“History is made, not repeated. And you hide behind words that make you feel needed.” - Roddy Woomble

"It all pointed to history ... either repeating itself, or trying to learn from history.” - Joy Pratte

“If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.” - George Benard Shaw




I had said no more "history" for awhile, but last night I came across a box with these gems (among others) in it. Hope Blogger lets me upload them. There hopefully will be five altogether.

[Oh yeah! A little secret I recently learned from DJB (at least, it was secret to me!)]. If you click once on these pics, they'll enlarge, but THEN, if a blue box appears in the lower right hand corner of the pic, click on it and the picture will enlarge even more. Easier reading that way!)

Okay, on with the show.



First a brief recap of British history. I found the complete newspaper dated December 10, 1936 when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne for "the woman he loved". (Now they just have affairs!). Here's part of the front page. Check out the price of the newspaper!





Here's a newspaper that's just a tad older (1898). Notice all the different boat lines offering transportation. This, of course was before airplanes had been invented, so if you wanted to get to Europe, this was pretty much it.





Here's a copy of the showing that "John A. McKenzie (my great-great-grandfather) was admitted to the third level of Oddfellows on the 14th day of November 1878". This whole secret society thing has always kinda spooked me. I know my Grandfather was very active in Shriner's, but I don't know how "engaged" he was.





Here's a two-part shot. The boat in the top part of the picture is of my Gramps. He used to race that boat in all the regattas up and down the St. Lawrence, and usually won! For years, I had two huge, real honest-to-goodness, made out of real silver trophies that he had won. The company that built the boats opened a museum in Brockville a few years back, so I donated them to that. Apparently, they've been quite the hit. One interesting thing about the boat. During the years of Prohibition, the RCMP bought the boat from my grandfather, because it was the only boat fast enough to outrun the rumrunners!

The newspaper article touches on a personal note, and still after all these years a bit of an open wound. It tells of two patients dying from cornea transplants simply because the doctor used (sterilized) equipment that had earlier ben used on a patient with Jacob-Creutzfeld Disease. I also have another article that there seemed to be a higher incidence of the disease amongst entymologists (which is what my Dad was).

Well, that's what my Dad passed from in 1975 (it's now commonly referred to as "Mad-cow" disease). Back then, not much else was know except what to call it. Everytime I think back to those times, I see this wonderful, strong, vibrant man reduced to a shrivelled, bed-ridden 80-pound collection of skin stretched over a skeleton, unable to eat, walk or anything (all within about a two-month period). It was also my first experience with the death of a close one, so it had double the impact. All these years later, and it still brings tear to my eye when I think back to those times. It was his death that eventually triggered my move to Edmonton, and my eventual story that I'll tell about "The Lady On The Train."





Finally, here's a copy of a Bill of Sale, dated May 12, 1880 for furniture "Bought Of Oliver & Son" (that would be my great-grandfather). Again, check out the prices!!
"Gluing Chairs 25 cents", "1 spring bed $4.00". It's amazing how the entire scale of everything has risen to where it is now. I wonder if it'll ever slow down, or reverse itself even.



Well, that's it for today's history lesson. Now, everybody off to Algebra class. Shoo!

PEACE.

Posted by Evydense on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at 9:18 a.m. | Permalink