CA CA - Los Angeles, UP16569, WhtMale, 60, R.G.J., A.T. Thurbor, died in cafe, 1950 April 27

[Any123]

I didn’t see this one posted here.

Here is what was found with him.

$ 10.34 w/m watch, glasses w/case, coin purse, 11 keys, " angels flight ticket(s)"

Brown felt hat w/ initials "R.G.J." on band of hat. dark gray coat w/ A.T. Thurbor" in coat. Blue shirt, dark grey pants, brown socks, black shoes, dark grey vest


Unidentified Person Case

 

[carbuff]

The tickets would be for this attraction, which was also (per article) used by local commuters:

Angels Flight - Wikipedia

"Angels Flight is a landmark 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge[3] funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Olivet, running in opposite directions on a shared cable on the 298 feet (91 m) long inclined railway.[4]"

 

[CCart]

He was a small man, 5'4", 125 pounds. He also had a decent amount of money on him - according to the Bureau of Labor's inflation calculator, that would be like having over $100 on you today. Not a ton, but when the average new car only cost $1500...

 

[Jennifer17]

I wonder if he may have been a foreign tourist?

 

[carbuff]

Dunno, he could be. But I'm willing to bet that his initials are RGJ.

 

[Bit of hope]

11 keys?

 

[keddiecutie]

"Thurbor" is a rare name, though more frequently spelt "Thurber." It's English with Scandinavian origins.

Thanks for posting this case! I love oldies. Life in the U.S. has always been violent.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Brown felt hat w/ initials "R.G.J." on band of hat. dark gray coat w/ A.T. Thurbor" in coat.

With the hat and coat both having different initials/name in them, that sounds very much as though these were second hand items bought from a charity shop or maybe handed out by the likes of the Sally Army to people applying to them for assistance. As such, I don't think we can safely assume either set of initials/name was that of the deceased.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I wonder if he may have been a foreign tourist?

How much foreign tourism was there in the US in 1950? Besides, I don't think a lone male aged around 60 is your typical tourist.

I think it much more likely that he was either American born or an immigrant who arrived in the US between the wars.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

11 keys?

That struck me as well. 11 keys is a lot for one person to be carrying around. It would be useful to know what sort of keys they were since that might give us some idea of his circumstances and lifestyle.

 

[Triss]

I doubt a tourist would carry 11 keys on them. I bet he was a local. Are there any PM photos or a facial reconstruction available for this person? It's been 68 years since he died, it's time for him to go home! I'm sure there are people who are wondering what happened to their father or grandfather.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I doubt a tourist would carry 11 keys on them. I bet he was a local.

I've been trying to think about what you would need 11 keys for. Maybe a couple for a house or one for a rented room. One for a car, but that would require him to have a certain socio-economic status. Maybe a homeless person would rent a locker at the railway station and have a key for that. A key for a small shop or workshop of some sort?

Even today I don't carry more than 3 keys on me - house key, garage key and car key.

Maybe he just picked them up in the street and carried them.

Are there any PM photos or a facial reconstruction available for this person? It's been 68 years since he died, it's time for him to go home! I'm sure there are people who are wondering what happened to their father or grandfather.

If he was born c1890, it's unlikely any children he might have had would have been born much after 1930. He might however have grandchildren still wondering.

 

[carbuff]

People used to carry more keys for some reason. I remember Neil's aunt had about a dozen in her purse. I don't think even she knew what they were all for. My mom has an entire row of hooks by the door for various cars and sheds.

Typically, a key for the ignition, a key for the car's trunk, two keys for the front door (lock and deadbolt), a key for the back door, a key to the post office box, a key or more for a place of work, a key for a locking toolbox, a key to one or more yard shed padlocks...I'm up to 9.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Typically, a key for the ignition, a key for the car's trunk, two keys for the front door (lock and deadbolt), a key for the back door, a key to the post office box, a key or more for a place of work, a key for a locking toolbox, a key to one or more yard shed padlocks...I'm up to 9.

Sure, we all no doubt have a lot of keys but we don't necessarily carry them all around with us.

It's the fact this chap was carrying 11 of them which seems strange.

 

[carbuff]

I thought the Namus page had photos of his clothing and such, but now I can't find them.

I thought it looked like A. T. Thurbor was the name of the clothing manufacturer or the store where the coat was sold. There are Thurbor clothing stores in Texas and Connecticut, among other places, but none of them A. T.

I'll keep looking for the photos. Not sure where else I would have seen them.

 

[madamx]

He could of been a handy man maintanence man or a Porter or Super of a building . They always have keys..

 

[meanmaryjean]

These always make me sad- like the woman in the Las Vegas restroom.

Walk in off the street, die suddenly, and no one knows, seemingly cares or misses them.

I think he was a landlord or building manager with all the keys.

 

[Bit of hope]

I thought the Namus page had photos of his clothing and such, but now I can't find them.

I thought it looked like A. T. Thurbor was the name of the clothing manufacturer or the store where the coat was sold. There are Thurbor clothing stores in Texas and Connecticut, among other places, but none of them A. T.

I'll keep looking for the photos. Not sure where else I would have seen them.

I think A.T.Thurbor was a tailor...such a shame I couldn't find a bit more on that.

 

[Bit of hope]

My thoughts about the keys (such a shame we don't know what kind of keys we are talking about) business building. Counting my keys.....two for front and back door of my house ...one for my bicycle....and one little one....(from my work closet) that's it....spare keys in a draw....old bicycle keys....old houses keys....

 

[Bit of hope]

OT Sorry....we are having a serious heat wave....the worst of the century....jeeee..I think I'm melting....