Miners Candlesticks/Walker Patent Thimble Attachment

Miners Candlesticks

Walker Patent Thimble Attachment.JPG - WALKER PATENT - Hard-to-find steel candlestick, unique in that it’s the only Canadian patented stick that originated in Canada; of the 10 Canadian patented miners’ candlesticks, 9 were patented first in the US by US residents and then patented later in Canada; 11 1/4 in. long, marked on thimble PAT. AUG. 8. 1900; stick was patented as Canadian patent No. 68,391 on August 8, 1900 by James Young Walker, a resident of the historic mining town of Rossland, British Columbia. Walker was born in Scotland on July 11, 1869 to parents Alexander Walker and Mary Young. He immigrated to Canada in 1894 eventually settling in Rossland. He is first listed in the Rossland business directory in 1898 as a blacksmith on W. Kootenay Ave. He’s listed in 1899 as a blacksmith at 29 N. Washington St. and again at the same address in 1900. In the 1900-1901 directory he’s shown as a blacksmith in the partnership of McKay and Walker back at W. Kootenay Ave. After 1901 he’s no longer listed in the Rossland business directory. His whereabouts are unknown until 1921 when he shows up living in Vancouver BC with his wife Alberta and working as a wire weaver for the Anchor Fence Co. The Vancouver business directories show him continuing as a wire weaver for several years. Walker died on Dec. 31, 1939 and is buried in Vancouver. The main feature of the Walker patent is the replaceable thimble. The thimble is made of a separate piece of sheet metal held together by three rivets and equipped with a rectangular slide. The slide slips over a stem of the candlestick locking it in place. This is one of at least three examples of the stick that are marked solely on the thimble with the patent date that are known in collections. Two other examples are known that includes the thimble marking as well as the marking W.PRICE ROSSLAND on the top of the shaft forward of the hook. William Price is listed only in the 1900-1901 Rossland directory as a blacksmith and candlestick maker. Some slight differences are noted between the Price marked sticks and ones with just the patent date. The most notable is the shape of the hook with an offset bend as shown in the patent drawing unlike the Price marked stick. It is thought the early sticks with the offset bend in the hook were made by Walker himself. ex-Jim Chapman collection (Many thanks to my friend Tony Moon who did the initial research on the Walker patent stick and the Canadian patent sticks)

Walker Patent Thimble Attachment | WALKER PATENT - Hard-to-find steel candlestick, unique in that it’s the only Canadian patented stick that originated in Canada; of the 10 Canadian patented miners’ candlesticks, 9 were patented first in the US by US residents and then patented later in Canada; 11 1/4 in. long, marked on thimble PAT. AUG. 8. 1900; stick was patented as Canadian patent No. 68,391 on August 8, 1900 by James Young Walker, a resident of the historic mining town of Rossland, British Columbia. Walker was born in Scotland on July 11, 1869 to parents Alexander Walker and Mary Young. He immigrated to Canada in 1894 eventually settling in Rossland. He is first listed in the Rossland business directory in 1898 as a blacksmith on W. Kootenay Ave. He’s listed in 1899 as a blacksmith at 29 N. Washington St. and again at the same address in 1900. In the 1900-1901 directory he’s shown as a blacksmith in the partnership of McKay and Walker back at W. Kootenay Ave. After 1901 he’s no longer listed in the Rossland business directory. His whereabouts are unknown until 1921 when he shows up living in Vancouver BC with his wife Alberta and working as a wire weaver for the Anchor Fence Co. The Vancouver business directories show him continuing as a wire weaver for several years. Walker died on Dec. 31, 1939 and is buried in Vancouver. The main feature of the Walker patent is the replaceable thimble. The thimble is made of a separate piece of sheet metal held together by three rivets and equipped with a rectangular slide. The slide slips over a stem of the candlestick locking it in place. This is one of at least three examples of the stick that are marked solely on the thimble with the patent date that are known in collections. Two other examples are known that includes the thimble marking as well as the marking W.PRICE ROSSLAND on the top of the shaft forward of the hook. William Price is listed only in the 1900-1901 Rossland directory as a blacksmith and candlestick maker. Some slight differences are noted between the Price marked sticks and ones with just the patent date. The most notable is the shape of the hook with an offset bend as shown in the patent drawing unlike the Price marked stick. It is thought the early sticks with the offset bend in the hook were made by Walker himself. ex-Jim Chapman collection (Many thanks to my friend Tony Moon who did the initial research on the Walker patent stick and the Canadian patent sticks)

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