Catherine "Kate" Harden (nee Chalmers) (b. 24 May 1890, Brandon; d. 22 Sep 1975, Kenora) was the daughter of Ed and Agnes Chalmers, early residents of Brandon, Manitoba (c. 1882). Kate worked as a cashier at Nation & Shewin's from 1913-1914 before marrying Edward Harden (b. 26 Jan 1886, Hawkhurst, Kent, England; d. 10 April 1962, Brandon) on 03 December 1914. At the time, Harden worked as a driver with the Brandon Fire Department. The couple had two daughters, Edith and Agnes. (sources: Manitoba Vital Statistics database and Henderson's Brandon City Directories)
Custodial History
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two men and two women standing outdoors on a carpet. Kate Harden (nee Chalmers) stands on the right, her husband Edward "Ted" Harden stands second from the left.
Notes
Writing on back photograph reads: ?, Ted Harden, ?, Kate Harden. Photograph is stamped Crawford's Drug Store, Brandon, Man. [Date range determined from drug store period.]
Photograph shows Isabella Louisa Pope, mother to Brandon Sun editor Fred McGuinness. Miss Pope is wearing a white lace blouse with a black pinafore-like dress.
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two women in period dress posing for a formal cabinet portrait. The woman on the left, wearing a gown and straw hat, stands while holding what appears to be a rolled-up periodical. The woman on the right is seated in an upholstered chair with tassles and holds her purse on her lap.
Notes
Advertisement on back photograph reads: J.A. Brock & Co., Artistic Photography, Brandon, Manitoba, Instantaneous Process Used Exclusively, Duplicates Can Be Had At Any Time, Negative, Preserved for Future Orders. [Date range determined from photo studio period The backdrop is consistent with the cabinet photograph of another family in this collection, see 1-2015.57.]
Photograph is bent and torn. Adhesive residue remains on back of photograph.
History / Biographical
Agnes Miller Chalmers (nee Gilmour) (b. 13 Oct 1864; d. 10 Nov 1954, Brandon) immigrated to Canada from Scotland with her husband in 1882. The couple settled in Brandon, Manitoba, where they had nine children: Edward Thomas, Catharine "Kate" (a.k.a. Kate Harden), Samuel, John, Agnes, Frederick, twins Lawrence and Ernest, and Edna.
Her husband, Edward (b. 04 Dec 1858, Leith, Scotland; d. 08 Oct 1926, Brandon), worked as a glazier with a number of shops in Brandon, including McDiarmid and Clark, Rat Portage Lumber Company, and Hanbury Manufacturing Company.
Sources: Canada Census 1911, Manitoba Vital Statistics database, Henderson's Brandon City Directories.
Custodial History
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows an elderly woman in period dress. The woman is sitting outdoors by a wood-framed building.
Notes
Writing on back photograph reads: ?, Ted Harden, ?, Kate Harden. Photograph is stamped Crawford's Drug Store, Brandon, Man. [Date range determined from drug store period.]
Photograph shows two women, a man, and dog, standing in a residential backyard during the winter. The women are wearing large hats and fur stoles. The woman standing in the middle is likely Isabella Louisa McGuinness (nee Pope), mother to Brandon Sun editor Fred McGuinness.
Harry Spafford (b. 22 Oct 1888, d. 10 May 1978) was born in Holmfield, Manitoba. He married Isabella Hawking of Ninga in 1914 and the couple moved to Brandon in 1915 where they continued to reside until 1973. Harry worked as a locomotive fireman and then as an engineer with the Canadian Northern Railway (CN). While with CN, he was an active member of the Brotherhood of Local Engineers and Firemen No. 788 of Brandon. He served as an alderman in Brandon from 1928 to 1945. In 1932, Harry ran in the Manitoba by-election for Brandon as an Independent Labour candidate and lost to the Conservative member George Dinsdale. In 1952, Harry ran as a Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member in the provincial election and lost to Conservative party representative Reg Lissaman. Harry Spafford passed away in Burnaby, BC, and is interred in the Ocean View Cemetery. (Source: see obituary in McG 4.1 File 66)
Alva/Alvery/"Alvie" Reddell/Riddell/Ridall Spafford (b. 15 Mar 1891, d. 23 Aug 1985) was born in Enterprise, Manitoba, in the R.M. of Turtle Mountain. In 1911, he married Francis Ethel Harrison (d. 1979) in Killarney and had three children. Alvie farmed in Bannerman from 1902 to 1936, after which he moved to Boissevain to work as a Rawleigh salesman. In 1942, the family moved to Brandon where Alvie worked as a conductor with the CNR until his retirement. Alva Spafford passed away at the age of 94 at the Brandon General Hospital. His funeral was held in Killarney, Manitoba. (Source: Obituary, Brandon Sun, 23 Aug 1985)
Scope and Content
Postcard is a studio portrait of the Spafford brothers. Alvie is seated, Harry is standing.
Notes
Writing on the front of the postcard reads: out of the past, Harry & Alvie Spafford, 1909 Winnipeg. The back of the postcard reads: Harry on left, Alvie on right, in our early, days, Railway.
Harry Spafford (b. 22 Oct 1888, d. 10 May 1978) was born in Holmfield, Manitoba. He married Isabella Hawking of Ninga in 1914 and the couple moved to Brandon in 1915 where they continued to reside until 1973. Harry worked as a locomotive fireman and then as an engineer with the Canadian Northern Railway (CN). While with CN, he was an active member of the Brotherhood of Local Engineers and Firemen No. 788 of Brandon. He served as an alderman in Brandon from 1928 to 1945. In 1932, Harry ran in the Manitoba by-election for Brandon as an Independent Labour candidate and lost to the Conservative member George Dinsdale. In 1952, Harry ran as a Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member in the provincial election and lost to Conservative party representative Reg Lissaman. Harry Spafford passed away in Burnaby, BC, and is interred in the Ocean View Cemetery. (Source: see obituary in McG 4.1 File 66)
Alva/Alvery/"Alvie" Reddell/Riddell/Ridall Spafford (b. 15 Mar 1891, d. 23 Aug 1985) was born in Enterprise, Manitoba, in the R.M. of Turtle Mountain. In 1911, he married Francis [sic.] Ethel Harrison (d. 1979) in Killarney and had three children. Alvie farmed in Bannerman from 1902 to 1936, after which he moved to Boissevain to work as a Rawleigh salesman. In 1942, the family moved to Brandon where Alvie worked as a conductor with the CNR until his retirement. Alva Spafford passed away at the age of 94 at the Brandon General Hospital. His funeral was held in Killarney, Manitoba. (Source: Obituary, Brandon Sun, 23 Aug 1985)
Scope and Content
Postcard is a studio portrait of the Spafford brothers. Harry is seated on the left, Alva ("Alvie") is standing with his right arm around his brother.
Notes
Writing on the front of the postcard reads: Harry on left, Harry & Alva Spafford, our early Railroad days in Winnipeg 1909 or 1910.
Mrs. Flora Cowan (1902-1986) was born on July 15, 1902 in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was the daughter of Adam and Helen Cruickshank and immigrated to Brandon with her parents in 1927. She married E.C. Cowan, and they had two children, Franklin and Ruth. From 1953 until Brandon College became Brandon University, she served as the Dean of Women. In 1966 she received the Good Citizenship Award of the Golden Boys of Manitoba. She was a member of the I.O.D.E. and a life-member of the International Peace Garden, and the Provincial Council of Women. From 1954 to 1970 Mrs. Cowan served as a member of the Brandon City Council and was the first woman to be appointed acting mayor. She was also the Chairman of the Board for Fairview Home, Inc. In 1967, Mrs. Cowan received the Trillium Business and Professional Club Woman of the Year Award. She was also a member of several other community committees. The women's residence at Brandon University, Flora Cowan, is named in her honour. In December 1980, Mrs. Cowan finally retired from her many positions. She died in Brandon on September 25, 1986 at the age of 84.
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