Born on February 10, 1924, in Elgin, Manitoba, Audrey Ellen Silvius (nee Honeyman) was raised in Fairfax, Manitoba on the Honeyman homestead. In 1964, she received her Indian name, Blue Star. Silvius completed her high school education in Fairfax before moving to Winnipeg in 1943, to earn her Nursing degree from Grace Hospital. She later completed her post-graduate degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the Brandon Mental Health Centre. Married to Merritt W. Silvius, Audrey Silvius raised four children, David, Kay, Lorna (Downie) and Gail (Campos) while working in her chosen field. In addition to her family and her career, she was also involved with the Brandon Council of Women and the United Church in Brandon. Silvius was the first executive director of the Brandon Indian-Metis Friendship Centre, a founding member of the local branches of the Marquis Project and Amnesty International and initiated a project called Tools for Peace. She was also involved in various other peace and human rights organizations. In 1987, she received the Order of the Buffalo Hunt from the Province of Manitoba in recognition of her work relating to women’s issues. In 1992, she was awarded a Confederation medal for community service.
Custodial History
The records found within the collection were collected by Audrey Silvius from a number of people, including Jean Halliday, Grace Godmaire and Norma Walmsley, involved in various projects with her throughout the years. Prior to their donation to the McKee Archives at Brandon University in October and November 2000, the records were stored at Mrs. Silvius’ home.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of meeting minutes, agendas, speeches, correspondence, newsletters, brochures, written publications and newspaper clippings. Four photographs and one pencil drawing are also included within the collection.
The records deal with the creation, activities, and history of the Brandon Indian-Metis Friendship Centre, as well as the activities of its Board of Directors. In addition, materials located within the collection can be divided into two areas: (1) those that relate to various organizations associated with the Friendship Centre itself, such as the Council of Christians and Jews and the Brandon Council of Women; (2) materials related to projects of important individuals involved with the Friendship Centre, such as the South Western Manitoba Recreation Council and the 4F Club of Minnedosa. Other records deal with general aboriginal issues in Canada during the time frame of the Audrey Silvius collection.
Notes
CAIN No. 202607. Description by Christy Henry (2000).
The collection is divided into ten (10) series:
1. The Brandon Indian-Metis Friendship Centre
2. The Scout – Friendship Centre newsletter
3. The Brandon Council of Women
4. Council of Christians and Jews
5. Aboriginal Glee Club/Dancers
6. The South Western Manitoba Recreation Council
7. 4F Club of Minnedosa
8. Miscellaneous Publications related to Aboriginal Issues
9. Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings related to Aboriginal Issues
10. Photographs and pencil drawing
George H. Crighton was born on January 29, 1925 in the McConnell district. He married Myrtle Harriet Isabelle Westbrook (1934-2009) June 27, 1959, and together they had two sons: Ryan and Brent. The Crightons farmed Myrtle's family farm in the Hamiota district. George and Myrtle were heavily involved with the creation of the Cardale local history "Foot Prints & Chalk Dust." George Crighton died in 1992. He is buried at Marney Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with George Crighton about his life, his parents and siblings, and early farm days. Interviewer is Stan Henry.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the local history "Hamiota: Grains of the Century" and the Find a Grave website. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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George Alexander Grieve was born on January 11, 1902 in Newstead, Melrose, Scotland. His family immigrated to Canada in June 1910, and settled in the Virden area of Manitoba. George attended school in the Montgomery, Pacific and Arawana districts. George married Mary Dorothy Walker (1917-2012) on November 17, 1937 and together they raised two sons, Alex and Robert, as well as Mary's brother from infancy, Lloyd Walker. From 1942 to 1972, George served as a councillor for Ward 2 in the RM of Wallace. During this time he helped develop a network of roads. George was a member of the Arawansa Seed Club and a director of the Elkhorn Agricultural Society. Avid dancers, George called quadrilles for many years in Arawana and surrounding districts. He also enjoyed curling and playing cards. Due to his arthritis, George was confined to a wheelchair for the last fifteen years of his life. George Grieve died on June 14, 1990 in Virden, MB. He is buried at Virden Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with George Grieve about Scottish immigrants, his life and early road building in Manitoba. Interviewer is Elmer Armstrong.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the local history "Hometown Virden" and Grieve's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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George Thomas was born on December 24, 1888 in Birmingham, England. George married Beatrice Maud Taylor (1890-1970) on May 12, 1913 in Birmingham, England. The left for Canada a week later and settled in Neepawa where George's sister Alice already lived. In 1917, George started with the Canadian National Railway (CNR) as a Locomotive Foremans Clerk. George retired from the CNR in 1954, and promptly began a successful greenhouse. In his early days in Neepawa, George was Captain of the Neepawa Soccer Team, President of the CNR Recreation Association and also played cricket. He won numerous awards for his flowers in Neepawa, Brandon and Minnedosa, and was a life member of the Neepawa Horticultural Society, which he joined in 1916. He served on the Neepawa Parks Board for eighteen years and was made an Honorary Citizen of the Town of Neepawa in 1973. George and Beatrice had five children: Beatrice, Stanley, Jack, Mary and Roy. George Thomas died in 1985 in Neepawa, MB. He is buried at Neepawa Riverside Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with George Thomas about his life, especially his work with the railroad and in horticulture. Interviewer is Winnie Cheetham.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Neepawa local history "Heritage," Ancestry.ca and the Billion Graves website. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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William George Flay was born on March 7, 1909 in Bampton, Devonshire, England. He came to Canada with his mother and sister in 1916 to join his father, who had immigrated three years earlier. After living and farming in serveral southern Manitoba communities, George joined the army in 1941, and saw service in England and the continent with the 12th Manitoba Dragoons. He returned to Canada in 1946. George was employed with the Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC) for five years, then worked as secretary-manager of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 3, where he served until his retirement in 1974. He worked closely with the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) to promote veterans' rights. The Legion honored him with the Meritorious Service Medal and life membership for his work. George was also involved with many community services, including serving on the board of the Children's Aid Society for over thirty years. One of his greatest pleasures for over twenty-five years was the Majorette Coprs he founded, which provided entertainment at many functions and parades in surrounding areas. George married Mary Olive Gwyer in 1939 and together they had five children: Robert Bruce, Charles, Morgan, Eva and Lois. George married his second wife Jeanne Greenlaw (1918-2013) in 1962, and together they created J&G Ranch, where they gardened, appreciated nature and did a lot of entertaining. George Flay died on November 13, 1991 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Brandon Municipal Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with George Flay about the history of the Royal Canadian Legion in Brandon, MB. The interviewer is Jeanne Flay.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and obituaries for George Flay and Morgan Flay. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Audio Tracks
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Eva Blanche Roddick Davis was born September 20, 1900 at Linkwood Lodge farm in the Brandon Hills area of the RM of Cornwallis. She was the daughter of John Hardy Roddick and Ida Johnson, and spent her childhood on the home farm in the Brandon Hills, which had been settled by her grandfather, the Rev. George Roddick, a pioneer who came to the are in 1879 from Nova Scotia. Eva attended Brandon Hills school and Brandon Collegiate Institute (BCI), before graduating from the Brandon Normal School in 1920. From 1920-1921, she taught at Little Souris. Although her parents moved to Brandon that year, she returned to the Brandon Hills to the Davis family farm, Glenwood Farm, after marrying Meredith William Davis (1897-1968) on February 28, 1931. The Davis family came to the Brandon Hills in 1879 from Palmer, Massachusetts. The couple sold the farm in 1940, and moved into Brandon, where Med worked as a motor mechanic. The Davis' had three children: Georgina, Shirley, and Bill. Eva was involved with the family farm and on a committee for planning the Brandon Hills district centennial in 1979. Additionally, she was a member of the Brandon Hills Busy Bees, the Women's Missionary Society, the UCW at Knox United Church, the Canadian Lady Foresters and the Court Princess Mary L2. Eva Roddick Davis died in Brandon on December 20, 1986. She is buried at Brandon Hills Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Eva Roddick Davis about the pioneer years in the Brandon Hills and her family history. Interviewer is Effie McPhail.
Notes
History/bio information taken from the Brandon Hills local history "The Brandon Hills Story" and Davis' obituary. Transcript by Jaclyn Matchullis (2014). Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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Harriet Edna Aleta McCall (nee Roddick) was born October 25, 1910 at Brandon Hills, MB. She attended business college, worked a summer as saleswoman at Creelman's Shoe Store, before joining Yaeger's Fur Store in 1929. A saleswoman, Harriet also worked on the fair exhibits for the store. She met her husband Albert Eugene McCall (1907-1955) in 1943, but they did not marry until the fall of 1948, at which point she left her position at Yaeger's. At some point after 1948, but before 1955, the couple moved to Carthage, Texas. After her marriage, Harriet worked with her husband for Old English Lavender, and together they displayed at various fairs and exhibitions in North America. During the Christmas season they also worked with Hudson's Bay Company in their western Canadian stores. Harriet retired in 1973, after which she spent her winters in Texas and her summers in Brandon. Harriet Roddick McCall died on May 23, 1993 in Carthage, Texas.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Harriet Roddick McCall about her family history and the Brandon Hills story. The interviewer is Effie McPhail.
Notes
History/bio information from the records. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Audio Tracks
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All records are reproductions. Photographs are digital scans.
History / Biographical
Reverend Elijah Daniel Pound (1881 – 1931) was a Brandon College alumnus and pioneer Baptist missionary tasked with opening the largest and most northern Baptist mission fields at Swan River and Bowsman, Manitoba.
Elijah D. Pound was born August 16, 1881, in Bayham Elgin County, Ontario, the second son of John and Rhoda Pound. Both Elijah and his brother, Orlo Lydia (b. February 12, 1880 – d. September 11,1916), were trained in cabinetmaking but Elijah left the trade to enter the ministry, first at Woodstock Baptist College and then at Brandon College.
Pound was a student and boarder at Brandon College from 1910 to 1916 and again in the 1918-19 academic year. Brandon College registration cards identify Pound as an Arts student in 1912-13 and as a Theology student from 1913 onwards. On his Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) attestation papers, Pound identified the Brandon College COTC as his prior military experience.
Pound’s name was listed in a Brandon Daily Sun article (26 April 1916) about five college students - Wallace Donogh, Norman McDonald, Frank Noble, James Rowell, and Herbert Staines – who withdrew from Brandon College examinations to head to Winnipeg to enlist with the 11th Field Ambulance Corps. Pound was reported to be joining them four days later.
In the interim, Pound married Bessie Lavinia Tolton (b. November 26, 1893 – d. August 11, 1987) on April 27, 1916, at her family home in Oak Lake, Manitoba. They would later have four children: John Henry Pound, Alberta Pound (Stevenson), Norman Elijah Pound, and Ernestine Pound. Pound’s best man was Brandon College’s COTC officer Sergeant Frederick Julian. Pound and his wife entrained to Winnipeg for a short honeymoon before he departed for service overseas. He formerly enlisted (regimental # 531794) with the 11th Field Ambulance Division in St. Vital, Manitoba, on May 1, 1916.
During the war, Pound’s field ambulance cohort remained in contact while overseas and would often submit updates about each other to the Brandon College Quill; it was in The Quill that Pound was reported wounded and later invalided home. Pound was discharged from the CEF in May of 1918 after being deemed medically unfit.
After being invalided home, Elijah Pound was eligible to have his college expenses covered through the Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment Invalided Soldiers’ Commission. He returned to Brandon College to complete his theology degree.
Prior to the war, Pound worked as a student Baptist preacher in the summers between College terms. In 1912, he preached in the district around Emmaville, northwest of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. After graduation, Pound became a travelling Baptist minister and lived in the Bowsman River (now Bowsman, Manitoba) parsonage with his family in the 1920s. He preached in the communities of Swan River, Bowsman River, Birch River, Lady Hubble, and Lenswood and was reported to have four other appointments in the Swan Valley. He also did missionary work north of Boswman with the fishermen, lumbermen, and Aboriginals. This territory was considered the largest and most northern Baptist mission field in Manitoba.
Rev. Elijah D. Pound passed away on February 11, 1931, at Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg following a kidney cancer diagnosis (hypernephroma). The Winnipeg Free Press (14 February 1931) reported his funeral service would be held at the Broadway Baptist Church on February 14th followed by an interment at Brookside Cemetery (Plot D2-0661-0). Another Brandon College alumnus, Reverend Evan McDonald Whidden, was in attendance at Pound’s funeral as part of the contingent of Winnipeg Baptist ministers.
After his death, the Pound Memorial Baptist Church was opened in Bowsman, Manitoba. The formal dedication was held on November 8, 1931, with Rev. Dr. Litch, superintendent of the Manitoba Baptist mission, and the Rev. and Mrs. Smith among the 200 participants in attendance. At the opening, Pound’s widow gifted the Memorial Church with its communion table.
Custodial History
The collection of digital images are from the Rev. E.D. Pound’s family photo album titled, “1920 to 1930; Rev. E.D. Pound and Family; Bowsman River, Manitoba; Pictures of Family, Local Church Members & Friends, Lumbering, Fishing, & Travel.” The photographs are in the possession Rev. E.D. Pound’s granddaughter, Patricia Ann Pound Holl of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who is the daughter of Pound’s third child Norman Elijah Pound. The records were passed down to her through the family.
Ann Pound Holl visited Brandon on September 9, 2014, to see the exhibition “Brandon College and the Great War” (September 1, 2014 to December 23, 2014) on display in the Tommy McLeod Curve Gallery at Brandon University’s John E. Robbins Library. The photographs in this collection were digitized that day. Ann’s grandfather, E.D. Pound, was referenced in a letter on display from the Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment Invalided Soldiers’ Commission (dated February 17th, 1919) [RG1 Series 11 Military Training Box 1 File 14] as well as listed in the College’s new nominal roll. She brought with her her grandfather’s photo album, copies of E.D. Pound’s papers, and the Tolton Family self-publication “The Two Who Made Us Tell” written by Lillian Tolton Smith.
Scope and Content
The collection consist of copies of Rev. E.D. Pound’s marriage, enlistment, and death records; copies of newspaper clippings pertaining to Pound’s marriage and death; and digital copies of photographs originally taken while Rev. Pound worked as a traveling Baptist missionary in the Swan Valley mission field.
DIGITAL IMAGES
The digital images were selected from the Rev. E.D. Pound’s family photo album titled, “1920 to 1930; Rev. E.D. Pound and Family; Bowsman River, Manitoba; Pictures of Family, Local Church Members & Friends, Lumbering, Fishing, & Travel” and pertain to Rev. Pound’s marriage in 1916 before serving overseas with the field ambulance division and his life after the war in northern Manitoba as a travelling Baptist minister in the 1920s. Northern Manitoba images consist of scanned photographs depicting the Bowsman River parsonage and congregation, the Lenswood School congregation, the Birch River Pioneer Store, winter logging and fishing activities, Rev. Pound performing baptisms and open air services, and the Pound Memorial Baptist Church.
TEXTUAL RECORDS
The textual records in the collection pertain to Rev. Pound’s marriage in 1916, enlistment in the Great War, and death in 1931. Marriage records include copies of Pound-Tolton’s 1916 marriage certificate, wedding photographs, and newspaper clippings announcing the marriage. Military records include 1916 attestation and 1918 discharge papers from the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Death records include copies of Pound’s Manitoba Death Certificate and non-sourced newspaper clippings about Pound’s death.
Copy of Pound-Tolton Marriage Certificate (dated April 27, 1916)
Copy of photograph of married couple Elijah Daniel Pound in military uniform with Bessie Lavinia Tolton
Copy of photograph of married couple Elijah Daniel Pound in suit with Bessie Lavinia Tolton and newspaper clippings “Emmaville News (1912)” and “Wedding Bells Pound-Tolton (April 27, 1916)”
Copy of Pound’s Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force No. XI Overseas Field Ambulance Attestation Paper (dated May 1, 1916)
Copy of Pound’s Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force Discharge Certificate (dated May 25, 1918)
Copy of Pound’s Province of Manitoba Medical Certificate of Death (dated March 1, 1931)
Copies of non-sourced newspaper obituaries and articles about Pound’s death:
o “Rev. E.D. Pound, Baptist Minister, Dies in Hospital” [from The Manitoba Free Press (16 February 1931, p. 4)]
o “The Pound Memorial Church”
o “Missionary on Frontier to be Buried Today”
o “Bowsman News”
o “Our Honored Dead” [from The East Elgin Tribune (Aylmer Sun) for 12 October 1916]
o “Obituaraies – Pound”
o “In Loving Memory”
o “Rev E.D. Pound Dies in Winnipeg”
o “Lavender News”
Copies of photograph of Rev. E.D. Pound from vanity publication of Tolton family history, “The Two Who Made Us Tell” (Lillian Tolton Smith)
Notes
Description by Suyoko Tsukamoto
Accruals
open
Finding Aid
none
Location Original
Original materials were retained by Anne Hall
Storage Location
2014 accessions (textual records)
Shared 02 web photos (photos)
Related Material
RG1 Series 11 Military Training Box 1 File 14
The Quill
Arrangement
DIGITAL IMAGES
7-2014.1.1 Elijah Pound wedding photo in uniform
7-2014.1.2 Elijah Pound wedding photo folder
7-2014.1.3 Elijah Pound and Lavinia Tolton Fairview Farm May 4, 1914
7-2014.1.4 Kenton Baptist Church Post Card photo printed by Gowen’s Studio, Brandon, Man. (Photo album notes Elijah Pound and Lavinia Tolton married in Kenton Baptist Church in 1916.)
7-2014.1.5 Boswman River Parsonage 1921
7-2014.1.6 Boswman River Baptist congregation in front of parsonage (Elijah Pound on right holding child)
7-2014.1.7 Boswman River Baptist congregation in front of parsonage (Elijah Pound top centre)
7-2014.1.8 Lenswood School congregation
7-2014.1.9 Wedding (set-up in Lenswood School?)
7-2014.1.10 Lumbering 1920s
7-2014.1.11 Lumbering 1920s
7-2014.1.12 Lumbering 1920s (logs being hauled on 8 foot lunks to saw mill)
7-2014.1.13 Lumbering 1920s
7-2014.1.14 Lumbering 1920s
7-2014.1.15 Lumbering 1920s
7-2014.1.16 Pound and fishing nets (1920s)
7-2014.1.17 Fishing nets on lake (1920s)
7-2014.1.18 Pound and fishing nets in background (1920s)
7-2014.1.19 Boxes of frozen fish ready to ship (1920s)
7-2014.1.20 Birch River Pioneer Store
7-2014.1.21 Pound with Anglican Minister
7-2014.1.22 Pound performing baptism (walking into creek)
7-2014.1.23 Pound performing baptism (submerged to waist)
7-2014.1.24 Pound performing baptism (pants wet)
7-2014.1.25 Pound (middle), Mr. Blackwell and baptism candidate
7-2014.1.26 Annual get together open air service
7-2014.1.27 Pound Memorial Church
7-2014.1.28 Pound Memorial Church dedication
7-2014.1.29 Rev and Mrs. Smith, Dr. Hitch at Pound Memorial Church
7-2014.1.30 Rev and Mrs. Smith, Dr. Hitch at Pound Memorial Church
7-2014.1.31 Rev. E.J. Pound from Tolton Family history book, “The Two Who Made Us Tell” (Lillian Tolton Smith 19??, p.45).
Michael Skrumeda was born on July 21, 1950 in Stuartburn Municipality. He lived in Arbakka, MB until 1967. In Vita he met Olga Ann Margaret Lobur (1948-2004), and the couple were married on September 30, 1972. They had two daughters: Laura and Tanya. Michael held posts at parishes in Oakburn-Brandon District, Hamilton, Windsor, and Winnipeg within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. The Very Rev. Archpriest Michael Skrumeda is currently retired and living in Winnipeg, MB.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Rev. Father Michael Skrumeda about the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church. Interviewer is Effie McPhail.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Olga Skrumeda's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Audio Tracks
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1965-1980, predominant 25 May 1965 - 30 September 1976
Physical Description
12 cm textual records
6 b/w photographs (loose)
1 artefact
Physical Condition
Some of the items in the scrapbook have come loose from their pages, some documents are stained from a liquid, likely coffee
History / Biographical
In 1965, Chris Verhoef, member of the Overture Concert Association, Allied Arts Centre, and Brandon Citizens' Commitee for the Performing Arts, called for a meeting of Western manitoba citizens interested in the prospect of a Philharmonic Choir for the region. The meeting took place on 26 May 1965; the steering committee that gathered, led by Margaret Goodman, undertook the formation of the Choir. The Choir would have an Executive consistign of at least four members, and a committee consisting of a minimum seven members. Each executive member would be elected on an annual basis. The Choir's executive, in collaboration with the conductor, would determine the choir's repertoire for the year. The establishment of the Western Manitoba PHilharmonic Choir (WMPC) sought to encourage amateurs to sing for enjoyment, provide the opportunity for a choir to perform choral compositions in collaboration with a symphony orchestra and promote and sponsor the musical arts in the Western Manitoba region. Membership to the choir would be open to all citizens of the region, and members would be accepted based on the discretion of the conductor. The first meeting of prospective members took place on 27 September 1965 in St. Matthews Cathedral parish Hall where more than 90 people gathered and registered to become a member of the WMPC.
Chris Verhoef led the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir into its first season as President of the choir's Executive Committee. For the organization's first season, the WMPC hired two members of the Brandon College School of Music: Lucien Needham for the position of conductor and Louise Chapman for the position of accompanist. Brandon College, as well as other donors sponsored the choir for its first season. The Choir held its debut performance in collaboration with the Winnipeg Sympnay Orchestra (WSO) on 12 March 1966, and the Choir's performance of Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Dettingen te Deum attracted an audience of more than 1400 people. The performance was well received by the public. The debut performance's asuccess earned the CHoir a rcommendation for a grant from the Manitoba Centennial Corporation that would sponsor a special concert during the centennial year. Furthermore, the Canada Council supported the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, by the means of special funds, to make the Symphony's appearance witht he Philharmonic Choir possible.
For the WMPC's second season, membership rose to 111 amateur singers. Verhoef remained as President of the Executive, while the Brandon Citizens' Committee for the Performing Arts provided sponsorship. Following the Choir's performance of Schubert's Mass in Eb Major on 17 November 1966, the membership increased to 132 singers. On 20 January 1967, the WMPC's first taped broadcast was released over CBC and CKX. The broadcast's success resulted in an offer from CBC to record another broadcast for a similar release. The Kiwanis Club of Rivers invited the Choir to perform in Rivers on 25 january 1967. On 7 April 1967, the Choir performed Haydn's oratorio, The Creation, in the Brandon College Gymnasium.
The choir elected Murray Ames as President to lead it through its thrid and fourth seasons. In its third season, the WMPC, conducted by Leonard Mayoh, performed Handel's Messiah on 22 November 1967 in the Brandon University Gymnasium. The Choir's spring concert, name the "Chris Verhoef Memorial Concert," in honour of Chris Verhoef who had passed away December 1967, featured works by Bach, Brahms and Perry. Held on 9 March 1968, in the Brandon University Gymansium, the concert featured Brandon university student James Stewart as soloist and was received with great praise. In addition to the memorial concert, the WMPC also established a $500 scholarship for a Brandon University music student to honour Verhoef's substantial contribution to the community.
The first concert of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's fourth season was held on 10 December 1968, in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre at Brandon University and featured selections from Handel's Messiah. A piano trio comprised of Francis Chaplin (violin), Malcom Tait (cello) and Gordon Macpherson (piano), as well as a brass trio, also performed at the chori's winter concert. In its fourth season, the WMPC performed two concerts in the second half of its season. On 15 FEbrurary 1969, in cooperation with CKX Radio and Television, the choir performed works by Mozart, Hindemith, and Mahler in collaboration with the Winnipeg Sympony Orchestra conducted by George Cleve. Later in the season, the choir performed Brahms' Requiem Mass, once again in collaboration with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. R. Parker filled the position of President of the Executive for the duration of the Choir's fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. The fifth season saw the WMPC performing four concerts. Conducted by Leonard Mayoh, it opened its season on 11 october 1969 with a performance at the Grand Finale of the Grand Opening of the Western manitoba Centennial Auditorium, performing theoverture to Mozart's The Magic Flute and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Their Christmas concert, also conduceted by Mayoh, took place on 10 December 1969. The Choir's third concert of its fifth season was held on 31 january 1970, in cooperation with CKX RAdio and Television, and featured works by Mendelssohn, Ravel, and Schubert, in collaboration with the WSO under the direction of conductor George Cleve. The season concluded with another concert in collaboration with the WSO on 7 March 1970, conducted by Leonard Mayoh. This concert featured works by Vaughn Williams, Handel and Poulenc.
Seasons six and seven consisted of two concerts each. The Choir held its fifth annual Christmas Concert on 5 December 1970. Led by Leonard Mayoh, it performed its spring concert on 10 April 1971 in collaboration with members from the Winnipeg Symphony, featuring selections by Bach and Mozart in the Western manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Into its seventh season, the Choir performed Bach's Christmas Oratorio on 4 December 1971 in the Central United Church. For its final concert of the year, the WMPC revisited a piece that had been the main focus of its second season: Haydn's oratorio, The Creation. The Choir performed this Haydn masterwork on 8 April 1972 under the direction of Piero Gamba.
Helen Riesberry led the choir through its eigth and ninth seasons as President of the Executive. In its eigth season, the WMPC held its annual Christmas concert on 12 December 1972 in collaboration with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the style of a sing-along led by Mitch Miller. The choir's spring concert featured another masterwork, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, conducted by Piero Gamba. The WMPC and members of the WSO performed the Requiem Mass on 28 April 1973 at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Despite the lack of attendance at rehearsals since the Christmas concert, the WMPC presented an overall effective performance of the challenging Requiem Mass.
In its ninth season, Derek Morphy took over the position of conductor from Leonard Mayoh. Morphy had his debut performance as conductor with the WMPC at the annual Christmas concert on 17 December 1973. In March 1974, in collaboration with members from the WSO, Morphy led the Choir in its performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, in the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. later in the season, the choir performed a concert entitled "Reflections," a choral programme for Lent and Easter, accompanied by organist Arthur Bower.
Nearing the end of its ninth season, the Philharmonic Choir encountered severe financial challenges. The Choir released a notice in the newspaper that the anticipated $3000 grant from the Manitoba Arts Council had been cut to $1000, leaving the Choir $3100 in debt. The notice explained that the Choir needed funds in order to enable operation and continue hiring the WSO for concerts. The WMPC executive and committee held a Leonard Mayoh Night in an attempt to gain funds and donations. Although the Manitoba Arts Council raised thegrant to $2000 and the City of Brandon contributed $500, the Choir's financial situation remained in a dire state as its ninth season came to a close.
The Choir elected Edith Hayden to lead it through its tenth and eleventh seasons as President of the Executive. The opening of the tenth season challenged the WMPC. In addition to its financial woes, the Choir's Executive struggled to overcome the lack of attendance at rehearsals and the shortage of male voices. The WMPC had experienced membership issues in earlier seasons as well. In its third season, despite a membership of 130 individuals, the choir had struggled to create a balanced sound due to a lack of male membership and therefore a lack of lower voices. In its sixth season, the Choir opened their concert year with an appeal for members. In an effort to improve the choir's financial affairs, the Choir Executive and conductor decided against hiring the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for the time being. In an attempt to improve the situation, Derek Morphy wrote a letter to the members of the Choir outlining his concern that he may not be meeting their expectations as a conductor but hoped to generate positive and hopeful prospects for the future of music-making together.
The Choir's annual Christmas concert featured a collaboration with the Brandon School Division Music Department and Brandon School Orchestra and Band Association, as well as dancers choreographed by Barbra Enhes. The WMPC performed Haydn's Mass in D minor at its spring concert on 27 April 1975, accompanied by Arthur Bower. By the end of the season, the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's financial situation had begun to improve.
The WMPC hired conductor peter Allen to lead the Chori through its final season of operation. The Choir held its annual Christmas concert in the Central United Church on 7 December 1975, and featured Vivaldi's Glora, accompanied by pianist Barry Anderson. The choir perfomed Deller's Psalm 148, Teleman's Cantata for the Fourth Sunday after the Feast of the Three Kings, and Dvorak's Stabat Mater at its spring concert held at the Central United Church on 25 April 1976.
Despite its best efforts, the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's first rehearsal of its twelfth season saw just 26 members in attendance. As a result of lack of membership, the Choir Executive decided to disband the WMPC for its 1976/1977 season, with plans to reassess the situation in September of 1977 for the prospect of a 1977/1978 season. Matters were further complicated by financial considerations; by June 1977 the choir's financial situation had worsened as a result of the administrative fees that the WMPC covered for the duration of its unexpected inactive 1976/1977 season. Unlike past years, there were not any ticket sales to cover such expenses.
Following its year off, membership interest in the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir did not increase and the decision was made not to return for another season. In 1980, the WMPC revoked its registration as an organization and officially ceased to exist.
Custodial History
Records in the 8-2001 accession were donated to the McKee Archives in 2001, by three representatives of the Philharmonic Choir: Dr. Bill Paton, Botany Department, Brandon University; Mrs. Edith Hayden, WMPC President; and Mary Davidson WMPC Archives Committee. Records in accession 13-2016 were given to Terry Stamper in the School of Music by Marilyn Hayden and then transferred to the McKee Archives on September 21, 2015.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records that document the origin, activities, and ultimate disbandment of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir. These records were created and accumulated during the eleven year existence of the WMPC.
Records include: the organization's constitution and history from 1965-1968; financial records, which include grants received from the Manitoba Arts Council, Canada Council, and City of Brandon, as well as materials documenting the organization's financeial struggles from 1974-1976; minutes from executive and committee meetings from 18 June 1973 to 24 June 1974; correspondence in the form of letters between the president of the executive and the choir members, and between the conductor of the choir and its members; membership lists from each season of the WMPC; and concert programmes from every major Christmas and Spring concert that the organization performed. Fonds also contains mewspaper notices, advertisements and reviews of various performances, as well as posters advertising perfomrances of the WMPC in the 1967/68, 1970/71, 1971/72 and 1973/74 seasons; the posters advertise the choir, collaborators, patrons and featured works.
Also included in the fonds is a scrapbook detailing the choir's history. Each page of the scrapbook is decorated with hand painted images of plants native to the southwestern Manitoba region. The scrapbook includes concert programs and photographs of the choir from all years of the organization's operation. The scrapbook also contains an assorment of informal photographs from various WMPC events. There are also six black and white group photos of the WMPC from various seasons.
Finally, the fonds contains one artifact, a leather bag/zippered file folder with "WMPC" printed on it.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by representatives of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir. Copies of the history can be found in the fonds. Description by Jessi Gilchrist (October 2016).
Georgina Bernice Matiation (Hill) was born in Virden, Manitoba on February 19, 1936, daughter of Gordon and Florence Hill. She received her education at Brandon College (1954-1956). Originally a student in Arts, she graduated from the Teacher Training program in 1956. During her time at Brandon College, Matiation participated in the College Glee Club as well as college track and field meets. She also acted as Junior Ladies Athletic Representative in 1955. In addition, Matiation was was the President of her Normal School class.
Matiation began her teaching career in Hargrave and Melita, before taking a position at Prince Charles School in Portage la Prairie in 1960. She remained at that institution until her retirement in 1991. In addition to her teaching career, Matiation was a past president of the Portage Evening Ladies Curling Club, a past president of the La Prairie Lioness and a leader of CGIT. She was a lifelong member of the Lenore Presbyterian Church.
Georgina Hill married Zane Matiation in 1970. They had no children. Georgina Matiation died on October 28, 1995 in Portage la Prairie at the age of 59 years.
Custodial History
This collection was donated to the McKee Archives by Bessie Marie Hill of Winnipeg on May 1, 1998.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of items collected by Mrs. Matiation (Hill) during her years as a student at Brandon College. The collection contains a scrapbook of photos of students and activities at the College taken from 1954-1956. Fonds includes copies of speeches made by her at various school events, such as her validictorian speech at the Normal School Graduation in 1956. There is also an autograph book with messages to her from friends and classmates. Finally, the collection includes two photographs of students in the 1924-25 Brandon Normal School, and one photograph of the Westminister Presbyterian Church in Brandon.
MG 2 Brandon College Students
2.23 Georgina Matiation (Hill)
The collection is located with MG 2 2.2 Gerald Brown. It was placed there as a result of space issues.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files. Artifact catalogues are PDF files in spreadsheet format. Photographs are in jpeg format.
History / Biographical
During the mid 1990’s to the early 2000’s archaeological surveying and testing took place on Flintstone Hill. In 1997 testing at the site revealed a bison skull eroding from the cutbank. A field crew dug a series of overlapping trenches down the slope of the profile and produced a schematic drawing. A radiocarbon date from the lower edge of the profile gave a date of 10,400 RCY.
Test units along the cutbank recovered lithics, soil samples, fire-cracked rock, charcoal, bison remains including a very large bison skull measuring 430-440 cm and thought to be an ancient species.
Radiocarbon dates at Flintstone hill gave dates of: a hearth dating to 3250+/-70 R.C.Y. (BETA 109529); a butchered atlas bone 4090+/-70 R.C.Y. (BETA 109990); and bone fragments accompanied by Swan River Chert and Knife River Flint lithic flakes 5350+/-50 (BETA 109530). While no diagnostic tools were recovered, these dates suggest that this occupation, which is contemporary with the Atkinson site, may be a Gowen occupation.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files. Artifact catalogues are PDF files in spreadsheet format. Photographs are in jpeg format.
History / Biographical
In 1998, 1999 and 2000 further testing took place on Flintstone Hill. Five test units were excavated and a series of small exploratory tests took place. Recoveries included: lithics, soil samples, fire-cracked rock, charcoal, and bison bones.
Unfortunately, despite the encouraging radiocarbon dates and scattered recoveries there was no area where extensive excavations were feasible. The unstable nature of the river bank with frequent spring flooding and erosion of the dunes has impacted potential sites.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
4.2 m textual records; 5 cassette tapes; 2 cd roms, 110 photographs (colour and b/w) various sizes
History / Biographical
Errol Black was born on September 8, 1939 in Brandon, Manitoba. He was the son of Thomas Alexander Black, who immigrated to Canada from Limerick, Ireland in 1929, and Roberta Jean (nee Groat) Black, a native of Chatham, New Brunswick. Black attended King George Elementary, Earl Haig Junior High, Brandon Collegiate Institute for Grade 10, and completed high school through correspondence courses for Grandes 11 and 12. He left school in 1956 to work a variety of jobs in Brandon, Calgary and on the west coast. He spent a short time in the Royal Canadian Navy. Errol Black undertook post-secondary education at Brandon College (1963-1965, graduated with a B.A.), the University of Alberta (1965-1967, graduated 1973 with an M.A. in economics) and Warwick University (1975-1977). Black taught economics at Brandon University from 1970 until his retirement in 2002. Following retirement he was granted Professor Emeritus status in 2003.
Errol Black has published three books, as well as many articles and reports in leading academic journals. He has a longstanding interest in the history of organized labour and working-class politics in Brandon. These remain important themes in his research and writing. He served on the Executive of the Brandon University Faculty Association for many years, and was President of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations for two years. Black is also a member of the Brandon District Labour Council, a founding member of the Manitoba branch of the Canadian centre for Policy Alternatives, and a board member of the Brandon Regional Health Authority (2000-2006). He was elected to Brandon City Council in 1998, and for a second term in 2001. In 1999 he was the federal NDP candidate for Brandon-Souris.
Black married Margaret Millard from Waskada, MB in 1961, with whom he had three sons: Sean, Dennis and Tom.
Custodial History
Accession 17-1997 was originally owned by Jim Davis, brother to Communist activist Stanley Forkin. Taimi Davis, Jim Davis' wife, mailed the collection from her residence in Ontario to Errol Black in 1994. Professor Black donated the collection to the McKee Archives. Accession 02-2003 was donated to the Archives in November 2002 by Errol Black. Accession 15-2003 was donated to the Archives on April 30, 2003 by Errol Black. Accession 17-2003 was donated to the Archives on July 15, 2003 by Errol Black.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of a number of accessions. Accession 17-1997, dating from 1935-1936, consists of twelve of the thirteen issues of the "Unemployed Worker," published in Brandon in the 1930s. The "Unemployed Worker" was the organ of the Brandon Unemployed Workers' Council. This Council, like its counterparts in other communities, was created by Canadian Communist Party militants. The "Unemployed Worker" covered the activities of the Unemployed Workers' Council, the plight of Brandon's unemployed, efforts by the city's unemployed to improve their lives, and City Council decisions, specifically those regarding relief policy.
Accession 02-2003, dating 1917, 1936-1939, 1970-2002 (predominant 1970-2002), contains extensive correspondence from former Brandon University Economic Professor Don Wheeler to Errol Black. In addition, the accession contains an important body of correspondence received by Professor Black from Taimi Davis written by Pat Forkin and his wife Pheobe Forkin to family members in Canada during the years 1936-1939, while Pat was a Moscow based corespondent for the Canadian Communist Party Clarion. The accession also contains personal correspondence of Errol Black dating from ca. 1970, drafts of papers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets related to labour and labour political matters. Two publications of note include: "Labour in Brandon" published by the Brandon and District Labour Council and a student guide to labour law written by George MacDowell. The accession also contains several documents related to Black's involvement in the provincial Industrial Adjustment Committee.
Accession 15-2003, dating 1930-2002 (predominant 1930-1939; 1971-2002), contains extensive clippings from the Canadian Communist Party publications "The Worker" and the "Daily Clarion" from the years 1930-1939; twenty-one personal and family photographs (b/w 3x5) of the Forkin family of Brandon, many of whom were active in the Canadian Communist Party; various historical photographs (b/w 8x10) related to the history of labour in Brandon, Manitoba; personal files containing correspondence, letters and opinion pieces to various newspapers, course outlines, research materials and draft publications, arbitration awards and documents related to Black's involvement with the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations (MOFA).
Accession 17-2003, dating 1970-2002, contains correspondence, a manuscript of an autobiography written by Black's father Tom Black, research files, letters to the editor and draft publications by Errol Black.
Accession 3-2011, dating 1909-2010, contains an extensive record of newspaper clippings often of Professor Black's correspondence with the Brandon Sun from the early 1970s through to 2011. Clippings relate to civic issues, labour relations, social justice, economic questions. Documents (membership cards, cards of thanks, stamps) of various kinds, and photographs of Professor Black, family members, and various labour related events including parades and rallies, appear throughout these clippings. Collection includes miscellaneous files relating to the 75th Anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike including the Brandon Sympathetic Strike of 1919, the Brandon Greys Baseball team, the Assiniboine College BMHC lobby campaign, Brandon and Area Environmental Council, the Brandon East NDP Contituency Association. Editions (1925-31) of the Sons of England - Official Organ of the Sons of England Benefit Society - published in Oshawa, Ontario, and copies of documents related to the Commission of Inquiry (1928) into labour issues at the Brandon Mental Hospital are included.Collection also contains extensive correspondence associated with Professor Black's activities as a department member, scholar, and activist in the Department of Economics at Brandon University. Collection contains as well research materials related to the Brandon labour movement, strikes at A.E. Mckenzie Seed Company 1940s, cd roms containg research materials - clippings and images - for Labour Council Anniversary book ( 2006), and civic politics in Brandon. Records also contain research materials on various members of the Forkin family - in particular the Pat Forkin, Tom Forkin, and Stephen Forkin (aka Jim Davis) - who were active members of the Canadian Communist Party during their adult lives. A collection of family photographs and six tape cassettes containing accounts of the experiences of single unemployed men during the Great Depression and the funeral of Stephen Forkin ( Jim Davis) and correspondence from Taimi Davis the widow of Stephen Forkin (Jim Davis) supplement the sources on the Forkin family.
Notes
Photographs of Joe Forkin, Pat Forkin, Stan Forkin, Jim Davis and other members of the Forkin family are contained in Box 3 (15-2003) and Box 10 (3-2011).
Some restrictions. Consult the University Archivist for access.
Repro Restriction
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Storage Location
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.1 Errol Black
Related Material
MG 3 1.12 contains additional records related to George MacDowell; RG 6, Series 15 (BUFA) contains additional records on the Brandon University Faculty Association; RG 6, Series 7, Sub sub series 7.1.5 (Department of Economics) contains additional records related to the Department of Economics at Brandon University; RG 6, Series 7, Sub-series 7.1 (Dean of Arts) contains files on Don Wheeler and George MacDowell.
Flintstone Hill is located on the north bank of the Souris River. It is a deeply stratified lacustrine, fluvial and aeolian soil profile that has been exposed by the river through stream-bank erosion. This section is thought to be the most complete middle to late Holocene exposure on the northeastern plains. While the value of the site is primarily for paleo-environmental research and reconstruction, cultural deposits have been identified at the site. Local collectors have picked up lithic materials as they eroded out of the bank for the past several decades and it was they who had named the site. Mr. Bruce Timms from Lauder first drew the Flintstone Hill site to the attention of Dr. Nicholson of Brandon University.
During the mid 1990’s to the early 2000’s archaeological testing took place on Flintstone Hill. In 1998, an archaeological field crew dug a series of overlapping trenches down the slope of the profile and produced a schematic drawing. A peat layer at the bottom of this profile, dated from the top at 9,400 RCY and at the bottom to 10,400 RCY, has provided details of marsh plant and insect communities at this time.
Subsequent archaeological investigations at the site recovered several cultural deposits including: a hearth dating to 3250+/-70 R.C.Y. (BETA 109529); a butchered atlas bone 4090+/-70 R.C.Y. (BETA 109990); and bone fragments accompanied by Swan River Chert and Knife River Flint lithic flakes 5350+/-50 (BETA 109530). While no diagnostic tools were recovered, these dates suggest that this occupation, which is contemporary with the Atkinson site, may be a Gowen occupation.
Extensive paleo-environmental research has been conducted at the site. Dr. Running, a geomorphologist from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, participated in the Study of Cultural Adaptations in the Prairie Ecozone (SCAPE) Project and he and his students tested the site for several years. He was joined in this effort by Dr. Havholm, Dr. Boyd, Dr. Wiseman, Dr. Beaudoin, and other SCAPE researchers in the interpretation of the paleo-environment of the Glacial Lake Hind basin. The following article is recommended reading.
Running, Garry L., Karen G. Havholm, Matt Boyd and Dion J. Wiseman
2002 Holocene Stratigraphy and Geomorphology of Flintstone Hill, Lauder Sandhills, Glacial Lake Hind Basin, Southwestern Manitoba. Geographie Physique et Quaternaire
56(2-3):291-303.
Scope and Content
Sub series has been divided into two sub sub series including: (1) Flintstone Hill 1997 (2) Flintstone Hill 1998-2000
1.2 m of textual records;
c. 2700 photographs -- Primarily black and white;
c. 42,500 stamps
History / Biographical
Lawrence Adne Stuckey was born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1921 to Adne and Catherine Stuckey, and was the grandson of a Brandon pioneer family, the Gilmours. Stuckey attended both Fleming and Earl Oxford schools, as well as the Brandon Collegiate Institute. In May 1941, he began working for the CPR as a wiper/fireman. In October of the following year he joined the RCAF. During World War II, Stuckey served overseas as a Navigator/Bomb Aimer and was promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant. He continued his work with the CPR after the war, and was promoted to fireman/engineer in 1950. Stuckey left the CPR in January of 1958 to purchase Clark-Smith Photo Studio in Brandon.
Stuckey and his wife Mavis, whom he married in 1946, ran the studio until their retirement in the mid 1980s. Throughout his life Stuckey pursued a number of interests, such as botany, history, photography and politics and was active in many local, provincial and national organizations. He was a member of the Brandon Stamp Club, the Allied Arts Council, Brandon Horticultural Society, Brandon Model Railroad Club, the Brandon Historical Society, and the Fort Whyte Centre. Stuckey was also the author of four books, as well as numerous articles on horticulture, railways, and Brandon area history. In 1987 he received the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt and in 1997 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Brandon University. Lawrence Stuckey passed away on June 13, 2001.
Custodial History
The entire collection was housed in Mr. Stuckey's residence at 658 11th St. Brandon, Manitoba, prior to its transfer to the McKee Archives. A portion of the stamp collection was donated to the Archives in August 2001. The balance of the materials were deposited in the Archives following Mr. Stuckey's death.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of a variety of materials, both textual and graphic.
The philately collection is the largest part of the Stuckey Collection and covers a wide geographical and temporal range. The majority of the stamps are from the United States, the British Commonwealth, France and the French Empire. There are also a number of stamps portraying animals, art and flowers.
The slide collection includes approximately 10,000 images of various topics, such as landscapes, flora and fauna of North America and Expo 1967.
The Stuckey photograph collection is perhaps the best collection of Brandon and Southwestern Manitoba photographs in one place. Images include grain elevators and historical buildings of the northern United States and western Canada, railways, the City of Brandon, as well as ships and boats, sporting activities, portraits, animals, flora and fauna, landscapes and farming/homestead photographs. This series also includes a large number of negatives, including glass plate negatives.
The textual materials within the collection include personal journals written by Stuckey covering the years 1935-2001. These journals are autobiographical and act as a key to the rest of the collection in that they provide general time frames and the motivations behind Stuckey's activities. In addition to the journals, the collection consists of copies of Stuckey's four books and a few papers he wrote for the committees and clubs he belonged to. Other textual materials included are a small amount of personal correspondence, and research materials on a number of topics such as the CPR and Brandon area history. There are also three scrapbooks created by Stuckey dealing with his various interests. The collection also contains certificates presented to Stuckey by a number of the organizations he belonged to, as well as his honorary degree from Brandon University and his Order of the Buffalo Hunt award. A number of books, newspapers and articles on various topics, such as stamp collecting and horticulture are included in the collection.
The McKee Archives is the copyright holder for the Stuckey materials.
Finding Aid
A copy of the photograph inventory is in the blue binder on the reference shelf in the reading room.
Related Material
Alf Fowler collection 6-1999 (Brandon photographs) and the BU Art Exhibitions Committee fonds 69-1997 (Georges Cesari).
Arrangement
A description for the photograph collection has been entered as a separate series of the Lawrence Stuckey collection. The collection remains in original order.
Margaret Menzies was born on July 30th, 1920, at a family farm located in Oakburn, Manitoba. She grew up on the family farm and attended school in both Oakburn and Shoal Lake. She married Donald Menzies on June 4th, 1941. Together they had four children. In 1959, the family moved to Brandon, Manitoba, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
Margaret Menzies was a longtime and active member of the International Toastmistress Club (ITC), and was also involved in the Consumers Association of Canada, Seniors for Seniors, as well as being a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Central United Church. Menzies did not graduate from high school in her early years, but managed to continue her education and receive a bachelor of arts degree from Brandon University at the age of 70.
Margaret Menzies passed away on June 9th, 2012.
Custodial History
Records in the collection were brought to the S.J McKee Archives on July 13, 2012, by Gerald Brown, on behalf of the family of Margaret Menzies.
Scope and Content
Collection contains of two scrapbooks created by Margaret Menzies. The scrapbooks contain various cards, itinerary's, and other documents associated with Menzies' membership in the International Toastmistress Club. The items in the scrapbooks date from the mid 1980's to the late 1990's.
Also included in the collection are four local history books. The first is a 100 year history of the town of Oakburn, Manitoba, from 1870 to 1970, published during celebrations of Manitoba's centenniary in 1970. Next is a book about the history of the town of Shoal Lake, Manitoba, which was published in 1959 on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the town of Shoal Lake in 1909. The last two books are the first and second volumes of Ripples on the Lake, which cover the history of the Shoal Lake municipality from 1884. The first volume covers the first 100 years of the history of the Shoal Lake region, being published in 1984. The second volume was published in 2007, covering the history of Shoal Lake since 1984, as well as including new information that was not published in the 1984 version of the book.
Finally, the collection contains one photograph of Margaret Menzies receiving her bachelor of arts degree from Peter Hordern, dean of arts of Brandon University.
Notes
Biographical information provided by obituary entry in the Brandon Sun, June 16, 2012. Description by Tyler Warren (October 2012).
Very good. Some of the letters written in pencil are a little faded.
History / Biographical
Ruth Alverda Wade was born born July 11, 1912 in Brandon, MB to James and Etta Alverda. She had two younger siblings: sister Gwen and brother Sherry. The Wade family resided at 1837 Princess Avenue, Brandon, MB. Ruth graduated from Brandon College with the Class of 1933.
During her time at Brandon College Ruth met Archie MacLachlan. Archibald James MacLachlan was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1907. He had four brothers: Howard, Edgar, Bruce, Curly and Stirling. When Archie was quite young the MacLachlan family moved to Alberta. Archie came to Brandon c. 1930 to attend Brandon College. During the summers of his years at Brandon College Archie held pastoral charges in Alberta. The first two summers were spent in the Peace River Country and the second two in Etzikom in Southern Alberta. This is the period during which the letters in the fonds were written.
Ruth Wade married Archie MacLachlan on September 19, 1934 in Brandon, MB. Following the wedding the couple moved to Hamilton, ON. Archie graduated from McMaster University with his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1937. During this period their daughter Joann Ruth was born. After his ordination as a Baptist Minister the family moved to North Bay where Archie was minister for four years. The next six years were spent in Vancouver as Archie worked as minister at Fairview Baptist Church in Vancouver. The couple's sons Archibald James and Lachlan Wade were also born during this period.
At the end of the Second World War Archie decided to go back to school. The family travelled to Brandon, where Ruth and the children remained for part of a year while Archie went ahead to Andover Newton to enroll and find a parish that would support him while he went to school. The family was reunited in Penacook, New Hampshire; they lived there for two years while Archie completed his Masters in Sacred Theology. After a brief additional period of study at Harvard University, the MacLachlan family returned to Canada, settling in Toronto while Archie finished his second Masters degree (Psychology) and held positions as interim minister and then assistant minister at York Minster Church. Following the two years in Toronto they moved to Winnipeg.
Eventually Archie left the church ministry and became Chaplain at the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. He also continuted to train students in Pastoral Education through the courses he had begun at the Divinity College of McMaster University. He remained at the Hospital until his retirement.
During their married life Ruth was kept busy raising the couple's children and with her work as a minister's wife, particularly her work in the community. She sat on a number of community boards, including positions as President of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec and a member of the Board of Governors for McMaster University's Divinity School.
Ruth MacLachlan died on October 29, 1983 in Missassauga, ON.
Archie married Kathleen Marie (Green) French (b. January 22, 1908, d. June 1, 1998) on June 20, 1987. Archie MacLachlan died in December 1997.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Ruth and Archie MacLachlan until their deaths. At that time the records were inherited by their daughter Joann. Joann MacLachlan donated the records to the McKee Archives on October 24, 2009 at a donation event held as part of Homecoming 2009.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of approximately 197 letters written by Ruth and Archie to each other during the spring and summers of 1932, 1933 and 1934. The letters were written during the courtship of the couple and contain details not only on about their lives in Brandon and Alberta but also more personal information about their relationship, families and future plans. Because Ruth and Archie were students at Brandon College during this period the letters also often reflect on events and personalities related to the College, as well as their own personal studies.
Fonds also contains a scrapbook compiled by Ruth during her Brandon College years. It includes photographs, newspaper clippings, graduation cards, event programs, place cards and other ephemera. There are also a few miscellaneous documents - McMaster University examination papers, handwritten sheet music, postcards - that appear to have belonged to Archie. Fonds also contains a graduation photograph of Ruth.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry. History/Bio information taken from Joann MacLachlan's book Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934.
Ruth and Archie's daughter Joann edited the letters into a book entitled Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934. A copy of the book is located in the Rare Book collection of the John E. Robbins Library, Brandon University.
William Ridley Sheridan Wade collection (28-2007)
Arrangement
The letters are arranged in chronological order with all of Archie's letters to Ruth for a particular year grouped together, followed by Ruth's letters to Archie for that same year. For preservation purposes photographs in the scrapbook have been removed and placed in photograph storage, with their corresponding scrapbook page number noted on the back. Because of the fragile condition of the scrapbook a note has been made concerning the original location of many items that have become detached from their original location in the scrapbook. These items remain with the remnants of the scrapbook in one archival housing. Note that Ruth did not place items on every page so the numbering is not sequential for scrapbook items. Some items were loose at the back of the scrapbook and therefore have no corresponding page number.
John C. Cousins was the son of Thomas Cousins (b. August 17, 1882 in Truro, Nova Scotia - d. March 5, 1914) and Mary Margaret Craig (b. April 14, 1824 - d. April 25, 1903). He married Eunice Eliza Nixon from London Township, County of Middlesex, Ontario. Together they had three children: Eunice M., Eric O. and Kathleen. J.C. Cousins was Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Daly from 1905 to 1910 and Assessor for the Town of Rivers from 1931-1938.
Custodial History
Record was accessioned in 2007 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history unknown.
Scope and Content
This document is a rambling memoir of John C. Cousins' recollections of life in the Rural Municipality of Daly from the settlement era in the early 1880s, through to the 1940s. He touches on various themes, including: his family history; the activities of the R.M. of Daly and his role as Reeve; the history of school districts in the municipality (lists names of first teachers and early students); the history of churches in the municipality; tragedies in the municipality; lists members of the Council of the municipality for the years 1885-1946; and the devastating impact of the Spanish Influenza on Aboriginal people in the municipality.
In addition, the memoir includes documentary records, such as minutes and copies of letters. There are also many photographs of both events and individuals (virtually all of the photographs are labelled and names are provided). The memoir goes beyond a simple recounting of facts. Cousins is discursive and thoughtful, often making references to developments happening in other parts of North America and Canada. There is also a link to the Maritimes, from which his family originated.
Harold Arthur Kinniburgh was born in New Zealand in 1883. He spent two years in Brandon working at the Experimental Farm during the summer and studying at Brandon College during the winter. After his years at Brandon College he worked in Canada in the dairy industry from two years and then returned to New Zealand for the balance of his life. He devoted his time to developing a dairy farm in New Zealand. Harold Kinniburgh died in 1953.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of copies of correspondence written by Kinniburgh to his mother in New Zealand while he was attending Brandon College. The photograph is a copy of the 1905 First Year Academic class at Brandon College.
