beef shoe

beef shoe

beef shoe

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Introduction

A single moccasin made of what appears to be cow hide. It is described in the museum documentation as a "beef shoe." This moccasin is one of a larger collection of items made by Thomas White (Whyte) which were donated to the Grierson Museum by his son, James Whyte Douglas, in 1863, and subsequently transferred to the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre in 1965.

Nation of Maker: None
Date Made or Date Range: 183u
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

looks like cow hide; sinew; hemp cord

Techniques or Format

The moccasin has been sewn together with sinew. It has tall cuffs with eyelets and laces up the front.

Other Notes

Cory Willmott noted that it was strange that these appear to have a right and a left foot, which is not normal for moccasins.

Condition: Good. Some evidence of wear.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

1830s, or early 19th century, based on museum documentation.

Museum description: the old tag reads "92 mocasin North American J. W. Douglas; ex Grierson Museum"; Alison Brown notes that if this moccasin did come from J.W Douglas it could have been made in the 1830s or earlier.

Current Location: Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, Scotland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: A.1965.33.l
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1965
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Grierson Museum
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: before 1830
Collection Narratives and Histories

This item is part of a larger collection acquired by the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre from the Grierson Museum in 1965. The collection was made by Thomas White (Whyte) (1783-1861). It is not known exactly when, or where, Thomas White was in Canada: he may have been a soldier stationed in Quebec around the time of the war of 1812, or he may have been visiting the family of his wife, Emily Douglas, who was related to Lord Selkirk Thomas Douglas. The items were presented to Dr. Grierson, of the Grierson Museum, in 1863 by Thomas Whyte's son, James Whyte Douglas.

Source for Provenance information

possibly beef shoes, made by HBC for employees, shows up in fur trade inventories

GKS Reference Number: 1228
How to Cite this Item

Item to be cited by catalog number, collection and institution.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

9 Apr 2007 Ruth Phillips, On-site researchers: Cory Willmott, Heidi Bohaker, Laura Peers, Ruth Phillips, Keith Jamieson, Alan Corbiere, Alison Brown, Patricia Allan

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9

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