These records were produced between 1984 and 1985, the researching and writing period for the book The Pride of the Land: An Affectionate History of Brandon’s Agricultural Exhibition. Published in 1985 by Peguis Books (Winnipeg), Pride of the Land is a 222-page soft cover book, containing hundreds of pictures, and 50,000 words of text.
BU faculty members Dr. Kenneth “Ken” Stephen Coates, Assistant Professor of History, and Mr. Fred McGuinness, Lecturer in Journalism, authored the book. Assisting the writers was a research team of four BU history students, which were referred to as “The Pride Team”: Diane Fowler, Rob McGarva, Bruce Stafeld, and Byron Williams.
The Pride Team was tasked with collecting and synthesizing exhibition documents and other materials in city, provincial, and federal records spanning 100 years. Many local newspapers and committee minutes were consulted.
The authors cover 103 years of Brandon Fair history, starting with the first fair in 1882 followed by the development of other agricultural fairs and exhibitions in Brandon, specifically The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, and the Ag-Ex livestock show.
Custodial History
Records were collected and created by McGuinness, Coates, and The Pride Research Team during the process of the creation of the book, The Pride of the Land: An Affectionate History of Brandon’s Agricultural Exhibition. The materials were donated to the SJ McKee Archives by the authors circa 1988. The Archives accessioned the records in 2008.
Scope and Content
The subseries consists of textual records, created and collected during the production of the monograph Pride of the Land. It includes research cards created by the research team, copies of newspaper articles from very early editions of Brandon newspapers (such as the Brandon Sun, Brandon Daily Sun, Western Sun, and The Independent), copies of fair/organizational minutes, photocopies of photographs used in the publication, and chapter drafts. Of particular interest are the detailed summaries of Provincial Exhibition minutes that were specifically produced for each book chapter.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from a Brandon University press release dated June 1985, about the Pride of the Land Project (see file 64)
Description Note: The original accession number is noted on the front of each file folder. The circled number indicates the original file order in the 6-2008 accession
Accruals
Closed
Language Note
Fred McGuinness often uses journalistic jargon to label his files. A “brite” refers to a short, amusing story
Pride of the Land acronyms:
PEM = Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba
RCMP = Royal Canadian Mounted Police
WAAA = Western Agricultural & Arts Association
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba fonds
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been arranged according to book chapter. McGuinness often organized his ideas and research materials by potential brite topic
File consists of a list of provincial cabinet appointments as of July 15, 1969, and a Legislative Assembly list of constituencies, members and addresses.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
4.2 Office of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance)
Box 8
File consists of lists of accounts receivable outstanding, Bobcats program reports, correspondence, recommendations to the Board, copies of legal documents, Brandon University non-academic staff lists, Fincance Committee minutes and other records.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondnece and subject files
Box 5
File consists of correspondence, the proposed conflict of interest policty for directors of A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd., reports, news releases, a copy of the Brandon University master development plan (1967), and other records.
Notes
A substantial portion of the file deals with McKenzie Seeds.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondnece and subject files
Box 5
File consists of a list of the duties of the Secretary to the Board, agendas, minute excerpts, financial information (salaries, auditor's report), correspondence, reports to the Board, the opinion of Harvey Young (Arbitrator) in the case of Brandon University Faculty Association on behalf of Professor Cheong against the Board of Governors of Brandon University and an order-in-council, as well as other records.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondnece and subject files
Box 5
