Michael Joyce for Mayor - 1895
The 1895 civic election in Hamilton was highlighted by the campaign performances of mayoral candidate Michael Joyce. A familiar character in Hamilton’s downtown core, Michael Joyce, whose face was often referred to as looking like a road map of old Ireland, was well-known for his love of whiskey and clay pipes. The Tuckett Tobacco company had painted a huge portrait of Michael’s face on the wall of the Foresters’ hall, at the corner of Gore street (now Wilson Street) and James street north. Shown holding his clay pipe, the caption beside Michael’s face repeated Michael’s familiar expression, “Phwat’s that?” Michael Joyce’s ready Irish wit was a constant source of amusement around Hamilton City Hall, where he spent much of his time. Especially am...