carriage
Grand Manan Museum
Tous droits réservés.
| Nom de l'objet : | carriage |
|---|---|
| Artiste ou artisan : | Merts & Riddle, Riddle Coach & Hearse Co. |
| Type de l'objet : | hearse horse-drawn |
| Catégorie de l'objet : | Hearse, Horse-Drawn |
| Matériaux : | wood glass leather, cow gold leaf fibre, velvet |
| Technique de fabrication : | hand built |
| Numéro d'accession : | 2021.04.01 |
| Province d'origine : | Ohio |
| Pays d'origine : | USA |
| Province d'utilisation : | New Brunswick |
| Pays d'utilisation : | Canada |
| Culture : | North American |
| Date de début de production : | 1871-01-01; 1891-01-01 |
| Date de fin de production : | 1871-12-31; 1891-12-31 |
| Description : | Black wooden carriage with glass panels at sides, front and back. Large wagon wheels have many spokes. Interior is lined with velvet and has tasseled valances that drape in a scallop-pattern. Windows are framed by gold leaf. Back doors open up for removal of the coffin which can be viewed through the sides. Driver platform at the front where he would hold the reins to two horses. Trap door in centre allows for interior maintenance. |
| Commentaires : | The funeral hearse on display in the Grand Manan Museum was pulled by a pair of horses and was used for many years by three generations of the Graham Family to carry the Islands dead to their final resting place. This horse-drawn carriage hearse was replaced in 1934 by a gas operated Chevrolet coach hearse and it was then replaced in 1952 by a Cadillac hearse.The three generations of Graham family undertakers were:Robert H. Graham: Grandfather - b. 1828 in Parsboro, NS, d. 1886 Grand MananWellington Graham: Son - b. 1859, d. 1905, Grand MananJohn Virgil Graham: Grandson - b. 1888, d. 1977, Grand MananThis was the first hearse used by John Virgil Graham, Grand Manans legendary undertaker from age of 17 until well into his 80s. Johnnys first burial was his own father, and his father and grandfather were the undertakers before him. They would have used this hearse as well. Johnny lived a long life. At the age of 84, in 1972, Johnny Graham was written up in an article in Canadian Funeral Service, Vol. 50, No. 2, as "Canada's oldest funeral director". On November 8, 1971, the entire population of the island, 2,450 people, were invited to a surprise party at the school auditorium, called "This Is Your Life Johnny", where tribute was paid to him for his many years of service to a community for which he had "Buried more people than are left alive", to quote from Nova Scotia singer/songwriter Paul Lauzon's song, The Undertaker's Ball, which was written for the occasion.The Hearse Carriage: The hearse was manufactured by the Merts & Riddle Co. of Ravena, Ohio, sometime between 1861-1891. The company began in 1831 as the Clark Carriage Co./N.D. Clark & Co. owned by Dick Clark, and lasted until 1861 when he sold his company to his relatives: Charles Merts and Henry W. Riddle. The Mertz and Riddle Coach and Hearse Company was born. The factory suffered a major fire at one point and was rebuilt. Charles Merts specialized in woodworking. Henry was the salesman. Merts and Riddle made high-end hearses using world-class artisans for wood carving, trimming and decoration. In 1891, Charles Merts sold his share to Henry. Riddle hearses were world renowned for their fine quality and workmanship. Presidents Willian McKinley and Warren Harding were both carried to their graves in Riddle hearses. As recently as 1998 a restored Riddle hearse was used for the funeral of beloved movie cowboy and singer Roy Rogers. In 1911 the company transitioned to manufacturing motorized assembly-line technique hearses and ambulances from old world hand-crafted production, but faced stiff competition. The market for proudly handcrafted vehicles waned and the Riddle factory closed in 1926 amid transition issues and family conflicts. |
| Fonctions : | This glass-sided horse-drawn hearse carriage was used to transport the dead to their final resting place in the mid 19th century. |
| Hauteur : | 113 cm |
| Longueur : | 236 cm; 107 cm |
| Largeur : | 116 cm; 107 cm; 101 cm; 89 cm |
| Sujet ou image : | Horse-drawn hearse carriage |
| Établissement : |
Grand Manan Museum
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| Ville de l'établissement : | Grand Manan |
| Province de l'établissement : | New Brunswick |