Object Record
Images
Additional Images [21]
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2009.09.11.02 |
Object Name |
Toolbox |
Features |
Tool box. wooden, wrapped in suede and leather. Lid attached with thee hinges at back. Leather handle at top to carry toolbox, attached with two brass screws. Two brass clasps at front to open and close. Wooden tray affixed to lid interior with four strings which is raised when open; right-most string is broken. A wooden tray rests inside with wooden and metal pieces forming various sections and holders for wires. Bottom of box has wooden pieces attached, separating into compartments. |
Object Story |
Fred brown was born December 13, 1877. His place of birth was the family farm, on the 7th concession near Wilton. His parents were Levi brown and Mary Ann Brown (nee Hested), Fred was their only child. Fred would marry Ida May Bush August 31, 1902, however before he could marry her he was told he would have to be baptized and was advised to pick a second name. He chose the name Erland, and was known as Fred Erland Brown after this. He and Ida had two children, Harold Clifton in 1911, and Edwin Donald in 1914. Fred would live until December 3, 1968 Fred Brown had many uses for the tools found in this tool kit. He had a passion for riding and fixing bicycles. He had his own bicycle shop where he fixed the bikes of locals sometimes for no more cost than a quarter. It is also known that he enjoyed wood working and would have used these tools for those projects as well. At an unknown point in Fred's early life he became versed in photography. He often would bring his camera along with him on his bicycle when he went on repair jobs. When work became slow Fred began working for the Ernestown Rural telephone line, explaining the presence of ear and mouth pieces in the tool box. He later switched to the Yarker Telephone Line and was able to build his own private line which hooked up on the Yarker Line. He continued to work on the Yarker Line until he was more than 70 years of age and refused a pension until it became law that everyone should have it. Even after he retired from the telephone lines he continued to work on bicycles almost up until his death. |
People |
Brown, Fred Brown, Edwin Brown, Harold Brown, Ida May (nee Bush) |
Subjects |
Tools Telephone equipment industry Telephone lines Bicycling Bicycle shops |
Search Terms |
Ernestown Rural Telephone Company Yarker |