Hang in there Kitty!

I am fascinated to know how many cats it would take to pull a dog sled. I've actually asked people this over the years, hoping for a genuine response. The best I ever got was, "Can't be done. Cats don't work together."

Fair enough.

You can imagine my delight when I saw the image below. It looks like that cat is part of the team! He's walking next to the sled, of course. But for a brief and wonderful moment, I thought my cat sled idea was possible.

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives
International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection
IGA 8-22

This is a cat named Peter.

Peter lived at the St. Mary's River Nursing Station when this was taken in 1948.

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives
International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection
IGA 23-325 

KITTEN ALERT! Along with a sweet kitty and two very good puppers, is Catherine Vaughn, Sales Director of Grenfell Labrador Industries. This image was taken in the early 1940s.

Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives
International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection
IGA 24-316

Marconi and Seas: Happy World Radio Day!

I love radio. I listen to AM radio every morning, had a college radio show for a few years and I even built a radio that totally sorta works. 

I also happen to live in St. John's, Newfoundland where Nobel Prize winner and inventor, Guglielmo Marconi, received the first transatlantic wireless signal, proving that wireless communication was possible. Often credited at the inventor of radio, it seems fitting to share a few pictures of Marconi and his assistants setting up to receive that groundbreaking signal.

Happy World Radio Day Everyone!

Marconi sits in the operations room he used in an old hospital on Signal Hill, December 1901.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; A66-145

Marconi assistants stand outside Cabot Tower, St. John's, NL., 1901
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives; B1-97

Cranky old Mr. Edison called FAKE NEWS on Marconi. Of course!

Crustman Returns!

I'm an archivist. Like all archivists I have a tendency to find some, let's say, interesting stuff while working.

Considering that I work in a folklore archive, Memorial University's Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA), that interesting stuff can get pretty strange.

Did I mention we're also a classy bunch?

Folklore is notoriously difficult to define. If you were to ask ten different folklorists for a definition, you'd get ten different answers. According to the American Folklore Society, folklore is:

the traditional art, literature, knowledge, and practice that is disseminated largely through oral communication and behavioral example. Every group with a sense of its own identity shares, as a central part of that identity, folk traditions–the things that people traditionally believe (planting practices, family traditions, and other elements of worldview), do (dance, make music, sew clothing), know (how to build an irrigation dam, how to nurse an ailment, how to prepare barbecue), make (architecture, art, craft), and say (personal experience stories, riddles, song lyrics). As these examples indicate, in most instances there is no hard-and-fast separation of these categories, whether in everyday life or in folklorists’ work.

A common saying around MUNFLA is,"You never know what you may find!" On a daily basis, we share among ourselves the most obscure, obscene, obnoxious, objectionable and down right outrageous bits of folklore. When I can, I like to share these oddities with you! 

While searching through our "Frightening Figures Index" I happened upon what may either be the best or worst scary figure ever. I present to you, Crustman!

Courtesy of Memorial University's Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) 

Much like the bogey-man, Crustman (aka Crust man or Crust-man) is an "undesirable" character who steals children who don't eat all their food, particularly the crusts of bread. 

Why he cares, I don't know.

Crustman, more terrifying than a hundred root cellars!!
Courtesy of Memorial University's Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA)

Pictured above: this archivist's imagining of Crustman

Honestly, Crustman is pretty lame as far as frightening figures go (have you ever heard of The Webber!?) That being said, I do admire the lengths some parents went in order to get their kids to eat.

Even if Crust Man does sound like the WORST Batman villain ever.

Puppy Photobomb!!

 

Ernestine (Forward) Pike with her sons Ernest, Ralph and Arthur Jr.
 and dog Buster in Roger Williams Park,
Providence, Rhode Island
Rorke Family Fonds
[ca.1924]

I just love this archival photobomb but the best part is definitely that kid's facepalm, just perfect.

A note on the back of the photograph reads, "Those flowers are lilies, perfume wonderful. In Roger Williams Park, Sunday, 6pm. Buster is in a hurry to get around to the boys. The roses in the park this year are considered the best in New England."

All Around the Garden...in Your Nicest Dress?

Okay, so these ladies most likely aren't wearing their Sunday finest to do yard work, but can you imagine mowing the lawn in this get up?!

Update: I found out that it was a very popular trend at one time for women to dress up and pose while "working" on the land. They simply did it for the photo op! 

A51-115; Woman with Lawnmower
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives

And I'm pretty sure I'd die from the heat if I had to make hay in a full dress (with crinoline) along with a fancy hat and gloves. I think from here on out whenever I go berry picking or do some work in the garden I won't take for granted that, as a woman, I can now comfortably wear pants and shorts!

A12-122; Women Making Hay at Ross's Farm, Quidi Vidi [before 1910]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives



E6-7; Women Making Hay at Ross's Farm, Quidi Vidi [before 1910]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives

Mutt I hound you with these doggone pics?

When I began this blog it wasn't my intention to focus so much on archival animals, but they are so darn fun and cute, I just can't resist!

A 6-151; Esquimaux dog [husky], Nain, Labrador. [1914]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives

 

As you may guess from that adorable fellow pictured above, today's entry will feature some of man's bestest buddy. Although I'm a notorious crazy cat lady, I do have a soft spot for these fuzzy-wuzzy squee-worthy companions.


 

VA 94-37.2; "He'll accept a substitute": Physician bottle-feeding puppy [before 1940]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives

 

A 52-5; Two unidentified sailors (possible sentries) pose on Royal Canadian Navel dock [1939-1940]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives

A 6-127; Newfoundland Dog: "Bull" [before 1946]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives
 

A 2-80; Two Newfoundland dogs with pup  [C.19??]
Courtesy of: The Rooms Provincial Archives