Fred McGuinness was a man who always seemed to hold down multiple jobs. As a university student, McGuinness worked as CPR telegrapher and then as a public speaker for the War Finance Committee’s War Bond drive. When he was employed with the Unemployment Insurance Commission to promote the program and its services, McGuinness also picked up a contract with the Royal American Shows during the summer fair tour. While working at the Brandon Sun as its editor and vice president, McGuiness was also a regular contributor to CBC radio and Reader’s Digest magazine. He also sessionally taught a journalism course to undergraduates at Brandon University.
Once McGuinness retired from the Brandon Sun in 1987, he continued writing his syndicated column for the prairie weeklies and started writing his Diary column for the Sun. During that time he continued to co-author several monographsm abd later he consulted with Brandon University’s WESTARC Group and continued to be heavily involved in rural economic development issues. He worked as a writing consultant for Industry Canada from 1996 to 2000, promoting the Community Access Program (CAP); this initiative involved introducing the internet into rural communities, particularly in public libraries and community centres. McGuinness would be responsible for writing factsheets, government press releases, community profiles, and reports.
McGuinness’ Industry Canada work was likely his last major freelance writing assignment. His age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was diagnosed in 2001, and became an impediment to his research, writing, and editing abilities. He did continue his Diary column with the Brandon Sun until his death in 2011. During this time, McGuinness also offered many memoir-writing workshops to community and seniors’ groups.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
The series contains records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his time as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer. The series has been divided into two subseries, including: (1) Reader’s Digest and (2) Miscellaneous freelance.
The records consist of research materials (e.g., newspaper clippings, copies of articles and book chapters, brochures, pamphlets), notes, drafts, copies of articles and reports, and correspondence. These items were generally filed together if they were related to the topic or article at hand.
Notes
Freelance materials in this series are identified as additional contract work outside of McGuinness’ employment as a journalist and broadcaster
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
File level inventories for each subseries are available. See
individual subseries’ descriptions
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Fred McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a number of forums. Therefore, it is possible research materials pertaining to his newspaper columns may be found in the Fred McGuinness collection subseries: Correspondence (McG 1.2), Local history research (McG 4.1), and Newspaper clippings (4.2)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Series has been re-arranged according to publication period
McG 3 Freelance
McG 3.1 Reader’s Digest
McG 3.2 Miscellaneous freelance
Negative shows a man dressed in coveralls working on a helicopter inside a hanger. The helicopter has a RCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force - logo on the exterior.
Notes
Negative was stored in a Medicine Hat News envelope with the following typed on the front: Cpl. Rick Cooke working on a helicopter
Brient was a point along the Algoma Central Railway line that connected the Helen Mine to the Michipicoten Harbour. It is located southwest of Wawa, Ontario.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows ore box cars in a railway yard.
Notes
Writing beneath the photograph in the album reads: yard at Brient
Trembley was a point along the Algoma Central Railway line that connected the Helen Mine to the Michipicoten Harbour. It is located southwest of Wawa, Ontario.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows railroad tracks. A line of ore cars stretch along one track. Writing on the side of one of the cars (#3017) reads: Algoma Central Railway Co.
Notes
Writing beneath the photograph in the album reads: Trembley - Ore Cars
In 1901, American entrepreneur Francis Hector Clergue (1856-1939) obtained the charter for the Ontario, Hudson Bay and Western Railway. Following his purchase, he reincoporated the Algoma Central Railway to the Algoma Central and Hudson's Bay Railway. (Source: Sault St. Mairie Public Library, "Transportation - Algoma Central Railway," Sault History Online, 2008)
Scope and Content
Photograph shows railroad tracks cutting through the Canadian Shield.
Notes
Writing beneath the photograph in the album reads: Algoma Central & Hundson Bay Ry.
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