I was asked by my father-in-law to add these beautiful old nails to our Relics and Tales. These nails were saved from the Fort Victoria trading post, demolished 1864. I found them to be so interesting and photo-worthy that I took over 100 photos ! I could not decide how I would add them to our posting here. I promise, I will not include all 100 photos! Nails have been around for thousands of years and were made by hand until the end of the 18th century. These little objects are an essential part of our everyday life - they hold together our furniture and the home we live in. Though most nails are mass-produced today, the older hand-made nails are pieces of art. I do love anything made from old iron!We will include a few photos of these lovely nails which were a gift to my father-in-law's mother. They were given to her many years ago by a friend, Mrs. Dorothy Downing (great grand-daughter of Sir James Douglas). We thought it appropriate to include the newspaper article below (The Province, January 26, 1972).
Thank you for visiting our website, we appreciate your visit.
Article from the Province newspaper, January 26, 1972
Click on links below
"The Tale of Old Nails" by Fred Taylor
"The Black Country Nail Trade" by Arthur Willets
"Nails, Clues to a Building's History"
by Univ. of Vermont, Historic Preservation Research
"The History of Nail Making" by Glasgow Steel Nail
"Old Fort Victoria"
from Hallmark Society, Victoria BC
Wikipedia article "Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island"
"Historic Mooring Rings"
by Janis Ringuette and Norm Ringuette
2 comments:
Fascinating collection of relics Michey. What a storehouse of historical items he has collected!
S.
Hello Mitch - Little did I think that when I followed your suggestion to read your other blog that I'd find a post connecting me to my family history in Victoria. My Great Great grandparents were living in the San Juan Islands when the Pig War occurred. It was a dispute over the international boundary line in 1859. My great great grandparents were living there and my great great grandfather decided that he'd rather live under Brritish rule than American so he rowed his wife and baby girl across the Straits of Juan de Fuca and they arrived at Fort Victoria after dark. They had to spend their first night on Vancouver Island outside the fort. Frank Campbell's story is written briefly in Danda Humphries second book. On the Street Where You Live - Victoria's Early Roads and Railways. I think it's fascinating that you have such a wonderful connection of nails from the Fort. Also I just noticed your meerschaum Pipe post. I'll visit there next...
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