Length 12.8cm x Width 2.7cm x Height 4.2cm
Kaolin clay pipe with intact bowl and stem. On the stem is the word "MCDOUGALL" and on the bowl is a flower and foliage motif and the phrase "HOME RULE"
During the major renovation and restoration of Kingston City Hall in 1973 a number of interesting objects from the 1800s and early 1900s were discovered hidden in walls and floors of the building. This pipe was one of those items.
Kaolin pipes are a European modification of an Indigenous Invention. These pipes became popular at the end of the 16th century and continued to be used well into the 20th. Like other pipes, they were used by stuffing the bowl with tobacco, placing a finger over the rush, lighting the contents on fire, and inhaling through the mouthpiece. This pipe dates to the 1880s when smoking was for both private enjoyment and a social activity. It would not be uncommon for a 19th century gentleman to carry smoking accoutrements with him to enjoy while in a business meeting or even on trains commuting to said meeting. This pipe is unique in that it is engraved with the phrase "Home Rule". In the late 1800s "Home Rule" referred to a sentiment held by many living in British colonies. The phrase refers to a desire for greater autonomy within the colonies separate from those of their Imperial rulers. It was an especially popular idea in Ireland and among those of Irish descent. The presence of this pipe speaks to the demographics of Kingston at the time.
