Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ORNAMENTS

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1970

Materials

PLASTER, TIN

No. Pieces

2

Description

1. 1.5CM(H) X 10.0CM(L) X 6.7CM(W). PLASTER. MOLDED INTO THREE CHERRIES ON A STEM, WITH THREE LEAVES. FRONT OF MOLD HAS BEEN PAINTED: RED CHERRIES, BROWN STEMS, GREEN LEAVES. THERE IS A SPILLOVER OF PAINT ONTO THE BACK. PRINTED ON BACK IN PENCIL IS "S.R", BUT IS FADED. EMBEDDED INTO BACK IS A WIRE THAT FORMS A HALF LOOP. 2. 2.0CM(H) X 8.4CM(L) X 6.7CM(W). PLASTER. MOLDED INTO AN APPLE, WITH A THICK STEM AND TWO LEAVES. FRONT OF MOLD HAS BEEN PAINTED: DARK RED APPLE, BROWN STEM, GREEN LEAVES. VEINS OF LEAVES HAVE DIRTY BUILD UP. THERE IS SOME SPILLOVER OF PAINT ONTO BACK. PRINTED ON BACK IN PENCIL IS "S.R.". EMBEDDED INTO BACK IS A WIRE THAT FORMS A HALF LOOP.

Subjects

ART

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

History

MADE BY DONOR'S BROTHER AS A BOYSCOUT PROJECT. FOUND WHILE PARENTS, WILFRED AND JENNIE REED, WERE CLEANING OUT HOUSE BEFORE SELLING IT. THEY LIVED IN BARONS AFTER THEY MARRIED AND FARMED THERE. WILF REED IS THE GRANDSON OF JOB AND MARY REED; HIS FATHER WAS JOB AND MARY'S ELDEST SON WILLIAM (BILLY). DONOR'S CHILDREN ARE FIFTH GENERATION OF THE REED FAMILY IN LETHBRIDGE. *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. 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

P19990057001

Acquisition Date

1999-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail