ASHTRAY
Geography
Prince Edward Island ?, Canada
Dimensions2 x 9.5 cm
Object numberHF.01.14.179
DescriptionRound clear glass ashtray with 3 indents on the top rim for holding lit cigarettes. The club name, Kitten Club of Canada, and logo are printed on the base in black. The logo is a female face surrounded by a hairstyle that resembles a curled-up cat. Narrative
For a brief spell in the early 1970s, the Brudenell Resort in Cardigan was home to the Kitten Clubs of Canada, PEI branch. Promoted by the government-owned resort as wholesome family entertainment, the staff uniforms included bathing suits, fishnet stockings and kitten ears. This stood in stark contrast to the carefully crafted tourism campaign that emphasized the nostalgia of days gone by.?
The donor was given this ashtray as a souvenir when they visited the resort in their professional role with the travel bureau. They remembered the emphasis placed on ensuring the travel bureau had "the right impression about the operation" while simultaneously witnessing inappropriate behaviour of several officials from the Department of Tourism towards the young woman wearing the Kitten uniform. The Kitten Clubs of Canada left PEI shortly after it opened, leaving very little evidence of its existence.??
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