Helen Jane Arundel Miles Portrait Artist; 75th Anniversary of P.O.W. Camp Calydor This Year In Gravenhust

A MINIATURE VICTORIAN PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG BRIDE, AS PAINTED BY HER "ARTIST" SISTER-IN-LAW, IN ENGLAND OF THE 1860'S

THE EFFORT OF ONE HOUR'S RESEARCH, UNCOVERS THE LONG-LOST CONNECTION TO A STORIED FAMILY AND A REVERED ARTIST

     Anyone with a genuine interest in antiques and collectables, hobbyist or professional, willing to step-up their game, can learn how to find historic, heirloom items, with known or unknown (but attainable) provenance; and buy them as future investments, without necessitating first, having a business or history degree. What I want to demonstrate, if nothing else in this blog, is that every antique piece has a provenance. Everything crafted, or manufactured, and inanimate in every way, has had a succession of owners. Some because of age, having less than others. Much of it doesn't matter too much, because they are considered common pieces to start with. There are other middle of the road articles, that would be enhanced by the association with a known personality, celebrity, or landmark (hotel or resort for example). You need to have proof of this association if you plan on advertising it for sale, as having this precise provenance of past ownership. There are many other antique choices, that are great on their own, if priced fairly, that can sky-rocket with the right validated connectedness, to its roots of ownership; whether it is a log cabin quilt, having belonged to a well known pioneer family, or a buffalo robe, that was owned by a respected pioneer doctor, who used it for making house calls by cutter, during the winter months in the early 1900's. On the other hand, it could be a motorcycle once owned by Elvis. But you have to possess a fair quantity of background information first of all, to give yourself a foothold, on the possibility much more provenance exists, that hasn't been uncovered, and proven factually correct beyond doubt.
    Suzanne and I react first of all, to the quality of the subject antique or art work. Is it a quality item, despite the packaging. In other words, I wouldn't turn down a Tom Thomson landscape for a thousand bucks, just because it had a crappy frame. The first miniature painting we sold, a British antique dealer asked us to remove the art work from the frame, because it wasn't original to the piece, and then ship it on its own, but with ample security wrapping. I've had the reverse occur, when the painting was crappy but the wooden frame was beautifully carved. You just have to weigh each item according to its obvious merits, and what preliminary investigation and research turns up. There are a million exceptions to the rule, except the part about quality, which is almost always the pivot of everything else. Not just what you determine to be quality, but what the marketplace deems as the best of the best. If you buy a substandard quality item, just for the sake of provenance, it could be a shaky investment. I don't care if Elvis owned a paint by numbers art piece. I don't want it, unless he actually painted it, and signed his name. You have to think about re-sale before you buy a piece you are interested in, because otherwise, you could lose money down the road. I hate losing money on my investments, so I don't sacrifice whatsoever on quality. Of course, it wasn't always this way, and true enough, I squandered a lot of money buying magic beans from unscrupulous dealers. I'd like to think that I responded quickly to my errors in judgement, but Suzanne tells me it was a rather long period of trial and error. So it's expected mistakes will be made along the way. Quality and originality are key here.
     When we come upon a dealer exhibit, where an item has a full written provenance, and it is priced in part, according to what they claim to be its pedigree, we are only moved to interest when we have qualified the claims by quickly searching online. We will do this even if we can't afford the asking price, just to see if the information is correct. It's one of the inherent habits of also being historians as well. I am always suspicious of claims made by others I don't know, and I suspect our customers may feel the same about items we research, and what we provide as provenance. But you can talk to us in person, about any doubts you might have; whereas in a mall setting, it is quite difficult at the time of your visit, if what you want to talk about, is in a vendor's booth under lock and key. We aren't cheap with our investments in antiques with provenance. We have a great deal of respect for what added history and proven connections can make in the valuation of a heritage relic. It's something you can learn and pursue to great lengths if you have an interest in such "storied" pieces. And the enhanced values associated with a good story attached.
     I have, without apology, made reference to Hugh MacMillan many hundreds of times, in my most recent blogs, regarding the  "chasing down" of provenance for found antiques, historic relics, paintings, and old paper, including photographs, letters, journals and documents. Just in case you have just joined this blog, Hugh MacMillan, an old mate of mine in the history gathering profession, was one of Canada's best known freelance archivists, or as he preferred, "paper sleuths." His book, "Adventures of a Paper Sleuth," is my most often used reference text these days, as we now, more than ever, focus on the acquisition of more "connected" heritage pieces, for our antique business, that require the "MacMillan" effort of due diligence, to for example, regain by research, a subject article's true provenance. Its ownership identity. Hugh, in return for lodging and dinners, at Birch Hollow, here in Gravenhurst, offered Suzanne and I the kind of in-your-face heritage tutorials, that made sense to us, in all practical ways, as enthusiastic but careful "hunt and gather" antique dealers. He taught us the importance of following-through on research assignments, and taking items we find, with thin provenance, and based on assumed heritage value, pulling out all the stops to ferret every morsel of information available; and time has nothing at all to do with it. This due diligence thing, was Hugh's trademark of operation, and anyone who knew or worked with him, appreciated his stalwart, unfaltering passion, to "get the rest of the story." He loved making connections that were solid, and every link he made, gave him reason to believe, there was more of the story coming down the pike. He never left well enough alone, you might say, and our historical record in this country, has been broadened, because of his refusal to stop questing for additional provenance, and companion pieces, wherever they existed on the planet. As both antique dealers and regional historians, Hugh MacMillan made us better players, better performers, in both professions. Published below, is a small example, of what Hugh taught us, about the rewards of "never-say-never" research, and that everything, no matter how grand or insignificant, has had a provenance of ownership; some of it quite ordinary, some quite remarkable; a few items, even quite incredible. It might surprise you to know, that there are many relics out there for sale, in average shops and antique malls, in the category of "quite incredible," just waiting to be discovered.

Mrs. Frederick Arundel Miles and her Portrait - The Story of a Young Widow, and her Artist Sister-in-law

     I have a great affection for antique hand painted miniature portraits, from the Victorian period and earlier. I have had a number of them in the past twenty years, and each has sold for well more than our acquisition costs. The value of the miniatures hinges on the painter first, and the subject second. We sold a military portrait, of an identifiable member of the British Military, circa the early 1800's, because both the name of the captain, the subject of the portrait, was known, and so was the artist, to the dealer, who purchased them. In this case, we hadn't been able to do much of the research ourselves, but as Hugh had pointed out to us many times, "so find someone else who does know. Pick up the phone and make a call!" Point is, I always look longingly at miniatures, wherever I find them, in antique shops, malls, and at estate sales; yet recently, because of pricing, I haven't felt comfortable making any significant purchases in this field. As a dealer more so than a collector of miniatures, I have to defy the passions of the collector, and think about re-sale percentages. I also look more seriously at these art pieces, if there is even trace provenance, that we can research, and connect to people, and families, from the time period of the portrait, for example.
     It just so happened, that on a short, afternoon field trip, this past weekend, we found a wonderful miniature portrait, as seen above, in an attractive Victorian frame; beckoning us from a display case at a regional antique mall. The price was affordable, and Suzanne, on close inspection, thought the notes on a connected tag, and the name on the back of the picture, offered some promise for research discovery. I can't explain how we ascertain what makes a winner in this regard, because at least twenty-five percent of the decision to make the purchase, comes from precedents of the past, more so than the instruction offered us by Hugh MacMillan. The first assessment, is whether or not, we can re-sell the portrait, and if nothing pans out with research, at least get our original investment back. Antique dealers despise having to take a loss on anything, but sometimes, if one makes a bad purchase, it is hard to avoid. There are all kinds of stories told by the veterans of the antique profession, about fobbing-off "mistakes" on unsuspecting dealers, and customers, who then have to deal with the problem of pending devaluation. So we are always careful to make sure we can break-even, on such a purchase, if we can't muster the kind of provenance that will increase the value of the subject antique or collectable.
     On this day, we both agreed rather speedily, that this was an item of greater significance, and value, requiring some online searching and networking, to infill what the sparse information didn't offer as a complete story. This was definitely a good buy, and an example of just how much Hugh MacMillan impacted our buying sensibilities and strategies.
     Once on the computer, which is our primary research vehicle these days, (versus my former reference library of a thousand antique price guides and directories), Suzanne was able to infill a huge amount of the missing story behind the portrait, and the artist who painted it as a wedding present to a family member. It took five minutes. It took another fifty-five minutes, to find relevant articles published online, to sleuth out the preliminary story of family, and related professions of the British family rooted in the Royal Navy.
     First of all, the lady in the portrait, is Mrs. Frederick Arundel Miles. He maiden name was Frances Mary Moore Westbrook, the daughter of British Naval Captain, George Frederick Moore Westbrook. Her husband was Frederick Arundel Miles, son of Commander Alfred Miles, of the Royal Navy. Frances Mary Moore Westbrook and Frederick Arundel Miles, were married in England, on the 24th of September, 1861. Frederick died at the age of 26 shortly after their marriage, in 1862, leaving a young widow for the artist-sister-in-law to console. The painting is undated, but probably was done just before, or immediately after, their brief marriage.
     The portrait was painted in watercolor, by Frederick's sister, Helen Jane Arundel Miles, a highly accomplished British artist in mid-Victorian times. Here is a brief biography of the artist responsible for the well executed portrait above, of her sister-in-law.
     "This talented young artist is the only daughter of the late Commander, Alfred Miles, R.N., of the Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, himself an amateur artist of undoubted ability. Three of his drawings "Views of the Grotto of Neptune," Sardinia, were published in the lithography a few years since, by Day and Son (printers / publishers), with an accompanying poem by his wife (Poet, Sibella Elizabeth, daughter of John Westley Hatfield, an auctioneer in Cornwall), who is the author of three or four volumes of poems. This gentleman died when his daughter (Helen Jane) was just as child (in 1851). Having manifested a taste for drawing from a very early age, (his daughter) Miss Miles, continued its practice in a desultory way until she was sixteen, when the return of her family to London, enabled her to become a student at South Kensington, where she remained rather more than three years. There she obtained the local and national medal for a set of anatomical drawings, which were afterwards purchased by the Department of Science and Art. The illness and death of her only brother, obliged her to give up regular studies for about two years, when, having returned to London, she entered herself as a student at the Lambeth School of Art, and soon began work as a designer on wood, and illustrator of books. While at the Lambeth School, Miss Miles obtained a bronze medal for a design of a library door, a really beautiful work of art, admirably drawn, and full of imagination, has contributed for several years, water colour drawings and decorative designs for the New Art Pottery of the Messrs Doulton, two of which, figures of 'Britomart and Una,'from Spenser's 'Fairie Queene,' were exhibited in the International Exhibition of 1874. Presumably she had submitted other images to Doulton. Her best known and revered painting, was 'He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not'." (This can be view through an online search of the artist)

Commander Alfred Miles R.N.

Note: This is a brief biography of Frederick Arundel Miles, and artist Helen Jane Arundel Miles's father, Commander Miles

     "Alfred Miles, born on the 31st of December, 1796, entered the Navy, on the 21st of September, 1812, on board the (ship) 'Ulysses,' the flag ship of the Prince d'Auvergne, on the Jersey Station. Rejoining, as Midshipman, in September 1812, on board the 'Dannemark,' he served for a time with the fleet in the North Sea, and afterwards escorted convoys to and from the Cape of Good Hope; on his return whence he became attached in April 1815, to the 'Impregnable,' bearing the flag of Sir Josias Rowley, in the Mediterranean. After a servitude of three years at Plymouth, in the 'Spenser,' and again the 'Impregnable,' under the flag of Lord Exmouth, he successfully joined in the capacities of Midshipman, and Mate, of the 'Severn,'a coastal blockade-ship, when he was employed at Dungeness, and in the neighborhood of New Romney, on the 23rd of February, 1821, and 20th of December, 1823; the 'Chanticler 10,' and 'Adventure,' under Captain William Henry Smyth, both on the Mediterranean Station, where, in the vessel last mentioned, he aided in surveying the coast of Sardinia, for a passage to the West Indies; the 'Ferret 10,' under Captain William Hobson, and on the 21st of June 1825, the "Kangaroo,'under Master Commander Anthony De Mayne.
     "Under the latter officer (De Mayne) we find him (Alfred Miles), for upwards of two years, employed by the surveying service, in the Crooked Passage, (region of coast) in the Bahamas, and on the coast of Cuba. In September of 1827, owing to his Commander having been accidentally left behind (on shore), who during the last three months had filled the post of 'Assistant Survey,' brought the 'Kangaroo,' home and paid her off. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on the 8th of November, following; and was afterward appointed in the capacity of Assistant Surveyor - on the 27th of May, 1830, to the 'Elna 6,' under Captain Edward Belcher, stationed on the west coast of Africa; when he returned in October, 1831, and on the first of January, 1843, to the 'Fearless I," and 'Tartarus 2,' both commanded by Captain Fred Bullock, with whom he served on the River Thames, until the 11th of February in the latter year. He attained Commander's rank on the 15th of January 1846."
     "From February 1833 until June 1842, Commander Miles was employed as an Assistant in the Hydrographic Office of the Admiralty, to which he was re-appointed on the 12th of February, 1843. He continued in the capacity of Naval Assistant to Hydrographer, until suddenly struck down by a severe illness, the results of over-work. He was said to have been carried out of his room in the Hydrographic Office in a dying state. Commander Miles never appears to had charge of any survey, but his skill as a senior assistant to the late Admiral Bullock, as well as the Hydrographic Office, where he acted chiefly as secretary to the Hydrographer of the Admiralty, were well known and appreciated."
     The Commander's wife, Sibella Elizabeth, the mother of son Frederick and artist Helen, ran a Boarding School in Penzance, prior to 1833. She married Commander Miles at Madron, Cornwall. She died on March 29th, 1882. Her husband predeceased her, passing away while employed by the Admiralty, in the year 1851. There is a substantial list of published poems and books she had written, that I haven't included in this feature article. It can be said Sibella Elizabeth Miles was a well respected and widely published poetess during the Victorian era in England. Her daughter as well, possessed a creative enterprise, undoubtedly passed down from both her father, an accomplished artist employed in Naval service, and her mother, a regularly published writer. There is an example of Helen's painting online, you can check out.
     There isn't much known about their son, Frederick Miles, other than he died shortly after marrying Frances, shown in the painted portrait above today's blog. It may be presumed, that he had some employment in Naval services, as his father, and father-in-law, Captain George Frederick Moore Westbrook. This part of the research is our next mission to uncover, and we will be employing Ancestry.ca to examine the Moore and Westbrook family trees a little closer. Keep in mind, that this information came the result of twenty minutes research, and forty minutes time to copy down the information available. Not a major undertaking; one that any dealer or buyer can exercise, with relative ease, even in the congenial happenstance of pleasurable antique hunting. If you can, in makes good sense to utilize the internet, if it is available on your cell phone. Just for reference, we did not make our purchase of the miniature portrait, by first executing an online search. We have an old fashioned cell phone, so we couldn't access the internet. We had to trust our instincts on this purchase, and we did just fine.
    There needs to be a starting point, either "actual," such as we had attached to the portrait of Frances Jane, or that we can ascertain by experience, knowing where to look for immediate information; because of something or other we recognize from past association with similar articles. It's not like this is a monstrous task, that only the most experienced can handle. The internet has made it so much easier to research antiques and collectables, and in this case, chase down the provenance that exists online.
     The value of this portrait, does not rest on the family connections to the British Navy, or to the fascinating poetry of Sibella Elizabeth Miles. It does however, become a much more significant art piece, because of the reputation of the artist herself, and the fact she had designed figures for Messrs Doulton, for their early art pottery creations. We may find out differently as our research continues. As for making a safe investment, and getting, at the very least, our money back from an eventual sale, we are pretty confident it was a good purchase in both art and miniatures.
     Above all, it is a wonderful piece of art, in an attractive, secure, but small package. Buy what you like, is the golden rule, of us in the antique profession; because if an owner was to find, by experience in the market place, the subject piece impossible to sell, (down the road), and have to live with it as part of a permanent collection, will it be welcome in the home? If you possess a high standard in this regard, and insist on quality, with everything you acquire, the investment will, one way or the other, always provide a return; if only in art enjoyment, and this counts for a lot in our family.
     If and when we discover more biographical information, about the painting and the families involved, I will publish it in this blog. We are consulting with British miniature dealers at present, to find out anything more about its provenance, and the significance of Helen Jane Arundel Miles work, in miniature. We have no valuation of the art work at present.
     Thanks so much for joining me today, in this early going of mid-winter.

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Calydor  75th Anniversary Summer 2015

Treescape in The Bog of Calydor subdivision, a block from Camp 20

Back cover photograph from The Gilded Cage by Cecil Porter

A selection of barbed wire, glass and pottery shards found on the site of Camp 20

THE FOUND HISTORY OF CAMP 20, CALYDOR, AND IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS

RELICS THAT WASHED UP ON SHORE -

     A PREAMBLE TO TODAY'S BLOG. WE WENT OUT YARD SALE SHOPPING EARLY THIS MORNING. WE ONLY GOT ONE THING, BUT IT WAS WHAT WE WERE SEEKING, AFTER READING IT WAS BEING OFFERED BY A SALE HOST, DEEP, DEEP IN THE PINERIDGE SUBDIVISION. I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT IN TIME, OR EVEN FIND THE LOCATION, BECAUSE THE SUBDIVISION ROADS CONFUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME. IT WAS "NEIGHBORHOOD SALE DAY," SO IT WAS PRETTY WILD IN THERE, AND JUST GETTING TO THE HOUSE ADVERTISED, WAS AN ADVENTURE IN ITSELF. SUZANNE WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE A REALLY NICE 1941 SINGER "FEATHER-WEIGHT," SEWING MACHINE, TO USE IN OUR ANTIQUE SHOP; WHICH IS SLOWLY MORPHING INTO A MILLINARY ENTERPRISE, TO SUIT SUZANNE'S LIFE-LONG SEWING HOBBY. SHE NOW HAS THREE FEATHER-WEIGHTS, WHICH OF COURSE, ARE TINY, LIGHT, SINGER MACHINES, PERFECT FOR TRANSPORT, TO SUCH EVENTS AS QUILTING BEES. SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO SERVICE WHAT SHE BUYS, AND THIS NOW MAKES FOUR VINTAGE SINGERS SHE HAS READY FOR DAILY USE, TO ACCOMMODATE HER LINE-UP OF SEWING PROJECTS; SUCH AS HER LATEST FORAY INTO APRON MAKING, CREATED FROM VINTAGE FABRICS, REMNANTS, AND OLD BUT DAMAGED TABLE CLOTHS. LAST WEEKEND, SHE PURCHASED THE "WORK HORSE" OF VINTAGE SINGER PORTABLES, ALSO FROM THE 1948'S ERA, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE GREAT FOR INDUSTRIAL-TYPE WORK, BEING ABLE TO SEW THROUGH JUST ABOUT ANY MATERIAL; YET STILL POSSESSING A MODESTLY ELEGANT APPEARANCE. IT REALLY IS A NICE LOOKING MACHINE, EVEN TO THE POINT OF APPEALING TO A NON-SEWING-GUY LIKE ME. MAKES ME WISH I COULD SEW. SUZANNE IS ALREADY PLANNING FOR MORE SEWING JOBS FOR THIS COMING WINTER, AND SHE'S CERTAINLY GOT THE MACHINERY NOW TO PULL IT OFF. SHE HAS BEEN SELLING HER SHOP-MADE, NOSTALGIC APRONS FOR A MONTH NOW, AND LET'S JUST SAY IT LOOKS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING. THERE WILL BE NO OUT-SOURCING TO GET THESE APRONS COMPLETED. WE'RE A LITTLE OLD FASHIONED YOU MIGHT SAY. HER FAVORITE SEWING MACHINE IS A KENMORE PORTABLE, SOLD BY SEARS, FROM THE EARLY 1970'S, BECAUSE OF ITS RELIABILITY. IT COST THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN 1973. THIS IS HER HOME-STUDIO MACHINE, BUT AT THE SHOP, SHE PREFERS TO KEEP IT OLD-SCHOOL; AND YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ALL THE ATTENTION SHE GETS FROM VISITORS, MANY OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION, WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE OLD MACHINES IN OPERATION. WELL, I'VE SPENT OUR ENTIRE MARRIED LIFE TOGETHER, LISTENING TO EITHER THE HUMM OF THE SEWING MACHINE, OR THE TICKING AND TACKING OF KNITTING NEEDLES....AND THEN THERE'S THE NAGGING. IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO WRITE THIS, BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, SHE REFUSED TO READ MY BLOGS, AND SECONDLY, BECAUSE SHE ADMITS TO NAGGING ME ALL THE TIME. "IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME," WHICH IS ALMOST, WORD FOR WORD, WHAT MY MOTHER USED TO BARK AT ME, WHEN SHE HAD TO PICK UP AFTER ME. DID I MENTION, THAT I HAVE BEEN BUYING HER THESE SEWING MACHINE RELICS. IT'S GOOD I DIDN'T BECAUSE, AS SHE POINTS OUT, SHE'S "THE BREAD WINNER IN THIS FAMILY." AS THE ANTIQUE DEALER, APPARENTLY, "I'M THE BREAD SPENDER!"

     ONE OTHER OBSERVATION FROM THIS MORNING'S YARD SALE PURSUIT. WHAT GOES ON IN THE HEADS OF YARD SALE FANATICS, TO MAKE THEM PARK SO BADLY; HAVING LITTLE IF ANY CONSIDERATION, TO THE OPEN ARTERY SENSIBILITY, THAT COMES WITH HAVING A ROAD IN THE FIRST PLACE? GADS, I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH INCONSIDERATE FOLKS, PARKING THEIR CARS ON BOTH SIDES OF A NARROW ROAD, AND NOT EXPECTING THAT THE EXPOSED SIDES OF THEIR VEHICLES MIGHT GET TORN OFF, BY OTHER VEHICLES TRYING TO SHOOT THE NARROWS. EMERGENCY VEHICLES. FORGET IT! BUT HERE'S THE THING. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY YARD SALE, MAKE SURE YOU PUT PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE, SO TIGHT CONFLUENCES WON'T OCCUR. AND IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THEM, TO CORRECT ANYONE, VISITING THEIR SALES, WHO OBSTRUCTS TRAFFIC, BY PARKING SUCH THAT THEY BLOCK ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY, AND FIRST RESPONDERS COULDN'T GET TO A PATIENT SOONER, BECAUSE OF A TRAFFIC TIE-UP, THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF SUCH A FUN MONEY-MAKING SALE, MIGHT SURPRISE YOU. THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES YOU COULD FACE AS A RESULT. I LEARNED THIS MYSELF, WHEN A SALE OF OURS, BACK IN THE LATE 1980'S, ATTRACTED SO MANY STUPID-HEADS WITH CARS, THAT IT DREW ATTENTION TO THE STUPID HEADS WHO DIDN'T PUT UP "NO PARKING" SIGNS IN ADVANCE.   SUZANNE AND I, HAD STOPPED-UP, TO A WEE TRICKLE, THE BRACEBRIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FROM GETTING DOWN ONTARIO STREET, IN A SAFE AND TIMELY MANNER, BECAUSE OF THE FORTY OR SO CARS THAT HAD JAMMED BOTH SIDES, OF AN ALREADY NARROW ROAD. AT THE TIME, I WAS EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE, IN BRACEBRIDGE, AND ALSO THE STORY-MAKER THAT WEEK. NO PARKING SIGNS WORK. IT PAYS TO BE PRO-ACTIVE IN THIS REGARD. EMERGENCIES AREN'T SCHEDULED. YARD SALES ARE!

A SCROUNGER'S LIFE I'VE LED

   FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE BEEN A SCROUNGER FROM CHILDHOOD. I HAVE NEVER CHANGED, AND I'M NOW AN IRISHMAN'S WHISKER AWAY FROM MY FIFTY-NINTH BIRTHDAY. THAT'S A LONG TIME TO BE STARING AT THE GROUND, AND POKING AT HALF BURIED THINGS, FOUND ON A HIKE THROUGH THE WOODS. HAVEN'T FOUND A SINGLE CORPSE YET. BUT I'M NOT DONE YET EITHER. I'VE GOT FEW GOOD SCROUNGING YEARS LEFT. AS I USED TO COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, IN THE LATE 1950'S, AND EARLY 60'S, (WHEN I ATTENDED LAKESHORE PUBLIC), HAVING POCKETS FULL OF THIS AND THAT, I'M STILL, TO THIS DAY, ON THE LOOK OUT FOR INTERESTING RELICS, FOUND, AND SOME OTHERS, I ACTUALLY HAVE TO PURCHASE. WHILE ADMITTEDLY, MY MOTHER WONDERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME IN THE WOMB, TO MAKE ME CRAZY FOR THE BITS AND BOBBS OF MANKIND AND NATURE, BY THE TIME WE OPENED OUR FIRST ANTIQUE SHOP TOGETHER, AND STARTED SELLING THIS "FOUND" STUFF, FOR PROFIT, SHE CUT ME A LITTLE SLACK. "THE BOY MUST KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING," I HEARD HER TELLING MY FATHER, WHO HAD THE PHILOSOPHY, THAT IF SOMEONE THINKS THEY'RE A CHICKEN, BUT YOU LIKE HAVING THE FRESH EGGS IT'S PRODUCING, THEN FORGET TRYING TO CONVINCE IT OTHERWISE. THEN EVERYONE'S HAPPY AND THERE'S ALWAYS A GOODLY SUPPLY OF EGGS.

     IN MY LATE TEENS, I TOOK IT ONE STEP FURTHER, WHEN MY DAD ACTUALLY POINTED OUT AN OLD DUMPSITE, IN THE HAMLET OF FALKENBURG, NORTH OF BRACEBRIDGE. THE SITE WAS LOCATED AT THE NORTHERN-MOST CORNER, OF THE FORMER BUILDING TRADES CENTRE YARD, NOT FAR FROM THE MAIN ROAD FROM BRACEBRIDGE TO ROSSEAU, AND EVENTUALLY HIGHWAY 69. MY FATHER, ALSO KNOWN AS TED CURRIE, WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF BUILDING TRADES CENTRE AT THIS TIME, AND I ACTUALLY WORKED AS A SHIPPER THAT SUMMER AS WELL. WHENEVER I GOT A BREAK, I'D GO OVER TO THE EMBANKMENT, WHERE THE OLD DUMP HAD BEEN LOCATED, AND IT BECAME MY FIRST FULL SCALE EXCAVATION. BY THE WAY, I ALWAYS INFILLED THE SITE WHEREVER I LEFT AFTER DIGGING, SO AS NOT TO LEAVE IT LOOKING LIKE A DEMOLITION SITE. I PROBABLY PULLED THREE HUNDRED CORK TOP BOTTLES FROM THAT DIG-SITE, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF WINE, WHISKEY, AND POP BOTTLES AS WELL. I FOUND ONE TORPEDO BOTTLE BUT A LOT OF OTHER PARTLY ROUNDED-BOTTOM SODA BOTTLES (NOW TRY TO SAY THAT FAST, OVER AND OVER), AND I EVEN LOCATED A HALF DOZEN UNBROKEN LIGHT BULBS.

     I'VE DUG AND FISHED FOR BOTTLES, AND OTHER IRON RELICS, FOR AS LONG AS I REMEMBER, AND I'VE NEVER GOT TIRED OF THE TREASURE HUNT. WHEN WE MOVED TO GRAVENHURST, IN THE FALL OF 1989, IT'S MY FIRST MEMORY OF THE FORMER GERMAN PRISONER OF WAR, "CAMP 20," OR OTHERWISE KNOWN, "CAMP CALYDOR," AFTER THE NAME OF THE TUBERCULAR SANITARIUM, THAT WAS ON THE SITE PREVIOUSLY; AND THEN CONVERTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IN THE EARLY DAYS OF WORLD WAR II. SUZANNE AND I, AND THE YOUNG LADS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, USED TO COME BACK FROM OUR WALKS THROUGH THE CALYDOR PROPERTY, WITH OUR POCKETS AND ARMS FULL OF NEAT FINDS. OF COURSE, WE BROUGHT BACK LENGTHS OF BARBED WIRE, WE HAD BROKEN-OFF THE TWO GIANT BALES, LEFT TO RUST IN THE ABUTTING WOODLAND. BUT OVER TIME, WE FOUND DUMP SITES, THREE SIGNIFICANT LOCATIONS, ON THE MULTI-ACRE LAKEFRONT PROPERTY. AS IT WASN'T OUR PROPERTY TO EXCAVATE AT WILL, WE ONLY PICKED UP WHAT WAS OBVIOUS, AND WITHIN A KICK OR TWO OF BEING EXPOSED. THERE WAS A LARGE QUANTITY OF TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD AND RESORT CAST-OFFS, ESPECIALLY TIN AND BOTTLES. THE OCCUPATION OF THE PROPERTY GOES BACK TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF GRAVENHURST, AND FROM THE MINNEWASKA HOTEL, UP TO THE POST WAR, GATEWAY HOTEL; SO THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CAST-OFFS, BY EACH INSTALLATION AND EACH OCCUPATIONAL AND RESIDENTIAL USE. LET'S JUST SAY, EACH ERA LEFT ITS FOOTPRINT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FINDING ON OUR CASUAL STROLLS THROUGH THE HISTORIC PROPERTY, NOW FILLING OUT AS AN URBAN SUBDIVISION.

     THE BEST "DEBRIS FIELD," OF COURSE, WAS THE BEACH FRONT. DUE TO THE UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF GLASS, OLD NAILS, SPIKES, AND CHINA BITS AND PIECES, STUCK IN THE MUD JUST OFF THE SHORE, WE MADE THE BOYS WEAR SPECIAL WATER SHOES, TO AVOID GETTING CUT OR STABBED BY WHAT WAS LURKING BELOW. PARTLY AS A BEACH CLEAN-UP SERVICE, THE CURRIES, THE NEW FOLKS TO TOWN, BEGAN PICKING THIS HISTORIC REFUSE OUT OF WATER OF MUSKOKA BAY. WE FILLED SIX OR SEVEN SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE BOXES AT HOME, OVER THREE YEARS, JUST FROM THIS SAFE-BEACH EXERCISE, AND FROM THE CASUAL FIND-AND-SEEK POKING THROUGH THE NEARBY WOODLANDS. WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS ABOVE, IS A VERY TINY PORTION, OF WHAT WE USED TO UNCOVER WITHOUT WORKING VERY HARD. AFTER A SIGNIFICANT STORM, OVER THE LAKE, WE WOULD HEAD DOWN TO THE BEACH SHORTLY AFTER, AND THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE AN INTERESTING SELECTION OF NEWLY WASHED-UP BOTTLES ESPECIALLY; ALTHOUGH IT WAS COMMON TO FIND AN ARRAY OF CHINA AND GLASS SHARDS. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T KEEP ALL OF IT, I ALWAYS FELT THERE WOULD BE A TIME DURING OUR RESIDENCY IN THIS TOWN, WHEN I'D PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE DISPLAY IN RESPECT TO CAMP CALYDOR. SO IT PLEASED ME, YESTERDAY, TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE ONE OF THE BOXES OF CALYDOR RELICS SO EASILY, FROM OUR STORAGE SHED JAMMED TO OVERFLOWING.

     SOME FOLKS WHO KNOW THE BOYS, AND WHO OCCASIONALLY READ THEIR OLD POP'S BLOG, CONNECTED TO THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, PROBABLY THINK THAT A LOT OF MY CLAIMS ABOUT THEIR UPBRINGING ARE GROSSLY EXAGGERATED; BEING MORE FICTION THAN FACT. WE USED TO DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME WHEN THE LADS WERE AT SCHOOL, AND SEVERAL TIMES WE GOT NOTES HOME FROM THE TEACHER, RECOMMENDING WE HAVE A TALK WITH THEM ABOUT "MAKING UP STORIES." THEY COULD HANDLE THE FREQUENT PUNCHES AND TAUNTING OF BULLIES, AND FIGHT BACK WHEN A SCHOOLYARD NUMB-NUTS, WOULD STEAL THEIR TENNIS BALL OR FOOTBALL. BUT IT WAS REALLY CRUSHING WHEN A TEACHER WOULD DISMISS THEIR CLAIMS AS BEING "MADE-UP," AND GENERAL, SELF ABSORBED "UNTRUTHS," FOR THEIR OWN GAIN; COMING FROM OVER-ACTIVE IMAGINATIONS. WE WOULD HAVE TO STEP-UP AND MAKE A PERSONAL VISIT TO THE TEACHERS, WHO HAD LEVELLED THESE CRITIQUES, OF WHAT WAS THE HONEST TRUTH; AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR ADVENTURE STORIES WEREN'T MADE-UP TALES JUST TO AMAZE FELLOW STUDENTS. SUZANNE AND I HAVE ALWAYS INCLUDED ANDREW AND ROBERT IN HERITAGE ADVENTURES, AND THIS INCLUDES THE HUNTING AND GATHERING OF BURIED, OR SUBMERGED TREASURE. AND WHILE WE HAVEN'T PULLED UP A TREASURE CHEST FULL OF GOLD, AND SILVER RELICS, FROM LOCAL LAKES AND RIVERS, OR DUG-UP A SEALER JAR OF OLD COINS, FROM WHAT WERE KNOWN AS "POST HOLE" ACCOUNTS (BECAUSE THEY WERE BURIED BENEATH FENCE POSTS FOR SAFE KEEPING), WE HAVE RETRIEVED A LOT OF HISTORY, IN THE FORM OF "FOOTPRINT" DEBRIS, LEFT BY A HOST OF FORMER PROPERTY OWNERS; AND A WIDE ARRAY OF USES. CALYDOR HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE HUNTING GROUNDS, AND THE MATERIALS FOUND THERE, SHOW A WIDE DIVERSITY OF RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES, AND THE CONSIDERABLE YEARS OF PROPERTY USE, DATING BACK TO THE EARLIEST YEARS OF GRAVENHURST SETTLEMENT. SO AS FAR AS BEING STORY-TELLERS, ANDREW AND ROBERT LOVE TO RECOLLECT THESE ADVENTURES, BUT THERE'S NARY A FIB IN THE MIX. WHAT YOU SEE IN THE ABOVE PHOTOGRAPHS, WAS ALL RETRIEVED BY OUR SONS, FROM THE BEACHFRONT AT CALYDOR. THE EXCEPTION, IS THE BARBED WIRE FROM THE FORMER PRISON CAMP, WHICH ANDREW AND ROBERT RIPPED OFF FROM THE BALES, ONCE STORED ON PROPERTY CLOSE TO SEGWUN BOULEVARD, PART OF THE CALYDOR SUBDIVISION. THE BALES ARE NOW GONE.

     ONCE AGAIN, LIKE MY DAYS DIGGING AT THE FALKENBURG SITE, WE FOUND INTACT LIGHTBULBS, THAT HAD SURVIVED YEARS OF SEASONAL CHANGES, AND HEAVY DEBRIS BEING TOSSED ON TOP. THE REALITY IS, WE HAVE BEEN ABUSING THE LAND AND WATER FOR CENTURIES, EVEN IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE WORLD. ROW BOATS FILLED WITH REFUSE OF ALL SORTS, WERE ROWED OUT INTO THE DEEPER PARTS OF LAKES AND RIVERS, AND WEIGHTED WITH ROCKS AND IRON PIECES, TO DISAPPEAR FROM SIGHT. IN ESSENCE, AS LONG AS THEY DIDN'T SEE IT, THE DEED WAS A GOOD AND SAFE ONE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT WORRY, THAT TOXINS FROM OLD MEDICINE AND CHEMICAL CONTAINERS, MOSTLY BOTTLES, WOULD EVENTUALLY CONTAMINATE

DRINKING WATER. I'VE UNCOVERED DUMPSITES FULL OF OLD CAR AND BOAT BATTERIES, THAT BY MEASUREMENT, WERE ONLY, AT MOST, A HUNDRED FEET FROM DUG WELLS. I GUESS THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SEEPAGE OF WATER THROUGH THE SOIL. I'VE SEEN THE SAME THING IN THE WATER, OF OUR BEAUTIFUL LAKES, WHILE SNORKELING FOR OLD BOTTLES. I'VE FOUND UPWARDS OF TWENTY OLD BATTERIES, TOSSED INTO THE WATER, A SHORT DISTANCE FROM WATER INTAKE VALVES, AND WHERE FAMILIES USED TO SWIM. I LIKE TO THINK WE'RE NOT DOING THE SAME THINGS TODAY, AS WE DO KNOW QUITE A BIT MORE ABOUT ISSUES, OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION, AND HOW WATER FINDS THE LOWEST POINTS TO DRAIN.

     EVEN THE MEDICINAL BOTTLES IN THE PICTURES ABOVE, MAY HAVE BEEN TOSSED INTO THE MAKESHIFT DUMP SITES, YOU CAN OFTEN FIND BY WALKING THROUGH THE BUSH OF AN OLD HOMESTEAD PROPERTY; MANY OF THESE PROBABLY HAD SOME CONTENTS WITHIN, AT THE TIME OF DISPOSAL. THE METAL LIDS ON THESE EXAMPLES, HAVE RUSTED THROUGH, AND OBVIOUSLY, ANYTHING THAT WAS INSIDE, BECAME PART OF THE SOIL OVER THE DECADES. I'VE PULLED HUNDREDS OF THESE BOTTLES OUT OF RETIRED DUMPSITES, AND THEN CAREFULLY DRAINED ANY CONTENTS (ESPECIALLY FROM CORK-TOP BOTTLES, THAT DIDN'T LEAK), INTO SAFE CONTAINERS, (BUT NEVER MIXED) TO THEN BE TAKEN TO THE MUNICIPAL LANDFILL SITE, WHEN THEY HAVE A DANGEROUS CHEMICALS DISPOSAL DAY. THERE WERE SOME NASTY CHEMICALS BACK THEN, INCLUDING A LOT OF ARSENIC. SO WHEN POKING AROUND THESE DUMP LOCATIONS, THE BOYS ALWAYS WORE SAFETY GLOVES, AND WE INSPECTED ALL GLASS CONTAINERS FOR POSSIBLE CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION. WE WERE CONTINUALLY AWARE OF WHAT MIGHT RISE IN DUST, AND VAPOR, FROM THE AREAS WE DISTURBED; SO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WE MITIGATED THE RISKS OF TREASURE HUNTING.

     AS FOR THE CALYDOR PROPERTY, OUR POKING ABOUT SINCE THE LATE 1980'S, HAS, I THINK, SPANNED THE AGES OF ITS PROPERTY USE. AND IT'S BEEN A NEAT STUDY, WITH LOTS OF "WOW" MOMENTS WE COULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED. I OFTEN WONDERED WHAT KIND OF ARTIFACTS WERE FOUND DURING THE EXCAVATIONS FOR THE PRESENT HOUSES, ON THE OLD PRISON OF WAR CAMP PROPERTY. ANY BUTTONS OFF UNIFORMS? GERMAN OR CANADIAN? THE CANADIAN VETERAN'S GUARD SPECIFICALLY. OF ALL THE PRISONERS KEPT IN THE CAMP, MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED AT TIMES, THERE HAD TO BE A LOST BUTTON OR SO, FROM THEIR DRESS UNIFORMS, WORN ON CERTAIN OCCASIONS; SUCH AS DURING MARCHES AND THE TWO FUNERALS WHICH COMMENCED FROM THE CAMP SITE, TRAVELLING TO THE NEARBY MICKLE CEMETERY. MAYBE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE FOUND RELICS, WHILE GARDENING, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, OR APPRECIATE HOW THEY WOUND UP THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST STORIED PROPERTIES IN OUR TOWN, AND ANYTHING PULLED FROM THE SOIL OF WHAT HAD BEEN A TUBERCULAR SANITARIUM, AND A GERMAN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP, TO NAME JUST TWO OF THE LAND USES, IS OF INTEREST TO HISTORIANS LIKE ME; AND IT HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH ANTIQUE OR COLLECTABLE VALUE. BUT IT IS OUR HERITAGE AS BROKEN-UP AS IT IS; CHINA, POTTERY, AND GLASS SHARDS OF A LARGER, MORE SIGNIFICANT MOSAIC.

     AS I NOTED IN YESTERDAY'S BLOG, SUZANNE AND I PLAN TO OFFER A SMALL DISPLAY OF CALYDOR RELICS, AND MEMORABILIA, ONE YEAR FROM NOW, AT OUR MUSKOKA ROAD ANTIQUE SHOP, COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT FIRST MARCH OF GERMAN OFFICERS, AND SOLDIERS, DOWN THE STREETS OF UPTOWN GRAVENHURST, AS THE INAUGURAL GROUP OF PRISONERS OF WAR, TO BE HOUSED IN THE FORMER CALYDOR SANITARIUM, WHICH HAD BECOME "CAMP 20;" AN INTERMENT CAMP IN ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC LAKESIDE LOCATIONS IN THE SMALL TOWN. FROM JUNE 1940. THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST WOULD COME TO PLAY AN INTERNATIONAL ROLE, BY SECURING SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS NAZIS OF ADOLPH HITLER'S WAR MACHINE, TERRORIZING EUROPE AT THE TIME. FROM 1940 TO 1946, THIS SOUTH MUSKOKA TOWN, WATCHED OVER THESE P.O.W.'S, AS IF THEY WERE MAINTAINING THE FLANK FOR THE APPOINTED GUARDS. THE CITIZENS BEING ON PERPETUAL ALERT FOR ANY ESCAPING INMATES. THE INMATES WERE SUPPOSED TO WEAR SHIRTS WITH LARGE RED DOTS ON THE BACK, WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON OFF-SITE PROJECTS, SUCH AS THEIR SMALL FARM SITE ON MUSKOKA BEACH ROAD. OF COURSE, THIS IS OFFERED IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL, AND IN PHOTOGRAPHS, IN THE CAMP HISTORY WRITTEN BY GRAVENHURST HISTORIAN, CECIL PORTER, ENTITLED "THE GILDED CAGE."

     WHAT HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME, ABOUT THE CAMP 20 STORY, IS THAT UNLIKE OTHER MUSKOKA HISTORIES I'VE RESEARCHED, AND WRITTEN ABOUT, I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME APPRECIATING WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE, TO HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN THOSE YEARS; AND BEEN A WITNESS TO THE FULL-UNIFORM MARCHES, FROM THE TRAIN STATION TO CALYDOR, UNDER GUARD. THERE ARE MANY PICTURES OF THIS IN THE BOOK, AND YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK SEVERAL BLOGS, IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST TWO OF THIS SMALL SERIES. SO I THINK THIS IS WHAT COMPELS ME TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THOSE YEARS, AND HOW THE RESIDENTS FELT, OVER THOSE SIX YEARS, OF BEING HOSTS TO A PORTION OF HITLER'S ARMY; AND LISTENING AND READING ABOUT THE LATEST NEWS FROM OVERSEAS, REGARDING THE DEVASTATING CASUALTIES OF WAR. UNLIKE THE FIRST WORLD WAR, THOSE KEEPING THE HOME FIRES BURNING, DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH GERMAN PRISONERS OF WAR IN THEIR PRESENCE. YET BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THERE WERE FEW IF ANY PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF ANGER, OR PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, SHOWN TOWARD THESE INMATES OF CALYDOR. MAYBE I'M ASSUMING TOO MUCH, WHEN I SUGGEST, THE CITIZENS OF GRAVENHURST, AND SOUTH MUSKOKA, WERE PRETTY GOOD AND KINDLY HOSTS, TO OUR GERMAN GUESTS. IF YOU KNOW DIFFERENTLY, AS A RESULT OF PASSED DOWN STORIES IN FAMILIES, I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS INFORMATION, AS I AM WORKING ON A BROADER STORY OF THE CAMP, IN RESPECT TO THE UPCOMING ANNIVERSARY RECOGNITION IN 2015. AND BY THE WAY, I EXPECT NOTHING FROM THE MUNICIPALITY, AND IT WILL ALL BE DONE PRIVATELY, WITHOUT A NICKLE OF PROFIT.

     SO ONCE AGAIN, AND KEEPING IN MIND, I'VE GOT A YEAR OF WIGGLE ROOM, TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP THIS EXHIBIT, I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAMP YOU MIGHT POSSESS, OR MATERIALS THAT HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE "PRISONER OF WAR" YEARS; RANGING FROM FURNISHINGS FROM THE CAMP BUILDINGS, TO PHOTOGRAPHS, HOME MOVIE FILMS, EXAMPLES OF CAMP ART WORK OR CRAFTS, PAPER WORK, COVERS WITH POSTAL CANCELLATIONS, TO AND FROM CAMP 20, AND ANY OTHER MEMORABILIA WE COULD USE TO FRAME A SMALL EXHIBIT. POSSIBLY YOU ACQUIRED SOME HOTELWARE THAT WAS USED IN THE DINING HALL OF THE CAMP, OR PAPERWORK FROM AREA BUSINESSES, THAT DEALT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON A SUPPLY AND SERVICES BASIS. SUCH AS LOCAL LAUNDRY WORKERS. THE LAUNDRY WAS SENT OUT FOR CLEANING. ORIGINAL SIGNAGE WOULD BE AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, OF WHAT WOULD MAKE US WILD WITH ENTHUSIASM. SEEING AS WE ARE PRETTY LOW, AT THE PRESENT TIME, IN ARCHIVES AND MEMORABILIA DISPLAY ITEMS, YOU'D BE SURPRISED WHAT WE WOULD SING AND DANCE TO OBTAIN. WE CAN EITHER PURCHASE THE RELICS FOR A FAIR PRICE, (BUT WE WILL NOT SELL THEM LATER FOR A PROFIT), OR PHOTOGRAPH (COPY) THE PIECES, AND RETURN EACH PIECE AS QUICKLY AS THE CLICK OF A CAMERA. CREDITS WILL BE GIVEN TO EVERYONE WHO ASSISTS. WE ARE DOING THIS WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION, AND IF AND WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO MOUNT A DISPLAY, THERE WILL BE NO ADMISSION FEE. WE ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL. THE MUNICIPALITY HAS NO APPETITE FOR SUCH AN ANNIVERSARY, AND THE BOOKS ON CAMP 20 ARE IN LOW SUPPLY. JUST BECAUSE THE TOWN HASN'T FELT IT IMPORTANT TO APPLY FOR AN HISTORIC MARKER, FROM THE FEDERAL OR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT, DOESN'T MEAN A DULLING OR DIMINISHING OF HISTORICAL FACT. WE WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN, AND IF YOU'VE FOLLOWED OUR WORK, SUCH AS THE RECOGNITION WE PROVIDED OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAMING OF OUR TOWN, WE WON'T DROP THE BALL ON THIS PROJECT EITHER. JUST HAVING YOU ABOARD FOR THIS BLOG, REGARDING OUR RECOGNITION EFFORTS, FOR CAMP CALYDOR, IS THE KIND OF SUPPORT WE NEED, TO BRING IT ALL TO FRUITION.

     SO THANKS AGAIN, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, VISITING THIS BLOG-ENTRY, WRITTEN DAILY, HERE IN PICTURESQUE (DID I MENTION HISTORIC) UPTOWN GRAVENHURST. LOTS MORE COMING.

     AS A SIDEBAR, SUZANNE AND I JUST ACQUIRED AN ORIGINAL PRINTING BLOCK, THAT WAS USED TO CREATED THE FIRST EDITION, DUSTJACKET ART, FOR CANADIAN ARTIST, EMILY CARR'S FAMOUS BOOK, "KLEE WYCK." WE WANTED TO PICK UP A FIRST EDITION, SIGNED COPY, TO GO WITH THE RARE PRINTING BLOCK, FROM OXFORD PRESS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE COST US $2,700 IN AMERICAN FUNDS. A FIRST EDITION OF THE BOOK, IN GOOD CONDITION COSTS ABOUT SIXTY DOLLARS, IF AND WHEN YOU CAN FIND ONE. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE PRINTING BLOCK, BECAUSE IN TERMS OF RARITY, THERE ARE A LOT FEWER OF THESE OUT THERE, THAN SIGNED FIRST EDITIONS.

     SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

Provenance Can Add A Huge Value To Even The Most Ordinary Antique or Collectible; Captain George Tuke Part 2

NEVER DISMISS PROVENANCE AS THE BIGGER PART OF AN ANTIQUE OR COLLECTABLE ITEM'S VALUE

THE MISSING INFORMATION MEANS A LOST CONNECTION TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE PAST

     NOTE: The portrait above, a nice Muskoka-art-piece by the way, was offered to us for publication on this blog, by owner Chris Thompson, of Gravenhurst. It is a self portrait of Gravenhurst / and Bala artist, Ruth Gaunt Bennett, who was also an accomplished author, with three books to her credit. Ruth studied under Canadian painters, such as Charles Comfort, and also select members of the famed Group of Seven, while at art college. The portrait was purchased at an estate-style sale, in the early 1990's, at the Bennett's Sarah Street home, where she lived with her husband, Dr. Wilfred Bennett, Muskoka's Chief Medical Officer of Health, in the 1980's. I was at the same sale, and purchased their entire Muskoka book collection, plus at least a hundred of her sketches and paintings, all eventually sold to those who knew, and appreciated the work of the talented local artist. Her best known book was "Diary of a Muskoka Maid," which was a true story, with relevance to the Village of Windermere on Lake Rosseau. Thanks Chris for allowing us to highlight Ruth's art work, via this blog.
     Would you be interested in a book once owned by Ernest Hemingway? Just think, he may have used it as a source of inspiration, for one of his own manuscripts! What about an antique Persian Carpet, walked-on for decades by royalty? A smoking jacket worn by Humphrey Bogart, or a prop item used in the film, "African Queen?" By the same token, think of your great grandparents, and what you would like to have possessed of their lifetime holdings. A cottage on the Muskoka lakes. A Rolls Royce? A Ditchburn launch? Something special, like a piece of vintage jewelry. A pocket watch owned by your great uncle, who worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway? How about a beautiful landscape painting by a Canadian artist, who happened to be a friend of your parents? Well then, just think about these pieces, without having any provenance whatsoever. Hey, they're still valuable pieces with even the most basic provenance of their manufacture, but they don't have the all important story of past ownership, which can make a world of difference to value and the desire of someone else to own what you possess. It might surprise you, to know how much provenance and pedigree can escalate the market value, of even the most ordinary antique item. You've probably heard about collectors who have considerable volumes of "celebrity hair," and if nothing else, it proves the worth of provenance; other than that, you've got bins of someone else's hair. Wow, that's weird. Collecting hair is more popular and widespread than you might appreciate. Just think how many young fans would like a lock of Justin Beiber's hair. There are DNA seekers out there, and it could even be a used tissue, that becomes an item of considerable value between collectors. I didn't make the rules, and by the way, there are no rules when it comes to this.
     I visit antique malls and shops every week. And each time I leave, after a good, long browse, I have the same opinion. Why oh why is there such a shortage of listed provenance? You know, the story of the antique quilt? The small but significant note attached, that explains who made it, in what locale of the world, the approximate date it was crafted, names of the last owners, and where it was purchased, and why it came up for sale. Yes, I do expect, that whenever possible, an antique dealer will infill this information, because it is their obligation of due diligence, and in fact, it adds value to the subject piece. It is hypocritical of me to write this, because there are many items in our own shop, that are being sold minus this provenance, I weigh as being so darn important. Well, the reason provenance is missing from some of our antiques and collectables, is based on how we acquire our inventory in the first place. There are lots of times when it just isn't possible to establish such a history of creation and ownership, because we are buying it from a second hand shop, where there is no companion information to carry-forth. If we want the piece, we have to swallow the reality, we may never be able to trace it back beyond finding it in a second hand shop. We will tell our customers where a subject piece came from, if it doesn't reveal to precisely, for example, our secret fishing hole. We will just indicate what region and what community the subject piece was purchased, but we think something is better than nothing in this case. Our customers appreciate this attention to detail. It's good business to do what the customers wish; and they want to know more about the piece they are buying. It's not an unrealistic demand. In many cases, all it would take is a note-pad and pen, carried along on buying trips, and a willingness of the dealer, to ask a vendor if the item carries any provenance, how ever insignificant in may seem. A goodly number of vendors probably don't think that letting a buyer know a pipe collection belonged to a great-grandfather, who may also have been a commander in the military; or possibly a well known writer of children's books from a bygone era. Gosh, it is of huge importance to know this stuff. Of course it matters. There is a different valuation, between a vintage guitar, for example, that was signed by Eric Clapton, but another think entirely, to be buying a guitar that he used to record one of his well known songs. I'd prefer the provenance of past ownership more so than an autographed guitar. Both are nice but one is far more valuable; and like a game worn hockey or baseball jersey, an instrument that was actually played by a musician, carries that trace DNA, and some undefined music spirit that means a lot to heart and soul guitar players.
     Today's breed of antique dealer, doesn't feel the same as the folks I was mentored by, when I started in the profession back in the mid 1970's. I used to haunt a lot of mom and pop antique shops, in and around Toronto, when I was at university, and I never had an occasion, in dozens of wonderfully appointed old shops, that I couldn't get a conversation going with the proprietors, about the nuances and traditions of our historic and tradition-laden profession. It was explained to me very emphatically, that one should always attempt to research and document provenance, on significant pieces of inventory, for the benefit of customers, and the increased value a story can add to an antique.     If you've got a vinegar crock, or a ginger beer crock, the only necessity for provenance, would be if it came from the homestead, or estate of someone particularly famous. Elvis? If former United States President, Woodrow Wilson, for example, had consumed some ginger beer from this crockery vessel, while staying at "The Bluff" resort, in Minett, on the shore of Lake Rosseau, which he did before being elected, and it could be proven by passed down documentation, then one would expect to pay much more than the twenty five bucks for the item at an antique shop. Generally however, the items most affected in this way, are personal pieces, with a very intimate connection. Think back to the auctions to sell-off former President John F. Kennedy's personal items, including golf clubs and rocking chair, and Jackie's collection following her death many years later. A dress worn by Princess Diana, or an original costume from the making of the movie class, "The Wizard of Oz." You hear and see reports, and video about these connected, heirloom sales all the time. For some reason, there is a general lack of enthusiasm to attach provenance; and I mean any provenance, including where the dealer / vendor may have found the subject article, on their travels. Orillia? Huntsville? Toronto? Cobaconk? It does matter to some of us, who are willing to put our own due diligence into the project of full identification. Our request to sellers? Give us as much detail as you possibly can. It's what we look for, when we're shopping in antique malls, and mainstreet businesses, and it's true; we will pay more if there is a history attached to an antique we happen to like. Of course, we do check these things out, and have in the past, found quite a few inconsistencies with the information as presented by certain dealers. I can't say they have been purposely deceitful, in these cases, or fraudulent about their claims, other than for us, as buyers with considerable expertise, to say they were wrong, and the information inaccurate. With our cell phone advantage, we can do research on a piece we're interested in, before we make the purchase. We have a lot of fun disproving dealer claims, and it is troubling, how many are willing to call a piece of cranberry, or milk glass, a genuine "Fenton" creation (Fenton Glassworks of Ohio), when, even with a casual eye, we can tell the item is not what they claim. And we can prove it inside five minutes, if not immediately, by making a close inspection. Feel has a lot to do with it a well! Of course, it works in the opposite way as well; we can attribute a glass bowl to "Fenton," that a dealer missed entirely. Spoils of competition we call them. You have to know all about what you're selling, and with information sources so easily available these days, there really isn't much excuse for inaccurate labeling. Yet it is in evidence in just about every shop, and sometimes, in a majority of mall booths. It's not my job to correct them, although I have done this on a number of occasions, because it was a glaring misidentification, and if the item sold, a buyer would have been seriously disadvantaged and out a lot of money. Most of the time, the difference isn't huge, so I just fall back on that old saying, about "buyer beware."
     When we purchase art work, for example, we will spend hours trying to find the artist responsible, and the location the work originated, and when in history it was created. We will employ our membership with the services of Ancestry.ca, to research names and families, even if we have nothing more than trace information to start with. We can only find about twenty-five percent of the artists listed, which is pretty good considering that, at times, it can take several days and many image enlargements just to interpret the signature, to assign a proper name to the initials. The dealers selling these wares, could go the distance, and provide us with a little more information, which would make our research a tad easier. We want to give our customers as much information, about the pieces they buy, as humanly possible. In most cases, it can add twenty-five percent to the established value, and the more we have to work with, the larger the increase. This alone, should be the incentive to every dealer, to put a little more effort into the hunt and gather of provenance, even if it is only the identification of the region and community, where it turned up. We can at least get a foot-hold of research potential, by knowing the specifics of where it was found; and no tidbit of information is too small, when trying to establish a minor history of the artifact or article. There are times dealers lose hundreds of dollars off a sale price, simply because they got lazy, and decided it was too much work to exercise even fundament due diligence. Knowing that most dealers like to profit from their efforts, and why not, it seems strange then, that they find it burdensome to go the distance, to find more about an artist or sculptor, quilt maker or ball gown owner. It's one of the inconsistencies and contradictions, I find regularly blossoming in today's version of the ages' old antique trade; at least on the small-time side of the profession, with many more hobby (attic) dealers than ever before, muddying up the water of the trusted antique "fishing holes".
     I want to offer an example, of what due diligence in the way of research, can do to infill an antique item's pedigree, or better stated, provenance. The small "Tuke" family collection, is a case in point. We purchased the items, all associated with the family of George Tuke, and his service in the British military, precisely because it possessed a goodly chunk of provenance, that we could expand upon, by putting in a few hours of online research. The collection isn't for sale, at present, but possibly one day, we will offer it to a collector in its entirety. We will not break up the items because the value rests with the connection of each piece and Mr. Tuke's impressive military biography. We have a number of engraved silver pieces from Tuke's regiment, at the time, serving in the Middle East following the First World War. A silver salver is one of the most significant pieces in the collection. Even the toy soldiers, from the turn of the 1900's, were George Tuke's, kept from childhood in England. The story behind the pieces is exceptional and we are proud to be the stewards, responsible for keeping it all together for this period of time.
     On a hunt and gather adventure on Sunday, Suzanne and I came up with a wonderful little treasure, that as luck and due diligence would have it, has a much broader provenance than what paperwork came with the antique miniature portrait. But the information that companioned the miniature, gave Suzanne, my stalwart researcher, always looking for a challenge (that's why she married me), enough to go on, and well, just five minutes into the assignment, had a short but significant biography of the Victorian era artist, who had painted the portrait of her sister-in-law. The artist, the daughter of a high ranking member of the British Admiralty, was born in 1840, and became a well known painter and publication illustrator. She also had designs chosen by Royal Doulton for several of their figures, which I will identify in tomorrow's blog. It's a great little story, and it should prove my point, in two distinct areas. First, provenance sells, because if the portrait had not been identified with a short biography attached, we probably wouldn't have made the sixty dollar purchase. The second point, is that, contrary to opinion, there are many, many valuable finds out there, if you are patient, well versed in antique identification, and can motor from sale to sale, auction to auction and shop to mall.
    I laugh out loud, whenever I hear some clueless soothsayer say, "Yes sir, the best of the best has all been snapped up; all the good stuff's long gone now; can't make really big finds these days. Too many dealers are out there!" The fact there are more dealers beating the bushes for neat old stuff, and the reality that a majority don't practice due diligence to research their found treasures, means there's a greater chance of "sleepers" appearing. A "sleeper" antique or collectable, is an under-researched, poorly identified item, where the valuation has been minimized; thusly making it a good target for an antique dealer or collector, who knows better. For instance, the current market value; and can buy and flip-it for a substantial profit.
     Here's another example. I know for fact, there is a missing train bell from a wreck in the hamlet of Falkenburg many decades ago. The bell on the stop of the steam locomotive, was somehow unfastened by persons unknown, before train officials could arrive on the scene of the derailment. Do you think I ever pass by a cast iron bell, of the proportion to sit atop a train engine, without giving it a thorough inspection; judging whatever provenance a dealer might have attached, which may be proven of disproven after a short period of investigation. I know there are lots of steamship items still in the possession of Gravenhurst and area families, who had kin who worked on the Muskoka Lakes fleet. It's why I never walk by a collection of hotelware plates, cups and saucers, at second hand and thrift shops, just in case they are "crested" with the Navigation Company logo, or the name of the specific steamship they were aboard; the "Sagamo" for example. I have a mental list of thousands upon thousands of items, to watch for, shopping in and around Muskoka at all kinds of sales through the rolling year. In Gravenhurst, the German Prisoners of War, at Camp Calydor, that operated on the shore of Muskoka Bay, from 1940 to 1946, carved a wide variety of boats and curios, and painted pictures, that they often sold to sightseers through the camp barbed wire; and or gave to staff members and those who served in the Veteran's Guard; I have owned three pieces myself, all finding enthralled owners in the United States. Maybe you wouldn't know what you were looking for, in the way of one of these historic carvings, but I never leave the house without prepping myself to the possibilities of this particular day. Sometimes folks bring these items in to us, asking for our assistance to identify them. We don't appraise antique pieces, unless the owner is genuinely interested in selling the subject article or art work. We can afford to pay one third to one half any appraised value. We are always enthusiastic to see any significant Muskoka area memorabilia, large or small, because there are many hundreds of collectors out there, who have been hunting these nostalgia pieces for decades; and I've worked with many of them for most of my years in the antique trade here in South Muskoka. We are Muskoka collectors as well, so I know where they're coming from. So of course, we always know that quality Muskoka antiques, with provenance will always sell with good exposure.

     Join me tomorrow, for a visit to see a beautiful lady of the Victorian era.

1918 in Mesopotamia. Captain Tuke is in the middle and in the top photo he is seen holding a dog.

In Palestine, 1919, Captain Tuke is in the center of the front row

Captain Tuke's wife, Mary's, Red Cross Certificate from September 1942

PHOTOGRAPHS OF CAPTAIN S. MONTAGUE TUKE IN MESOPOTAMIA POST FIRST WORLD WAR

THE HISTORY THAT HUMBLES THE VOYEUR

BACK TO THE ARCHIVES

     THERE ARE THREE INTERESTING PHOTOGRAPHS OF CAPTAIN SHIRLEY MONTAGUE TUKE, TAKEN DURING HIS POST FIRST WORLD WAR TOUR, OF THE LANDS OF THEN "MESOPOTAMIA," MODERN DAY IRAQ, AND THE LANDS BETWEEN THE TIGRIS, AND THE EUPHRATES RIVERS. IN THE BOTTOM TWO, HE IS SEEN WITH FELLOW OFFICERS, AND CIVILIANS. IN THE TOP PHOTOGRAPH, OF THIS PAIRING, YOU CAN SEE CAPTAIN TUKE, IN THE CENTRE, HOLDING A DOG, AS IF IT WAS AN INFANT. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF SEVEN DOGS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH. BOTH THESE IMAGES WERE TAKEN IN 1918. THE PHOTO ABOVE, LOCATION UNKOWN, IS ALSO DATED, 1918. HIS ROYAL SERVICES CORP WAS IN PALESTINE, IN THE YEARS 1918-1919, AND TO SEE THIS PHOTOGRAPH, OF CAPTAIN TUKE ON HORSEBACK, YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO YESTERDAY'S BLOG. IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS MINI BIOGRAPHY, YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO MONDAY, MAY 19TH, WHEN WE LOOKED BACK UPON THE CAREER OF THE CAPTAIN'S FATHER, DR. GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE, OF SUTTON VALANCE, KENT, ENGLAND.

     EARLIER THIS MORNING, I HAD A LOOK AT YET ANOTHER HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION, UP FOR AUCTION LOCALLY, AND I FIND MYSELF GETTING ANTSY, WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO OWN SUCH AN INTERESTING GROUPING OF IMAGES, DATING BACK TO THE LATE 1800'S. I START IMAGINING ALL KINDS OF WILD SCENARIOS, WHERE SOMEONE WILL UP-THE-BID BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, ONLY THEN, TO SELL THE IMAGES FOR FIVE BUCKS EACH AT A LOCAL ANTIQUE SHOP. OR TO BE USED AS INTERESTING DECORATOR PIECES IN A NEW ERA MUSKOKA COTTAGE. THERE ARE VERY FEW OF US HISTORICAL TYPES, WHO WOULD WANT A FAMILY HISTORY LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPEAR, ON INITIAL EXAMINATION, TO BE OF LOCAL KITH AND KIN. THE FACT THAT IT MAY BE OF HERITAGE INTEREST TO SOME OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE BIG WIDE WORLD, WILL ESCAPE MOST LOCAL HISTORIANS, BECAUSE FOR THE PRICE THEY ARE LIKELY TO SELL FOR, THEY WILL ONLY MAKE SENSE TO SOMEONE WILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE FAMILY CONNECTION, AND POTENTIALLY, WRITE A COMPANION HISTORY, AS I HAVE ATTEMPTED WITH CAPTAIN TUKE; OR RE-UNITE THEM WILL LONG SEPARATED FAMILY. IN THIS CASE, I HATE THE IDEA THE PHOTOGRAPHS WILL BE BROKEN UP AND SOLD INDIVIDUALLY.

    AS FOR PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF SUCH COLLECTIONS, AND SERIOUSLY RESEARCHING THE PROVENANCE OF ARCHIVE PIECES, (LOOKING FOR A PEDIGREE OR NAME ASSOCIATION, IN GENERAL CROSS REFERENCING) SUZANNE AND I HAVE DONE THIS DOZENS OF TIMES IN THE PAST; WHEN WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RE-CONNECT HANDWRITTEN JOURNALS AND FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS, WITH RELATIVES WHO NEVER KNEW THEY EXISTED. IT HAPPENS THAT BRANCHES OF THE FAMILY TREE, BECOME, OVER TIME, DISASSOCIATED WITH THEIR LEGACY RELICS, AND IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE, THAT AN ACTIVE FAMILY HISTORIAN, MAY JUMP AT THE CHANCE TO OWN LONG LOST IMAGES OF THEIR GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRANDPARENTS, AND ALL THE OTHER KIN DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS. I HAVE PARTICIPATED PERSONALLY, IN MANY RELIC REUNIONS, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY SATISFYING.

     I BID ON VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS, IF, AT LEAST PART OF THE COLLECTION, IS IDENTIFIED WITH NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF FORMER RESIDENCES. BY TAPPING INTO LOCAL AND REGIONAL HERITAGE SOCIETIES, AND BY PERFORMING ASSOCIATED ONLINE SEARCHES, WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE ARE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME CLUES ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE COLLECTION, BEYOND HOW THEY WOUND UP IN A LOCAL AUCTION SALE. IT'S ALSO A CASE, VERY MUCH SO, THAT THESE RELICS, ARE ALMOST ALWAYS OF MINOR VALUE, UNLESS OF COURSE, THERE ARE IDENTIFIABLE LANDMARKS, THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO COLLECTORS. A CASE IN POINT, WOULD BE A FAMILY PICTURE TAKEN, IN FRONT OF LAKE ROSSEAU'S WINDERMERE HOUSE, OR THE ROYAL MUSKOKA HOTEL. POSSIBLY A FAMILY PHOTO WITH ONE OF MUSKOKA'S STEAMSHIPS IN THE BACKGROUND. EVEN ONE OF THESE, IN A LARGE COLLECTION OF ORDINARY PORTRAITS, CAN GIVE A SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO THE COLLECTION. IT WOULD, AT FIRST GLANCE, SUGGEST THAT PART OF THE FAMILY IN THE IMAGES, VACATIONED OR COTTAGED IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THESE BACKGROUNDS, WHICH VALIDATE THE IMAGES AS BEING REGIONALLY-COLLECTABLE. THE MORE PROMINENT THE BACKGROUND, OR THE SEPARATE IMAGE, SUCH AS A TRAIN STEAMING AT THE FORMER MUSKOKA WHARF, THE MORE VALUABLE THE PHOTO ALBUMS GENERALLY.

    I ALWAYS ADVISE DEALERS, TO NEVER SEPARATE THE SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK PHOTOGRAPHS, FROM THE GENERAL PORTRAITS, BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO SELL VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS, EVEN IF THE SUBJECT IS IDENTIFIED. THAT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE TRILLIONS OF VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE MARKET, AND ALMOST EVERY ANTIQUE SHOP, HAS A SELECTION OF ALBUMS AND SINGLES LAYING AROUND, FOR BETWEEN FIVE DOLLARS TO TEN. PUT A SIMILAR PHOTO IN THE MIX, OF A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE, AND ACQUIRING THE COLLECTION BECOMES MUCH MORE INTERESTING. THESE ARE VALIDATING IMAGES, THAT MAKE THE GENERAL PORTRAITS MORE SIGNIFICANT (THE INFLUENCE OF ASSOCIATION AS VAGUE AS IT MIGHT BE). I WILL NEVER LET A VALIDATING PHOTOGRAPH, WHICH PULLS THE STRING OF CONTINUITY, RIGHT THROUGH A COLLECTION, BE SOLD OFF FOR A QUICK PROFIT. HAVING THE LEFT OVER PORTRAITS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT, IF YOU'RE AT ALL INTERESTED IN MAKING A PROFIT. WE SELL OUR CUSTOMERS, ON THE INTEGRITY AND PROVENANCE OF A COLLECTION, EVEN IF THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OR SO STRONG, IDENTIFIABLE, POPULAR IMAGES AMONGS HUNDREDS. GET RID OF THOSE FIVE FOR A QUICK PROFIT, AND LIVE WITH THE LEFTOVERS FOR YEARS AFTER THIS. AND BY THE WAY; WE PERFORM OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THE IMAGES, EVEN INVESTIGATING THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAMES AND STUDIO ADDRESSES, TO BUILD PROVENANCE THAT THE COLLECTION MAY LACK IN THE BEGINNING. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A COLLECTION OF IMAGES, FROM A FAMILY ESTATE, THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A CONNECTING STORY, BASED ON HOURS OF RESEARCH, MANY EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS. WHAT STARTED AS AN UNIDENTIFIED COLLECTION, BLOSSOMS AFTER A MONTH OF SLEUTHING, AND WE WILL TARGET THE SENSITIVE REGION OF CANADA, OR THE UNITED STATES, TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY FAMILY CONNECTIONS REMAINING, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ACQUIRE THE ASSORTED IMAGES.

     WE ONLY HAVE ONE LARGE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION LEFT, OUT OF A DOZEN IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, AND THIS WAS FROM THE ESTATE OF MARY REID, OF GRAVENHURST, AND BROWNING ISLAND. HER FATHER, REVEREND EWING REID, WAS THE MINISTER OF TORONTO'S ALHAMBRA CHURCH, AND BOTH FATHER AND DAUGHTER WERE HOBBY PHOTOGRAPHERS. THEY TOOK HUNDREDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF TRANSPORTATION AND RECREATION ON LAKE MUSKOKA, GOING BACK TO THE 1930'S, AND WERE FASCINATED BY MUSKOKA STEAMSHIPS AND YACHTS; SO WE HAVE MANY MARINE IMAGES IN THE FORM OF NEGATIVES. WE HAVE TWO LARGE VICTORIAN ERA PHOTO ALBUMS, AND A BOX OF NEGATIVES, OF SUBJECT PORTRAITS FROM THE BRONTE AND MILTON AREA OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, AND SOME FROM ENGLAND, OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. WE CAN'T AND WON'T SEPARATE THE ALBUMS, FROM THE REST OF THE REID PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION. WE ARE ITS STEWARDS UNTIL SOMEONE OF THE FAMILY EVENTUALLY COMES FORWARD, WISHING TO RE-CONNECT WITH THESE IMPORTANT RELICS. SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO FOR YEARS WITH THE COLLECTIONS IN STORAGE, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A DISTANT FAMILY MEMBER, HAVING FOUND A REFERENCE ONLINE, GIVES US A CALL TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT, WE STILL HAVE THEIR FAMILY ARCHIVES. WE NEVER LOOK AT THIS PERIOD OF STEWARDSHIP, AS A HASTLE OR IN ANY WAY INCONVENIENT. IT GIVES US A FEELING OF COMPLETION WHEN THIS HAPPENS. AT TIMES, WE ALSO SELL THE ITEMS TO COMMUNITY MUSEUMS, WHO RECOGNIZE THE FAMILY AND WISH THE MATERIAL FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. THEN AGAIN, IT CAN HAPPEN THAT A COLLECTOR, WHO SPECIALIZES IN PHOTOGRAPHS, WILL BE THE ONE WHO DESIRES TO RESUME THE STEWARDSHIP, INSISTING ON KEEPING THE MATERIALS TOGETHER.

     TWO OTHER PROMINENT PHOTO COLLECTIONS WE HAVE OWNED, INCLUDED THE SLIDES TAKEN BY FORMER CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, DR. WILF BENNETT, OF GRAVENHURST AND BALA, AND BILL SKINNER OF WINDERMERE, WHO HAD AN AMAZING ARRAY OF GLASS SLIDES OF THE FORMER WIGWASSAN LODGE, ON TOBIN'S ISLAND, WHERE HE USED TO WORK AS A YOUNG MAN. WE HAD GLASS SLIDES OF WATER SKIERS FROM THE LODGE BEING PULLED BY A DITCHBURN LAUNCH. WE STILL HAVE A FEW OF THESE IMAGES, WE KEPT BACK FOR OUR OWN ARCHIVES, BECAUSE OF THE SUBJECT MATERIAL. PHOTOGRAPHS CAN BE MADE FROM THESE SLIDES, SO THEY CAN BE VERY VALUABLE IN REPRODUCTION; ALTHOUGH, FOR US, WE HAVE NEVER DUPLICATED HISTORIC IMAGES, TO SELL COPIES. IT'S JUST OUR POLICY. WHAT A FUTURE OWNER DOES WITH THEM, IS THEIR BUSINESS.

     WITH THE MOST RECENT SMALL COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND DOCUMENTS, OF CAPTAIN TUKE, THEY WILL REMAIN WITH US, AS I NOTED YESTERDAY, TO BE USED IN AN ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY, THIS COMING SEPTEMBER, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER FIRST WORLD WAR VINTAGE ARTIFACTS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENTS, TO INCLUDE IN THE DISPLAY, WE WILL RUN IN OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP, UNTIL THE END OF NOVEMBER. WE ARE JUST THRILLED TO BE THE NEW STEWARDS OF THIS SMALL BUT INTERESTING MILITARY COLLECTION, AS AFFORDED US, THIS MONTH, OF 2014, BY MEMBERS OF THE SURVIVING TUKE FAMILY OF SOUTH MUSKOKA.

     IN 1940, CAPTAIN TUKE MARRIED HIS WIFE MARY, AND THERE IS A CERTIFICATE DATED, SEPTEMBER 13, 1942, FROM THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE OF ARCHIVE MATERIAL, WITH HER HUSBAND'S MILITARY DOCUMENTS. IT READS AS FOLLOWS: "THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MARY TUKE, HAVING ATTENDED A COURSE OF LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS IN HOME NURSING, HAS BEEN EXAMINED, AND SATISFIED THE EXAMINER IN THE SAID SUBJECT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATION OF THE SOCIETY." YOU CAN SEE AN IMAGE OF THE CERTIFICATE PUBLISHED ABOVE TODAY'S BLOG. ALSO INCLUDED, ARE TWO HANDWRITTEN PAGES OF FAMILY HISTORY, BEGINNING WITH DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE, WHO WAS THE ELDEST OF SEVENTEEN CHILDREN OF F.E. TUKE. EVEN DOWN TO THE REFERENCE, OF A CHILD OF THE DOCTOR'S, ONE OF SEVEN, (CAPTAIN TUKE'S SISTER), VIOLET MONTAGUE TUKE, "KILLED, AT AGE SIX, BY A FALL FROM A DOG-CART, WHO IS BURIED WITH HER PARENTS, IN A SUTTON VALANCE, KENT CHURCH YARD (CLOSE TO THE PATH LEADING FROM THE GATE TO THE CHURCH)."

     I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHURCH YARD. I WOULD LIKE TO STAND BESIDE THE TOMBSTONE OF DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE, WHO, FROM WHAT I READ, WAS A FASCINATING CHAP OF FULL, OLD SCHOOL, COUNTRY CHARM. AND WE HAVE SEEN AN IMAGE OF CAPTAIN TUKE'S OWN GRAVESTONE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT THIS ONE AS WELL. AS I SAID EARLIER, WHEN YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH FAMILY ARTICLES, AND ARCHIVES LIKE THIS, IT'S NATURAL FOR US, TO BECOME EMOTIONALLY IMBEDDED WITH OUR STORY, AS THE MODERN BIOGRAPHERS, BRINGING THOSE OLD DAYS BACK TO LIFE, FOR THE AUDIENCE OF THE DAY. WHICH IS PRETTY PROFOUND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR AWHILE. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE THE MONTAGUE-TUKE FAMILY STORY, WOULD HAVE REMAINED IN SEALED ENVELOPES, AND TUCKED IN STORAGE, FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS. IT WAS ASSUMED BY PRESENT FAMILY MEMBERS, THAT FEW IF ANY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS LONG AGO FAMILY CHRONICLE. THANKS TO THE INTERNET, AND INFORMATION SHARING AROUND THE GLOBE, THIS RE-INTRODUCTION, OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE TUKE FAMILY, WITH ORIGINS IN SUTTON VALANCE, KENT, WILL BE USEFUL TO FAMILY AND REGIONAL HISTORIANS IN ENGLAND, AND ANYWHERE ELSE THE TUKES PRESENTLY RESIDE IN THE WORLD. IT WILL BE USEFUL TO MILITARY RESEARCHERS, ALWAYS LOOKING TO TIE-UP LOOSE ENDS, AND IDENTIFY WHERE WORLD WAR RELICS HAVE WOUND UP AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.     WHAT MANY READERS PROBABLY WON'T APPRECIATE, IS THAT THE "ARCHIVES" VALUE OF THESE BLOGS, ACTUALLY OUT-WEIGHS THE DAY TO DAY ACTIVITY; THE FACT THAT IT HAS BECOME A SORT OF ONLINE ARCHIVES FROM REGIONAL MUSKOKA, WITH GLOBAL CONNECTEDNESS. I HAVE A COUNTER, ON MY STATISTICS PAGE, WHICH I CONSULT EVERY DAY, SHOWING ME, THE CURRENT READERSHIP OF MY TOP SIX OR SEVEN BLOGS, BEING VIEWED AT PRESENT, AND SOME OF THEM ARE SEVERAL YEARS OLD. WHAT THIS MEANS, IS THAT RESEARCHERS ARE CONNECTING TO CERTAIN MATERIAL, I HAVE RESEARCHED AND PUBLISHED PREVIOUSLY, ABOUT SOME HERITAGE MATTER, OR OTHER; SUCH AS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CANADIAN PAINTER, TOM THOMSON, WHICH IS THE ONE SUBJECT THAT ROUTINELY IS IN THE TOP FIVE FOR ARCHIVE READERSHIP. WHERE, IN THE OLD DAYS, NEWSPAPERS WERE MOST OFTEN THROWN OUT WITH THE WEEKLY TRASH, AND MOST NEVER MICROFILMED FOR POSTERITY, EXCEPT THE OLDEST ONES, TODAY, THESE BLOGS, USEFUL OR NOT, HAVE A MUCH LONGER LIFE SPAN; TO INFINITY, YOU MIGHT SAY, OR HOW EVER LONG THAT'S GOING TO BE; AND WITH TENSIONS PEAKING IN THE UKRAINE, PRIOR TO SUNDAY'S ELECTIONS, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT A WAR WILL DO TO THE WHOLE MEANING OF "INFINITY". I DON'T KNOW WHETHER DOCTOR TUKE, OR HIS SON, CAPTAIN TUKE, WOULD BE IMPRESSED WITH THIS MODERN DAY RE-INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC, OR NOT, BUT BELIEVE ME, ON OUR END, AS HISTORIANS, WE CAN ONLY HOPE THEY WOULD BE AS PLEASED AS WE ARE, THAT OUR MODERN DAY READERSHIP HAS FOUND THEIR CHRONICLE QUITE INTERESTING; AND WE HAVE THE COMMENTS TO BACK THIS UP. WE DON'T TAKE OUR STEWARDSHIP OF THESE MATERIALS LIGHTLY. SOME TIMES, WE CAN ACTUALLY COME TO FEEL QUITE BURDENED BY THE RESPONSIBILITY, OF REPRESENTING THEIR LIVES AND FAMILY WITH THE RESPECT THAT IS DESERVED. THUS, WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, IN PREPARATION, MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION IS CORRECT, AND AS COMPLETE AS FOLLOWS. IN THE CASE OF CAPTAIN TUKE, WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO ADD TO THE CHRONICLE IN THE FUTURE, AS WE ARE OFFERED ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION; SOME WE EXPECT WILL BE CONTRIBUTED BY NEW FRIENDS WE CONNECT WITH ONLINE, WHO HAVE A STAKE IN THE TUKE STORY. THIS CAN BE A STORY WITHOUT ENDING, AND IT MAY BE THE CASE, WE WILL STILL BE PURSUING MORE INFORMATION TEN YEARS FROM NOW. OF COURSE, WE ARE GETTING OLDER, BUT THIS ARCHIVES WILL EVENTUALLY BE PASSED ON, TO A NEW GENERATION OF STEWARDS, SAFEGUARDING ITS INTEGRITY.

Antiques and Collectibles With Amazing Provenance, George Tuke

The iron toy soldiers that belonged to the Tuke family from the end of the 1800's.

FAMILY RELICS THAT SHOW BIOGRAPHY IN A MORE ILLUMINATING LIGHT

I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST INTRODUCE YOU TO "DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE," OF "THE LIMES"

     I WAS AWOKEN THIS MORNING, PLEASANTLY ENOUGH, BY THE CHIRPING OF BIRDS, FLITTING FROM BOUGH TO BOUGH, IN THE OLD MAPLE OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM WINDOW. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE BRIGHT SPRING DAYBREAKS, THAT BECKONS ONE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION. I TRIED TO IGNORE THE BIRDS CHATTER, AND BLOCK MY EYES FROM THE BRIGHTNESS STREAMING INTO THE ROOM. I WANTED TO DRIFT BACK TO SLEEP, BECAUSE IT WAS STILL AN HOUR BEFORE THE ALARM WAS SET TO GO OFF. BUT I JUST RECLINED THERE, THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO WRITE ABOUT, LATER IN THE MORNING. I ALWAYS PREPARE WELL IN ADVANCE, FOR THE NEXT DAY'S BLOG, AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD IT SET, IN MY MIND, WHAT I WAS GOING TO USE AS SUBJECT MATERIAL, I BEGAN TO FIXATE ON HOW I WAS GOING TO PRESENT, WHAT IN ESSENCE, WAS A STORY ABOUT A FAMILY THAT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT. ENOUGH, BUT HISTORIANS ALWAYS FRET ABOUT THESE PERCEIVED SHORTFALLS, IN RESEARCH MATERIALS. THEN THE WRITER-ME, STARTS DOING THE SAME THING, BUT INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT A SHORTAGE OF INFORMATION, A TREPIDATION ARRIVES WITH A DISTINCT TREMBLE, ABOUT HOW I SHALL WRITE THE PIECE AS A MEMORABLE STORY. SO I WILL START WORDSMITHING THE OPENING FEW PARAGRAPHS, AND ESTABLISHING A FLOW TO THE CHRONOLOGY, THAT WILL MAKE SENSE TO READERS. IN OTHER WORDS, IF ALL I WAS DOING, LAYING THERE IN BED, WAS LISTENING TO THE CHARMING CHIRPS, OF THE RESIDENT BIRDS, OF BIRCH HOLLOW, IT WOULD BE MORE SOOTHING THAN IRRITATING. WHEN I BEGIN COMPOSING IN THIS STATE, I MIGHT AS WELL GET UP AND PUT ON A POT OF COFFEE. I HAVE CEASED, AT THAT POINT, TO BE RELAXED.

     THERE IS A CHAPTER IN THE BOOK, "BRACEBRIDGE HALL" WRITTEN BY WASHINGTON IRVING, THAT IS ALL ABOUT THE FAMILY RELICS, KEPT ON DISPLAY AT THE COUNTRY ESTATE OF SQUIRE BRACEBRIDGE, AND OBSERVED BY IRVING'S CHARACTER TRAVELLER, GEOFFREY CRAYON ESQ., AS HE TOURED THE GREAT ENGLISH HALL, IN THIS FICTIONAL FORAY INTO OLD ENGLISH WAYS. THERE WERE ALL TYPES OF FAMILY POSSESSIONS, DATING BACK CENTURIES, REPRESENTING ARTIFACTS, AND SOLEMN FAMILY PORTRAITS, OF ALL THE VENERABLE FAMILY MEMBERS OF PAST GENERATIONS. IT'S NOT THAT THEY POSSESSED A GREAT MONETARY ADVANTAGE TO THE FAMILY, BUT WERE ON DISPLAY AS IF THEY WERE PRICELESS. A LITERAL FAMILY MUSEUM, PRESERVED, AND ON DISPLAY, FOR ALL HOUSE GUESTS TO ENJOY; EVEN THOUGH MOST ADMITTEDLY PAID LITTLE OR NO ATTENTION, WHEN PASSING FROM ROOM TO ROOM DOWN THE LONG HALLWAYS.

     I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS CHAPTER, WRITTEN SO LONG AGO BY IRVING, WHENEVER I'VE BROUGHT OUT THE COLLECTION OF FAMILY HEIRLOOMS, FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES, THAT WE, ONLY RECENTLY, PURCHASED FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY, AT OUR GRAVENHURST ANTIQUE SHOP. WHICH I'M TOLD NOW, BY ASSORTED PATRONS, HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING, NOT ONLY A RETAIL OUTLET FOR LOVERS OF OLD MUSIC RELICS, AND ANTIQUES, BUT AN IN-PART MUSEUM; I SUPPOSE, MUCH LIKE SQUIRE BRACEBRIDGE'S GRAND HALL. EXCEPT THE PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS ON DISPLAY, ARE NOT FROM OUR FAMILY. WHEN YOU DEAL WITH AS MANY ESTATES, AND ARCHIVE COLLECTIONS AS WE HAVE, IN OUR OWN STORIED PAST, LET ME TELL YOU, ALL OF THESE COLLECTIONS ALSO, BY STRANGE FUSION, BECOME PART OF OUR FAMILY LIFE AND TIMES. HONESTLY, WE HAVE COME TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE FAMILIES OF COLLECTIONS, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, THAN WE KNOW ABOUT OUR OWN KIN-FOLK. IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE HAVE BECOME INTIMATE WITH THE RELICS OF THE TUKE FAMILY OF ENGLAND, AND CANADA, AS CLOSE AS OUR OWN HOMETOWN, HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA. THE OFFSPRING WASN'T TOO INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING THE SMALL ARCHIVES, AND THE OWNERS JUST WANTED IT TO GO TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD APPRECIATE THE HERITAGE BURIED WITHIN. THEY CAME TO US, WITH THIS AMAZING LITTLE CHRONOLOGY, AND WE ARE SO DELIGHTED THEY DID. BUT WE MADE IT CLEAR TO THEM, THAT IT WAS A COLLECTION WE SIMPLY COULDN'T PART WITH, BECAUSE OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE BIOGRAPHIES, IN BITS AND PIECES, STRETCHING BACK TO AN HEIRLOOM SILVER TRAY, DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 1700'S. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THAT OFTEN, THAT WE CAN ASCERTAIN AND HIGHLIGHT, SUCH A CONTINUOUS, SIGNIFICANT LINE, TO TRACE BACK AND, WELL, WRITE ABOUT, AS I AM TODAY. FEELING SUDDENLY IN THE COMPANY OF THE FASCINATING DR. GEORGE TUKE, OF KENT, ENGLAND. I AM SO PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN AFFORDED THIS OPPORTUNITY, BY THE SAME FAMILY, THAT ALLOWED SUZANNE AND I ACCESS TO A MEDICAL CORP SWORD, FROM ANOTHER ANCESTOR, WHO HAD SERVED WITH THE FEDERAL ARMY, DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. AS THAT WAS A REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITY, TO EXPERIENCE HISTORY, THIS ONE TODAY, IS JUST AS SPECIAL AND ENDEARING. AT LEAST TO THE LOVERS OF HISTORY. OF COURSE, WHEN YOU ENGAGE ALMOST ANY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE HISTORY, FROM DOCUMENTS AND ARTIFACTS LIKE WE HAVE ACQUIRED, WORK IS NEVER REALLY WORK. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS BRIEF EXAMINATION, OF WHAT FEEDS OUR AMBITIONS, IN THE ANTIQUE AND HISTORY PROFESSION. HERE NOW IS AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR STORY. THE ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS WILL EVENTUALLY BE PUT ON DISPLAY AT OUR SHOP, SHOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THEM CLOSE-UP.

     "IN AUGUST LAST, (1977), IN SEARCH OF RELATIVES, WE WENT TO SUTTON VALANCE, KENT, (ENGLAND) AND HAD A MOST DELIGHTFUL DAY THERE. WE WERE SHOWN OVER THE OLD HOUSE, 'THE LIMES,' BY THE PRESENT OCCUPIERS. BUT TO THEIR REGRET HAD CHANGED THE NAME OF THE HOUSE. THE LIMES ARE STILL THERE, LOOKING VERY OLD, AND THERE ARE STILL MANY THINGS THERE, THAT GRANDFATHER USED IN HIS SURGERY.

     "IT MAY BE OF SOME INTEREST TO YOU, THAT GRANDFATHER'S MODEL T FORD, THE FIRST IN THAT PART OF KENT, IS STILL IN EXISTENCE, LOOKING BRAND NEW, IN A CAR SHOWROOM IN MAIDSTONE. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OF GOING TO SEE IT YET, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ORIGINAL PAPERS, LIKE THE BILL OF SALE ARE STILL WITH THE CAR. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND SO MANY PEOPLE, IN SUTTON VALANCE, WHO KNEW GRANDFATHER. HAVE YOU BEEN TO SUTTON VALANCE IN THE PAST?

     "I AM ENCLOSING A PHOTOSTAT FROM A MAGAZINE (OF AN ARTICLE) ON GRANDFATHER, WHICH MIGHT INTEREST YOU. I DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT WAS PUBLISHED."

     THE ABOVE, WAS INCLUDED IN A LETTER, FROM ONE FAMILY MEMBER TO ANOTHER, REGARDING A MATTER OF INHERITANCE, WHICH STRETCHED BACK TO THE ESTATE OF "DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE," THE FORMER OWNER OF "THE LIMES," IN SUTTON VALANCE, KENT, ENGLAND, AND THE GRANDFATHER REFERRED TO IN THE PASSAGES ABOVE. THE ARTICLE THAT IS REFERRED TO, IS ENTITLED "FIELD, COVERT AND ROADSIDE," BY HOPLEAF, AND IS SUBTITLED, "THE OLD DOCTOR." THIS IS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FEATURE ARTICLE I PROMISED, EARLIER LAST WEEK, REGARDING A FAMILY COLLECTION OF ITEMS, WITH A LOCAL TIE, CENTERING AROUND THE MILITARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OF THE DOCTOR'S SON, CAPTAIN S. M. TUKE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO BEGIN THIS SHORT SERIES, WITH A LOOK BACK AT CAPTAIN TUKE'S WELL KNOWN, AND RESPECTED FATHER, DOCTOR GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE.

     THE UNDATED ARTICLE IS AN INTERESTING RETROSPECTIVE OF DOCTOR TUKE, AND HIS SURGERY, IN THE ENGLISH COMMUNITY OF SUTTON VALANCE, IN KENT, AND WAS WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR, KNOWN ONLY AS "HOPLEAF," AND AS YOU'LL SOON DISCOVER, IT DID HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH "HOPS."

FIELD, COVERT AND ROADSIDE - THE OLD DOCTOR

     "SHORT AND STOCKY IN BUILD, WITH A GRUFFNESS OF MANNER THAT WAS BELIED BY THE KINDLY LITTLE EYES, THAT TWINKLED BEHIND HIS SPECTACLES, A  COUNTRY MEDICO OF THE OLD SCHOOL, WHOSE RULING PASSION WAS FOX-HUNTING. SUCH WAS THE OLD DOCTOR I KNEW FOR MORE YEARS THAN I CARE TO REMEMBER.

     "A PRODUCT OF THE 80'S (1880'S MEDICAL SCHOOL), I DOUBT WHETHER HE HAD OPENED A MODERN TEXTBOOK SINCE SETTING UP HIS PLATE IN A CERTAIN KENTISH VILLAGE, SET ON A KENTISH HILL, SOME FORTY YEARS PREVIOUSLY. THROUGHOUT THAT TIME, HE HAD TENDED HIS PATIENTS, EXCEPT ON HUNTING DAYS, BY THE OLD FASHIONED METHODS IN WHICH HE FIRMLY BELIEVED, AND WITH A SUCCESS AT LEAST EQUAL TO THAT ACHIEVED BY THE HIGHLY PRESSURIZED HEALTH SERVICES, WHICH WE NOW ENJOY. UNKIND PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT HE CARED MORE FOR A FOX THAN A PATIENT. AT ANY RATE, MOST OF HIS PATIENTS SEEMED TO DIE OF OLD AGE, AND IT WAS HIS BOAST THAT HE HAD 'NEVER LOST A BABY.' HE WAS WELL AWARE, THAT IN THE EYES OF THE SIMPLE-MINDED COUNTRY FOLK, OF THOSE DAYS, 'A BOTTLE OF MEDICINE FROM THE DOCTOR,' WHATEVER ITS CONSTITUENTS, POSSESSED ALMOST MAGICAL PROPERTIES.

     "FOR ANY SORT OF SPRAIN, WHETHER IN HUMANS OR HORSES, LEAD LOTION WAS ALWAYS THE SPECIFIC. WHILE FOR ANY OTHER MINOR AILMENT, THERE WAS A STANDING PRESCRIPTION KNOWN AS 'THE MIXTURE,' WHICH WAS STORED IN BULK, AND KEPT IN A STONE JAR IN THE SURGERY; THE FORMULA BEING, I BELIEVE, 'MAG-SULPH, TINCT COCH, WHICH, AS A CHEMIST WILL TELL YOU, IS EPSON SALTS COLOURED WITH COCHNICAL. NEVERTHELESS, IT SEEMED TO WORK, ESPECIALLY IF WELL SHAKEN BEFORE TAKEN. AND IN CASES OF SERIOUS ILLNESS THERE WAS NO ONE MORE FASTIDIOUS, THAN THE OLD DOCTOR. HE HAD A FLAIR FOR DIAGNOSIS, AKIN TO THAT OF A VET, AND NEVER FAILED TO CALL IN A SECOND OPINION. HE LOVED CHILDREN AND WAS AT HIS BEST WITH A SMALL PATIENT, ALL OF WHO ADORED HIM.

     "THE OLD MAN WAS A BORN HORSEMAN AND HAD USED HORSES FOR HIS PRACTICE ALL HIS LIFE. ALTHOUGH LATTERLY HIS GROOM, JESSUP, HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO DRIVE A MODEL T FORD, WHICH WAS USED FOR NIGHT WORK, HE HAD NEVER TAKEN KINDLY TO THE MOTOR CAR, WHICH HE REGARDED AS A NEW FANGLED NUISANCE. WHEN I KNEW HIM, HE HAD A BIG CHESTNUT MARE, 'MOLLY,' OF WHOM HE WAS INORDINATELY PROUD. SHE WAS A GOODISH SORT OF MARE, AND A USEFUL HUNTER WHEN SHE GOT WARMED UP, BUT INCLINED TO PEEP ABOUT A BIT, AND WAS SHY ON THE ROAD. THIS, THE OLD DOCTOR, RATHER ENJOYED. HE RODE AS A NATURAL HORSEMAN, WITH LONG LEATHERS AND A LONG REIN, LOOKING 'ONE WITH HIS HORSE.' AND ALTHOUGH HE NEVER APPEARED TO HAVE HOLD OF HER, HE WAS NEVER CAUGHT NAPPING BY HER ANTICS.

     "WHEN I RODE WITH HIM ON HIS ROUNDS, AS OFTEN AS I DID, I WOULD LISTEN TO AN ENDLESS FLOW OF ANECDOTE AND REMINISCENCE, TOLD WITH PUNGENCY, AND SOMETIMES RABELAISIAN WIT, THAT WERE TYPICAL OF HIS CHARACTER. EVERY FIELD, FENCE OR COVERT, RECALLED SOME PAST HUNTING EXPLOIT, OR EXPERIENCE, WHICH, I IMAGINE, LOST NOTHING IN THE TELLING.

     "YOU SEE THAT PLACE OUT THERE,' HE WOULD REMARK, POINTING WITH THE WHIP INTO THE DISTANCE. I SAW A FIELD SLOPING DOWN TO AN OLD LOOKING, OVERGROWN HEDGE, OF ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS. 'NASTY PLACE, THAT....VERY NASTY. DITCH ONE SIDE AND A BIG DROP THE OTHER; REGULAR BECHERS, COME ALL OVER A TREMBLE WHEN I THINK OF IT! I REMEMBER WHEN BILL RIGDEN HAD THE HOUNDS, AFORE YOUR TIME. ONE DAY THEY RAN THIS WAY, AND WE CAME TO THIS VERY PLACE GOING LIKE MAD. BILL WENT OVER, BUT ALL THE OTHERS WENT CRYING FOR MOTHER! THERE WAS ONLY JACK COVENEY AND ME LEFT. JACK WENT FIRST AND GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE. CALLED OUT TO ME TO GIVE HIM A PUSH. I WAS RIDING ON OLD THUNDERER; COULDN'T HAVE STOPPED HIM IF I'D TRIED. WE RAMMED HIM IN HIS BEHIND AND HE AND HIS HORSE WENT SPRAWLING INTO THE NEXT FIELD. NEVER EVEN SAID THANK YOU.

     "WONDERFUL SPORT BILL USED TO BE. BEST WOODLAND HUNTSMAN THAT EVER WAS, WHEN HE HAD THE TICKHAM. KILLED ANY NUMBER OF FOXES; BUT A FOX KILLED HIM IN THE END. HE'D BEEN DIGGING AND THE FOX BIT HIM THROUGH THE BOOT. BLOOD POISONING; DEAD IN A WEEK, POOR CHAP. LORD, WHAT TIMES WE USED TO HAVE TOGETHER. DINED WITH HIM UP AT WREN CROSS, WHENEVER THERE WAS A MOOTE TWO BOTTLES OF PORT. 'MIND HOW YOU GO, GEORGE,' HE'D SAY, WHEN HE PUT ME UP IN MY TRAP. 'KEEP BETWEEN THE HEDGES, AND YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT.' BUT THE OLD MARE KNEW HER WAY HOME. GOT PAST THAT SORT OF THING NOW. DRINKING AND WENCHING IS A YOUNG MAN'S WORK. PUT AWAY THE BOTTLE, TAKE DOWN THE TEAPOT. CARPET SLIPPERS AND NURSE THE CAT. THAT'S WHAT WE ALL COME TO.'

     "IN HIS CAPACITY OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, FOR THE HOLLINGBOURNE DISTRICT, THE OLD DOCTOR, DURING THE HOP PICKING SEASON, WOULD RIDE ROUND THE HOPPERS' ENCAMPMENT, WHICH WERE ABOUT AS PRIMITIVE AS THE DENIZENS OF HOXTON AND LAMBETH, WHO CAME DOWN TO OCCUPY THEM. THE SAME FAMILIES CAME TO THE SAME FARMS EVERY YEAR, AND THE OLD MAN WAS A FAVOURITE WITH THEM ALL. THE CHILDREN, FOR WHOM HE ALWAYS HAD A BAG OF SWEETS, CLUSTERED AROUND HIM, AS HE SAT ON HIS MARE EXCHANGING CHAFF WITH THE WOMENFOLK, WHOSE BAWDIER SALLIES, WOULD PRODUCE SHRIEKS OF APPRECIATIVE LAUGHTER. THE DOCTOR USUALLY GAVE AS GOOD AS HE GOT.

     "HULLO LIZZIE,' TO A BOLD EYED WENCH, WITH AN INFANT IN ARMS, AND SEVERAL MORE TRAILING AT HER SKIRT. 'GOT ANOTHER ONE? UPON MY WORD, THEY'RE AS REGULAR AS AUTUMN BLACKBERRIES. DIS-GRACE-FUL! NEVER HEARD SUCH A THING; AND ME A MAGISTRATE,' GRUMBLED THE OLD MAN AND RODE OFF IN HIGH GLEE.

     "ALWAYS INTERESTED IN PEOPLE, HE WOULD SIT ON A SUNNY DAY AT HIS OPEN BOW-WINDOW, WHICH LOOKED ON TO THE STREET, WATCHING THE LIFE OF HIS BELOVED VILLAGE, AND READY TO HAIL THE PASSERBY FOR A BIT OF GOSSIP. DESPITE HIS OUTWARD RIBALDRY, HE HAD A SHREWD COMMONSENSE, AND SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING; THOSE WHO CAME TO HIM FOR HELP OR COUNSEL, IN THEIR TROUBLES, WOULD NOT GO AWAY EMPTHY. AS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, HE DISPLAYED A SYMPATHY FOR THE UNDER-DOG, LENIENCY OF SENTENCE, BEING TEMPERED WITH A BRISK HOMILY, ON THE CHRISTIAN VIRTUES. THE OLD DOCTOR WAS A CHARACTER, AND KENT WAS THE POORER FOR HIS PASSING."

    AT TIMES DURING THIS RESEARCH, AND HAVING READ THE ABOVE PASSAGES NUMEROUS TIMES NOW, IT'S AS IF I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO RIDE ALONG IN THE GOOD DOCTOR'S BUGGY, RATTLING ALONG, OVER HILL AND LOWLAND, WITH A TRAILING DUST CLOUD, TUMBLING BEHIND, DOWN ALL THE RELEVANT COUNTRY LANES IN KENT, TENDING TO HIS MANY PATIENTS.

    ACCORDING TO A COPY OF THE TUKE FAMILY TREE, WHICH GOES BACK MANY CENTURIES, DOCTOR GEORGE TUKE'S FATHER WAS FRANCIS EDWARD TUKE, OF BORDEN VICARAGE; CLERK IN HOLY ORDERS. BORN 16TH, APRIL, 1825. DIED AGED 73 AT MAIDSTONE, COUNTY KENT. HIS WIFE, AND THE DOCTOR'S MOTHER, WAS 'HELEN,' DAUGHTER OF MAJOR BURRIDGE, OF THE 11TH HUSSERS, MARRIED CIRCA 1850. DR. GEORGE MONTAGU TUKE, WAS BORN ON THE 11TH OF APRIL, 1854, AND DIED IN 1930. THE SUBJECT OF THIS SHORT SERIES, IS THE DOCTOR'S SON, CAPTAIN SHIRLY MONTAGUE TUKE, BORN TO GEORGE AND HELEN IN 1894.

     THE IRON TOY SOLDIERS AND BANDSMEN, WE BELIEVE, ONCE BELONGED TO CAPTAIN TUKE AS A CHILD, AND WERE PASSED DOWN TO THE PRESENT, IN THE TUKE FAMILY, TO MEMBERS WHO STILL LIVE HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA.

1914 General Map showing European frontiers at the beginning of the First World War.

Captain S. Montague Tuke

COMING UP TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY; THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORLD WAR ONE - A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN TUKE

WHAT A WEALTH OF HISTORY HAS BEEN STORED AWAY IN TRUNKS

     FATHER HEFFERNAN PROBABLY WOULDN'T AGREE WITH ME, THAT JUST BEING HANDED A SIGNED COPY OF HIS RECORD, A FEW MOMENTS AGO, COULD BE CONSIDERED ANY KIND OF HEAVENLY SIGN, TO THE UNSUSPECTING RECIPIENT. WELL, HE'S ENTITLED TO HIS OPINION. SINCE I MET FATHER ON THE PLAYING FIELD, OF BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL, BACK IN 1966, WHEN HE WAS THE PRIEST AT ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH, WE HAVE HAD MANY HAPPENSTANCE MEETINGS THAT ALWAYS MEANT A LOT TO ME. PRETTY MUCH FOR THE SAME REASON. I WOULD BE ANGRY OR FRUSTRATED, WORKING ON A PROJECT, AND SOMETHING OUT OF THE BLUE, MAYBE HEAVEN, WOULD MAKE ME THINK OF FATHER, AND HOW HE WOULD HANDLE A SIMILAR SITUATION. BY THE WAY, I'M NOT CATHOLIC, AND I NEVER ATTENDED EVEN ONE OF HIS SERVICES. JUST BEING EXPOSED TO HIS KINDNESSES OF ONCE, DID IT FOR ME OVER A LIFETIME.

    HE USED TO COME OVER TO THE NEIGHBORING SCHOOL EVERY RECESS AND SOMETIMES AT LUNCH, TO PLAY FOOTBALL WITH US. HE WAS AN AMAZING SPORTSMAN, WHO INSISTED ON INVOLVING AS MANY KIDS IN RECREATIONAL EVENTS AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING HOCKEY. I CALLED HIM "ELBOWS" BECAUSE I TASTED HIS MANY TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN HOCKEY; HE WAS ROUGH IN THE CORNERS, BUT HE ALWAYS APOLOGIZED, AND HELPED ME BACK TO MY FEET AFTER KNOCKING ME DOWN. I HAVE FOLLOWED HIS YEARS WITH THE CHURCH, A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE MANY OF US, THE FOLKS FROM THE OLD DAYS, THAT HE INSPIRED, STILL CONSIDER HIM OUR OWN FATHER O'MALLY, FROM. OF COURSE, THE PORTRAYAL OF THE CHARACTER-FATHER, BY BING CROSBY, IN MOVIES, "THE BELLS OF ST. MARYS," AND "GOING MY WAY." FATHER HEFFERNAN'S INSPIRATION SURFACES AT THE STRANGEST POINTS IN MY LIFE, AND TODAY, AT THE PEAK OF FRUSTRATION, WHEN I WANTED TO THROW THIS LAPTOP INTO THE STREET, TO BE RUN OVER. AND WITHOUT KNOWING IT, REACHING OUT AND ACCEPTING A FREE RECORD FROM MY SON, THAT JUST CAME IN THE DOOR, WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER BOXED VINTAGE VINYL, HERE IT ARRIVED AT MY SIDE ONCE MORE. THE RECORD IS ENTITLED "RADIO AND T.V. REFLECTIONS." "I KNEW YOU WOULD WANT THIS ONE DAD," ANDREW SAID, WITH A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE, BECAUSE HE HAS HEARD EVERY ONE OF MY FATHER HEFFERNAN RECOLLECTIONS. AND BY GOLLY, IT'S SIGNED. I'M GOING TO GET SON ROBERT TO PLAY IT FOR ME, LATER THIS AFTERNOON. I NOW HAVE TWO COPIES. JUST SEEING HIS BIG SMILE ON THE RECORD COVER, AND I'M GOOD TO GO ANOTHER THOUSAND MILES.

    DID I EVER TELL YOU ABOUT THE TIME, I GOT A CALL FROM FATHER, ON A SNOWY CHRISTMAS EVE, ONE YEAR, VIA A PHONE BELONGING TO A NEIGHBOR BUSINESS; JUST A SECOND BEFORE I WAS HEADED OUT INTO THE STORM THAT NIGHT, TO INCH MY WAY HOME TO GRAVENHURST FROM BRACEBRIDGE. FATHER HAD HEARD OUR SHOP WAS LOCATED BENEATH MARTIN'S FRAMING, ON MANITOBA STREET, SO HE PHONED IT ON THE HUNCH, BARB MARTIN, WOULD ADVISE ME OF THE CALL. AS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF WISHING BARB A "MERRY CHRISTMAS," SHE GOT THE CALL, AND I JUST DECIDED TO WAIT A FEW MORE MINUTES, TO FINISH MY FAREWELL. THAT'S WHEN SHE YELLED DOWN TO ME, STANDING AT THE DOOR, WITH HER HAND OVER THE MOUTHPIECE, "TED, YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE THIS, BUT FATHER HEFFERNAN IS ON THE PHONE FOR YOU." WHAT A NICE CONVERSATION WE HAD, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS ABLE TO THANK THE MAN, FOR KEEPING SO MANY OF US YOUNGSTERS BACK THEN, PLAYING SPORTS, INSTEAD OF MISCHIEF. AS ALWAYS HE WAS HUMBLE. HE WAS OUR FATHER O'MALLY. I FEEL UPLIFTED BY THIS MOST RECENT, INADVERTENT ACT OF GENEROSITY. ONCE AGAIN, AND CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL, FATHER HAS INSPIRED ME TO FINISH TODAY'S WORK, NO MATTER WHAT ADVERSITY THIS LAPTOP THROWS AT ME. I FEEL REFRESHED. THANK YOU, WHOEVER IT WAS, WHO KINDLY BROUGHT THIS RECORD INTO THE SHOP, AND THANK YOU, FATHER HEFFERNAN, ONCE AGAIN.

     IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AS OFTEN AS I WOULD LIKE, BUT THERE ARE FOLKS WHO DROP INTO OUR SHOP, WHO GENEROUSLY OFFER, AND EVEN DONATE, (FOR DISPLAY) INTERESTING AND EVEN UNIQUE HERITAGE ITEMS, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RECENT MEDICAL OFFICER'S PRESENTATION SWORD, (YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO CIVIL WAR SWORD IN THIS BLOG COLLECTION) USED IN SERVICE, BY ONE OF THEIR KIN, WHILE HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL CORP, OF THE ILLINOIS REGIMENT, OF THE FEDERAL ARMY, DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. WHILE WE DIDN'T PURCHASE THE SWORD, BECAUSE IT IS AN HEIRLOOM, BEING PASSED ALONG IN THE FAMILY (WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR), WE WERE OFFERED THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO PHOTOGRAPH IT, HANDLE IT, PLUS RESEARCH ITS LEGACY, AND BEST OF ALL, WRITE A FEATURE STORY ABOUT IT (AND WAVE IT AROUND IN THE SHOP FOR A FEW MOMENTS); AND TO VIEW UP CLOSE, THE DOCTOR'S CIVIL WAR BUTTONS, FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES, REMOVED FROM THE SOLDIER'S "GREAT COAT." WE KNOW THERE ARE CIVIL WAR BUTTONS OUT THERE, BUT, BEFORE THIS, WE HAD ONLY SEEN THEM IN PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS. WE EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO MEASURE THEM, JUST IN CASE WE CAME UPON SOME, DOWN THE ROAD, AS WE ARE ALWAYS BUYING JARS OF BUTTONS FROM YARD SALES. THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS, AS WE OPERATE IT, IS A STRANGE BUT ENJOYABLE MIX OF BUYING AND SELLING, AND EXHIBITING ITEMS WE WANT YOU TO SEE. MANY ANTIQUE DEALERS CRINGE AT THE VERY IDEA OF HAVING ANYTHING IN THEIR SHOP THAT ISN'T FOR SALE, AS THEY BELIEVE HAVING "NOT FOR SALE," AND "FOR EXHIBIT ONLY" SIGNS, ON ARTIFACTS, SCARE CUSTOMERS AWAY. FUNNY THING THAT, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY KEEP CUSTOMERS IN OUR SHOP LONGER, BECAUSE OF OUR DISPLAYS, DUE TO THE FACT, THEY USUALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PIECES IN THE EXHIBIT. WE TALK HISTORY HERE, FROM MORNING UNTIL NIGHT. WORKS FOR US. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A CENT. NOW THAT'S A BARGAIN.

     CHRIS THOMPSON, A FAMILY FRIEND, AND HOBBY FAMILY HISTORIAN, (DID I MENTION COLLECTOR OF NEAT ARTIFACTS), BROUGHT US IN, FOR DISPLAY, AN ENGRAVED 1960'S PRESENTATION TRAY, RECEIVED BY THE FORMER OWNER OF WINDERMERE HOUSE RESORT, ON LAKE ROSSEAU, FROM THE CANADIAN ALBACORE SAILING ASSOCIATION, TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARY ELIZABETH AITKEN'S HOSPITALITY TO THE GROUP, DURING THEIR ANNUAL RACES. THIS IS A NICE RELIC OF MUSKOKA MEMORABILIA, IN GREAT CONDITION, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE IT ON DISPLAY IN THE SHOP. WE ARE ALWAYS RECEPTIVE TO EXHIBITING MUSKOKA COLLECTABLES, WHENEVER WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY.

     THERE ARE MANY OF US, WHO HAVE IMPORTANT RELICS, WITH STORIES ATTACHED, TUCKED AWAY IN KEEPSAKE TRUNKS, IN ATTICS AND CLOSETS, INCLUDING WAR LETTERS AND PIONEER JOURNALS, THAT ARE VIEWED, IN SOME REGARDS, AS BURDENSOME, BECAUSE IT IS ASSUMED, NO ONE WILL WANT THEM WHEN THEIR ESTATE IS FINALLY SETTLED. THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SENSITIVITY OF THE MATERIAL OF JOURNALS, DIARIES AND LETTERS, AND IT IS OFTEN THE CASE, BUNDLES OF IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENCE, ARE BURNED OR RUN THROUGH A SHREDDER, INSTEAD OF CONSERVED AND SHARED WITH THOSE OF US, WITH A KEEN APPRECIATION FOR THESE SMALL, BUT IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE GIANT PUZZLE OF WORLD HISTORY. I REMEMBER TALKING TO A DESCENDENT OF A WELL KNOWN MUSKOKA FAMILY, WHO SHOWED ME A THICK FAMILY JOURNAL, (HANDWRITTEN) WITH MANY PAGES REMOVED, BECAUSE ONE OF THE OTHER SIBLINGS, HAD DECIDED, ON HER OWN, THAT THE MATERIAL WITHIN WAS TOO PERSONAL TO SHARE WITH OTHERS. HAVING WORKED WITH ALL KINDS OF SENSITIVE MATERIAL IN THE PAST, I COULD HAVE SAVED THOSE PAGES, WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE GOOD STORY WITHIN. AT LEAST THE FULL INTEGRITY OF THE JOURNAL WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSERVED, FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, TO BENEFIT FROM; AND NOT JUST IN THE FINANCIAL SENSE. I DON'T SELL IMPORTANT MUSKOKA DOCUMENTS WE HAVE UNCOVERED, BECAUSE I USE THESE MATERIALS FREQUENTLY, IF NOT FOR SPECIFIC CONTENT, FOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION, AND YES, POTENTIALLY FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES. SOME MATERIAL I WOULD NEVER RELEASE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF WRITTEN MATERIAL, WHICH COULD, MOST DEFINITELY, HURT THE FEELINGS OF KIN, ADVERSELY NAMED IN THE TEXT. IT HAPPENS. THE JOURNAL WRITERS NEVER THOUGHT THEIR HANDIWORK WOULD EVER BE PUBLISHED. IT REMINDS ME OF THE JOURNAL OF MUSKOKA ARTIST, ADA FLORENCE KINTON, WHO WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF CONSIDERABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT, WITH THE SALVATION ARMY. WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY, EARLY IN THE 1900'S, HER SISTER, SARA RANDLESON, DECIDED TO PUBLISH HER HANDWRITTEN JOURNAL, UNDER THE HEADING,

"JUST ONE BLUE BONNET," AND IT'S A PRECIOUS, HIGHLY IMPORTANT BIOGRAPHY, WITH MANY REFERENCES TO THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA, AND HUNTSVILLE SPECIFICALLY; WITH OBSERVATIONS ABOUT HUNTSVILLE IN THE 1880'S UP TO AN INCLUDING THE PERIOD JUST BEFORE SHE DIED IN THAT COMMUNITY.

     AS AN EXAMPLE, I KNOW OF A BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN, AS A FAMILY HISTORY, THAT REFERRED TO AN IN-LAW'S KIN, BEING A NO GOOD HORSE THIEF. THIS, I KNOW FOR FACT, HAS NEVER BEEN FORGIVEN, AMONGST THOSE KIN WITH LONG MEMORIES. THIS KIND OF REFERENCE AND TESTIMONIAL, SHOWS UP MORE THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. IN A RECENT COLLECTION WE ACQUIRED, THERE ARE MATERIALS, PRINT ITEMS, RELEASED BY GROUPS DENYING THE HOLOCAUST. SOMETIMES YOU GET THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE TO WHAT YOU EXPECT, WHEN ACQUIRING ESTATES. WE OF COURSE, SHREDDED THESE OFFENSIVE DOCUMENTS. WE KNOW WHAT GOES AND WHAT REMAINS. AFTER A LOT OF YEARS, BEING UP TO OUR EARS IN OLD PAPER, KEPT BY WELL INTENTIONED HOARDERS, WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN FIND THE STRANGEST ITEMS, WITH AMAZING IMBEDDED CONTRADICTIONS, AND CORRECTIONS, TO WHAT WE HAD, AS PRIOR EXPECTATION, KNOWN OF THE PEOPLE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW. IT'S ALL THE SAME TO US, BECAUSE OF OUR FIRM COMMITMENT TO CONFIDENTIALITY. EVEN IF WE ARE GIVEN PERMISSION TO USE THIS MATERIAL, WE JUDGE WHAT FALLS BENEATH OUR BYLINE, OR IS ON DISPLAY AT OUR SHOP. CALL IT CENSORSHIP, BUT WE ARE LOYAL TO SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS. IT'S SURPRISING WHAT INFORMATION CAN HURT THESE UNSUSPECTING FOLKS, SO IT'S OUR JOB, ABOVE AND BEYOND, TO MAKE SURE IT REMAINS UNDER WRAPS.

     ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE HAD ACCESS TO A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FIRST WORLD WAR ARTIFACTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH IS PERFECT FOR OUR PLANS, THIS SEPTEMBER, TO HOST A MINOR BUT HEARTFELT EXHIBIT OF MATERIALS, COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. AS A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE, OF COURSE.

     IN THE HISTORY GAME, THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF COINCIDENCES, BUT WHEN YOU'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR CONTINUOUS THREADS, WEAVING THROUGH MANKIND'S CHRONICLE, RESEARCHERS BY DUE DILIGENCE, FIND RELATED HERITAGE SEAMS, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT VEIN FROM THE BEGINNING. AND LIKE VEINS, THERE ARE MANY INTERSECTING ARTERIES, THAT LEAD TO OTHER JUNCTIONS AND LOW AND BEHOLD, SO MANY MORE DISCOVERIES. THERE ARE TIMES HOWEVER, AND MOST OF US DON'T OVER-ANALYZE THESE THINGS, WE SCRATCH OUR HEADS, AS TO HOW IN THE WORLD ALL THESE SOURCES CAME TOGETHER, AND WHAT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, ARRIVED AT THE PERFECT TIME. THERE ARE OTHER TIMES, WHEN LIKE THE PUZZLE-MAKER, WE DRIVE OURSELVES NUTS TRYING TO SPLICE-IN PIECES THAT SEEMINGLY DON'T EXIST, OR CAN'T BE FOUND. WHETHER THEY ARE STUCK TO OUR SOCK-BOTTOM, OR HAVE SLIPPED DOWN A HEATING DUCT, ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR, WE START FEELING REAL BAD, ABOUT THE FACT WE CAN'T FINISH THE PUZZLE. EVEN BEFORE WE COMMENCE SUCH A PROJECT, WE ALWAYS KNOW THIS "MISSING" PIECE SYNDROME, COULD HAUNT US, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT OF RESEARCH EXHAUSTION, WHEN NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE, AT THAT POINT, TO MAKE A COMPLETE PICTURE THAT OTHERS CAN VIEW WITH SENSIBLE CONTINUITY. WHILE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE UNTURNED STONES, AND MISSING INFORMATION FOR HISTORIANS AND BIOGRAPHERS, WE CAN GET TO A POINT, WHERE WE HAVE AT THE VERY LEAST, WHAT WE CALL A PROPORTIONAL OVERVIEW, DONE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. IT'S A PICTURE, A PROFILE, AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH, BECAUSE IT COVERS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS OF THE STORY. SO IF WE GO BACK TO THE PUZZLE-MAKER, IF WE HAVE MISSING PIECES IN RESEARCH, WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD BE WELL DISTANT FROM THE FOCAL POINT OF THE PROJECT. NOT A BORDER. WE HATE NOT HAVING OUR WORK PROPERLY FRAMED. BUT IF A PIECE, OR PIECES, WERE MISSING FROM, SAY, THE BOTTOM, AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WOULD DETRACT FROM THE REST OF THE PICTURE, WE COULD LIVE WITH THE SHORTFALL. IT'S WHEN THERE ARE MISSING DETAILS IN THE CENTER OF THE HISTORY, OR BIOGRAPHY, THAT KEEPS US AWAKE AT NIGHT.

     THIS IS PRECISELY THE CASE OF THE EVER SO BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN SHIRLEY JOHN MONTAGUE TUKE, SON OF DR. GEORGE MONTAGUE TUKE, A DOCTOR FROM KENT, ENGLAND. (IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST COLUMN REGARDING THE TUKE FAMILY, YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO YESTERDAY'S STORY). WE HAVE REALLY JUST BEGUN OUR RESEARCH ON CAPTAIN TUKE, BASED ON A COLLECTION OF FAMILY HEIRLOOMS, JUST RECENTLY ACQUIRED, FOR EXHIBITION PURPOSES IN OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP. WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE COLLECTION TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT IS RARE TO HAVE SO MANY CONNECTED ARTICLES, EVEN WHEN WE HAVE PURCHASED ENTIRE ESTATES IN THE PAST. MOST OF THE INTIMATE KEEPSAKES, INCLUDING LETTERS, DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, ARE KEPT BY SURVIVING FAMILY; AND OR DESTROYED, AS WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF MANY TIMES, BECAUSE THE FAMILY DID NOT WANT THE MATERIAL FALLING INTO THE WRONG HANDS. IN THIS CASE, THE FAMILY OF CAPTAIN TUKE, LIVING HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA, WANTED THE ITEMS TO GO TO PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THREAD, PASSING THROUGH THE GENERATIONS, WHICH IN THIS CASE, DATED BACK TO THE EARLY 1700'S. DUE TO THE CONNECTEDNESS OF THIS PARTICULAR COLLECTION, AND THE UPCOMING RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY, OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, IN SEPTEMBER, OUR FAMILY DECIDED THAT WE HAD TO PRESERVE THE ITEMS FOR DISPLAY, AS PART OF THE COMMEMORATION. AND WE HOPE, BY SEPTEMBER, TO HAVE EVEN MORE INFORMATION ON CAPTAIN TUKE, AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMONWEALTH'S WAR EFFORT.

     IN TODAY'S BLOG, WE WANTED TO SHOW READERS THE SILVER "SALVER" THAT WAS PASSED DOWN IN THE COLLECTION, HAVING BELONGED TO THE MONTAGUE FAMILY ORIGINALLY, (A PRESENTATION PIECE), AND BECOMING A FAMILY RELIC (HEIRLOOM), WHEN THE MONTAGUE, AND TUKE FAMILIES, MERGED IN MARRIAGE, IN THE LATE 1800'S. THERE IS ALSO AN IMAGE OF AN ORIGINAL 1914 MAP OF EUROPE, FOLLOWING OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I, AND A POST CARD IMAGE OF CAPTAIN TUKE. THERE WILL BE OTHER IMAGES OF THE CAPTAIN, IN THE NEXT SEVERAL BLOGS THIS WEEK. WHILE ADMITTEDLY, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE EARLY IN THE RESEARCH OF CAPTAIN TUKE'S MILITARY CAREER, WE HAVE SOME DOCUMENTS TO SHARE, THAT GIVE US INFORMATION ABOUT HIS ADVANCE THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE BRITISH MILITARY.

     IT IS, TO AN OLD HISTORIAN, LIKE ME, A BREATHTAKING MOMENT, TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD A DOCUMENT, SIGNED BY "KING GEORGE THE FIFTH," BESTOWING HONOR ON CAPTAIN TUKE. BUT HERE IT IS, IN MY HAND, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS FEATURE COLUMN. (IT WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED AND PUBLISHED IN FUTURE BLOGS THIS WEEK). IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS YOU MIGHT SAY BUT BY GOLLY, IT'S ONLY MAY.

     IT READS AS FOLLOWS: (SIGNATURE OF THE KING ON THE TOP)

     "GEORGE THE FIFTH, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN, AND IRELAND, AND OF THE BRITISH DOMINIONS, BEYOND THE SEAS, KING DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, EMPEROR OF INDIA AND SOVEREIGN OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, TO OUR TRUSTY AND WELL BELOVED 'SHIRLEY JOHN MONTAGUE TUKE, ESQUIRE, LIEUTENANT ACTING MAJOR IN OUR ARMY,' GREETING, WHEREAS WE HAVE THOUGHT FIT TO NOMINATE AND APPOINT YOU TO BE AN OFFICER OF THE MILITARY DIVISION OF OUR SAID MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

     "GRANT OF THE DIGNITY OF AN OFFICER, OF THE MILITARY DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, TO LIEUTENANT (ACTING MAJOR), SHIRLEY JOHN MONTAGUE TUKE. WE DO BY THESE PRESENTS GRANT UNTO YOU THE DIGNITY OF AN OFFICER, OF OUR SAID ORDER AND HEREBY AUTHORISE YOU TO HAVE AND ENJOY THE SAID DIGNITY, OF OUR AFORESAID ORDER, TOGETHER WITH ALL AND SINGULAR, THE PRIVILEGES THEREUNTO BELONGING OR APPERTAINING. GIVEN AT OUR COURT AT SAINT JAMES'S UNDER OUR SIGN MANUAL AND SEAL OF OUR SAID ORDER, THIS THIRD DAY OF JUNE, 1919, IN THE TENTH (KING'S) YEAR, OF OUR REIGN. BY THE SOVEREIGN'S COMMAND, EDWARD P., GRAND MASTER."

     THERE IS AN IMPRESSED EMPIRE STAMP, "F O P' FOR GOD AND EMPIRE," ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER, OPPOSITE THE SIGNATURE.

     INCLUDED IN THE ARCHIVES COLLECTION, ARE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE WAR OFFICE. THE FIRST ONE READS AS FOLLOWS:

     "THE WAR OF 1914-1918 ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS, LT. T. CAPTAIN S.J.M. TUKE, WAS MENTIONED IN A DESPATCH FROM LIEUTENANT GENERAL W.R. MARSHALL, K.C.B. K.C.L.J., DATED 11TH OF NOVEMBER, 1918, FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE FIELD. I HAVE IT IN COMMAND FROM THE KING, TO RECORD HIS MAJESTY'S HIGH APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED." THIS DESPATCH CAME FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR, FROM THE WAR OFFICE AT WHITEHALL, AS ISSUED MARCH 1ST, 1919.

     A SECOND DESPATCH, WITH A DIFFERENT DATE, BEING THAT OF THE 7TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, WAS ISSUED WITH THE SAME WORDING, ON BEHALF OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR W.R. MARSHALL.

     THE WAR OFFICE ALSO ISSUED ANOTHER DESPATCH, DATED THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1921, WHICH READS AS FOLLOWS:

     "MESOPOTAMIA, 1920. ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS, LT. (A./MAJ.) S.J.M. TUKE, O.B.E. WAS MENTIONED IN A DESPATCH FROM LIEUTENANT-GENERAL, SIR J.A.L. HALDANE, K.C.B. D.S.O., DATED 7TH, FEBRUARY, 1921, FOR DISTINGUISHED AND GALLANT SERVICES IN THE FIELD, I HAVE IT IN COMMAND FROM THE KING, TO RECORD HIS MAJESTY'S HIGH APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED." IT IS SIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR.

     IN ANOTHER DESPATCH, DATED 1936, THE FOLLOWING IS NOTED OF THE CAREER SOLDIER:

     "OPERATIONS IN PALESTINE 1936. CAPTAIN S.J.M. TUKE, O.B.E. ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS, WAS MENTIONED IN A DESPATCH FROM THE GENERAL OFFICER OF COMMANDING, THE BRITISH TROOPS IN PALESTINE AND TRANS JORDAN, DATED 4TH, DECEMBER, 1936, FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE FIELD. I HAVE IT IN COMMAND FROM THE KING, TO RECORD HIS MAJESTY'S HIGH APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED," AND WAS SIGNED BY 'DUFF COOPER,' SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR.

     ALSO INCLUDED IN THE SMALL COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS, IS A SPECIAL MEDAL PRESENTATION TO THE CAPTAIN, FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE, WHICH READS:

     (BENEATH THE RAISED RED SEAL OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE) "BUCKINGHAM PALACE, BY COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING, THE ACCOMPANYING MEDAL IS FORWARDED TO CAPTAIN S.J.M. TUKE, O.B.E. (ORDER OF BRITISH EMPIRE), TO BE WORN IN COMMEMORATION OF THEIR MAJESTIES' CORONATION, 12TH MAY, 1937."

     IT ARRIVED IN A PACKAGE IDENTIFIED, AS "ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE," AS SENT BY THE WAR OFFICE, IN WHITEHALL, TO CAPTAIN TUKE, WITH THE INVITATION TO ATTEND THE CORONATION CEREMONIES.

     I HAVE TO TELL YOU, FROM THIS HISTORIAN'S ROLE, IN THE MINI BIOGRAPHY, HOLDING ONTO THESE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, IS AN EXCEPTIONAL HONOR, HAVING FULL APPRECIATION OF THE INCREDIBLE SERVICE TO HOME AND COUNTRY, PROVIDED BY CAPTAIN TUKE. SO HERE NOW, IT WINDS UP IN THE HANDS OF A MUSKOKA HISTORIAN, HERE IN GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO, ON THE CUSP OF THIS WORLD WAR ONE COMMEMORATION, OF A CALAMITY THAT OCCURRED ONE HUNDRED YEARS EARLIER. THIS WILL BE PART OF OUR OWN WORLD WAR ONE EXHIBITION, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ANNIVERSARY, WHICH WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR MAIN STREET, GRAVENHURST ANTIQUE SHOP, OPPOSITE THE OPERA HOUSE. POSSIBLY YOU CAN FIND A FEW MOMENTS, TO DROP IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR PLANNED DISPLAY, SCHEDULED FOR THIS COMING SEPTEMBER.

     IN ADDITION TO THE DOCUMENTS, ARE A FEW SPECIAL ARTIFACTS, AND KEEPSAKES, PRESENTED TO CAPTAIN TUKE, BY HIS FELLOW LEADERSHIP OF THE ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS. THERE ARE TWO ENGRAVED SILVER PIECES, INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS COLLECTION, THAT I WILL DETAIL IN TOMORROW'S PART THREE, OF THE MINI-BIOGRAPHY, PLUS IMAGES OF OTHER ITEMS CAPTAIN TUKE OBTAINED, WHILE ON SERVICE, IN WHAT WAS ONCE KNOWN AS "MESOPOTAMIA" WHICH INCLUDES THE PRESENT COUNTRY OF "IRAQ," TERRITORY BETWEEN THE "TIGRIS," AND EUPHRATES" RIVERS. THERE WILL ALSO BE ADDITIONAL IMAGES PUBLISHED, THIS WEEK, OF MEDALS AND FAMILY ITEMS, THAT BELONGED TO MEMBERS OF THE EXTENDED TUKE FAMILY. IT IS WITH SINCERE REVERENCE TO CAPTAIN TUKE, THAT WE PUBLISH THIS TRIBUTE.