Cigar Box Lid, Harold H

DimensionsOverall: 13 x 20 cm

Credit LineCollection of Museum London, 2006

Object number2006.025.013

Label TextBrener Brothers Cigar factory was located at 184-190 Horton street on the north side between Richmond and Clarence streets. It was constructed in 1891 and designed by London architect George Craddock. During the late 1800's and early 1900's London was the second largest cigar manufacturing centre after Montreal. By 1912 Brener Brothers factory produced about 10 million cigars with a work force of 200 people. After the First World War (1914-1918) the popularity of the cigarette replace the more expensive cigar with smokers and this factory closed by 1922. About Harold H: "In 1902 a horse by the name of Harold H won a mile heat in 2:04 at Terre Haute, Indiana, to become “the fastest pacer ever bred in Canada, and along with this must go the honour of being the best and truest race horse that the Dominion ever produced,” John McCartney wrote in his report on the race to the Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial Tribune. Despite this single achievement and a legendary racing career from 1900 to 1904, Harold H became a horse that time literally forgot for more than a century. Harold H was bred by G. H. Leatherdale and foaled in Dresden, Ontario, in 1894. He was sired by Roadmaster and his dam was Little Belle by Brown Dick. Owned by John E Swarts and trained by Al Proctor, Harold H was six-years-old when he raced for the first time in an era when standardbreds raced multiple heats in which winners were determined on a best-in-summary basis. In his first start, at London, Ontario, on June 19, 1900, he won all three heats; the fastest in 2:20¼. A week later, he swept three heats at Hamilton, Ontario; a portent to what would become an illustrious career. Harold H competed in 46 events during his career, including clashes with the immortal Dan Patch. Those events required a total of 145 heats to complete and he finished in the first three in 126 of them. That included 87 heats won, 27 seconds and 12 thirds which translated to a success rate of 86 per cent finishing no worse than third. In a fitting climax to his racing career, Harold H reduced his lifetime race-win record to 2:03¾ at the age of ten in his final season on the track. He raced at 10 tracks in Ontario and Manitoba and at 20 tracks in 11 states in the U.S. stretching from Brooklyn, New York to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His U.S. starts included Grand Circuit events and appearances at several metropolitan tracks such as Detroit, Cleveland, Syracuse, Lexington and Columbus, Ohio." From: https://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/2015/06/04/harold-h/

NameBox, Cigar