The Brandon Golf and Country Club was created in 1914, to serve the recreational needs of Brandon's social and economic elite. Leading Brandon politicians, professionals, and businessmen belonged to the club and served on its executive. The club was a place for Brandon's elite to play golf and socialize, and was affiliated with the Royal Canadian Golf Association. The club included a separate Verandah Club composed of women. In 1926, the Brandon Golf and Country Club became a member of the Canadian Ladies Golf Union. The club sponsored dances and dinners for its members. Strict policies for non-members were enforced. Brandon residents that were not members of the club could only play golf once a week, had to pay daily green fees, and had to be invited and accompanied by a member.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Previous custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one scrapbook that runs from 1914-1948. The scrapbook contains minutes from director and shareholder meetings, as well as notices of upcoming meetings. There are also secretary and treasurer reports included in the scrapbook. Finally, there are a few newspaper clippings dealing with the club included in the scrapbook.
The Chater Protestant School District was established in 1883, with the arrival of settlers in southwestern Manitoba. In 1890, it became the Chater School District following school reform in Manitoba. The original Protestant District school was a wooden structure constructed in the village of Chater a few miles east of Brandon, Manitoba. In 1906, funds were raised for the building of a cement structure to replace the original wooden one. The Chater School District was dissolved in 1966, but the school house continued to serve as a community center until 1973, when it was demolished.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds includes minutes of the School Trustees (1891-1931, 1940-1959), teaching contracts (1937-1957), financial records of the school (1939-1958), a booklet titled "The Public School Act, The Education Department Act, The School Attendance Act, The Teachers Retirement Allowances Act"(1954), and a collection of school registers (1912-13, 1915-49, 1954-55, 1957-58) from the Chater School District. Included within the minute books of the Chater School District are financial records for the "Chater Association of Patrons of Industry, charter # 3532" (1891-1895). Also included is an ink stamp reading "Chater Protestant School District, No. 181, Manitoba Canada."
The idea of the Keystone Centre was first mentioned in 1958, at a meeting of the board of directors of the Manitoba Winter Fair. The Manitoba Winter Fair wanted a new facility because the old Wheat City Arena had a leaking roof and a deteriorating west wall. The old facility also had limited space and the Winter Fair felt it needed more space for expansion. The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba also had problems with their facilities, such as old barns and poor display areas. The idea of the Keystone Centre was put on hold until 1969, when the boards of the Provincial Exhibition and the Manitoba Winter Fair joined together as the Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba and the Wheat City Arena was sold and demolished. The original estimate for the cost of the Keystone Centre facilities was $4.5 million and funding would be proportioned so that the federal and provincial governments would each put in one-third of the money, with the rest coming from local donations. The financial campaign for the Keystone Centre began in 1970, and construction began in November 1970. The grand opening of the Centre was in March 1973, and coincided with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair of that year.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains many folders full of correspondence, financial statements, meeting minutes and other documents relating to the development and construction of the Keystone Centre from 1970-1974, including those from the Keystone Executive Committee, as well as the Building Committee. Fonds also contains one folder that pertains to the Brandon Area Agricultural Development Survey from 1959. This folder contains the names and locations of all farmers in the Brandon area in 1959. The Brandon Area Agricultural Development Survey was created in 1959, in order to make farming in the Brandon area more profitable. The survey was aided by Doane Agricultural Service from St. Louis, Missouri, who had success creating agricultural development programs in the United States. Fonds also contains folders from the Provincial Exhibition with correspondence, pamphlets, estimates, and studies from the 1960's. There is also one folder belonging to the Manitoba Winter Fair, which contains correspondence and financial statements relating to the Wheat City Arena. Fonds also contains information pertaining to the proposals made in the 1960's, for the building of the Keystone Centre, as well as one folder about the Keystone campaign from 1970-73. There is also one folder about the opening of the Keystone Centre, which contains newspaper clippings and guest lists. Finally, the fonds contains information about a court case involving Albert Bobyk and Robert Stewart. Stewart was the project manager for the Building Committee and Bobyk worked on the Keystone Center. The fonds includes a report about the trial of the two men who were charged with fraud involving their work on the Keystone Centre.
The Berbank Red Cross was founded in November 1917, as a local feature of the Great War. The name Berbank was created by combining the names of the two local districts, Riverbank and Bertha, located south of Brandon in the Rural Municipality of Oakland. The Berbank Red Cross sent supplies of various kinds to local soldiers serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Europe. The organization also organized social gatherings in the Berbank area. With the end of the war most rural Red Cross organizations were disbanded, but the Berbank group agreed to remain intact to assist with the construction of a church. (See accession 28-1997 Berbank Church fonds)
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned in 1997 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds includes a minute book, which provides a complete record of every meeting held by the Berbank Red Cross, from its creation in 1917 to 1919, when it became the Berbank Ladies Aid. Fonds also includes a roll call, financial records, and meeting minutes.
The Brandon Art Club was founded in November 1907, and operated in an art studio on the top floor of the Brandon College Women's Residence. The club appears to have been the creation of Miss. H. Hancock, who became the Director of the Department of Art at Brandon College c. 1907. The club moved to larger facilities made available at the First Methodist Church; the organization remained there until sometime during the Great War when the club relocated to St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and then in 1921, to the Prince Edward Hotel. The club's first public art exhibitions were held at the Prince Edward Hotel. Art classes were held for the first time in 1928. In 1968, the Brandon Art Club merged with the Allied Arts Center, which had been formed in 1959. The Allied Arts Center was located at 1036 Louise Avenue. In April 1984, the Allied Arts Center was moved to new facilities at the Arts Center of Western Manitoba located at 638 Princess Avenue. In 1989, it was renamed the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, and began to function as a "professional, regional art gallery." The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba relocated to 2-710 Rosser Ave. c. 2001.
Custodial History
These records were created at different times between 1907 and 1993, and remained in the possession of the administration of the above mentioned organizations until May 2001, when they where donated to the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains administrative records, minutes, personal files, correspondence, newsletters, photographs, summaries of collections and exhibits, scrapbooks, programs, submitted papers, and other miscellaneous records. All are a record of the growth and evolution of the Art Club, its administration, and of the art community in Brandon.
The A.E. McKenzie Company fonds (RG 3 MG 1, 1.3) located in the McKee Archives contains some records, primarily correspondence and minutes, relating to the Brandon Allied Arts Council.
Cecil Herbert Edward Johnston was the second child born to Herbert Marmaduke Johnston and Amelia Jane Bird. He was born November 9, 1914, on the family homestead, NE 25-11-18, Elton Municipality, Manitoba. When Johnston was six years old, the family moved to Shingle Creek Community in Florida.
Johnston graduated from the Osceola High School at Kissimmee in June of 1932. He received his B.A.E. from the University of Florida in 1936, his M.A.E. from the same institution in August 1941, and his "doctor equivalency" in 1950. Johnston taught for thirty-seven years in Florida, twenty eight of which he served as an elementary school principal. He retired from public school teaching at the end of June 1973, although he taught Spanish on a part-time basis at the St. John Lutheran School in Ocala from 1975-1977.
Johnston married Helen Mable Cocke on June 22, 1939, in Alachua, Florida. Together they had four childred: Cecil Edward, Kathryn Rebecca, Stephen Robert and David Herbert.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custoridal history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a copy (2 volumes) of the transcript of "A History of the Branches of My Family" by Cecil Herbert Edward Johnston.
Divisions in the transcript include: The Johnston family; the James Johnston family; the Margaret Johnston family; the John Johnston family; the Sarah Johnston family; the McFarlane family; the Bird family, the Bird brothers of Lime Lake (Ontario); the Jane Bird family; the Catherine Bird family; the Sarah Bird family; the Henderson family; Ottawa area families; the Shillington family; and the Nelson family.
Notes
History/Bio taken from Johnston's family history (pp. 18-19, 39). Description by Christy Henry.
An administrative history for the Westman Multi-Cultural Council is currently unavailable.
Custodial History
The Council continued until ca. 2001. It was disbanded because the Federal government ceased providing grants to the Council. The records remained in the custody of Arnis Kaulins, the Council's last president. He donated them to the Archives in 2004.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains records of various ethno-cultural associations affiliated with the Westman Multi-Cultural Council, as well as material relating to the history of the Council, its constitution, membership directories, grant applications, records concerning the administration of Council activities, meeting minutes and financial records.
Storage Location
2004 accessions
Storage Range
2004 accessions
Arrangement
Files numbered 44-49, 92-99 and 125-129 were not included in the original inventory from the West-Man Multicultural Council. To maintain original order they have also been excluded from the inventory below and the WMC filing system remains in place.
Box 1 – Files:
1. Irish Association of Western Manitoba
2. Irish Association of Western Manitoba #2
3. Western MB Jewish Association
4. Welsh Society of Western MB
5. Immigrant Association of Western MB
6. Hartney Multicultural Association
7. Latvian Group
8. Laotion Society
9. Brandon Greek Cultural Association
10. Lukkenfest
11. Ethnic Organizations – Rural West-Man
12. Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg
13. Canada-India Friendship Association
14. Polish Gymnastic Sokol Association
15. Rivers Ukrainian Society
16. West-Man Highland Dance Association
17. MB Multicultural Resources Centre
18. WMC Flay Display
19. WMC History
20. WMC Logo (Multicultural Folder)
21. Charitable Status
22. Constitution
23. Ad-hoc Constitution Committee
24. Multiculturalism Act
25. Immigration Act
26. Multiculturalism Secretariat
27. Applications for Race-Relations Co-ordination
28. Applications
29. Secretary/Bookkeeper
30. Ad-hoc Nomination Committee
31. Personnel Policies
32. Legal
33. Corporation Act Forms
34. Incorporation Papers
35. Pamphlets, Songs etc.
36. Entrepreneurship Awards
37. Citation for Citizenship Award
38. Goal Aidon Scholarship Fund
39. Quote of Accounts
40. List of Schools
41. Membership Applications and Lists (*RED BINDER*)
42. Reports and Other Info (*BLUE BINDER*)
Box 2 – Files:
50. WMC Directory
51. 2004 Applications of Funds
52. Other Donations Grants
53. Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporations
54. Brandon Area Community Foundation
55. Race-Relations 2001-02
56. Canadian Heritage
57. Ethno-cultural community Support Program
58. Multicultural Grants Advisory Council
59. Record of Employment Forms
60. T-4 and T-4A Forms 2001
61. GIFI Forms
62. Wages – Income Tax
63. Wages – Secretary/ Bookkeeper
64. Travel/Staff
65. Telephone/Fax/Internet
66. Rent
67. Postage
68. Photocopier
69. Office Supplies and Stationary
70. Office Equipment/Repairs
71. Miscellaneous
72. Meetings/General
73. Meetings/Annual
74. Insurance
75. Equipment Rental
76. Dues, membership, Subscription
77. Community Development
78. Cultural Programs
79. Bank Charges
80. Audit/Legal Fees
81. Advertising and Printing
82. GST
83. Miscellaneous
84. Accounts Receivable
85. Bank/Plan 24 Admin
86. Petty Cash
87. 1999 Account Book
88. 2002 Reports
FLOPPY DISKS:
A – West-Man Logbook
B – Workbook for Community Planning
C – CHRC “20 Years” Logo
D – Annual General Meeting
E – Y2000 AGM
F – Constitution/1999 Membership List
G – Activity Report
H – WMC Budget 1999
I – AGM 1999
J – Documents
K – Documents
L – Documents
M – Documents
N – Documents
O – Documents
Box 3 – Files:
100. Meeting Minutes 1999-2000
101. AGM 1999
102. AGM 2000
103. Annual Report 2001
104. AGM 2002
105. AGM 2003
106. 2003/04 Annual Report
107. Annual Reports (copies)
Box 4 – Files:
108. ESL Classes
109. Various Organizations
110. Travellers Day Parade
111. Rural Forum
112. Race-Relation Coordinator 2002
113. Race-Relations Coordinator 2003
114. Potluck Dinner
115. Newspaper Clippings
116. International Dinner
117. IDERD
118. Brandon West-man Regional Winter Festival
Box 5 – Files:
119. Fair (Food Fair)
120. Ethnic Cooking Class 2002-03
121. Ethnic Cooking Class
122. Contact Reservations
123. Citizenship and Heritage Week
124. Meeting Minutes 2001-2003
VHS Tapes
CD-ROM Discs
Box 6 – Files:
131. Invoices 1999-2000
132. Invoices 2000-01
134. 2001-2002 Audit
136. 2003 Audit
Box 7
VHS Tapes
CD-ROM Discs
The Westridge Senior Citizens Club was established in 1981, in response to an invitation from the President of the Westridge Community Centre. The club was funded through a New Horizons grant. During its existence the club provided a variety of recreational and social opportunities to it members.
Custodial History
The records were retained by the club's recording secretary, Miss. Myrtle W. Grieve, following the disbandment of the club. She donated the records to the S.J. McKee Archives in October 2005.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of membership lists, minutes and financial records of the Westridge Senior Citizens Club during the period of its existence from October 1981 to its disbandment in September 2005.
The Birtle Indian Residential School was opened by the Presbyterian Mission on December 3, 1888. Prior to that date, there had been a school allocated within the Birtle district for the Bird-Tail Sioux within Treaty 4. The new boarding school was located within the town limits of Birtle along the Bird-Tail River. The school was made of stone, was three stories high (not counting the basement), and was designed to accommodate fifty students. Connected to the school was thirty acres of land. The main building consisted of the school room, refectory, kitchen, and boys and girls dormitory. Besides the main school building, there was a barn that could accommodate fifteen head of cattle, a root-house and a small shed in which the parents would keep their ponies in the winter when they would come to visit the children. In the front of the residence there was a square piece of ground fenced off which consisted of a lawn and flower garden. The back of the residence was graveled for twenty yards. A garden of four acres was also connected with the school where vegetables were grown for use at the school.
Upon the opening of the school, there was considerable opposition on behalf of the parents as to the children being lodged and boarded such a substantial distance away from the greater Native population. This dissipated as the school gained acceptance within the Native community and attendance gradually increased as a result.
The headmaster at the original Bird-Tail school at the time of its assimilation into the Birtle Indian Residential School was J.D. Burgess. The first principle of the Birtle Indian Residential School was Rev. G.G. McLaren. He held the position from 1888 until November 1894, when he was replaced by Neil Gilmour. William J. Small became principle in 1896, and remained in that position until 1901.
The principal studies at the school were reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling and drawing. Although there were no trades associated with the school, the students were instructed in basic industries. The students also received moral training at the boarding schools. Girls were instructed in the branches of housework (washing, ironing, scrubbing , baking, cooking, sewing, knitting, tailoring, dressmaking, milking and butter-making). Boys were instructed in gardening, caring for stock, sawing, chopping and splitting wood, and were expected to help with the carpentry needs around the building. Special attention was also given to ethics and speaking English in class. There was also extensive religious training. Students were expected to attend church at least once each Sabbath in addition to their morning and evening worship and the study of the Bible and catechism in class.
During the summer the students participated in an abundance of outdoor exercise and recreation. The boys played a variety of sports, including baseball and soccer. The girls were allowed to go on long walks in the country or were given free time outdoors to take part in whatever they desired. Certain students exhibited a musical flare by playing instruments such as the madolin or the harmonica. One student, Hugh McKay, even worked part time at the local printing press during his tenure at the school. In the winter, students participated in ice-skating twice a week and the boys were allowed to play football for an hour a day. The girls could go on their walks and two or three times a week were taken for a drive a few miles into the country. There were two large playrooms within the main building for use during bad weather or when it was too cold outside for recreation during the winter.
Custodial History
Fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one attendance register from the Birtle Indian Residential School for the years 1888-1898. The total number of students within the register is 133. The attendance record covers the student's name, the date of their admission , their age, "full or half blood" Native status, tribe (ie. Sioux), band (ie. Bird-Tail Sioux), parents' names and father's rank, whether the parents were living or dead, parents' religion, places and periods of previous education and educational level of the student at the time of their registration. The average annual attendance at the school was forty-five students.
Students include (listed in the order in which they appear in the register): Elizabeth Benjamin; Arthur Johnston; Hagar Bunntec; Susan Hunter; Julia Eastman; Dayar David; Charlie Hanchia; Louis Eastman; Andrew Ben; Irad Bunn; Cilas Bohha; Ellen Benjamin; Carolyn Simpson; Joseph Charles; Esau Thunder; Odes Thunder; Maggie Ben; Angus Bone; Duncan Burgess; Nobaire Bone; Susan Gambler; Hugh McKay; George Bird; Mary Boyer; Alice Matheson; William Bone; Jeremiah Bone; Thomas Blackbird; Ellen Bone; Dwight Gambler; Joseph Ben; Smauel Benjamin; Charlie Cote; James Cote; Elizabeth Bone; Peter Ondie Burgess; Gilbert Walker; Frances Enoch; Isabel McKay; Norman Brandon; Jessie Brandon; Rosie Morrisau; Alex Tanner; Francis Tanner; Charlie Tanner; Jane Bone; Willis Boyer; Joseph Tanner; Gilbert Boyer; Mary Jane Tanner; Archy McDonald; Katie Brown; Bessie Brown; Tina Siaton; John Hunter; Nora Best; Lexy Smith; Nannie Jandrew; Eva Hunter; Anne Ben; Marisha Thunder; Ralph Kerr; Maggie Cook; Frank Sealton; Louis Chisholm; Lydia Nakaloo; Agnes Minnie; John Assinnewasis; Lizzie Sunguish; Hattie Sunguish; Jim Takakowewewe; Horace Takakowewewe; Nillie Yellowbird; Elizabeth Nakatoo; Alexander Brandon; Fred Brandon; Susan Blackbird; Jacob Blackbird; Harry Menlick Manshuse; Ellen McKay; George Hunter; Herbert Menlick Oliver; Flora Bird; Lucy Takakowewewe; Amos Hui Naste; Younge Singus; Susette Blackbird; Nellie Bunn; Daisy Bunn; Victoria Brandon; Janet Ashlakeesie; Mary Nubris; Bertha Hanshnu; Laura Bone; John Desparles; Okerta Desparles; Emma Assissipenace; Maggie Bearbull; Lucy Eosisamuswa; Robert Bluebird; Willie Seaton; Cahrlie Singoosh; Seclonia Mekis; Fanny Singoosh; Birtha McWeg?; Jen Eescanigah; Ethel Messegnot; Patrick Bone; Joseph Mekas; Magie Kalropunace; Augris Mekas; Sarah Wawapenace; Walter Longelaw; Eva ShaManilo Wigwam; Elsie Blackbird; Jen Ercock; Alesi Flett; Fred Longclaws; Marie Macheantie; Annie Clare; Flossie Longclaws; Andrew Pewapucolenu; David Bunn; Elizabeth Penapeccolimee; and Peter Rattlesnake.
Notes
Description by Cory Anderson (1999). A copy of his finding aid and the essay he wrote on the Birtle Indian Residential School are located in the Birtle Industrial School fonds file (Finding aid drawer in the McKee Reading Room). The Sioux people who attended the Birtle Indian Industrial School originated in Minnesota and came to Canada following the Minnesota Sioux War of 1862. The history of the Dakota people in the Canadian Northwest is described in "The Dakota of the Canadian Northwest: Lessons for Survival" by Peter Douglas Elias (1988).
Storage Location
1997 accessions
Storage Range
1997 accessions
Related Material
Archival records RG10 from the Dept. of Indian Affairs / [microform] Issued by the Public Archives of Canada, Reference E78. C2P81 provides a link to records held in Library and Archives Canada for which microfilm copies exist in the John E. Robbins Library. The administrative records of the Birtle Indian Residential School may be found in this collection.
Fair. The photos have some crackling on the surface. Some of them also have what appears to be pencil marks on them.
History / Biographical
The Brandon Square Dancing Club was started by E.J. "Curly" Tyler as part of his degree program at the University of Utah. Part of his obligation for his degree was to organize a recreation group, so he organized the Square Dancers. The club operated for two years under Tyler's direction, with the individuals he taught receiving certificates for proficiency. After he ceased to be its leader, the Brandon Square Dancing Club continued for a number of years. Much of the dancing took place at the Ag Extension Centre.
Custodial History
Photographs turned up somewhere in the old Original Building at the time of the renovations (mid 1990s) and were brought to the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of 44 black and white photographs of the Brandon Square Dancing Club. The majority of the photographs depict actual dancing. There is also one file with photocopies of the photographs. These photocopies identify individuals in the photographs.
Individuals in the photographs include: Edith Laycock; Bill Clement; Bea Lissaman; Reg Lissaman; Jean Hawley; Mrs. Murray Simmons; Murray Simmons; Dood Cristal; JoAnn Myers; Bob Myers; Jim Creighton; Muriel Cumming; Frank Cowan; Dean Finch; Birk Birkinshaw; Bill Baynton; Gil Wankling; Hugh Knowlton; Hilda Evanson; Archie Evanson; Gwen MacKay; Don (D.R.) MacKay; Burt Hurst; Ena Skafel; Einar Skafel; Marian Jones; Ray Jones; Joan Tyler; Curly Tyler; Bea Matheson; Murray Matheson; Bill Coleman; Gladys Wankling; Percy Finch; Lois Gibson; Ken Pratt; Jack Findlay; Phyl Harwood; Ozzie Pullow; Jean Pullow; Ann McDiarmid; Barb Brodie; Mal Brodie; Bud McDiarmid; Doris Boyd; Ethel Norrison; Dr. Arhurst; Mrs. Arhurst; Bob McPherson; Mary Gooden; Ron Godfrey; Elizabeth Godfrey; Gordon Cummings; George Gooden; Marg Purdy; Kay Findlay; Jack Coleman; Betty Coleman; Marion Unicume; Nels Unicume; Bob Hawley; Nan Coleman; Jack Purdy; Kay Birkinshaw; Lyal McGill; Norm Emerson; Shirley Emerson; Zana Hurst; Ethel Morrison; Leo Kennedy; Hazel Jones; Dr. R.C. Jones; Jim Blencowe; Betty Knowlton; Wesley Nelson; Marian Nelson; Pauline Tennant; Dave Dick; and Bob McMullan.
Notes
George Gooden provided the names on the photographs. Description by Christy Henry.
Repro Restriction
Copyright restrictions apply
Conservation
Photographs have been removed from original matting.
Storage Location
2007 accessions
Storage Range
2007 accessions
Arrangement
Photograph number 40 is missing using the original numbering system. The numbers on the photographs have been adjusted accordingly (ex. old #43 is now #42). The numbers on the photocopies have also been adjusted to reflect the new numbering system.
The Brandon Hills Busy Bees was formed in 1916 by eighteen women. The aim of the group was to assist with the war effort during World War One. At the end of the war it was decided to carry on the club and do community and welfare work. The Busy Bees met twice a month and, during World War Two, one meeting a month was devoted to Red Cross work.
In 1969, the younger members of the Brandon Hills Busy Bees decided to form their own organization called the Brandon Hills Community Fireflies.
The remaining members of the Busy Bees continued in their work until they disbanded as a society on September 14, 1988. At their last meeting it was decided to donate their records to the McKee Archives (minutes September 14, 1988).
Custodial History
In the minutes for the September 14, 1988 meeting of the Brandon Hills Busy Bees, Mrs. Mollie Baker made a motion to donate the record books of the organization to the Archive at Brandon University, and for Mrs. Nell Baker and Mrs. Lillian Coate to take them there. The motion was seconced by Mrs. Jean Kreller. Prior to their donation to the McKee Archives in 1988 the records were in the possession of members of the Brandon Hills Busy Bees.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of minute books with membership lists, accounts, newsclippings, correspondence, and reports, recipies (Treasurer's BK 1917-1919), treasurer's books, donation records, 2 photographs (1916 and ca. 1970s), a history of the Busy Bees 1916-1976 and calendars for the Womens' Auxiliary to the Grain Growers (Oakville, MB) for 1916-1918.
The mintue book for 1976-1981 also contains the minute book of The Red Cross Emergency Unit, Brandon Hills for December 1943-1947.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry.
Storage Location
2006 accessions
Storage Range
2006 accessions
Related Material
Albert Angus Murray McPherson collection (21-2006)
Fonds consists of minutes, the pages of the charter dinner guest book, "Go for the Gold" membership marathon instructions and poster, and a scrapbook containing photographs, momentos and a history (summary) of the Priarie Horizons Toastmistress Club 1976-1982.
Notes
Name tags and pins culled. Description by Christy Henry.
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).
The A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. originated with the McKenzie family Flour, Grain and Seed business, started by F. B. McKenzie in the early 1880's. When F. B. McKenzie passed away in 1896, his son, Albert Edward McKenzie, assumed control of the company, and renamed it The Brandon Seed House. With its main office and plant in Brandon, Manitoba, the company specialized in the production and sale of field seeds and service exclusively to seed buyers in the prairie provinces and British Columbia. In later years, a complete line of products including garden seeds, lawn grass, and other allied lines was developed for sale across Canada.
In 1906, the company underwent a change of name when A. E. delete determined that the growth of the country demanded a larger seed institute than could be managed by one man. As a result, the company was incorporated under provincial statutes and the federal Joint Stock Companies Act as A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd., and new personnel were hired.
Under the Joint Stock Companies Act, A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was required to elect a Board of Directors of not less than three, and not more than nine individuals. Only shareholders of the company were eligible for election, and election was to take place yearly with each shareholder entitled to as many votes as shares owned in the company. The Act also dictated that the directors were, from time to time, to elect from among themselves, a president of the company. They were also able to appoint and remove all other officers of the company and to create company by-laws. The directors were not obliged to pay any dividend on shares if the company should became insolvent. Under the Act, the stock of the company was deemed a personal estate and was only transferable as such. In addition, the company could acquire, hold, and transfer real estate, and was required to submit annual statements.
A. E. McKenzie was elected President of the newly constituted company. For the memaninder of his natural life he remained in this position and supervised the operation of the company. S. A. Bradford, who was given responsibility for various company departments, filled the position of General Manager. H. L. Patmore became the Vice-President, overseeing the nursery business, while W. A. McCracken was put in charge of the warehouse stock, and shipping department. McCracken also supervised the mail order department.
The Company was intially comprised of three divisions: The Brandon Seed House, Brandon Nurseries, and Brandon Greenhouses. Each division was registered under Dominion Patents. Later, the company was divided into Retail Mail Order, Wholesale and Commission Packet Trade divisions. It also undertook some export business.
By registering the divisions of the company under under federal legislation affecting trademarks and industrial designs, McKenzie and the Board,were able to register both the company’s trademarks and to protect the company’s industrial techniques. Thet company could thus patent the methods and processes of its operations so that no other individual or business could duplicate them.
Located at 30 9th Street, the head office and plant of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. housed all the facilities and staff of the company, with the exception of the regional sales offices and warehouses. The business of the A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. was conducted from a frame warehouse until the current McKenzie building was constructed on the same site after a fire destroyed the original premises. Designed by architect Thomas Sinclair, and built by the Brandon Construction Company, the new building opened in 1911. In time, The A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. came to be known as Western Canada's Greatest Seed House.
During the 1930's, before a new building was erected in 1945, the A. E. McKenzie Co. occupied space at five different locations in Brandon, including the Massey Harris Building, the International Harvester Building and the Security Building. The last of these premises was destroyed by fire in 1972. As a result of its proximity to the Security Building, the main McKenzie Building also suffered heavy fire and water damage. A. E.
McKenzie Co. Ltd. also utilized a warehouse on the north side of Pacific Avenue alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks between 5th and 6th streets. This building and its contents were destroyed by fire (1946). In May of 1949, the company purchased and erected a Quonset structure on the west side of 15th Street between Rosser and Pacific Avenues.
In 1908, the first branch of the A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was established at Calgary. In the following sixteen years, additional branches were established in Edmonton and Saskatoon (1923), Moose Jaw, Toronto (1934) and Winnipeg (1935). Both the Edmonton and Saskatoon branches were seasonal, operating for a four-month period, March to June inclusive. Business in the Maritime Provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick further extended the company's operations by the mid 1940's. In 1946, the company purchased property in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, 120 miles north of Brandon. This purchase enabled the company to handle larger quantities of Sweet Clover, a popular crop that was grown in the surrounding area. Additional offices were opened in Vancouver and Quebec City in rented premises by the early 1960's.
In the years 1944-1945, the McKenzie Foundation was created. Through the Foundation, arrangements were put in place to transfer shares of the company to the Manitoba Government for the benefit of higher education, specifically Brandon College. In return for this gift, which included 90% of all capital resources of the company together with all of the income earned each year, except for the amount retained annually to ensure sufficient operating capital, the A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. received exemption from paying Corporate Tax.
Prior to the establishment of the McKenzie Foundation, in 1945, the National Trust for the benefit of the College held the shares of McKenzie Seeds. On April 7, 1945 the Manitoba Legislature passed legislation whereby A. E. McKenzie retained effective management control of his company, but 1031 shares out of 1145 issued shares were gifted to the Provincial Government. In return, the government agreed that all financial benefits from the shares would go to Brandon College through the A. E. McKenzie Foundation. When Mr. McKenzie passed away in 1964, the primary responsibility of appointing the Board of Directors for McKenzie Seeds passed to the Provincial government.
The remaining 114 shares of the Company were turned over to the Crown on July 16, 1975 in accordance with an agreement between Brandon University, A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. and the Manitoba government. The same agreement also turned the McKenzie Foundation over to Brandon University. Therefore, since 1975 the crown has held all shares of the McKenzie Co. through the Province of Manitoba.
A.E. McKenzie died on September 25, 1964 at the age of 94 and was succeeded as President of the company by J. Lasby Lowes. When Mr. Lowes retired in 1968, A. R. Swanson was appointed by the government to fill the position and was responsible for all operations of the company under a Board of Directors comprised mainly of appointees of the government. It has proven impossible to establish a complete list of those individuals who held the positions of President/General Manager of McKenzie Seeds after 1964. A partial account is as follows: Anthony J. Maruca became President of A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. in 1972. In 1975, the Board of Directors appointed William Moore General Manager, creating a new position to relieve the President of the company from management of plant operations. At the same time, Pat Kelleher was named new interim President. Following the resignation of Kelleher, William Moore assumed the role of President as well. Moore left the company in the early 1980s. He was later convicted of criminal misconduct as President of the company. Keith Guelpa became President/General Manager in the mid 1980's; Raymond West was his successor.
Beginning in 1969, the A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. began phasing out the Field Seed division of their company, including business related to forage crops and cereals. Seed cleaning equipment located in Brandon and and the company’s Calgary and Toronto cleaning plants was sold. The Company concentration its resources on the production and sale of vegetable and flower seeds, and lawn and turf grasses. It acted as a wholesaler and conducted business through chain stores, grocery, hardware and general stores.
Late in 1971, A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. purchased its largest competition in packaged seeds - Steele Briggs Seed Co. from Maple Leaf Mills Inc. for two million dollars. At the time of the acquisition the company changed its name to A. E. McKenzie Co. - Steele Briggs Seeds, in order to benefit from the favorable reputation held by Steele Briggs Seeds across Canada. In the early 1970s, the acquisition of Brett-Young Seeds Ltd., a Winnipeg company that dealt exclusively in the production and sale of field seed, brought the A. E. McKenzie Co. back into the field seed market.
In 1994 the Manitoba Government sold the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. to Regal Greetings and Gifts, Canada's largest non-retail mail-order catalogue company, which is owned by MDC Corporation of Toronto.
In 2001, McKenzie Seeds is Canada's leading supplier of packaged seeds and related gardening products. It is divided into a Retail Consumer Products division which features well known seed brands including McKenzie Seeds, Pike Seeds and Thompson & Morgan Seeds from England. As well, this division also carries a complete range of lawn seeds and perishables. It also continues to ship the seed racks invented by A.E. McKenzie to numerous retail stores. The second division, Direct Mail, consists of the McFayden and McConnell catalogues which reach over 500,000 Canadian homes each year.
Custodial History
Following the sale of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. to Regal Greetings and Gifts, the records of McKenzie Seeds and its subsidiaries were retained in the McKenzie Plant on 9th Street. In April of 1997, the records were transferred to the McKee Archives at Brandon University. Because the company was a crown corporation, the records of McKenzie Seeds belonged to the Province of Manitoba and might have been placed in the Provincial Archives. However, Provincial Archivist Gordon Dodds permitted the retention of the records in Brandon at the S. J. McKee Archives. The minutes of the Board of Directors, previously transferred to the Provincial Archives, remain in Winnipeg. Until 1960 these minutes, by-laws of the Company, and the letters patent of incorporation (April 7, 1906) were in the possession of the Company's lawyers, Johnson, Garson, Forrester, Davidson, & Steen.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of textual records, photographs and artifacts from A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. The textual records include minutes, documents, financial records, administrative records, by-laws, legal records, catalogues, sales literature, seed packets, newspaper clippings, appraisals, publications, scrapbooks and miscellaneous sections.
In addition, some of the records within the fonds relate to the operations of McKenzie subsidiaries -- Brett-Young Seeds, Steele-Briggs Seeds, Pike & Co. and McFayden Seeds -- and various properties owned by McKenzie Seeds.
Fonds contains approximately 500 photographs. These depict the operations and employees of McKenzie Seeds and the seed industry in general. Artifacts contained in the fonds include blueprints, newspaper clippings, copper printing plates, seed bags and plaques.
Fonds also includes an artificially created series of records dealing with Brandon College Inc., the A.E. McKenzie Foundation, the Brandon Allied Arts Council and the Brandon Board of Trade. These records stand outside the provenance of the McKenzie Seed Co.
Of particular interest within the textual records are the transcripts of various features of the company's history as dictated, researched and recalled by its second President/General Manager, J. Lasby Lowes. The fonds also contains a collection of company catalogue which is almost complete. Outside of the seed industry, the records dealing with both Brandon College Inc. and the McKenzie Foundation are significant records relating to the history of Brandon College/University and the City of Brandon.
Because the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was a crown corporation, the records in the fonds are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
Related Material
Additional records regarding A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. are housed at the Provincial Archives of Manitoba. In order to gain access to these records it is necessary to contact the Archives of Manitoba.
Arrangement
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. Fonds
McS 1 Board of Directors
1.1 Documents
1.2 Minutes/Meetings
1.3 Management Consultant Reports
1.4 Miscellaneous
1.5 Financial Records
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
2.1 A.E. McKenzie
2.2 J. Lasby Lowes
2.3 Comptroller
2.4 Properties
2.5 Marketing
2.6 Reference Library
2.7 Miscellaneous Publications/Correspondence
McS 3 Acquisitions
3.1 Brett-Young Seeds/Sabetha
3.2 Steele-Briggs Seed Co.
3.3 Pike & Co.
3.4 McFayden Seeds
McS 4 Seed Marketing Co.
McS 5 Photographs
5.1 McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. Executives
5.2 Construction at McKenzie Seed Co. Brandon (two files)
5.3 Exterior Photographs of the A. E. McKenzie Co. Building
5.4 McKenzie Seed Co. Plant Operations and Workers (2 files)
5.5 McKenzie Seed Co. Equipment and Plant - Head Office 1983
5.6 McKenzie Seed Co. Field Operations and Workers
5.7 McKenzie Seed Co. Strike 1944
5.8 Fires at McKenzie Seed Co. 1910, 1945, 1972
5.9 McKenzie Seed Co. Centennial Exhibition 1996
5.10 Miscellaneous McKenzie Seed Co. Photographs
5.11 People Connected to McKenzie Seed Co.
5.12 Princess Anne's Visit to McKenzie Seed Co. 1982
5.13 Onion Set Production Book
5.14 Irene Cullen Photographs - McKenzie Seeds Employee Photos
5.15 Josiph Airey Photographs - McKenzie Product Photos
5.16 Alan R. Mundie Seed Production Photographs
5.17 Steele Robertson/Steele Briggs Seeds Photographs
5.18 Seed Packet Display Units Photographs
5.19 Product Photographs
5.20 Parade Photographs
5.21 Oversized Photographs
5.21.1 Drawer #1: Executive Photographs
5.21.2 Drawer #2: Office and Equipment/Plant Photographs
5.21.3 Drawer #3: Miscellaneous Oversized Photographs
5.21.4 Drawer #4: Artifacts
McS 6 Miscellaneous
6.1 Centennial Exhibition
6.2 Miscellaneous Publications
6.3 Scrapbooks
MG 1 A.E. McKenzie Fonds
1.1 Brandon College Inc.
1.2 McKenzie Foundation
1.3 Brandon Allied Arts Council
1.4 Brandon Board of Trade
1.5 Miscellaneous
The forerunner of Manitoba Pool Elevators (MPE), the Manitoba Wheat Pool was created in 1924 as a mechanism to allow for the co-operative marketing of wheat by Manitoba producers by the United Farmers of Manitoba. The Manitoba Wheat Pool was initially intended to be a provisional organization until the establishment of an interprovincial Pool, but when Alberta and Saskatchewan established their own permanent Pools the United Farmers decided to do the same. The Manitoba Pool was different from the SK and AB Pools in that the municipality was the primary unit of organization; members belonged to their municipal Pool associations first, rather than having direct membership with the central Manitoba Wheat Pool. Manitoba Pool Elevators was established in 1925 as a subsidiary of the Pool in response to local members complaints about the unfair business practices of privately owned elevators. The private elevators also slowed up the shipment of grain to the Central Selling Agency employed by the Wheat Pool, acting as a barrier between the local Pools and the Manitoba Wheat Pool. Once established MPE quickly began to build new elevators and aquire privately owned elevators.
MPE's approach to marketing grain promised to stabilize the market price of grain and ensure a fair market price to producers. Initially the Manitoba Wheat Pool was very successful. However, in 1930, the Manitoba Wheat Pool found itself burdened with an unsold surplus from the preceding year that had been bought from the farmers at a price that was significantly higher than any possible return during the Depression. As a result, in 1931 the Manitoba Wheat Pool's Central Selling Agency defaulted on its bank loans. Despite attempts to save the organization, it was forced to declare bankruptcy in November 1932. The financial difficulties of the Wheat Pool had little to no effect on the Pool Elevators, and so this former subsidiary organization became the main Manitoba Pool organization. This change meant MPE had to reorganize, which they were able to do with funds from the provincial government. The company was successful enough in subsequent years that it was able to finish repaying the Manitoba government a full year early in 1949.
MPE did not limit itself to grain handling; they wished to enrich the lives of rural families through education and to provide economic stability through diversification.
MPE established a lending reference library for members and a traveling library for rural families in 1926. With the passing of the Public Libraries Act in 1948, the province took over responsibility for providing rural families with books. MPE decided that since their traveling library would no longer be needed when rural libraries were established, the best course of action was to donate their library to the Provincial government. They also established and supported programs that educated young people about agriculture and ag business.
Subsidiary companies that dealt with course grains, livestock, packing and fertilizer were established by MPE to streamline and stabilize business for its members.
1961 marked the high water mark for the number of local associations within Manitoba Pool Elevators with 225 local associations. After this date the associations began to amalgamate and consolidate. Improvements in rural roads and rail systems and increases in the size of farms and mechanization of farm labour meant that fewer elevators were needed to service all members and regions. These changes led to an organizational restructuring of Manitoba Pool Elevators in 1968. Membership became direct, and the main unit of organization became the central office. The central office administrated the Pool through districts, which were further subdivided into sub-districts. The locals which were formally the main organizational unit came under the immediate direction of the sub-district they were located in. Local association could opt out of this system if they wished, but by 1975 all but 29 associations had become part of the new structure.
In 1998 Manitoba Pool Elevators merged with the Alberta Wheat Pool to form Agricore Co-operative, Ltd. In 2001 this organization merged with the United Grain Growers to become Agricore United, and in 2007 AU was taken over by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; the new company is currently known as Viterra.
Custodial History
The bulk of this fonds was accessioned in 1975, when the forerunner to the McKee Archives at Brandon University, the Rural Resource Center, was founded. The original mandate of the Rural Resource Center was to house the records of the Manitoba Pool Elevators. Previous to this, most of the fonds was stored at MPE's head office in Winnipeg. Many accruals to this collection have since taken place, with some of the larger ones being received in 1997, 2001, and 2002.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains records dealing with every aspect of the Manitoba Pool Elevators organization, from the events leading to its formation in the 1920's, to its amalgamation as part of Agricore beginning in the late 1990's.
Fonds includes records of the local co-operative elevator associations established in the period 1925 - 1968 under the Co-operative Associations Act including: organizational papers; minutes of executive boards; minutes of shareholders annual meetings; financial statements; correspondence; membership lists; and miscellaneous documents.
Also to be found are: documents related to the Royal Commission re the Manitoba Pool Elevators Limited ca. 1931; miscellaneous reports and submissions documents (1925 -1952); central office papers consisting of annual reports, circulars to local co-operative elevator associations and documents related to various other activities of the Manitoba Pool Elevators organization. Fonds also contains documents pertaining to the Manitoba Co-operative Poultry Marketing Association Limited and its successor, the Manitoba Dairy and Poultry Co-operative Limited, and related agencies.
Other items in the fonds (dating from the 1890's to 2001) include: books acquired for the Manitoba Pool Elevator Library, including a complete run of both the Scoop Shovel (MPE's first newspaper)and the Manitoba Cooperator; photographs; slides; audiotapes; and reel-to-reel videos.
Finally, the fonds contains a small number of miscellaneous items such as banners, and company issued briefcases.
This fonds is organized into four series, (A) Local Association records, (B) Central Office Records, (C) Subsidiary Companies and Co-operatives, (D) Commissions, Committees and Inquiries
Notes
Description by Mike White (2002), revised and enlarged by Jillian Sutherland (2009-2010).
History/Bio taken from F.W. Hamilton, "Service at Cost: A History of the Manitoba Pool Elevators 1925-1975" (Saskatoon: Modern Press) and from records within the fonds.
Preparation of this description made possible in part by a generous grant from the Brandon University Student's Union Work Study Program 2009.
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Finding Aid
File level inventory available for some boxes. The Pool Elevator library and publications are available online through the Brandon University Library catalogue.
The Minnedosa Business and Professional Women's Club was organized on May 14, 1959. The group received its charter on September 15, 1959 at a ceremony that included guests from Minnedosa, Neepawa, Dauphin, Brandon, and Portage La Prairie. The first president of the club was Mrs. Julie Johnson. In September 1959 the club had 15 members. The Minnedosa Club became the thirteenth Business and Professional Women's Club chartered in Manitoba. The purpose of the club was to train and educate women in business and the professions and to promote women's participation in local, provincial, and national affairs. The club included many committees such as the Public Relations, Membership, Survey and Archives, Programme and Projects, Social and Courtesy, International Affairs, Budget and Finance, Federation Promotion, Personal Development, Public Affairs, and Resolutions, Legislation and Employment Committees. The Minnedosa Club held exhibitions, hosted guest speakers, observed Business Women's Week, and held workshops for all of the Business and Professional Women's Clubs in Manitoba on a few occasions. Over the years the club made many donations to the Minnedosa Museum, the Minnedosa Centennial Committee, and charities such as UNICEF, Ramallah Fund, Children's Aid, and United Way. The Minnedosa Business and Professional Women's Club was very concerned with the status of women in Canada and around the world. The Minnedosa Club disbanded in May 1980. After the disbanding of the club, the women who were involved in the club formed the Just For Fun Club.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 2002. Previous custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds is comprised mainly of four scrapbooks, which run from 1959-1979, 1959-1963, 1959-1964, and 1977-1979. The scrapbooks contain photos, newspaper clippings, Christmas cards, correspondence and programs. The clippings relate to Business and Professional Women's Clubs from around Manitoba, while focusing on the Minnedosa Club. Many of the clippings also focus on the status of women in Canada and the rest of the world.
Fonds also contains financial records and minutes from the years 1959-1980. There is also a copy of the club's bylaws, as well as monthly membership reports from 1976-1980. The fonds also includes a brief typed history of the Minnedosa Club, as well as other loose newspaper clippings, programs, songbooks, and correspondence. Finally, there are three guestbooks included in the collection. The first runs from 1959-1978. The second guestbook is from the Art and Ceramic Display and Tea, held on May 27, 1972. The third guestbook is from the Art and Ceramic Dispay and Tea, held on May 29, 1976.
Brandon Business and Professional Women's Club (10-2002); Minnedosa Business and Professional Women's Club (11-2002); Neepawa Business and Professional Women's Club (12-2002); Trilliam Business and Professional Women's Club (2-2006).
The Crown Protestant School District was founded in 1883, in the municipality of Whitewater, Manitoba. It became the Crown School District following school reform in Manitoba in 1890. The School District provided schooling for children in the Elgin, Fairfax, Heaslip and Minto communities. In 1930, the district was replaced with the creation of separate school districts for Elgin, Fairfax, and Lily.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains minute books (1883-1930), financial records (1884-1917), attendance registers (1892 -1906), tax records for the District (1918-1930), and documents concerning the disestablishment of the Crown School Division.
It appears that the Neepawa Business and Profession of Women's Club was established in 1955. The president of the club in 1955, was Nora Day. The objectives of the club were to enhance the status of professional and business women and to promote contact between women in business and the professions. The club had seven committees, including: the United Nations, Newsletter, Emblem, Social, Programme, Publicity, and Membership Committees. The Neepawa Club attended provincial conferences of the Business and Professional Women's Clubs and observed Business Women's Week. The club also hosted conferences,as well as local luncheons and picnics.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 2002. Previous custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one scrapbook made by the club, which covers the years 1955-1959. The scrapbook includes newspaper clippings, programs, invitations, and lists of club officers from around the province. The scrapbook also includes the bylaws of the Neepawa Club. Many of the newspaper clippings relate to the status of women in Canada and around the world.
Brandon Business and Professional Women's Club (10-2002); Minnedosa Business and Professional Women's Club (11-2002); Neepawa Business and Professional Women's Club (12-2002); Trilliam Business and Professional Women's Club (2-2006).
The Humesville Women's Missionary Society began in 1885, in Humesville, Manitoba. Originally named the Humesville Women's Foreign Missionary Society, it was formed in connection with the Brandon Presbyterial Society as an auxiliary group. The reference to "Foreign" was later dropped from the organization's name. The HWMS was a non-profit group that raised money and gathered goods for the needy in the local area, Canada and around the world. The Forrest Women's Missionary Society was involved in much of the same work as the Humesville group. The membership of the two organizations was drawn from women residents in the Forrest/Humesville area.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of financial records, newspaper clippings, and attendance lists for the Humesville and Forrest Women's Missionary Societies. Minutes for the Humesville Society cover the years 1885-1907; 1920-1940. The minutes of the Forrest Society cover the years 1928-1943. The attendance lists cover the years 1892 to 1904, 1906, 1907 and 1939 (Humesville) and 1928 to 1934, 1938 to 1941 (Forrest). Fonds also contains minutes of the Young Peoples' Society of Humesville 1910-1914, Forrest United Church Women's Association 1930-1946, and a pamphlet detailing the history of the Humesville/Forrest United Church.
2.4 m textual records; c. 5 photographs; 1 minute book (measuring 1"x 9"x 14")
History / Biographical
The Brandon Trades and Labour Council was established in 1906, as an affiliate of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada. The original Council contained thirteen locals, including those of railway workers, sheet metal workers, plumbers and steam fitters, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, cigar makers, printers, and barbers. By 1912, the Council contained twenty four locals. The Council's principal function was to advance the corporate interests of labour within the framework of a largely unregulated capitalism. After 1955, the Council was affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress, which was created through a merger of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada and the Canadian Congress of Labour.
Custodial History
Fonds remained in possession of Brandon and District Labour Council prior to donation to the S.J. McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of financial and administrative records of the Brandon and District Labour Council. Records also include collective agreements, correspondence, publications of the Labour Council and affiliated unions, some union local minutes, newspaper clippings, petitions, and various miscellaneous files. Fonds also includes a minute book for the Council (1971-1985) and two union charters.
