE ROOM FURNISHED AS A CHAPEL. A HOSPITAL BOARD WAS FORMED, CONSISTING OF THE PARISH PRIEST AND SIX LOCAL BUSINESSMEN. IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MODERN 100-BED HOSPITAL STARTED IN 1930. HENRY WILLIAM MEECH WAS THE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT. THE NEW BUILDING OPENED AT 9TH AVENUE AND 13TH ST SOUTH IN SEPTEMBER 1931. THE NEWLY NAMED ST. MICHAEL’S GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS NOW ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 100 PATIENTS, AND THE ORIGINAL GROUP OF DOCTORS INCLUDED D.A. MCNALLY, W.S. GALBRAITH, P.M. CAMPBELL, R. SHILLINGTON, G.W. LEECH, D. WOODCOCK, G.L. CONNOR, W. BRIANS, L.A. ROY, G. SPACKMAN, J.S. WRAY, B.O. FOWLER, J.E. LOVERING, F.W. SWANCESKY, D.A. TAYLOR, BRAITHWAITH, J.K. BIGELOW, AND A.A. HAIG. THE HOSPITAL CONTAINED CHILDREN'S, YOUTH AND PSYCHIATRIC WARDS, FOUR OPERATING ROOMS, A CHAPEL AND A SPECIAL WARD FOR CASUALTIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE P.O.W. CAMP. IN 1932 THE HOSPITAL OBTAINED ACCREDITATION UNDER THE HOSPITAL STANDARDIZATION PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR THE HOSPITAL WAS EXPANDED WITH AN 83-BED EAST WING, OPENING IN 1951. IN THE 1953, THE HOSPITAL RECEIVED A NEW NURSES' RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL OF NURSING; THE SCHOOL TRAINED OVER 500 NURSES OVER THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS. IN 1965 ANOTHER EXPANSION WING EXTENDED THE HOSPITAL’S CAPACITY TO 207 BEDS. THE SCHOOL OF NURSING CLOSED IN 1973, AND THE REMAINING SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA STILL WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL LIVED IN THE VACATED STUDENT RESIDENCES. IN 1984 OWNERSHIP OF THE HOSPITAL WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE ALBERTA CATHOLIC HOSPITAL FOUNDATION. IN 1986 FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES BEGAN TO APPEAR AND EVENTAULLY RESULTED IN THE HOSPITAL BEING CONVERTED TO ST. MICHAEL'S HEALTH CENTRE IN 1992, FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF LONG TERM PATIENTS. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES CONTINUED UNTIL THE HOSPITAL WAS CLOSED IN 1995. ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. AT THE TIME OF THE 2014 SURVEY, THE FORMER HOSPITAL SITE HOUSED THE ST. THERESE VILLA, A LONGTERM NURSING CARE FACILITY, AND THE ST. MICHAEL'S HEALTH CENTRE, A MULTI-PURPOSE REHABILITATION, PALLATIVE AND CONTINUING CARE FACILITY, BOTH CONSTRUCTED IN THE LATE 1990S. AT THE TIME OF THE 2014 SURVEY, NO INFORMATION COULD BE FOUND ON THE "MRS. B. BIRCUMSHAW" NOTED ON THE BACK OF THE ARTWORK.

Catalogue Number

P19960116155

Acquisition Date

1996-01

Collection

Museum

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