Christmas is Coming!

With Christmas fast approaching I put together this sample of  photos from The Rooms Provincial Archives.
Enjoy this collections of Christmas trees, stockings and the creepiest Santa Clause you've ever seen.
Have a safe and Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Courtesy of The rooms Provincial Archives; E 52-24
"Helen (Ridgway) Parrett and her children at Christmas"
1901

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; VA 118-225
" Our home-made fireplace and a few of the 40 plus stockings"
1925

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives;VA 72-13.3
"John B. Bisbee dressed as Santa Claus"
Dec.25, 1913

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; VA118-48.2
" The Soul of Energy": Female Mission staff in parka holding a miniature Christmas tree
1907

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; 118-96.3
"A Christmas tree"
ca.1910

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; VA 118-183
" Muddy Bay 1925 'Staffers': Tinsel cut from coloured foil from Wilbur Chocolate company"
1925

Quick Fix

Here's a little post I put together on my tea break. I just love archival photos of animals. Here's a few I found on the Digital Archives Initiative in the Rorke Family Fonds.

Ernestine and Arthur S. Pike, with Michow the dog. Circa 1934
Courtesy of: The Memorial University Digital Archives Initiative

Tryphena (Butt) Forward with dog Tricksee. Circa 1928
The note on the back of this picture reads, " Don't like that scarf, why don't you wear
 the lavender one? You sure are trying to kill the dog, don't like this picture at all."
Courtesy of: The Memorial University Digital Archives Initiative 

Kathleen (Forward) Rorke, as a young girl, holding a kitten and petting a dog. Circa 1904.
Courtesy of: The Memorial University Digital Archives Initiative

All in the Golden Afternoon...

     ...full leisurely we glide

VA 15a-53.6; Children boating at Bowring Park, St. John's, circa 1940
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives/ http://www.therooms.ca/archives/collections.asp

VA 13A-12; "Devil's Point and water cavern" circa 1900
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives/ http://www.therooms.ca/archives/collections.asp

Spaced Out

In an earlier post I mentioned that I'm currently working with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.   One of my responsibilities is cleaning up the physical files and getting rid of the bulk. Some items can take up a lot of space in administrative files and doing a few simple things can potentially give back several feet of free space.

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, located at 1 Springdale St, was once Whitten's Hotel. Courtesy of: The City of St.John's Archives (E.101.027)

For example, dispose of invoices that are over 7 years old and any non-essential correspondence. Get rid of photocopies of publications-these can be found again.

Also, remove (and stop using!) staples, paperclips or fasteners in your physical files. If you ensure the original order of the file is not disrupted when in use, these items are not necessary. Staples and paperclips add bulk and also act as "agents of deterioration", which is just a bad ass way of saying they will damage your materials. If I had a dollar for ever rusty paper clip I've seen...well I wouldn't be rich. But, I'd be able to buy my lunch today instead of eating the leftover granola bars and mini boxes of raisins I have in my desk drawer.

And if applicable, only keep samples of photos. Surplus photos can be given to a local archive which will act as a physical repository and offer methods of preservation, such as light and humidity control. Photos can be kept in acid free envelopes and photos boxes and if you must write on the back of the photo, use pencil only.

Hope this finds you well, happy filing! :D

What a Feed!

While feeling rather hungry, I decided to do a quick photo search on food. Here are a few interesting snaps, once again from The Rooms Provincial Archives.

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives (Va 110-53.3)

"Smoking Salmon for Dinner"

Found in the International Grenfell Association Photographs Collection. Fred Coleman Sears. Taken on a visit by F.C.Sears and Elizabeth Sears to the International Grenfell Mission in 1930

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives (VA 118-140.5) 

"The Gospel of Hard Bread": boy eating loaf of bread

Found in the International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection. Grenfell Mission Staff Photographs. Circa 1906-1908

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives (Va 36-29.2)

"Mulligan": Soldiers being issued food in their mess tins

Found in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Photograph Collection. Royal Newfoundland Regiment Album. Circa 1914-1918

"Newfoundland Soldiers Preparing for a Meal"

Found in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Scrapbook. 1915

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives (VA 11-179)

"Culinary Perfection": "Sails" birthday cake, East Base, USAS Expedition

Found in the SS Eagle and MV Trepassey Antarctic Expedition fond. Voyage of MV Trepassey [photograph album]. 1940

Historical Pets

Here's a few vintage pet photos from The Rooms Provincial Archive. These are all found online right here. 

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives VA 10-91

[Left] Meet Chique the Monkey and his jaunty little hat. This picture is from the S.S Eagle and MV Trepassey Antarctic Expedition Fonds, 1944-45.
Chique was the mascot on one of those ships.

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives VA 12-146

[Right] This is another snap of Chique, this time with fellow shipmate Harold Squires. This picture is dated 1944.

 

 [Below] These two photos are from the John B. Bisbee Fonds. Both are dated 1913-14.

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives Va 73-22.4

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives Va 73-22.6

While not exactly "pets", I couldn't resist posting these penguin photos.

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives Va 10-36

 These are also from the S.S Eagle  and MV Trepassey Antarctic Expedition Fonds, 1944-45.

Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives Va 10

As you can see our good friend Harold Squires (see above) got to interact with many different animal friends!

What's all this then?

I often come across interesting archival photographs in my work as a folklorist and archivist and was posting so many of them to the ol' Book that I decided to give in and finally start a blog. 

I'll be sharing with you some of the images I come across on a daily basis. I'm currently working with The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL), cleaning up their physical files. This means sorting through thousands of photographs in order to prepare them to be donated to a local archive. Here are a few I've come across already. 

 

This first image is from a file for the Bank of British North America, a designated heritage structure in St. John's, NL.  The exact date of the photo is unknown.

 Courtesy of: The Centre for Newfoundland Studies   (CNS coll-137, # 944)

 

   

Courtesy of: The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society

Check out this hottie tomattie! This is a picture of a framed photo from the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society. This is Esmé Harmsworth, Lady Cromier, daughter of Esmond Harmsworth, 2nd Lord Rothermere. I took this photo in March 2012 while doing fieldwork in GFW about mill baskets. Love the dress!!!

Courtesy of: The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador

Not the best quality, but I thought this pic was pretty neat. This was taken outside of Hearn House in Brigus. Date and identity of the people is unknown. 

I asked Philip Hiscock, a professor in the Memorial University Folklore Department if he had any idea when this pic may have been taken. 

He notes, "Hmmm, my guess is the 1930s. They are all old guys, so they would be a little old-fashioned for the time."