Christmas and Antiques; In Company of General James Wolfe Esq. Tavern

My Christmas Present; General James Wolfe Tavern

Community Christmas Dinners in Gravenhurst

As mentioned a few weeks ago, community Christmas Dinners are a large part of the Christmas Season in Muskoka.   This one was held on Saturday night at the Gravenhurst Seniors Activity Centre with a capacity crowd in attendance to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner.   Many of our local residents do not have the opportunity to enjoy a Christmas dinner during the season, so it’s an important part of the Centre to provide this opportunity.  The evening concluded with a Carol sing and social time for everyone.  Fred Schulz Photo

To Connect With Today's Bracebridge Blog, Part of the Christmas Series Click Here

http://thenatureofmuskoka.blogspot.ca/

I BROUGHT GENERAL WOLFE HOME - FROM THE TAVERN I NEVER VISITED - MY UNITED EMPIRE LOYALIST PAST

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES FOR CHRISTMAS - WHY NOT?

     FOR THE PAST MONTH, WE HAVE STAYED PRETTY CLOSE TO TOWN. ANDREW AND ROBERT HAVE HAD A LOT OF STUDIO WORK ON SUNDAYS, AND WITH BAD WEATHER, WE'VE HAD TO CONFINE OUR ANTIQUING TO THE HOME REGION FOR MOST OF DECEMBER. WHICH IS NO GREAT DISADVANTAGE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, THAT MOST OF OUR TIME OFF, IS CONFINED TO SUNDAYS. OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP IS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK. WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER STAFF THAN US CURRIES. WE ALSO DON'T DRIVE IN BAD WEATHER. THIS GOES BACK TO MY DAYS AS A REPORTER, HAVING TO COVER TRAFFIC CARNAGE AS PART OF MY NEWS BEAT. I SAW THINGS, FOLKS, I CAN'T DESCRIBE. I STILL GET FLASHBACKS AND NIGHTMARES, RELIVING THOSE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT SCENES. SO AS DISAPP0INTED AS I MIGHT BE, ABOUT NOT HITTING THE HIGHWAYS, WHEN IT'S SNOWING AND BLOWING, I DON'T WANT MY FAMILY WINDING UP IN THOSE TWISTED WRECKS YOU SEE ON TELEVISION.
     WE ONLY DID HALF THE USUAL DRIVING IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.IN OUR FAMILY, WE HAVE A LITTLE "VAGABOND" IN OUR GENES. IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION, IT'S NECESSARY TO MOVE ABOUT, NOW AND AGAIN, TO HUNT AND GATHER INVENTORY FOR OUR SHOP. WE DO A LOT OF LOCAL ANTIQUE PICKING, BUT WE LIKE TO HAVE AN INTERESTING DIVERSITY OF INVENTORY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS....SO WE HAVE, FOR YEARS, INCLUDED HURONIA AND SIMCOE COUNTY IN OUR TRADITIONAL MOTOR TRIPS. WE CAN FIND TEN OR MORE PLACES TO STOP AND SHOP. AS WELL, WE GIVE EACH OTHER ANTIQUES FOR CHRISTMAS, AND YES, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING AHEAD OF TIME. WE'RE PAST TRYING TO "BEST" EACH OTHER, AND PREFER TO MAKE WISE INVESTMENTS WITH OUR PRESENT PURCHASES. IT CUTS DOWN ON THE RETURNS ON BOXING DAY, THAT'S FOR SURE. THIS IS A FAMILY TRADITION THAT GOES BACK TO WHEN SUZANNE AND I GOT MARRIED. WE INCLUDED THE BOYS IN THE SAME TRADITION, WHEN THEY GOT OLD ENOUGH TO HELP PICK OUT PRESENTS. THEY WERE TAUGHT AT AN EARLY AGE TO RESPECT AND PLAY-NICE WITH VINTAGE TOYS. ANDREW JUST BOUGHT A 1948 LIONEL TRAIN SET OFF A FRIEND, WHO INHERITED IT FROM HIS FATHER. HE'S GOT IT SET UP AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN HIS DOWNSTAIR'S APARTMENT. LOOKS LIKE 1948 ALL OVER AGAIN. JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT.
     ANDREW GOT A REALLY NEAT ANTIQUE "MINIATURE" CYLINDER PLAYER TODAY, (HE DOESN'T GET TO PLAY WITH IT UNTIL CHRISTMAS) WITH ACCESSORIES, TO GO WITH THE OTHER TWO HE ALREADY OWNS. THEY ALL PLAY BEAUTIFULLY, AND HE HAS LOTS OF WAX CYLINDERS TO USE. HE CAN EVEN RECORD HIS OWN CYLINDERS ON BLANKS HE HAS AS PART OF THE COLLECTION. THESE HAVE ATTRACTIVE HORNS, TO AMPLIFY THE SOUND. IT WAS A CHANCE FIND BECAUSE THESE ARE HIGHLY COLLECTABLE, AND USUALLY SELL FOR A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WE PAID. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE, IS THAT ANDREW CAN MAKE MINOR REPAIRS TO THESE UNITS, AND IS VERY PERSNICKETY ABOUT CONDITION, SO AFTER SOME CLOSE INSPECTION AND PLAYING, HE DECIDED IT WAS GOING TO BE UNDER OUR CHRISTMAS TREE. SUZANNE BOUGHT HERSELF A NICE PIECE OF CRANBERRY GLASS MADE BY THE FENTON GLASS COMPANY OF OHIO. THEY MADE A LOT OF INTERESTING DECORATIVE GLASS, AND SUZANNE TOURED THE PLANT, ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE VISITED FAMILY FRIENDS IN OHIO. SHE ACTUALLY MADE SOME PURCHASES AT THAT TIME, THAT SHE KEEPS IN HER SPECIAL DISPLAY CUPBOARD HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. SHE PREFERS CRANBERRY GLASS BUT SHE HAS QUITE A FEW EXAMPLES OF FENTON'S MILK GLASS TRAYS AND STANDS, WHICH ARE HIGH QUALITY PIECES. THIS IS WHAT SHE WANTED UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE. ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS A GOOD INVESTMENT, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FENTON COLLECTORS, SO IF SHE SHOULD EVER GET TIRED OF THE GLASS COLLECTION, THERE WILL BE A READY MARKET TO RE-INVEST. ROBERT INVESTED IN VINTAGE RECORDS THAT HE WANTS FOR HIS PRIVATE COLLECTION, WHICH IS OF CONSIDERABLE VALUE, PLUS SOME MILITARIA WHICH HAS BECOME A MINOR COLLECTING INTEREST. SUZANNE PLANS TO GIVE HIM HIS GRANDFATHER NORMAN'S "GREAT COAT," FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR, INCLUDING HIS PAPER WORK, AND A LITTLE MAINTENANCE BOOKLET HE KEPT WHEN WORKING ON TANK REPAIRS, WHICH WAS HIS SPECIALTY. HE SPENT PART OF THE WAR YEARS WORKING ON MECHANICAL REPAIRS AT BASE BORDEN, BEFORE GOING OVERSEAS. HE WAS IN THE PARADE FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY, AFTER THE LIBERATION OF HOLLAND, AND DROVE ONE OF THE TANKS IN THE PROCESSION. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A MINOR INTEREST IN MILITARIA, IN PART, BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE AS FAMILY HEIRLOOMS. WE'VE JUST BEEN ADDING TO THESE ITEMS WHEN WE FIND SOMETHING OF PARTICULAR INTEREST. I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YEARS, TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING FROM THE CREW OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY SHIP, "COATICOOK," THAT MY FATHER SERVED ON, DURING HIS WAR YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON. FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK. OF COURSE I KNOW ALL THE RICH SONGS THE SAILORS USED TO SING ABOUT THAT HARDY SQUADRON....AND HE GIRLS THEY DATED ON-SHORE. AND NONE OF THEM WERE POLITIFCALLY CORRECT, OR PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TO THE OPPOSITE SEX. I CAN'T PRINT THE VERSES HERE, FOR FEAR OF LOSING MY BLOG PRIVILEGES.
    AS FAR AS MEMORABILIA, I THINK IT'S CALLED A "TALLY," AND IS THE RIBBON AROUND A SAILOR'S HAT, WITH THE NAME OF THE SHIP PRINTED ON. I'D LOVE BUY BACK THE PORTRAIT OF MY FATHER, THAT HE EITHER GAVE OR SOLD TO AN ANTIQUE DEALER FRIEND, WHEN I WAS ABOUT FIFTEEN. THE DEALER CAME RIGHT INTO OUR HOUSE, AND BOUGHT MY HEIRLOOM OFF OUR LIVINGROOM WALL. OR SO THE STORY GOES. MY FATHER DID NOT HAVE MANY KIND RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR YEARS, AND THE WAY VETERANS WERE TREATED WHEN THEY ARRIVED HOME. "WE WEREN'T WELCOMED, THAT'S FOR SURE," HE USED TO SAY, IF ANYBODY ASKED ABOUT HIS SERVICE TO CANADA. MANY VETERANS CONCUR ABOUT HOW THEY WERE RECEIVED BACK IN CANADA, BY THE GOVERNMENT THEY HAD SO BRAVELY SERVED. HE CAME AROUND IN THE FINAL YEARS OF HIS LIFE, AND MELLOWED ABOUT GOVERNMENT; AND CONCENTRATED ON RENEWED FRIENDSHIPS WITH HIS VETERAN FRIENDS INSTEAD. BUT I STILL WANDER ABOUT IN ANTIQUE SHOPS, THINKING THAT ONE DAY, I MIGHT FIND THAT LOST PORTRAIT OF MY FATHER "THE SAILOR." I USED TO TELL MY CLASSMATES, THAT MY FATHER WAS THE REAL "POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN." I TOLD THEM I HAD PROOF AT HOME. OF COURSE, I STOPPED MAKING THIS CLAIM AFTER HE SOLD THE OVAL FRAMED PORTRAIT. THEN I TOLD MY MATES THAT HE WAS THE MODEL FOR THE LOGO ON PLAYER'S CIGARETTE PACKAGES, AND THE GUY ON THE CRACKER JACKS BOX. I TOOK A REAL HIT, LOSING THAT PORTRAIT, BECAUSE I USED TO STUDY IT CONSTANTLY. HE HAD BEEN A HANDSOME CHAP IN HIS DAY. THEY EVEN SMOOTHED OUT THE CROOK IN HIS BATTERED NOSE, THAT HE GOT FROM MANY FIST FIGHTS IN THE BARS WHERE THE CREW WAS ON SHORE LEAVE. YUP, MY FATHER WAS A CABBAGETOWN KID WHO FOUGHT FOR MOST OF HIS CHILDHOOD IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN FOUGHT THE GERMANS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC, AND FELLOW SAILORS AND ARMY LADS, WHEN HE GOT TOO MUCH GROG IN HIS SYSTEM. I KNEW THIS ABOUT HIM AS A YOUNGSTER, THOUGH HE WAS A PUSSY CAT AT HOME. BUT THE PORTRAIT WAS NOT EXACTLY A TRUE REFLECTION OF THE TOUGH IRISH BUGGER HE WAS. IT MADE HIM LOOK ANGELIC, AND HE CERTAINLY WASN'T THAT CLOSE TO GOD; AND HE KILLED A LOT OF ENEMY PILOTS WITH HIS ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS OF WHICH HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS ACCURACY.
     FOR MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT, I FOUND A LITTLE PUB SIGN TO GO WITH MY UNITED EMPIRE LOYALIST BACKGROUND....AND MY LOVE FOR THE OCCASIONAL ENGLISH BEER. IN AN ORILLIA ANTIQUE SHOP, KNOWN AS "CAROUSEL" I FOUND A WONDERFULLY CRAFTED TAVERN SIGN, WITH A LITTLE BRITISH PROVENANCE FROM THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM. THE OVAL WOODEN SIGN, MADE OF JOINED WOODED, AND CUT-OUT BY HAND (WHICH ALWAYS TURNS ME ON) HAVING UNDERTERMINED AGE AND PROVENANCE....IS HEADED, ABOVE THE SILHOUETTE IMAGE, "WOLFE TAVERN," AND BELOW "JAMES WOLFE ESQ., 1762," FRAMING AN HISTORIC SIDE PROFILE OF BRITISH GENERAL JAMES WOLFE, WHO LED HIS TROOPS TO VICTORY ON THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM OVER THE FRENCH GENERAL MONTCALM. BOTH GENERALS DIED IN BATTLE. MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY DID FIGHT WITH THE BRITISH AT AROUND THIS TIME, AS WELL AS THE LATER AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND AS AUXILIARY SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF 1812. SO THIS SIGN REMINDS ME OF MY KIN FOLK, AND TO ENJOY THE HISTORY, I DON'T HAVE TO MOUNT A HORSE, FIRE A MUSKET, OR WEAR ONE OF THOSE WOOLEN UNIFORMS IN THE HEAT OF JULY. I'LL JUST LOOK AT MY PUB PAINTING, AND THE GENERAL WOLFE SIGN, NOW POSITIONED BELOW OUR CHRISTMAS TREE. I'M GOING TO SALUTE THE GENERAL WITH A TOAST OF MULLED APPLE CIDER, LATER THIS EVENING.....AND ENJOY THIS NEW VISUAL REMINDER OF MY PLACE IN CANADIAN HISTORY. BY THE WAY, WOLFE WAS ALREADY DEAD BY THE TIME THIS TAVERN SIGN WAS PAINTED IN HIS HONOR.....A MEMORIAL OF SORTS WHICH BY ASSOCIATION INVOLVED THE CONSUMPTION OF BEER. I'M GOOD WITH THAT. THIS SIGN IS NOT CIRCA 1762. IT IS A MODERN ERA FOLK ART CREATION......A GOOD ONE. JUST NOT ORIGINAL. A PERIOD PIECE WOULD BE VALUED AT ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE SIGN, JUST THIS SECOND, BEGAN ROLLING AWAY FROM THE CHRISTMAS TREE. GREAT. BONUS. I'VE GOT A HAUNTED TAVERN SIGN. HECK,THAT MEANS IT'S ALREADY DOUBLED IN VALUE AND GIVEN ME SOMETHING ELSE TO WRITE ABOUT. LOTS OF PEOPLE WANT TO BUY HAUNTED ANTIQUES. NO KIDDING. AND BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, IT'S TRUE. THIS PORTRAIT OF GENERAL WOLFE DOES LOOK LIKE THE LATE GENERAL, BUT A LITTLE MORE LIKE WASHINGTON IRVING'S CHARACTER FROM "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW," KNOWN AS "ICHABOD CRANE," THE SCHOLAR / TEACHER, WHO RAN AFOUL OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN.
    BUT ONE DAY I'D LIKE TO GET MY FATHER'S PORTRAIT BACK. NOW THAT WOULD BE A REAL COLLECTING COUP. I'VE GOT A FEW GOOD HUNTING AND GATHERING YEARS LEFT. ANTIQUE HUNTERS NEVER SAY DIE. WE KNOW BETTER.
     I LIKE PUB / TAVERN MEMORABILIA, AND THIS SIGN ALSO ADDRESSES MY OTHER QUEST FOR LOYALIST ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES. ALTHOUGH THIS SIGN IS NOT AS OLD AS IT APPEARS, IT DID OBVIOUSLY REPRESENT A TAVERN AT ONE TIME IN ITS PAST. I HAVE A PASSION FOR OLD ENGLISH PUBS, AND I HAVE SAT IN SOME HISTORIC ONES ON MY TRAVELS.....LIKE "THE ROSE AND CROWN," "YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM," ONE OF THE OLDEST IN ENGLAND, AND THE "ADMIRAL RODNEY." I HAVE A NICE PAINTING OF AN ENGLISH PUB THAT IS UNNAMED, HANGING IN OUR LIVINGROOM, AND WE CALL IT "THE ROVER'S RETURN," AFTER OUR FAVORITE TELEVISION PUB, FROM OF COURSE, "CORONATION STREET."
     SO, IT'S SHAPING UP TO BE AN HISTORY-LADEN CHRISTMAS, AND WE'RE FEELING VERY CONNECTED TO THE PAST....ALREADY.
     HOPE YOU ARE ALL KEEPING WELL AND WARM, DURING THESE BITTERLY COLD DAYS OF PRE-WINTER. THE HEARTH IS PLEASANTLY WARMING TONIGHT, AT BIRCH HOLLOOW, AND THERE'S ANOTHER CHAIR IF YOU'RE FEELING COLD. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. LOTS MORE CHRISTMAS FARE TO COME.

THE ABOVE GREETING CARD, WAS PRODUCED BY GRAVENHURST ARTIST, AND OUTSTANDING PRINT MAKER, FRANK JOHNSTON. THIS CARD WAS MADE IN THE 1980'S BY JOHNSTON, AS ONE OF HIS MANY HISTORICAL THEMED PAINTINGS, AND THIS ONE FEATURES PIONEER VILLAGE IN HUNTSVILLE. WHAT MAKES THIS ONE SPECIAL FOR ME, IS THAT IT CAME FROM MUSKOKA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, FRANK MILLER, AND FAMILY. THERE IS ALSO A SKETCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE HUNTSVILLE TOWN HALL. I RECEIVED THE CARD AS EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE. FOR YEARS FRANK AND I SEEMED TO MEET UP ON MOST "WORKING" WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR, TO VISIT MUSKOKA CONSTITUENTS WHO WERE CELEBRATING MILESTONE WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES AND BIRTHDAYS……FRANK PRESENTED CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE PROVINCE, M.P. STAN DARLING, REPRESENTING THE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND I REPRESENTED THE WILLINGNESS OF THE LOCAL PRESS, TO COVER ALL OUR COMMUNITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. SO EVERY YEAR I GOT A CARD FROM FRANK, (I'M NOT SURE ABOUT STAN) AT CHRISTMAS, AND I HUNG ONTO THEM……AND I'M GLAD I DID. THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK BY FRANK JOHNSTON. AS I PLAN ON COMPLETING A BIOGRAPHY OF FRANK JOHNSTON THIS YEAR, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO SEE ANY CARDS OR PRINTS (ORIGINALS WOULD BE NICE), OF HIS ART WORK, THAT CAN BE USED WITH THE FUTURE ONLINE BIOGRAPHY. I DON'T WANT GRAVENHURST FORGETTING WHO THIS TALENTED MAN WAS, AND HOW HE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF THE COMMUNITY, FOR THOSE YEARS HE LIVED AND WORKED A BLOCK FROM THE MAIN STREET.