The first attempts to hold a winter agricultural fair in Brandon happened in 1884, when a show was held in the buildings owned by A. Harrison and Company. However, this did not become an annual event. There were also several unsuccessful attempts to establish annual Stallion Sales in the late spring by horsemen in the area. In 1904, J.D. McGregor petitioned Brandon City Council for a winter fair. The petition was accepted by the city, and in 1906 Brandon’s first winter fair was held. It was a big success, and the Board of Directors looked forward to it becoming an annual event. The summer fair, which had been in operation since 1882 welcomed this new exhibition. The Board of the summer fair felt that a winter fair would be complementary to the summer exhibition. Although the two fairs were not amalgamated, they did share a secretary-treasurer and several Board members.
In 1907, the Cattle Breeders Association decided to make the Brandon Winter Fair the site of its annual stock sale. With this support, it was felt that the winter fair would become an annual event. A joint stock company was created in 1907 entitled the Brandon Winter Fair and Livestock Association (BWFLA), to be used primarily as a land-holding company. Land was purchased at Tenth Street and McTavish Avenue in order to erect a winter fair building.
The following year, the Provincial Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association was created to manage the winter fair. The name was soon changed to the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (MWFFSA). Unlike the summer fair, the winter fair was solely an agricultural event. The Board felt no need to please the citizens with carnivals and midways. The winter fair was “by and for the farmers...[and]...the primary functions of the Brandon Winter Fair were to educate the agricultural community and to honour the community’s accomplishments.”
Additional land was bought on Eleventh Street and Victoria Avenue to build a new winter fair building. The building opened in 1913. By this time, the Brandon Winter Fair was one of the best livestock and agricultural exhibitions in the province.
When the First World War broke out, the winter fair buildings were requisitioned by the military for troop accommodation and eventually as a detention centre for Ukrainian internees and other “enemy aliens.” Unlike the summer fair, which was allowed to use their buildings during fair week, the winter fair buildings were not released for the exhibition. This led to the cancellation of both the 1915 and 1916 winter fairs.
By 1917 the winter fair was allowed to open again, but by this time both the BWFLA and the MWFFSA were experiencing financial difficulties. It was at this time that the proposal first went out regarding an amalgamation of the summer and winter fairs. The provincial government approved of the idea of an amalgamation, and both fair Boards considered the proposal. However, in early 1920 the winter fair Board pulled out of the discussions, as it felt that the winter fair would lose out to the WAAA. The winter fair Board decided to struggle on independently.
Financial problems heightened Board concerns that the winter fair was not exciting enough to keep the public interest. To add to the financial concerns of the winter fair board, in the fall of 1920, the old winter fair pavilion caught fire and burned. Forty six horses were killed and the fair Board had to cancel the 1921 winter fair. When the new winter fair building opened in 1922, it was greeted with enthusiasm. The Directors, in an attempt to ease the increasing financial burden they were feeling, tried to keep the buildings open year round for other events.
In 1929, the Depression began in Canada. While the winter fair continued to run, its buildings were once again requisitioned by the government, this time to house men looking for work. The winter fair Directors were conscious of the problems that the citizens of Brandon were facing, and they offered free admission to those on relief. The fair received grants from the government to provide work relief programs, but these were often small or canceled. The Board members may have resorted to helping to pay for the fair out of their own pockets.
Despite financial problems, the winter fair managed to survive the Depression. Unfortunately, as Brandon recovered from the Depression of the 1930s, the Second World War broke out. For the third time in as many decades, the government requisitioned the winter fair buildings. This time, however, instead of canceling the fair as in previous years, the winter fair went on as scheduled, although it was held on the summer fair grounds.
By 1945, the directors were at a loss financially. They decided that the best course of action in order to keep the fair going was to turn over the buildings to the City of Brandon. By the fall of 1946 the BWFLA had ceased operations.
While the Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba were still not amalgamated, they continued to share the same secretary-manager and several Board members. After the cessation of the war, the Directors knew they had to become more appealing to the wider public. There were promotional events held and more entertainment was offered to attract the public. These additions led to dessention among Board members, as some wanted the fair to remain purely agricultural. The appeal for the greater good of the fair, even if it did include some non-agricultural attractions, eventually won out.
The fair was still to be plagued with difficulties though. In 1952 the fair had to be canceled because of an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease. Despite setbacks such as this, the Board persevered. The following year a 4-H seed show was created and sponsored by the provincial agronomist, P.F. Ford. A carcass class was added in 1957. Soon the fair was successful and stable and rapidly outgrew its facilities.
It was decided by 1966 that the winter fair and the summer fair should be housed in one building. In 1969, the respective Boards went one step further and decided to become one organization. The Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba amalgamated in 1969 to become the Manitoba Exhibition Association. In 1970, the year of Manitoba’s Centennial, it was decided that an organization in the province would receive the designation “Royal” by Queen Elizabeth II. After much consideration by the province, the Manitoba Winter Fair was chosen, and in 1970 it became known as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. In 1972 the construction of a common facility was completed, and the 1973 winter fair was the occasion of the official opening of the Keystone Centre. The winter fair continues in this facility and under this designation to this day.
Custodial History
The records were housed at the MWFFSA, the MWF and the MEA until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds consists of textual records and photographs pertaining to the Winter Fair. The textual records include prize lists, programs, minutes, financial, administrative files, original results, news releases, scrapbooks, and tickets. The photographs include animal shows and events, dignitaries, entertainment, ceremonies, buildings, and other events.
The sous-fonds has been divided into eleven series, including: (1) Documents; (2) Minutes; (3) Financial records; (4) Administrative files; (5) Prize lists and programs; (6) News releases; (7) Original results; (8) Tickets; (9) Photographs; (10) Scrapbooks; and (11) Miscellaneous
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
In 1973, the Board of Directors of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba along with various farm representatives around the area began to feel the need for another, this time purely agricultural, exhibition. The issue was raised in the form of a report written by Donn Mitchell, the chairman of the livestock committee. Because of the growth of both the winter and summer fairs, there was little time and room to properly show the livestock that farmers brought into Brandon. A fall show and sale was thought to be the best solution to the pressing need for both time and space.
After receiving support from the provincial government and the Manitoba Beef Growers Association, the Board decided to hold a fall exhibition. While the Board was wary that the show would succeed, the strong support from producers, government and agri-business virtually ensured success. The first AgEx was officially opened on 3 November 1975. Although the first year was not a financial success, the concept of an agricultural exhibition was, and AgEx continues to thrive in Brandon.
While no minutes are held in this collection for either the Board of Directors or committees, it is evident from the prize lists and programs that the following committee structure existed. There were several committees created by the Board of Directors of AgEx. By 1984 the committees included the AgEx Chairman, the Executive, Aberdeen Angus, Blonde d’Aquitaine, Charolais, Hereford, Holstein, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Salers, Simmental, Steers, Swine, and 4-H/Junior Activities. A Shorthorn committee was added by 1985, and by 1988 there was a Commercial Classic committee.
Custodial History
The sous-fonds was housed at the MEA until c1986 when it was transferred on a continuing basis to the S.J. McKee Archives located at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds contains textual records and photographs pertaining to AgEx. The textual records include prize lists, programs, administrative files, original results, and news releases. The photographs include animal events and shows, dignitaries. entertainment, and various other events.
The sous-fonds has been divided into five series, including: (4) Administrative files; (5) Prize lists and programs; (6) News releases; (7) Original results; and (9) Photographs. In keeping with the numbering system used for the series in the other sous-fonds in RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association, the series in RG2SF3 maintain the same numbering system, therefore there is no series 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, or 3.8.
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
RG2SF3 AgEx
The series consists of records that either did not fit, or could not easily be placed into one of the preceding three manuscript groups. The series had several creators, including the Board of Directors for both the summer and winter fairs, the combined Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Board of Directors, and others. The records also include several documents, and financial records of the combined winter and summer fairs organization, known as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association. This Association began in the fall of 1969 with the amalgamation of the Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.
Custodial History
The sous-fonds was housed in the WAAA, the PEM, the MWFFSA and the MEA until c1986 when it was transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds consists of textual records and photographs that did not fit easily into one of the other manuscript groups. The textual records include financial, scrapbooks, shareholder’s lists and miscellaneous. There are several documents regarding the building of the Keystone Centre, as well as administrative papers dealing with the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association. There are some minutes, and several financial records, as well as a brief administrative file. The photographs are diverse.
The sous-fonds has been divided into seven series, including: (1) Documents; (2) Minutes; (3) Financial records; (4) Administrative files; (9) Photographs; (10) Scrapbooks; and (11) Miscellaneous. In keeping with the numbering system used for the series in the other sous-fonds in RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association, the series in RG2SF4 maintain the same numbering system, therefore there is no series 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, or 4.8.
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
RG2SF4 Miscellaneous
See sub sub series RG 6 14.5.3 The Quill for History/Bio information.
The duplicates retained were chosen to provide an illustration of the changing content and format of the Quill from 1930-1975. They are primarliy for display purposes, as microfilm copies are available for researchers. The original copies of the Quill provide an archival record, but these may be used only under most unusal circumstances. Additional duplicates were culled.
Custodial History
See sub sub series RG 6 14.5.3 The Quill for Custodial history.
Scope and Content
The McKee Archives holds duplicate editions of The Quill for the following years:1930-1931, 1933 to 1942, 1946 to 1949, 1955 to 1959, 1962-1963 and 1975-1976.
The microfilm copies of the Quill cover the period from September 1930 to March 1972, and are located with the originals. The Archives holds both positive and negative versions of the microfilmed editions. The microfilming was made possible through a grant from Dr. Thomas McLeod (Brandon College 1940) in 1999.
Notes
The Quill duplicates and special editions are stored in the same box.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was excavated in 2003 as Crepeele 3. Standard archaeological methods were used to excavate the units. Excavation units were initially numbered as units 10, 11, 12 & 13. These numbers have been changed on the catalogue to XU 110 – 113, due to duplication in 2005. Corresponding documents have been changed to reflect the amended excavation unit numbers, however the field journals may contain the initial numbers.
Scope and Content
Record of daily observations at the site including: excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather.
