Gloves

Object/Artifact

Law Society of Ontario

Name/Title

Gloves

Entry/Object ID

A2007.051.2

Description

Pair of white gloves stitched together at the cuff. Snap at the wrist.

Acquisition

Accession

2007.051

Source or Donor

Allan McNiece Austin

Source (if not Accessioned)

Allan McNiece Austin

Notes

2003-04-00 Donation Accession includes green Robe bag and white gloves

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1986

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Glove

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Clothing Accessories

Nomenclature Class

Clothing

Nomenclature Category

Category 03: Personal Objects

Search Terms

ARTIFACT, Glove

Legacy Lexicon

Class

Clothing -- Accessory

Other Names

Name Type

French

Other Name

gant

Name Type

Spanish

Other Name

guantes

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Allan McNiece Austin

Web Links and URLs

Further information on Assizes, Obituary

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Circuit courts or Assizes were long a regular feature of Ontario's criminal justice administration. During each of four seasonal sittings of the superior courts, judges and other legal personnel went on "tour" to try serious criminal and civil cases in the judicial centres of each district or county of the province. If there was no criminal business, the judge was presented with a pair of white gloves to symbolize what was referred to as a "virgin assize" or "maiden assize," when there were no criminal cases to be heard. It's not clear whether this practice was generalized in Ontario or if maiden assizes were common. These gloves were presented to the Honourable Allan McNiece Austin (1928-2018) likely in Lyndsay, ON.

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Allan McNiece Austin (1928-2018) was a judge who served in the High Court of Justice and Court of Appeal for Ontario. Austin was a member of the first class to graduate from the University of Toronto Law School in 1952. He was an associate, partner and managing partner at WeirFoulds, LLP.

Research Notes

Notes

According to donor, white gloves were presented to circuit judges when there were no criminal cases to be heard. Mr. Austin was presented the gloves in Lyndsay (he thinks). See accession file for more information.

Research Type

Web

Notes

"Grand jury Room, Assize Court, Dec. 26, 1865: We, the Grand Juror of the Court of Assize, held on the 21st day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, respectfully make the following presentment:- The former Court of Assize having been held recently, and the Recorder's Court being now in session, have disposed of all prisoners in gaol awaiting trial; we, therefore, beg to congratulate our lordship upon having received from the Sheriff, in accordance with time-honoured usage, a pair of white gloves." [no source. Canadian?]

Research Type

History

Notes

https://obituaries.thestar.com/obituary/allan-austin-1088227348