McGill Daily staff page from the 1913 Old McGill Yearbook – Shows a portrait of Bill Murray, editor-in-chief, superimposed over the front page of the McGill Daily issue Vol. 1, No 44, Montreal, Saturday, January 6th 1912
Back in October we blogged about one of the Joe Beef of Montreal, the Son of the People‘ manifesto we have in our Rare Books and Special Collections.
Similar in tone is the second Joe Beef manifesto in our collection. Also printed on woven paper but this time as a single column and on both sides with a width of only 23 centimetres. Other notable variations include a misspelling of his fist name at the very top and some useful rules for police constables.
The text consists largely of a long list of client types willingly served at Joe Beef’s Canteen; the content also alludes to McKiernan’s defense against attacks by John Redpath Dougall, and shows McKiernan’s criticism of clergy uncaring of the needy, and of police constables.
Issued by Charles McKiernan, nicknamed Joe Beef, the proprietor of Joe Beef’s Canteen in Montreal, at a time when he was defending himself against a campaign to discredit him led by John Redpath Dougall, owner of the Montreal Daily witness, who deplored the sale of alcohol at the Canteen, although this helped raise money for McKiernan’s extensive charitable work. Cf. DCB, v. 11, p. 563-565. [From the cataloguing notes]
Rules for Police Constables by Authority of Joe Beef.
The original is available for consultation at Rare Books and Special Collections during their opening hours, Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
From the cataloguing notes for ‘The Floral Birthday Book: Flowers and their Emblems‘ :
This charming book aided its owner in remembering the birthdays of friends and acquaintances. The printed calendar, which assigns a plant to each day of the year, lists an associated quality, and presents a short poem, was interleaved with blank lined pages providing a place to to record names adjacent to each day of the year.
Additional pages of this small volume reveal names written in multiple hands, suggesting that it functioned as both a memory aid and an autograph book for its owner – a place to collect the signatures of their beloved. The printer Edmund Evans became known for exactly this sort of inclusion of vivid colour printing within an intricate page layout, which would have been something of a novelty at the time.
Birthday calendar, first page with inscription on facing page
You can find out more about ‘Sentimental botany‘ in the digital exhibition ‘Interpersonal Botany: Interactions between people, print and botany 1700-1900‘ which was organized by McGill’s Interacting with Print research group and the Rare Books & Special Collections.
I found a gorgeous graphic of some owls in Old McGill dating as far back as 1912. Since I have an affinity for owls this cover caught my attention. I appreciate that the editors of the this version of McGill’s yearbook included these fine birds on their cover page. A searchable electronic version of this title is now available. See if you can find a graphic (or a graduate!) that you love by flipping through the pages of McGill’s past.
The red cow is my best imaginary friend since I’ve always wanted to be a farmer!
Front cover of “The red cow and her friends”
A BALLADE OF COWS
Fenceviewer I. a cow of parts,
Aggressive, competent and bold,
At every milking gives twelve quarts
And doesn’t give a—hoot!—(don’t scold!)
My Kerry cow, as good as gold;
Fenceviewer II.—(boss, they say)
La Veau, turned three; Beans, two-year-old—
These are the cows I milk each day!
When Phoebus shoots his morning darts,
Or wet or dry, or hot or cold,
One to the dewy pasture starts
With clanging pails and pants up-rolled.
Again when evening doth enfold
The earth and sky in twilight grey,
Him at that chore you may behold—
These are the cows I milk each day!
Although unskilled in dairy arts
I’ve soaked some lore by experts doled,
With gentle words that win their hearts
My cows from kicking I’ve cajoled;
And of all cattle, horned or polled,
Pure-bred or grade, own them who may,
Mine suit me best. They’ll not be sold—
These are the cows I milk each day!
ENVOY
Prince, if you ever in the wold
At milking time should chance to stray,
I’ll let you drink all you can hold—
These are the cows I milk each day!
(Page 14 of “The red cow and her friends”)
Page 62 of “The red cow and her friends”
Page 21 of “The red cow and her friends”
The red cow and her friends (Book)
The red cow and her friends (eBook)
Sometimes it’s not the subject matter of a book that peaks my interest as much as the design and typography. Who knew fishing could look this stylish?
This 1888 gem, Artificial Flies and How to make them, is available by consultation in our Rare Books and Special Collections reading rooom during their opening hours, Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
Front cover of “Artificial flies and how to make them”
Title page of “Artificial flies and how to make them”
Page 5 of “Artificial flies and how to make them”
I just think of wrecking balls when I view the photographs of simply stunning 1910 Toronto homes:
Toronto : a city of beautiful homes (Book)
Toronto : a city of beautiful homes (eBook)
Toronto: a city of beautiful homes—page 3
Toronto: a city of beautiful homes—page 13
I sing this glorious land of ours,
Its motor cars and shows,
Its little gardens, gay with flowers,
Its phones and radios.
Here your ambitious boy may be
Our President if he’s able,
But what spells U.S.A. to me
Is “meat upon the table!”
Ours is the land of steaks and chops,
Of pork, beef, lamb and veal,
And thrifty costs when woman shops
Put meat in any meal.
So if at us should any scoff
Just show this patriot label—
One reason we are better off
Is “meat upon the table.”
(Meat on the Table by Edgar A. Guest, page 15)
The burger book: tasty ways to serve ground meat. (Book)
The burger book: tasty ways to serve ground meat. (eBook)
The burger book : tasty ways to serve ground meat—title page
The photos of trains and scenery are impressive in this 1909 book about railroad travel in Ontario, Quebec and the United States:
Trains 3 and 4 : flight of the International Limited, the railway Greyhound of Canada (Book)
Trains 3 and 4 : flight of the International Limited, the railway Greyhound of Canada (eBook)
Trains 3 and 4 : flight of the ’International Limited,’ the railway Greyhound of Canada—page 6
Trains 3 and 4 : flight of the International Limited, the railway Greyhound of Canada—front cover
Royal Victoria College – 1948 McGill University Yearbook – Page 57
Dentistry – 1948 McGill University Yearbook – Page 109
m.s.p.e. – McGill School of Physical Education – 1948 McGill University Yearbook – Page 81
Commerce – 1948 McGill University Yearbook – Page 89
Engineering – 1948 McGill University Yearbook – Page 113