Restoring a Chair with Danish Cord, Reviving a Legacy: A Story of Colonel Macleod and a Pioneer Childhood
- Caning Canada and Vintage Chair Canada
- Oct 25
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
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At our Fort Langley, BC workshop—our cozy winter hub for eco-friendly furniture restoration—we recently revived an antique chair for a local client with ties to Calgary’s history. Using FSC-certified Danish cord, we reinforced the frame and wove a durable, vibrant seat—perfect for mid-century modern or antique pieces. Starting at $225 per seat, this method ensures your heirloom lasts another 30-60 years while reducing waste.
This chair, a family heirloom, belonged to her stepfather’s mother, who was no ordinary woman. As a young girl, she was the first child to journey from England to settle near Calgary, Alberta, under the care of her father, Colonel James F. Macleod—a towering figure in Canada’s frontier history.
Her childhood playmates were children of the First Nations Cree, forging bonds that bridged cultures in the vast, untamed prairies of the late 19th century. Restoring this chair wasn’t just about craftsmanship; it was about preserving a tangible link to a pivotal chapter of Canadian history.
Here, we share the story of the chair and the remarkable legacy of Colonel Macleod, whose name echoes through Calgary, Macleod Trail, and Fort Macleod.
Inspired by stories like this? Text photos of your chair to 403-613-5801 for a free quote, or visit our site to book a spot in our upcoming Vancouver meet-up on December 8th.
The Chair: A Relic of a Pioneer’s Life
When the chair arrived at our workshop, it bore the marks of time—tattered weaving, creaking joints, and faded wood that whispered of decades past. Yet, its elegant lines and sturdy craftsmanship hinted at its significance. Our client shared its incredible provenance: it had belonged to her stepfather’s mother, a woman whose early years were spent in the rugged Canadian West.
As the first child to emigrate from England to the Calgary region, she grew up in a world of vast prairies and cultural crossroads. Her playmates were Cree children, and their friendships, formed in the shadow of the Rockies, spoke to a time of connection and coexistence.
Restoring the chair required meticulous care—cleaning years of grim and wear, reinforcing its frame, and weaving it with Danish cord using a no-nail technique to honour its original charm while ensuring it could be cherished for generations to come.
As we worked, we couldn’t help but imagine the stories this chair had witnessed: a young girl’s laughter, tales of adventure, and the pioneering spirit of a family shaping a new life in Canada. But to fully understand the chair’s significance, we must turn to the man at the heart of this story: Colonel James F. Macleod.
Colonel James F. Macleod: The Man Who Named Calgary
Colonel James Farquharson Macleod (1836–1894) was a defining figure in the history of Western Canada. Born in Scotland, Macleod trained as a lawyer before immigrating to Canada and joining the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP), the precursor to today’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). In 1874, as a Commissioner, he led a contingent of NWMP officers on a grueling trek across the prairies to curb the illegal whiskey trade that was devastating Indigenous communities, particularly the Blackfoot, Blood, and Peigan peoples of southern Alberta.
That same year, Macleod established Fort Macleod on an island in the Oldman River, creating Alberta’s first permanent NWMP post. The fort, named in his honor, became a hub for law enforcement and a symbol of his commitment to fostering peaceful relations with local First Nations. Macleod’s approach was notable for its diplomacy; he built trust with leaders like Crowfoot, chief of the Siksika (Blackfoot), helping to lay the groundwork for Treaty 7 in 1877, which facilitated peaceful settlement in the region.
In 1876, Macleod turned his attention to a new outpost at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Drawing on memories of his Scottish homeland, he named it Fort Calgary, after Calgary House on the Isle of Mull—a nod to the Gaelic term for “clear running water” or “bay farm.” This fort would grow into the vibrant city of Calgary, now a bustling metropolis. Macleod’s legacy also lives on in Macleod Trail, the historic Highway 2 that stretches south from Calgary to Fort Macleod, a route that once connected NWMP posts and facilitated trade and travel through the Rockies.
Macleod’s contributions extended beyond geography. His commitment to justice and cross-cultural respect helped shape Alberta’s early identity, creating a foundation for coexistence in a region marked by rapid change. His daughter, the young girl who played with Cree children, grew up in this world of frontier diplomacy, carrying forward a legacy of connection that lives on in her descendants—and in the chair we had the honor of restoring.
Today, from Fort Langley, BC, we’re bridging that pioneer spirit with contemporary craftsmanship—restoring chairs like this one with Danish cord weaving that honours Alberta’s past while serving clients across BC and beyond, including convenient pickups in Victoria on November 13th and 27th.
A Bridge Between Past and Present
Restoring this chair was a deeply meaningful project for our team. Each stroke and row felt like a conversation with history, a chance to honour the life of a young girl who bridged two worlds and the father whose vision shaped a province. The chair now stands renewed, its wood gleaming and its woven seat vibrant, ready to carry its story into the future.
This project reminded us why we do what we do. Furniture restoration isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about preserving the stories that objects carry—stories of pioneers, of friendships, of a Canada built on courage and connection. The chair’s journey from a prairie home near Calgary to a modern Vancouver residence mirrors the evolution of our country, and we’re humbled to play a part in keeping that history alive.
Do you have a Danish cord family heirloom with a story to tell?
We’re now based in Fort Langley, BC, offering Danish cord and cane weaving services until March 2026—with easy meet-ups: Victoria (November 13th & 27th), Courtenay/Comox/Nanaimo/Parksville (November 27th), Vancouver (December 8th), and Kelowna in March. Mail-ins welcome nationwide!
Contact us via our website’s quote form, text 403-613-5801 with photos, or email CaningCanada@gmail.com to secure your spot and revive your treasure.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the stories of Canada’s past alive together!
Note: Historical details about Colonel Macleod sourced from Fort Calgary Museum and NWMP records. Learn more about our weaving services at https://www.caningcanada.com/wovenfurniturerestoration. For more information, visit the Fort Calgary Museum or the Fort Macleod Museum websites.
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