BOTTLE

Description: CLEAR GLASS BOTTLE WITH A LABEL MARKED "BAY RUM" WITH A LARGE IMAGE OF A GREEN PALM TREE ON A BEACH WITH MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND. LABEL IS ALSO MARKED "THE SEELY MFG. CO. LIMITED WINDSOR-ONTARIO ESTABLISHED 1862 DETROIT-MICH". BOTTLE IS ONE-THIRD FULL OF A CLEAR YELLOW FLUID, AND HAS A BROKEN OFF CORK IN THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE, SEALING IT. BOTTLE NECK HAS REMNANTS OF A PAPER LABEL, AND THE LABEL IS WORN IN SPOTS AND MARKED WITH A PENCIL.

History: ITEMS BELONGED TO DONOR'S AUNT, PHYLLIS MARY (WHITTON) MCDONELL, WHO CAME TO CANADA IN 1903 AT THE AGE OF 3 AND SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE. IN 1938 SHE MARRIED WILLIAM MCDONELL, WHO WAS A RANCHER AND A FARMER WHO WORKED FOR JOHN DEERE, BUT ALSO INVENTED AND BUILT CONASTOGA MOTOR HOMES. PHYLLIS WORKED AT CITY HALL AS A RECEPTIONIST, AND WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SOUTHMINSTER CHURCH. THE COUPLE REMAINED IN LETHBRIDGE, AND DID NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN. PHYLLIS PASSED AWAY IN THE 1990S. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILES AND ACCESSORIES INCLUDING A ROBE, TWO PURSES, AND A HATPIN DONATED BY MCDONALD. A PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD STATED PHYLLIS MCDONELL PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 13TH, 1997. ACCORDING TO THE MCDONELL'S HEADSTONE IN THE SAINT PATRICK CEMETERY (LETHBRIDGE, AB), SHE WAS BORN IN 1903. PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE P19970033013 FOR COPIES OF RESEARCH SOURCES USED.