The textual records and artefacts are in good condition. Many of the photographs are bent and the paper based photo albums have some tearing.
History / Biographical
Nadia Irene Lewis (nee Chernec) was born in Shoal Lake, MB on December 31, 1926. Shortly after her birth, Nadia was place in the care of a nurse in Brandon, BM while her parents were attempting to set up a home in the United States. Her mother was a teacher and her father was in training to become a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), but because they were unmarried and had a child out of wedlock, they both lost their jobs and felt they needed to start a new life in a different place. As they were driving up the Brandon Hill, they were tragically involved in a three car collision, which killed them both.
The nurse caring for the newborn baby girl and a social worker from the Children's Aid Society assigned to the case decided to palce Nadia in an orphange in Brandon. During her stay at the orphanage, the caretakers named her "Katy" after a popular song of the day and discovered that she really enjoyed music. Nicholas and Maria Chernec adopted "Katy" from the orphanage when she was 3 1/2 years old, and in her brief autobiography, Nadia wrote that she suspected that Nicholas Chernec was her biological uncle (her father's brother). In June 1929, baby "Katy" was christened "Nadia Irene Chernec."
According to Nadia's autobiography, Nicholas Chernec urged his wife Maria to adopt the baby for three years as she remained in the orphanage. Maria had suffered a fall from a ladder during their marriage and as a result, was unalbe to have children. Maria "was often quite ill" and id not want to raise another person's child, but eventually she agreed.
Both Nicholas and Maria were of Ukrainian descent, and therefore Nadia was raised with a knowledge of Ukrainian traditions and within the ukrainian community of Brandon, something that she embraced. Nadia grew up in Brandon's North End and graduated from the Normal School in 1945. She immediately began a teaching career that would last for 32 years, though she also worked in an office for three of those years. She married Alexander Mitchell Lewis on July 23, 1971 in Vancouver, BC. Alexander was a contractor and boat builder.
After Maria Chernec's death in September 1984, nadia began correspondence with Oseredok, the Ukranian Cultural and Educational Centre in Winnipeg, MB. She ultimately donated many traditional Ukrainian items to the Centre, including a painting much beloved by her father (who died in 1955) and garments handmade by her mother, thus preserving some of her family's cultural heritage.
As noted previously, Nadia loved music as a child and eventually learned to play the violin. She performed with several orchestras throughout her life, including the New Westminster Symphony and the Kitsilano Orchestra. in November 1998, she was diagnoed with trigeminal neuralgia, a neurological disorder that affects the nerves in the head. This disorder, which can cause unexpected and debilitating pain in the affected area, led to Nadia giving up driving, and ultimately, her violin playing. Through presecription drug experimentation under the supervision of her physican and neurologist, Nadia was eventually able to control the effects of the disease. Nadia Irene Lewis died on September 14, 2013 in Richemond, BC at the age of 86.
Custodial History
The collection was transferred to Ms. Lewis' lawyer after her death in 2013. The records were then given to Drew Mitchell, a distant cousing who had been named in her will. Mitchell donated the records to the McKee Archives in 2017.
Scope and Content
The collection was created by Nadia Chernec Lewis throughout the course of her adult life and chronicles her activities from her birth in Manitoba, and moves to British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, New Zealand and finally back to British Columbia where she died.
Collection consists of an autobiography, her parents' biographies (written by Nadia), vital records related to her family, correspondence with classmates from the Normal School and Oseredok and many photographs of Nadia, her friends and family. Some of the photograph depict Brandon and Brandon's North End. Also included in the collection is a set of wooden rosary beads and a doll dressed in traditional Ukrainian garments, handmade by Maria Chernec.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the records. Description by Megan Demarest (December 2018).
Language Note
English and Ukrainian
Finding Aid
A file list for the collection is available, as well as a photo inventory.
Storage Location
2018 accessions
Arrangement
Photographs 3-2017.5 through 3-2017.88 were in a card box labeled "Lewis Pictures (1956-'58, 1960's, 1970's)," which has been discarded.
Photographs 3-2017.89 through 3-2017.104 were in a candy box labeled "Pictures and Background Material in relation to Nicholas and Maria Chernec of Brandon, Manitoba . . . the Ukrainian Community in the 1930's-1940's mostly . . .," which has been discarded. An envelope in the box labeled "Ukrainian Shirt, History of . . ." contained a handwritten description of the shirt and its history along with photographs 3-2017.89 through 3-2017.94. The note is in Folder #6, Oseredok-Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre. Photographs 3-2017.95 through 3-2017.104 are Polaroids taken to document items that Ms. Lewis donated to Oseredok in 2000.
Photographs 3-2017.105 through 3-2017.152 were remeoved from a green self-adhesive photo album, which has been discarded.
Photographs 3-2017.153 thorough 3-2017.198 were removed from a self-adhesive photo album with a waterside lanscrape image on the front, which has been discarded.
Images in the Walker collection were mostly taken in Millwood, MB and its surrounding area.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a stone house and the family that likely lived there - father, mother and seven children. Two of the children are on a horse being held by their father.
Notes
Corresponds with negative History - Miscellaneous [1].
Repro Restriction
The McKee Archives is the copyright holder for the Stuckey materials.
Storage Location
RG 5 photograph storage drawer
Related Material
Edward Walker collection (24-2006); RG 6 Brandon University fonds, 8.2.4 Archival exhibits, Millwood display, File 1.
The Brandon Folk, Music, and Art Society, Inc. has been in existence since 1985, when it was founded by a group of Westman people interested in providing an alternative art and music festival for the western Manitoba region. That group sponsored the first annual Brandon Folk, Music, and Art Festival in September of 1985 and established the community-based, non-profit structure of the Society.
The Society's main goal is to provide musicians, artists and artisans with an opportunity to perform or display their talents on a professional level. The Society provides for its members and aspiring artists by sponsoring an annual Festival, coffeehouses, socials and other performances at local establishments, featuring local and touring performers.
The Society is governed by a volunteer board of directors from many sectors of the local community.
Custodial History
Recrods in accession 19-2008 were in the possession of the Brandon Folk, Music & Art Society prior to their donation to the archives in September 2008.
Scope and Content
Accession 17-2008 (12 cm, 1985-1988) consists of 10 files containing promotional materials, meeting minutes and planning documents for Society's annual music festival.
Accession 19-2008 (63 cm, 1981-2008) consists of: minutes, festival programs, publications, posters, financial records, correspondence; miscellaneous photographs.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from Society records. Description by Donna Lowe and Christy Henry.
A number of the letters are samples of "cross writing"
Physical Condition
Some of the letters are fragile, but generally the fonds is in good condition.
Custodial History
Ann Murdoch donated a copy of "My Dear Will" to the McKee Archives in February 2008. The formal donation of the Baker family letters occurred on September 27, 2008 at a reception in the Gathering Space at the John E. Robbins Library.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a collection of about 200 letters primarily written by William Baker (although letters written by other family members are also included), who left Liverpool and settled in Oak Lake, to his son William who remained in England. The letters offer insights on a wide range of subjects including the conditions of immigrants and the Riel "situation".
The fonds also contains a supplement to "My Dear Will: Reflections of Prairie Pioneer Life." This latter publication consists of transcribed copies of the letters in the Baker family fonds. The letters were originally transcribed by Ronald James Parsons and his wife Rita Olive Parsons (nee Blake) and published, along with some letters, photographs and other documents for family c. 1997. The booklet was updated in 2007 by Ronald and Rita's daughter, Ann Murdoch. The Supplement was prepared by Ann Murdock and her sister Dawn Powell.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry.
Finding Aid
My Dear Will booklet
Storage Location
2008 accessions. Booklets and family tree stored in Rare Books: RC 3399.B73Z495 2007 v.1 and v.2.
See collection level description of the Joseph H. Hughes collection for biographical information.
Custodial History
See collection level description of the Joseph H. Hughes collection for custodial history.
Scope and Content
Accession 1-2008 (32 cm textual records and 1 map; 1906-1916; predominant 1909-1915). As mayor, city Alderman and prominent city businessman, J.H. Hughes came into possession of many city government, civic, and business records during the first decade and a half of the twentieth century.
The accession consists of city records, information on contemporary city utility services and companies including tenders for the construction of the Brandon street railway, documents concerning grain elevators, lumber production, newspaper clippings, as well as personal and city correspondence - including a proposal from the Canadian Northern Railway to construct the Prince Edward Hotel.
Accession 6-2009 (2.26 m textual records; 1882-1920). Records in the accession deal with the business affairs of Hughes & Company. Accession also contains records related to the personal affairs of J.H. Hughes.
Records from 1882-1889; predominant 1882 include: business corresondence. Much of the correspondence is between Hughes and his business associates T.T. Atkinson and Mr. Kennedy at Rat Portage in Ontario. Mr. Bambridge, who ran the Souris Yard is also mentioned frequently. There is also corresopndence related to the Reid Farm, Hughes' first commercial faming venture. Various documents are concerned with J.H. Ashtown Hardware, the Manitoba Government Immigration and Intellegence Office, Butler Paper & Co., Canadian Pacific Rail, Boston and Maine Rail, Keewatin Mills, Charmichael Clothing, The Hudson's Bay Company and the City of Brandon
Records from 1889-1893 include: financial records including debts owed to or by J.H. Hughes & Company; correspondence between the company and partners and employees regarding the running of the lumber company in Brandon, Souris, Rat Portage and Rainy River (shipping of goods, camp supplies, maintenance of mills, ordering of goods, trade with other lumber companies); legal records pertaining to litigation regarding debts; correspondence with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Crown Lands, and the Department of Indian Affairs; correspondence regarding real estate in Brandon and land sales in the various regions of the lumber and grain company's operation; correspondence between J.H. Hughes and his borthers A.J. Hughes, Charles B. Hughes, his cousin J.R. Hughes and his father J.C. Hughes regarding both business and personal matters. Also includes telegraphs, postcards, magazine subscriptions, and Masonic brochures.
Records from 1893-1895 include: business correspondence between Hughes & Atkinson Co. and lumber supliers in Ontario and the midwestern United States. The records deal with the activities of the company, including payment of accounts, ordering and shipping of lumber and lumber related goods.
Records from 1897-1901 include: business letters, postcards, telegrams and memorandum of the Hughes and Long Lumber Company.
Records from 1907, 1913-1915; predominant 1914 include: business correspondence, product information and legal correspondence generated and/or recieved during business activities. There are also a series of miscellaneous files containing material related to Brandon municipal politics.
Records from 1915 include: business and personal correspondence to Hughes & Company pertaining to the J.H. Hughes Lumber Co. and farming ventures in Saskatchewan.
Records from 1911-1920; predominant 1919 include: business receipts and correspondence of Hughes & Company under the management of Willard C. Hughes, as well as family correspondence that is both personal and business-related. Business activities are largely related to the company's rental property in Brandon and farms in south eastern Saskatchewan, including Storybooks, ASK. It also includes some correspondence related to the Brandon Board of Trade and Civics (Willed Hughes was Chairman of the Power Committee). Records also include correspondence urging the province to construct an electrical transmission line to Brandon from Winnipeg, the possibility of a detachment of the Royal North West Mounted Police re-locating to Brandon, the operation of the Soldiers Re-Settlement Board, and the vacating of the Winter Fair building, which had been used to house interned World War I prisoners starting in the spring of 1915. References to the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 and the Teamsters Strike in Brandon of 1919 also occur in the correspondence.
Notes
Accession 21-2008 was processed and described as part of a Historiography class assignment in September and October 2008. The fonds was broken down into smaller components (1-3 boxes of records) spanning a few years and each student was assigned all the records in a particular time frame. Description by Christy Henry, Tom Mitchell, Andrew Dagley, Jill Sutherland, Laurel Neustaedter, Kylie Staslia, Tim Banman, Christine Shumay, Aimee Brown and Erica Smith.
Copy of A short Festival Te Deum (in the Key of A) together with an Antiphon composed for the Thanksgiving services at St. Paul's Cathedral in celebration of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty's Reign 1897 by George C. Martin, organist of St. Paul's Cathedral.
Copy of Will Ye No Come Back Again composed by Lady Nairne and arranged as a part song by Henry A. Lambeth. The piece is number 3 in the Strathearn Collection of Part Songs.
Notes
Stamped with "Henry McIntosh, 130 George Street, Edingurgh."
Copy of Compete Songs for the Violin in All Keys major, minor [melodic & harmonic] & chromatic in one, two & three octaves & in all positions, & in thirds, sixths, octaves & tenths, & arpeggios in all the major & minor keys. Edited & fingered by Brnard M. Carrodus.
Notes
Stamped with: "Alexander Macdonald late Hamilton & Muller, Edinburgh." Some notations on the score.