Dr. McDiarmid was born in 1852 in Yarmouth, County Elgin, Ontario to John and Christina McDiarmid. He graduated from grammar school at St. Thomas and from the Canadian Literary Institute at Woodstock. Dr. McDiarmid was the prize man every year at the University of Toronto and won the silver medal in metaphysics in 1875, his graduating year. He was a student pastor at Clarence Baptist Church his junior year at Toronto. In 1876 he received the Master of Arts degree. McDiarmid attended the Rochester Theological Seminary in Rochester, NY. The Board of Woodstock College subsequently offered him a position as Examiner of Metaphysics and Logic. McDiarmid also worked as a pastor at Strathroy and Point Hope.
In 1886 he was called to be the minister of First Church, Ottawa. His scholarly preaching and warm, personal sympathy greatly increased the church membership. McDiarmid went to Brooklyn, NY for two years. He was then appointed Secretary of the Foreign Mission Society of the Ontario and Quebec Convention. In 1899, at age 47, Dr. McDiarmid was asked by the Western Baptist Committee to assume headship of the newly formed Brandon College. McDiarmid accepted the offer and became the first Principal in 1899. In 1910 his position title was changed to President. Dr. McDiarmid retired in 1912 and moved to Robson, B.C., where he owned a farm. He died on January 24, 1946 at the age of 94 in Robson.
Scope and Content
Dr. McDiarmid’s papers contain a wide variety of items. Because the positions of Bursar and Registrar would not be created until 1910, it was McDiarmid who handled all of the finances of the college. The collection includes letters from prospective students and room requests. The tenders for the building of Brandon College are also in this collection. There is substantial correspondence on the Baptist’s fundraising efforts, and lists of pledges and subscriptions. There is also correspondence regarding the quest for a university charter, and the eventual affiliation with McMaster University.
Gordon Hume Daly was born on February 1, 1925 in Cartwright, Manitoba. He spent his early years on his parents' farm, taking his primary and high school education in that district. On January 6, 1945 Gordon enlisted in the Infantry Corp, trained at Shilo, Manitoba, and received his discharge in September of the same year. Upon his discharge he registered in second year Arts at Brandon College. He pursued his many interests there - sports (the college hockey team), the literary society, music (the judge in 'Trial by Jury') and was a member of the Honour Society. Upon graduation in Arts in 1947 from Brandon College, Gordon enrolled at United College in Winnipeg and studied Theology. In 1950 he was ordained in the United Church of Canada. His first pastorate was in Brookdale, Manitoba.
Lois Muriel Dickey was born November 4, 1928 to Myrtle and Alvy Dickey who farmed one mile from the town of Crandall, Manitoba. Lois took her primary and high school education (up to Grade XI) in the Consolidated school in Crandall. After graduating from Grade XI with an Isbister Scholarship, Lois registered at Brandon College and for the next four years lived in the residence of Clark Hall. Movies downtown, college hockey excursions, Wheat King games, college dances - all were new and exciting for a young student from a small Manitoba town. Lois registered in the General Science course and in 1948 graduated with a B.Sc. That same year her family sold their farm and moved to Burnaby, B.C.
During the course of the next three years Lois was employed at three firms: Kelly Douglas Ltd., where she worked for a chemist; Canada Rice Mills, where she assisted the engineer and did secretarial work; and finally with Shell Oil Ltd. in Vancouver. During this period she remained in contact with Brandon College, especially with Rev. Gordon Daly, who she married from Burnaby, B.C. on July 12, 1952.
Following her marriage Lois worked with Gordon in the service of the United Church. In 1952, they embarked on a travel and study venture to Edinburgh, Scotland where Gordon furthered his studies in Theology at New College. After two years, Gordon and Lois and their son Bruce returned to Canada to Northwestern Ontario. In this area they ministered to the towns of Balmertown, Cochenour and McKenzie Island. During this time their son Lorne and daughter Marlene were born. In 1963, the family moved to Swan River, Manitoba where son Mark was born. From 1969-1970, the Daly family participated in an exchange ministry to Australia where Gordon served the Australian United Church of Australia in the town of St. Arnaud, Victoria. Most of the 1970's were spent in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The family moved a final time in 1980 when Gordon accepted a call to Calgary, Alberta.
Gordon Hume Daly died on March 7, 1989. Following Gordon's death Lois chose to remain in Calgary, AB.
Custodial History
Album was in the possession of Gordon Daly until his death in 1989. At that point it passed to his widow Lois Daly. She donated it, along with her own scrapbook, to the McKee Archives on October 18, 2008 while she was visiting Brandon University for Homecoming.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a leather bound photograph album that belonged to Gordon Daly (Class of 1947). It contains approximately 84 black and white photographs of Brandon College students and faculty. A number of the individuals in the photographs have been identified.
Fonds also contains a scrapbook assembled by Lois Daly (nee Dickey), Class of 1948, during her years as a student at Brandon College. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, class election paraphenalia, invitations, pressed corsages, graduation documents and cards, invitations, event programmes (hockey, guest speakers, dramatic and musical productions), place cards, exams, chapel programmes, poetry, tickets (hockey, banquet, graduation, movie), a copy of "Trial by Jury" the major production (1946), notices from the Clark Hall boards, 1940 National Registration Certificate, Oscar Peterson's signature, and notes from Sarah Persis Darrach. There are also documents from the 1998 reconvocation of the Class of 1948 at Brandon University. The scrapbook is inside a blue fabric folder tied with a yellow ribbon. A Brandon College (U of M) crest is attached to the front of the folder and there are two track and field ribbons attached to the back inside of the folder.
Notes
All pencil marks in the album were made by Christy Henry during the preparation of photograph descriptions in October 2008. Beryl McLeod helped identify individuals in the photograph album. Description by Christy Henry. History/Bio information was provided by Lois Daly in March 2009.
