It’s Women’s History month and I thought I would contribute to this historical month with a post about the creator of the Jolly Jumper, an Indigenous Canadian woman.

Let’s jump right in!

Olivia Poole: The Indigenous Canadian Who Invented The Baby Jumper

Olivia as a younger woman.

Vintage Photo of Olivia Poole: The Indigenous Canadian Who Invented The Baby Jumper

Source: Canadian Encyclopedia

NOTE: Olivia was not BORN Canadian she would go on to live in Canada for most of her life (details below).

Olivia Poole: The Indigenous Canadian Who Invented The Baby Jumper

ABOUT OLIVIA & THE INVENTION OF THE BABY JUMPER (from the Canadian Encyclopedia)

Born in 1889 in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Poole grew up in Minnesota at the White Earth Indian Reservation.

Olivia was a talented pianist and went on to study music at Brandon College in Manitoba. While in Manitoba, she met Delbert Poole and the two were married in 1909. They had seven children together, first moving to Ontario before settling in Vancouver in 1942.

On White Earth Reservation, Olivia Poole saw mothers using cradleboards as baby carriers. Cradleboards allowed mothers and caregivers greater freedom to work or perform their daily routine while their baby was safely secured on the board. Some mothers suspended cradleboards from a sturdy tree branch or structure to act as a hammock or swing, providing the baby with amusement. Poole witnessed mothers pulling on the ropes or leather straps suspending the cradleboard to bounce the baby up and down. This allowed mothers to work uninterrupted while the babies entertained themselves with the bouncing motion.

Photo above: Cradleboard-Mary Butler with her infant Lyda in a traditional cradle, probably on Makah Indian Reservation – 1900 (courtesy Makah Cultural and Research Center via Canadian Encyclopedia)

In 1910, after Poole had her first baby, she remembered how mothers on White Earth Reservation used this cradleboard technique to calm their babies. By this time, she was living in Ontario and did not have a cradleboard of her own. Instead, she fashioned one with items from around her house. She sewed a cloth diaper into a harness and created a brace with an axe handle. This device was different than a cradleboard, as the baby’s legs dangled freely and there was no rectangular board attached. Eventually, she added a spring and rubber connection so that the baby could bounce on its own. Her swing was low enough for the baby’s toes to reach the ground, allowing the baby to exercise its leg muscles.

Poole called her invention the “Jolly Jumper” and she used it for all seven of her children. When her children were grown, she continued to make improvements to the baby jumper design for her grandchildren. Given its success within the family, Poole’s family convinced her to market her invention. By the early 1950s, Poole’s Jolly Jumper went into mass production for retail. Her eldest son, Joseph, helped her file and apply for a patent in 1957 where her invention is called the “Baby Supporter and Exerciser.” Together, they created Poole Manufacturing Co. Ltd. which was based in British Columbia.

In 1967, Eaton’s Spring and Summer catalogue advertised the Jolly Jumper as providing “fun and exercise for babies aged 3 mos. to walking for $10.98.” (Eaton’s Spring and Summer catalogue, 1967) (Source).

In 1967, Eaton's Spring and Summer catalogue advertised the Jolly Jumper as providing "fun and exercise for babies aged 3 mos. to walking." (Eaton's Spring and Summer catalogue, 1967)

Source: CBC.ca

The Poole family sold the business in the 1960s but today the Jolly Jumper brand is owned by a company based in Mississauga, Ontario (just outside of Toronto).

Jolly Jumper advertisement as seen in Life Magazine October 10th, 1969.

1960s vintate advertisement: 1969 Jolly Jumper Advertisement Life Magazine October 10 1969

Source: Pinterest

From the CBC archive-Molly Bobak (Canadian painter) visits Tabloid to talk about her current career plans and demonstrates a new kind of baby entertainment. Watch the video here (I could not embed it).

1957 video:From the CBC archive-Molly Bobak (Canadian painter) visits Tabloid to talk about her current career plans and demonstrates a new kind of baby entertainment (the Jolly jumper).

Ivory Snow Commercial from 1950s or possibly the 1960s featuring the Jolly Jumper you would receive with your purchase (video link).

Olivia Poole’s Legacy

She was one of the first Indigenous women in Canada to patent an invention.

A Toronto Star article from July 1962 reported that Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of then-US President John F. Kennedy, was photographed in the jumper and referred to the jumper as a “lifesaver” for mothers (Source).

Outstanding!

To end this post here is a short video from Historica Canada about Olivia Poole (Video link).

I hope you enjoyed learning about this incredible woman, who until this post I had no clue about. So we are all learning together!

Question Time: Were you in a jolly jumper as a baby? I know I was! Share any thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.

Further Reading: Archived Blog Posts on Women’s History (1920s-1960s)

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Last week, my husband and I were on vacation in New Orleans, and on our final day—coincidentally the day Hurricane Francine was set to hit—we stopped by the famous Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel for a quick drink before hunkering down for the night (hence the wet ground seen in the photo below).

Photo of the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans 2024

Now what were the drinks? My husband had a Ramos Gin Fizz, a cocktail that originated in New Orleans (shown on the right in the image below). This drink takes around seven minutes to make, thanks to the raw egg that gives it that amazing fluffy top—a result of vigorous shaking. I opted for a Hurricane, because what else would you order when a hurricane is about to hit? Both drinks were delicious, and the 1930s Art Deco décor was right up my alley (more photos below).

While searching for the perfect Ramos Gin Fizz, two different bartenders recommended places to try the original cocktail—but were they right? I’m still not sure, but here’s what I found online about its history…

New Orleans’ Imperial Cabinet Saloon in 1888 by bartender and proprietor Henry Charles Ramos, known to his regulars as “Carl.”

In the late 1800s, New Orleans emerged as a major tourist destination, benefiting Ramos’ saloon and his Fizz, packing the bar nightly with guests clamoring for the drink of the moment. (Source).

FURTHER READING: The Legend of Huey Long & the Ramos Gin Fizz Incident

Photo of a Ramos Gin Fizz and a Hurricane Cocktail at the famed Sazerac Bar at the Hotel Roosevelt in New Orleans. Classic Vintage Cocktails.

Murals by 1930s artist Paul Ninas.

1930s Art Deco Interior of the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans

Now, the reason for this post and its title: ‘The Storming of the Sazerac Bar in 1949.’ What was that all about? Before we dive into the story, let’s start with a quick history lesson.

Brief History of the Sazerac Bar

On August 1, 1938, the ‘Main Bar‘ opened with its mahogany bar, walnut-paneled walls, and Paul Ninas murals.

On August 1, 1938, the Main Bar (now named the Sazerac Bar) opened with its mahogany bar, walnut-paneled walls, and Paul Ninas murals at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.

In 1949, Weiss (VP & Managing director of the hotel) purchased the rights to use the name “Sazerac Bar” from the Sazerac Company. The bar had previously been on Exchange Place before Prohibition and at 300 Carondelet Street afterward. He renovated a store front on Baronne Street which had previously held a wine-and-spirits store and opened the Sazerac Bar on September 26, 1949 (photo below).

Weiss and Silverstein architects designed the Baronne Street entrance (Source).

1940s vintage photo of the Sazerac Bar entrance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.

The Storming of the Sazerac Bar in 1949

Before 1949, bars were closed off to women except for Mardi Gras celebrations.

Sept 26th, 1949. As a sign of his marketing genius, Weiss announced through the news media (seen below) that the new bar would abolish the previous ‘men-only’ house rule and admit women. Women from around the city flocked to the venue, and the event became known as Storming the Sazerac (Source).

1940s vintage ad for the Sazerac Bar at the Hotel Roosevelt ==> Read all about and see the photos of the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans and the famous moment for women in 1949 at the Vintage Inn Blog.

This event was a moment of civil disobedience among New Orleans women and was a key moment in gaining equality and equal rights (Source).

1949 photos of the women at ‘The Storming of the Sazerac Bar’.

1940s vintage photo of women in 1940s fashions at a bar for the 'Storming the Sazerac' at The Roosevelt Hotel in 1949. ABOUT: Only men were served in the hotel’s classy Sazerac Bar—except for Mardi Gras day —but in 1949, a group of local women were thirsty and looking for sustenance. They stormed the Sazerac Bar demanding equality and a stiff drink.

Source: thesocietypages.org

Cheers to equality!

1940s vintage photo of women in 1940s fashions 'Storming the Sazerac' at The Roosevelt Hotel in 1949. ABOUT: Only men were served in the hotel’s classy Sazerac Bar—except for Mardi Gras day —but in 1949, a group of local women were thirsty and looking for sustenance. They stormed the Sazerac Bar demanding equality and a stiff drink.

Source: weirdsouth.com

What a fantastic piece of history!

Have you ever come across this historical moment? I hadn’t, until I found myself sitting at this bar. After a brief chat with the bartender, who discovered my love of history, he handed me a binder filled with fascinating stories about the hotel and its bars. I only wish I could have taken photos or brought it home with me to share with all of you!

Dear Readers, if you have anything to share on this hotel, bar or blog topic please share in the comment section below. I love hearing from my readers!

Thanks for dropping by!

Further Reading (Archived blog posts):

Liz

Tag: Women’s History

Olivia Poole: The Indigenous Canadian Woman Who Invented The Baby Jumper

Olivia Poole: The Indigenous Canadian Who Invented The Baby Jumper

ABOUT OLIVIA & THE INVENTION OF THE BABY JUMPER (from the Canadian Encyclopedia)

When Women Took Over: The 1949 Storming of the Sazerac Bar in New Orleans

Brief History of the Sazerac Bar

The Storming of the Sazerac Bar in 1949