Museum: 1894 STOVEL ARTIFACT DONATED TO MANITOBA CURLING MUSEUM

The Manitoba Curling Museum’s collection of over 40,000 artifacts, historical images and documents has been expanded by two more, thanks to an exciting donation by Winnipeggers Perry & Kim Stovel.

The Stovel name was well known by early generations of Manitoba curlers both for on-ice accomplishments and for sponsorship support of the Manitoba Curling Association

On the ice brothers Chester and John Stovel were both MCA bonspiel champions, winners of the bonspiel’s New York Life Challenge Cup in the 1890’s. The New York Life Challenge was the primary Open event in the bonspiel and the winners were deemed to be the bonspiel champions. In those years, before the establishment of the Manitoba championship in 1925, the bonspiel champion was recognized to be ‘the best’ for that year.

The Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame & Museum and CurlManitoba records show CHESTER STOVEL to be the lead on the Dr. M.C. Clarke team (Granite), the New York Life Challenge winners in 1894. In 1899, Chester’s brother JOHN STOVEL was playing lead for Thomas Kelly (also Granite) when their team won both the New York Life Challenge Cup and the Tuckett Double’s Trophy.

The two Stovel artifacts which have been added to the museum collection are:

• An 1894 New York Life Challenge champion’s medallion: The medallion includes a pin with blue ribbon. A ’94 pin is centred in the ribbon and the words New York Life & Challenge Cup appear on bars above and below the ribbon. A curling stone attaches a pendant to the ribbon and the pendant includes crossed brooms and an image of the New York Life corporate logo. The really exciting piece, for collectors, is the engraving on the back. Along with the name of the New York Life manager in a “presented by” notification, the back engraving also includes the engraved name of C.D. STOVEL, proof that this was the actual medallion presented to Chester Stovel.
• A 1948 MCA Bonspiel (60^th anniversary) crest with the words HON. GUEST stitched in. While there is no absolute guarantee, since it was found in Stovel family treasures it is a reasonable assumption that this crest was presented to a Stovel family member. At the time of the 1948 bonspiel, the crest might have been presented to the family of past-champions – both Chester (1870-1937) and John (1858-1923) were deceased. OR it might have been presented to valued bonspiel sponsors and MCA supporters. Stovel Printing had by that time been long-time bonspiel sponsors.

Chester and John Stovel (with their brother A.B. Stovel) had established a printing business in Winnipeg in the late 1880’s. It was called simply The Little Print Shop but it grew into the Stovel Printing Company. Beginning in the 1930’s, Stovel Printing sponsored a Veteran’s event in the annual MCA bonspiel. (The reference to veterans was not military but rather it was an event which welcomed curlers who had previously played in the bonspiel but were no longer active club members). Stovel Printing, and Stovel Advocate Press (following a business merger in the 1950’s), sponsored the Veteran’s event until 1981 when Masters championship curling began. Stovel’s sponsored the MCA ‘spiel Masters event until 1985.