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Saturday 17 March 2018

Grandma Kinnaird's Birthday Post

Today marks the 112th anniversary of my maternal grandma's birth - Frances Jeannie Milne Kinnaird.  My previous blog post about her  was written over 3 years ago and since then I've been able to scan many more great pictures of her that I'd like to share today.  Cousin Karen has invited us to supper tonight along with Frances and Frank Kinnaird's daughters Marjorie and Margaret (my Mom) to share memories and I'll take this blog post along.


The first above picture is of Frances in the back with her two younger brothers Charlie born in 1913 and  Jim born in 1910.  That would date this picture of them posing in a pumpkin patch to about 1918 perhaps.  The picture on the right is a young Mr. and Mrs. Kinnaird shortly after their wedding in 1927.  I have never seen any pictures of their wedding day, maybe there are some out there in someone's album?


This one of a young mother Frances carrying Marjorie wrapped in a shawl and with her hand on son Keith's shoulder is a favourite of mine.  Looks like Keith is wearing the same hat later that summer while saskatoon picking near Miniota in the next picture.  He is sitting on his Aunt Nan Milne's knee, Frank is next with the glasses, then Marjorie on Jane Milne's knee and Alex Milne on the end with the moustache.  Grandma was known to avoid the camera but I love this picture of her with her hands on her hips! These photos would both be from 1931, I'd guess.


Grandma is having a tea party with her granddaughter Dolores Tapp in 1960 and maybe baby Karen is in the buggy?  Christmas 1965 was the occasion of the colour picture of Frances with her Simms and Kinnaird grandchildren and she is holding me!

 

And finally, a postcard she sent to us from B.C. in March of 1968:
Sat 4:30 M.S.T.
Hi Sharon & Donna & all
Just got back from a drive around Princeton, mountains on all sides, been having a wonderful time. wish you were all here. grass is just beginning to get green, a few early flowers out. We are going to Penticton tomorrow & Mon to Vancouver for the day. Had a lovely train trip stayed in Kamloops till Thurs. noon. Have not missed any sleep yet.
Be seeing you before long.
Love to all
Gram

Arcade Cards

These arcade cards from the 20's and 30's were found among the belongings of Harry Clyne and before they were sent off to a niece in Scotland with his other prized belongings, I scanned them and finally got around to doing a little research. Arcade cards like these were postcard sized and were sold in amusement parks in the US and Canada and thus their name.

Bud Baer was a boxer in the 1930's who also acted on television and in films.  His nephew, Max Baer Jr. , became famous for his role as Jethro on the Beverly Hillbillies in the 60's. A copy of the same photolithograph can be found in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art  in New York City.  He died in 1986 and is buried in California.


Harry Carey was the lead actor in the silent film Burning Bridges that was released by Pathe Exchange Inc in 1918.  During this time, Carey grew into one of the most popular Western stars of the early motion picture, occasionally writing and directing films as well. Carey would appear in at least 233 films, including short features, between 1909 and 1949.

Rex Lease and Tim McCoy acted in The Masked Stranger, another silent movie. 
From the 1928 film "Beyond the Sierras".

 The machine that these cards were dispensed from were like the one below from the Exhibit Supply Company of Chicago  for a penny or two.


Harry kept these arcade cards with his family photos and I wonder what memories they held for him of the place he got them or the person who gave them to him. I'm just glad he kept them.
Henry "Harry" Clyne - 1950's