Captain Shirley Montague Tuke and the tokens of esteem; Gravenhurst Opera House Needs Board of Directors

A Victorian Era image of Captain Shirley Montague Tuke

Hand Tinted photographs of Captain Tuke as a child in England

1932 presentations to  Captain Tuke by his associate officers

WHAT YOU LEARN FROM ESTATES, AND THE RELICS OF WORLD HISTORY THEY CAN PRESENT

SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T FIND THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE FEELING OF HISTORICAL IMMERSION - THAT YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING

     THE ROB FORD HUNT CONTINUES TODAY IN GRAVENHURST. FORGET THE BIA AND CHAMBER HYPE. JUST INVITE TORONTO MAYOR ROB FORD, TO DROP BY FOR A VISIT. AS A RETIRED REPORTER MYSELF, I KNOW WHAT A DRAG IT IS, TO BE ON THE HUNT FOR NEWS MAKERS, LOOSE IN THE REGION. THIS IS THE MOST NEWS COVERAGE MUSKOKA, BRACEBRIDGE, GRAVENHURST AND BALA HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME. CRAZY HOW THAT WORKS. IF ROB DROPS INTO OUR SHOP TO BUY A STRATOCASTER, OR A HARPSICHORD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HIM; (WE HAD A STAFF MEETING TO IMPOSE THIS RULE) INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING TO INVITE THE GUY TO SIT IN THE BACK ROOM, ON A COMFORTABLE SOFA, AND THEN WE'LL GET THE MAN A POP. NON ALCOHOLIC OF COURSE. THIS IS A SAFE HAVEN, NOT ONLY FOR MUSICIANS, BUT FOR MAYORS BEING HOUNDED BY THE PRESS GANG. HE'S A HUMAN BEING FOR GOSH SAKES. LET'S GIVE THE MAN A BREAK. ISN'T MUSKOKA ALL ABOUT SOLITUDE AND UNWINDING FROM THE URBAN STRESSES OF OUR WORLD? THE MEDIA HAS MADE THIS INTO A SPECTACLE. IT'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DISADVANTAGE, AND BOY OH BOY, DOES THIS REFLECT BADLY ON US AS INFORMATION CONSUMERS. HEY, I WATCH THE NEWS REPORTS, SO I'M ONE OF THAT NUMBER. TELL YOU WHAT! THE PRESS WILL BE BARRED FROM THIS LOCATION, IF HE HAPPENED TO DEKE IN HERE, TO BEAT THE CAMERA BRIGADE. AND, BY GOLLY, I WOULDN'T WRITE ABOUT IT EITHER. THAT LEAVES YOU TO WONDER, IF HE'S BEEN HERE ALREADY, AND JUST LEFT. NO COMMENT.

GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE; SECOND VERSE THE SAME AS THE FIRST

     NOW, BEFORE I OFFER MY CRITIQUE, WHETHER IT IS SEEN AS FAIR OR NOT, I HOPE THE NEWLY APPOINTED MANAGER, OF THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE, IS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SERIOUS, PROTOCOL ALTERING CHANGES, AT OUR HISTORIC VENUE; WITHOUT BEING (AS IS TYPICAL) BURDENED BY THE PRECEDENTS OF THE RECENT PAST. AS A RULE, THE OPERA HOUSE MANAGER, HAS HAD LIMITED WIGGLE ROOM, TO FUNCTION, (OR SOME TIMES, TOO MUCH ROOM) AND ALMOST NO MENTORING BY ANYONE ON THE TOWN PAYROLL, WHO KNOWS, OR WHO HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE, IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, BUT THIS WAS TOWN'S WISDOM. INSTEAD, IT IS FELT BEST, JUST TO LET THE MANAGER FIND THE OBSTACLES THEMSELVES. AND, LOW AND BEHOLD, THEY HAVE! MANAGERS ARE ONLY AS GOOD, AS THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE IS SOUND, AND RELIABLE. IT COULD BE THIS WAY, IN GRAVENHURST, BUT THERE IS A NAGGING RELUCTANCE, TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES, TO INCREASE MENTORSHIP, AND REDUCE THE BURDEN OF ADMINISTRATION. THERE ARE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHO COULD FORWARD THIS IDEA, BUT THEY LIKE STATUS QUO TOO MUCH, TO PURSUE WHAT IS SEEN AS MAJOR SURGERY. SO WHILE I CAN WISH THE OPERA HOUSE MANAGER GOOD LUCK, SHE WILL NEED MORE THAN THIS, AND ARTS AND CULTURE EXPERIENCE, TO CONVINCE TOWN COUNCIL, TO RE-EXAMINE HOW WE GOT TO THIS QUAGMIRE, IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL? I'M NOT SURE YOU COULD FIND A SINGLE COUNCILLOR, WHO WOULD CONFESS, TO HAVING BEEN LESS THAN STELLAR STEWARDS AND PROMOTERS OF THE OPERA HOUSE, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. IN MY OPINION, IT IS VIEWED AS AN ANCHOR AND A MONEY PIT. AS FOR IT EVER MAKING MONEY, IT SEEMS THEY'VE JUST GIVEN UP WORRYING ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING.
     I HAVE JUST FINISHED READING A SELF-SERVING, ONE-SIDED OVERVIEW, PUBLISHED IN THE LOCAL PRESS, HIGHLIGHTING WHAT THE NEWLY HIRED MANAGER OF THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE, IS GOING TO DO, IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF THE HISTORIC MAIN STREET VENUE. WHEN I FINISHED SHAKING MY HEAD, AND FEELING MY BLOOD PRESSURE THROBBING IN MY CHEEKS, THE ONLY WORDS THAT CAME TO MIND, OTHER THAN "GIVE ME A BREAK," WERE, "THE FORWARD-BACKWARD PRINCIPLE." IT'S WHAT WE EXPECT, SORT OF, WHENEVER NEW FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA, ARRIVE HERE IN GRAVENHURST, AND BELIEVE THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES, IN THE MODERN ERA, TO DISCOVER THE SHY, RELUCTANT, UNFULFILLED INHABITANTS, AND WHAT UNDER-UTILIZED RESOURCES, WE POSSESS, OF PROPERTY AND UNTAPPED SKILLS. YOU KNOW, SOME STUFF TO REVITALIZE, LIKE OUR BEAT UP OLD COLLECTIVE SENSE OF HUMOR, WHICH HAS BEEN SEVERELY DEPLETED THIS COUNCIL TERM, TRYING TO REMAIN CHIPPER. WHY DOES IT ALWAYS READ LIKE, "THANK GOODNESS, A NEW MANAGER HAS ARRIVED IN TIME TO SAVE US, THE LOCALS, FROM DISAPPEARING INTO CULTURAL IRRELEVANCE?"
     HERE'S A LITTLE FREE ADVICE ABOUT THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO RUN IT. THERE IS NO MANAGER ON EARTH, OR ON ANY OF THE ORBITING PLANETS, WHO CAN SINGLE HANDEDLY IMPROVE OPERATIONS, TO WHAT WE EXPECT AS CONSTITUENT OWNERS, UNLESS TOWN COUNCIL EITHER COMES TO ITS SENSES, OR IS REPLACED IN OCTOBER'S MUNICIPAL ELECTION. THE REASON WE HAVE HAD A STALEMATE AT THE OPERA HOUSE, CAN'T BE BLAMED ON THE SHORTAGE OF TALENT, IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT THE FACT COUNCIL HAS REFUSED TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TIME AND AGAIN. THE RIGHT THING? APPOINT AN INDEPENDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH IS PRETTY COMMON OUT THERE IN CULTURAL VENUES, THAT CAN LIAISON BETWEEN THE MANAGER AND COUNCIL, AND FEEL FREE TO CRITIQUE EITHER SIDE, ON ANY ISSUE, WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING DISMISSED FOR VIEWS EXPRESSED. THE MANAGER, WORKING WITH COUNCIL, TO IMPROVE THE PRESENT STALEMATE AT THE OPERA HOUSE, IS IN THE PRECARIOUS SITUATION, OF TRYING TO CHANGE A CLUSTER OF COUNCILLORS, WHO REALLY DON'T CARE WHETHER THE OPERA HOUSE IS CONSTITUENT FRIENDLY OR NOT. IF THEY CARED, THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE NEW MANAGER THE INSULATION OF A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THAT COULD HAVE STARED-DOWN THE COUNCIL TABLE, FEARLESS OF REPRIMAND, IN LOOKING AFTER OUR RIGHTS, TO HAVE A MORE PUBLIC-FRIENDLY OPERA HOUSE.
     THERE IS NO WAY THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AT THE OPERA HOUSE, UNTIL THE MATTER BECOMES IMPERATIVE, SUCH AS IF IT BECAME AN ELECTION ISSUE. MAYBE IT WILL BECOME THUS. BUT AS FAR AS REACHING OUT TO FORMER OR EXISTING USERS, THE MANAGER NEEDS TO APPRECIATE JUST HOW LOWLY WE FEEL, ABOUT THE OPERA HOUSE, BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT HAS BEEN OPERATED RECENTLY. AND I DON'T BLAME ANY PAST MANAGER, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD MENTORS WORKING WITH THEM; SUCH AS DIRECTORS OF A BOARD OF GOVERNANCE. I WILL MAKE THE CLAIM AGAIN, THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THE TOWN SHOULD BE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE OPERA HOUSE IS A CASE IN POINT. THE RATES FOR RENTALS DISCOURAGE MORE THAN THEY ENCOURAGE. AS FOR IT BEING FOR THE LOCALS, WELL THAT'S JUST FUNNY. HOW MANY OF US, CAN AFFORD THE RENTAL AND ASSOCIATED FEES, TO PUT ANYTHING ON AT THE OPERA HOUSE. THIS ISN'T A MANAGER SITUATION, BECAUSE THIS IS CONTROLLED BY TOWN HALL, AND THE BENEVOLENCE, OR NOT, OF COUNCILLORS. I'M PRETTY SURE, MOST OF THE COUNCILLORS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE OPERA HOUSE WOULD COST, FOR SOMEONE TO RENT THE MAIN STAGE AND THE TRILLIUM COURT, INCLUDING ALL THE EXTRA FEES, AND SURCHARGES ON TICKET SALES. WHY DON'T THEY KNOW THIS INFORMATION? I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S NOT A HIGH PRIORITY. NO I'M SURE OF IT.
     I'M SURE THE NEW MANAGER WILL TRY HARD TO RESTORE PUBLIC, AND USER FAITH, IN THE OPERA HOUSE. BUT THE REAL CHALLENGE, AFTERALL IS SAID AND DONE, IS TO CONVINCE COUNCILLORS, WHO CALL THE SHOTS, TO REFORM THEIR STANCE ON WHAT THE OPERA HOUSE SHOULD AND COULD BE, IF GIVEN THE MANAGEMENT ATTENTION IT DESERVES. FIRST OF ALL, A BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NEEDED, TO WORK ON OUR (THE TAXPAYERS') BEHALF, TO MAKE SURE OUR VOICES OF CONCERN. ARE HEARD AND RESPECTED; WHEREAS, COMPLAINING TO THE PRESENT TOWN COUNCIL IS AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY. THE TRULY REFRESHING REALITY, WOULD BE, IF EVEN ONCE COUNCILLOR READ THIS OVER, AND MUTTERED, "BY GOLLY, THAT CURRIE GUY IS SPOT-ON."
     THE ONLY CHANCE FOR IMPROVEMENT AT THE OPERA HOUSE, IS IF THE INCOMING COUNCIL DECIDES TO GET BEHIND THE VENUE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW INTIMATELY, THE POTENTIAL IT HAS FOR IMPROVEMENT. STICKING WITH THE SAME COUNCILLORS, WELL, WE WILL BE FORCED TO TRUDGE EVERMORE DOWN THIS SAME ROAD, AND NOTHING WILL IMPROVE. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DAMAGE DONE IN PAST YEARS, AND OUR CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN KNOCKED DOWN TIME AND AGAIN. IF IT BECOMES AN ELECTION ISSUE? WHO WILL CARE? THAT'S THE REAL DILEMMA, BECAUSE THE APATHY THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE GENERAL DISINTEREST, TO CHALLENGE A LARGELY UNRESPONSIVE COUNCIL, IS GOING TO KEEP VOTERS FROM CASTING THEIR BALLOTS. AS IT IS SHAPING UP IN THE EARLY GOING, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE DOESN'T EVEN APPEAR A SHRED OF INTEREST FOR NEWCOMERS, TO GIVE COUNCIL A SHOT THIS OCTOBER. NOW THAT IS ALARMING. HOW DO YOU CHANGE THIS? SOME SAY IT'S JUST TOO LATE. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, "WE GET WHAT WE GET." AS FAR AS CHANGING THE STATUS QUO AT THE OPERA HOUSE? IT WILL TAKE THE COMMUNITY ITSELF INSISTING. IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO CAST A BALLOT. FOLLOW-UP IS A REQUIREMENT. HOW BAD DO WE, AS CONSTITUENTS, WANT CHANGES TO THE WAY THE OPERA HOUSE OPERATES? THIS IS THE MULTI MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
  
TOM THOMSON GIG, I LOVE IT!    

     JUST WHEN I SET MY TOM THOMSON ARCHIVES ASIDE, FOR AWHILE, WITHOUT ONE SPECK OF DUST HITTING ITS COVER, I JUST, THIS MOMENT, GOT AN EMAIL FROM MY PUBLISHER-ASSOCIATE, FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, THAT I HAVE BEEN AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE AN EDITORIAL PIECE, FOR A SPECIAL REGIONAL PUBLICATION, SLATED FOR THE FIRST OF JULY; PROFILING TOM THOMSON'S YEARS PAINTING IN ALGONQUIN PARK. I NEVER GET TIRED WRITING ABOUT TOM THOMSON. AND HERE I AM, SITTING BESIDE TOM THOMSON'S TENOR BANJO, HERE IN THE STUDIO OF OUR GRAVENHURST MUSIC SHOP. I'M GETTING GOOD VIBES, LET ME TELL YOU. (YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO THE STORIES WE HAVE PUBLISHED ON THOMSON'S BANJO, OR SO EXPERTS HAVE CLAIMED, THAT WE OWN).
     FOR THE PAST HOUR, THIS MORNING, I HAVE HAD MY NEARLY-HAIRLESS HEAD, BURIED IN A BOX OF OLD PAPER, BROUGHT TO US FROM A LOCAL ESTATE. AS I HAVE NOTED MANY TIMES, IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THERE ARE TIMES IN THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE PROFESSION, LIKE BEING A MUSEUM CURATOR, WHEN YOU JUST HAVE TO PAUSE, AND EXTEND SILENT BLESSINGS, TO THE FORMER OWNERS; IN THE FACT THOSE CHARGED WITH THE ESTATE DISMANTLING, HAD THE GOOD SENSE TO PRESERVE, EVEN THE PAPER HERITAGE, LEFT BY THE DECEASED. WHILE IN THIS CASE, MOST OF THE PAPER IN THE BOX WILL BE HEADED TO RECYCLING, WHAT WAS CONSERVED, OF OLD ROAD MAPS, HOTEL BROCHURES, MILITARY LETTERS, AND OLD ADVERTISING ITEMS, SUCH AS PAPER BLOTTERS, IS ALL VERY USEFUL IN OUR TRADE, AND DID I MENTION HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER. ONCE AGAIN, ANYTHING TO DO WITH TRANSPORTATION, SUCH AS PLANES, TRAINS, AUTOMOBILES, AND GAS STATION MEMORABILIA, IS "HOT" FOR OLD-PAPER DEALERS. BUT THERE ARE ALSO LETTERS AND RELATED DOCUMENTED INFORMATION, THAT HAS TO BE HANDLED WITH GREAT CARE. SOME INTIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE HARMFUL, IF IT GETS INTO THE WRONG HANDS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO MAY NOT APPRECIATE GETTING BLIND-SIDED, FINDING CONFIDENTIAL LETTERS BEING PUBLISHED BY SOMEONE LIKE ME; OR ARRIVING IN AN ANTIQUE SHOP SHOWCASE, ON PUBLIC DISPLAY, FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PRICE. SO WE DO WIND UP KEEPING MUCH OF THIS MATERIAL OUT OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, AND OFTEN DESTROY HALF WHAT WE ACQUIRE, DUE TO OBVIOUS SENSITIVITIES.
     IN THE CASE OF CAPTAIN SHIRLEY MONTAGUE TUKE, WE HAD PERMISSION OF THE FAMILY, TO RE-PUBLISH THE DETAILS OF HIS MILITARY CAREER, AND AS WE PURCHASED THE ARCHIVES, AND A FEW OTHER MOMENTOS, IT WAS UNDERSTOOD WE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE PUTTING THE ITEMS ON DISPLAY, AS PART OF OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION. WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US, MORE AS HISTORIANS, THAN ANTIQUE DEALERS, WAS THE FACT MUCH OF THE TUKE COLLECTION, WHILE NOT HUGE, OR OF GREAT INVESTMENT VALUE, WAS THE THREAD IN HEIRLOOM PIECES, DATING BACK TO THE LATE 1800'S, TO THE CAPTAIN'S FATHER, DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE; AND THEN THE SOLDIER'S OWN CHILDHOOD, REPRESENTED BY THE IRON SOLDIERS PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THIS BLOG, EARLIER IN THE WEEK, THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YOUNG MAN, INCLUDING HIS IMAGE (TWO PORTRAITS HAND TINTED) CONTAINED IN A SILVER LOCKET, AND TWO LATER CAREER PRESENTATION PIECES, ALSO SHOWN ABOVE. THE FIRST PRESENTATION PIECE IS AN INSCRIBED 1932 SILVER SALVER, AND SECONDLY, A BRASS BOX, IN THE SAME YEAR, INSCRIBED ON THE SIDE, "S.J.M.T. DECEMBER 1932." (CAPTAIN TUKE) IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CAPTAIN TUKE, YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO MONDAY OF THIS WEEK.
     THE INSCRIPTION ON THE SILVER SALVER, READS AS FOLLOWS: "TO CAPTAIN S.J.M. TUKE, O.B.E. (ORDER OF BRITISH EMPIRE), ADJUTANT 56TH 91ST LONDON) DIVISIONAL R.A.S.C. T.A., FROM MEMBERS OF THE SERGEANT'S MESS OF THE UNIT, AS A TOKEN OF THEIR ESTEEM, DATED OCTOBER, 1933. THE NAMES IMPRINTED BELOW INCLUDE: CSM C.N.J. MARSH, CQMS W.C. CRANE, SGT. A.E. GRAINGE, SGT. R.R. LITTLEWOOD, SGT. C.H. BARBER, SGT. C.H. BARBER, SGT. M.J. A. CAMPELL, SQMS W.W. RIXON MBE, CSM W.J. HARRIS, STAFF SGT. R.H. BROWN, SGT H.C.V. KNIGHT, SGT. F.C. BROOKER, SGT. C.E.L. EVEREST, SGT. J. BURKE, CSM S.G. EYRE, STAFF SGT. D. ANDERSON, SGT. J.P. DOYLE, SGT. G.A. PATRICK, SGT. W.H. ELGRAM, SGT. T. WALSH." THE BRASS BOX IS INSCRIBED WITH SIGNATURES, AND SOME ARE HARD TO READ. HERE ARE SOME OF THE NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS 1932 PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN TUKE: "W. PHILIP REYNOLDS, C.O. CATLIFF, F. GORDON MILLER, M.T. ADAM, A.F. FINDLEY, R.W. HOLLAND, E.P.C. FINDLEY, M. ORME SMITH, J. NEWTON, SIDNEY JAGOT, T.L. LANKLARD." THERE'S ONE SIGNATURE WE CAN NOT DECIPHER.
     I AM OFF NOW TO THE "SESSIONS" CONCERT, SONS ANDREW AND ROBERT ARE PROMOTING, AT ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH, HERE IN GRAVENHURST, AS THE FIRST OF MANY PLANNED FOR THIS COMING YEAR. I WILL HAVE A REVIEW OF THE EVENT FOR TOMORROW'S BLOG. THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU DROP BY FOR A VISIT.