These dolls were given to Canmore resident Alice Moss at the Miners’ Union Hall Christmas party in 1945. These parties, held from about 1920-1950, were for many children the highlight of the Christmas season. At the parties there was a gift under the tree for every child of a mining family who was under the age of sixteen. These presents were paid for by the Canmore Coal Company. Since it was often difficult to find men to work in the mines, coal companies across Canada tried to attract miners by providing the best amenities, including parties such as this one. The parties also involved food and drink, dancing, and of course, Santa.
Along with these three dolls, Alice donated to the Canmore Museum a crib made from a wooden BC fruit box and set of doll’s clothing she had made herself for them as a child. She held on to them for over forty years and donated them to the museum in 1989.
Canmore’s first official Miners’ Union formed in 1905. Construction on the Union Hall began in 1910 and was completed in 1913. Since then, the Union Hall has served as a meeting place for over a hundred years.
