Jive Revival: The 2nd Annual Movember Historical Recreation

As Movember winds down for another year, and because my Movember team has raised way more than the $2000 limit I set to support research on prostate cancer and other men's health issues, I present to you the second annual Movember Historical Recreation.  To learn more about the original photograph on the left, visit this past blog post: http://whatthefonds.blogspot.ca/2010/01/jive-turkey.html.  Thanks to my wife Denise for taking the photo, being my jive partner, and for not leaving me when, really, after this, no one could blame her.

There is still time to donate. Visit my Mo Space here and thanks for your support: http://ca.movember.com/mospace/3085357.

Some Mo' Movember Historical Recreation

You may recall that in celebration of the end of Movember 2012, I, along with the assistance of several colleagues, recreated a classic moustache pic from the holdings of the Archives.  To refresh your memory, here's the pic:

To close out Movember 2013, I would again like to bring a historical moustache into the present.  But this year I will only do so if I reach my fundraising goal.  My Movember team (which includes fellow libary/archives colleagues James, Jesse, Jarad, and Lyle and other information professionals outside of Dafoe Library) is only $200 away from raising $2000 for prostate cancer research and other men's health issues.  If my team hits the $2000 mark, I will recreate this photo which has previously appeared on the blog:

Please donate here: http://ca.movember.com/team/996893.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to make me look even more foolish than usual.  And thanks for the support.

Brett

University Administration's Gorilla Tactics

The description in our database for this photo is "President Campbell accosted by 'gorilla'." I have no evidence to disprove this theory so will assume Dr. Ralph Campbell was simply on his way out of the Administration Building for a meeting when he was unsuspectingly and irrationally harrassed by this 'gorilla' who was, I assume, wreaking havoc on campus that day.



Whatever differences President Campbell and the 'gorilla' had seemed to be put behind them moments later when he appeared to offer the bearded gentleman on the right as a sacrifice to the 'gorilla' and the three of them posed to capture the moment for posterity.

 

This posting continues a disturbing trend I'm noticing in our photograph collections of costumed hooligans.  See :

http://www.whatthefonds.blogspot.ca/2013/06/hands-up-doc-summerspast.html

http://www.whatthefonds.blogspot.ca/2011/03/you-better-watch-out-you-better-not-cry.html

 

Source: University Relations and Information Office fonds (PC 80, A83-52), Box 1, Folder 6, Items 1-2

Date: April 7, 1977

Hand's Up, Doc! #summerspast

Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18/5092/18-4287-006)

Photographer: Jon Thordarson; Date: June 15, 1979

The streets of Winnipeg have a reputation for being tough but one summer afternoon they appeared to reach new lows as a woman was held up at carrot-point by a desperate rabbit with nothing to lose. In actuality, this rabbit was handing out carrots to passersby on Portage Avenue to advertise the opening of the outdoor summer market in Old Market Square.

#Movember Historical Recreation

To celebrate the end of Movember we decided to perform a historical recreation of a classic Archives & Special Collections moustache pic featured elsewhere on this blog.  We wish you love on this final day of Movember.  Thanks to Jeanette, Tyyne, Andrea, and Shelley for their assistance. 

Winter's Here - Gentlemen, Start Your Autoboggans!!

Winter arrived here in Winnipeg over the weekend.  There is finally enough snow for everyone to break out their Autoboggans - the automatic tobaggan!!  Looks like a comfy ride!  Pictured here is the inventor of the Autoboggan, H.C. Paul.  I kid but the Autoboggan is actually the prototype for what eventually would become Polaris snowmobiles.  And Mr. Paul, among his many achievements, was inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame. 

 

Date: February 8, 1958

Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18, A.81-12), Box 12, Folder 421, Item 2

The Most Interesting Man in the World

Date: December 19, 1963
Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18, A.81-12), Box 4, Folder 119, Item 7

Here we see former Minister of Northern Affairs, Walter Dinsdale, and his wife, Leonore, holding a goose while an ornithologist bands its leg. The name of that ornithologist? Manly. Last name? Miner. Middle name? Forest. Yup, Manly Forest Miner. He's my nomination to be Dos Equis' new Most Interesting Man in the World.

Tumblr Blog

Date: February 25, 1964
Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18, A.81-12), Folder 3024-3027, Item 49

This blog focuses on the more humourous items in our holdings but every once in a while I'll come across a photo like this one that is so cool it needs to be shared with the world.  This photo perfectly caputures the exact moment the Transport Building in North Bay, Ontario, structurally damaged by fire, came tumbling down to the ground.  Simply amazing.

St. Patrick's Day Massacre

Date: May 11, 1977; Photographer: Jim Walker
Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18, A.81-12), Folder 3402, Item 45

This picture depicts young Jon Kennedy admiring an 1835 Kentucky squirrel gun next to Derek Burdeny admiring a 7' 1775 Irish musket. They both have that same look of childlike wonderment on their faces as they think of all the great things they could shoot and maim with these. Kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

This post was meant to have a St. Patrick's Day theme but I realize a photo featuring a big Irish gun is a pretty weak connection to St. Patty's Day.  So in honour of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, I composed my first (and likely last) photo-related limerick:

There once was a young boy named Jon

Who's Kentucky squirrel gun made him yawn.

Derek's musket was Irish.

Made Jon feel less childish.

Now nothing is safe on Jon's lawn.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everybody!

Shop 'Til You Stop

Date: March 22, 1980; Photographer: Peter Levick
Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections - Winnipeg Tribune fonds (PC 18, A.81-12), Box 63, Folder 6110, Item 4

7-year-old Evan Mancer tries to make sense of this senseless act of mayhem.  See, this is why I don't like to bring my kids grocery shopping.  This photograph was taken from the Winnipeg Tribune's folder on shopping carts.  You can imagine the tremendous research that has come out of this resource.