Len and Cub - old photographs and a record of love

 

Sources disagree as to who was which in these images. I believe Len is the one standing.

Leonard Olive Keith (14 December 1891, Havelock, New Brunswick - 21 September 1950) Aged fifty-eight, he was buried in the Butternut Ridge Loyalist & Adjoining Cemetery, Havelock, New Brunswick.

Joseph Austin "Cub" Coates (31 Mar 1899, Havelock, New Brunswick - 12 Oct 1965, Moncton, New Brunswick) Aged sixty-six, he was buried in the United Church of Canada Cemetery, Havelock, New Brunswick, along with his wife, Rita, who had died four years previously.

"Cub."

"Cub."

The two men were both born in Havelock, New Brunswick, a little over seven years apart. Little is known about their lives, together or apart. Len had been born the son of Hilyard Atherton Keith, owner of the Havelock Mercantile Company and a prominent businessman. An owner of a garage in Havelock during the 1920s, Len had served in the army during World War I. Joseph “Cub” Coates was the son of Beverly Frederick Coates and is reported to have become a harness racing driver; he is said to have been in the military, as well, at some point. A large collection of photographs of the two men - most or nearly all taken by Len, an amateur photographer, from circa 1915 to the 1930s-1940 - were eventually donated to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick by John Corey, a friend of the men. He referred to the couple as boyfriends and said that, because of his homosexuality, Len was eventually driven from town, circa the 1930s or '40s. It isn't known when their relationship ended, but Cub married in 1940. 

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Most of the information here was gathered from postings by or about Dusty Green and Meredith J. Batt, who are said to be working on a book exploring the lives of the two men.

Postscript: According to the research of my (fairly distant) genealogist cousin, Ricky Crume, it turns out Ricky and I are actually related to Len. By his calculations, he and Len are fourth cousins, twice removed, and I'm likely the very same. What a lovely coincidence!

Post postscript: It appears that the book has indeed been published.