In 1975, Brandon University in cooperation with the Manitoba Pool Elevators, founded the Rural Resources Centre. The Centre was designed to provide rural Manitoba with resource materials for use in the discussion and analysis of problems related to rural social development. It was given a mandate to collect publications and archival materials related to the history of the Manitoba Pool Elevators, cooperative societies, churches, exhibitions, school districts, and Women’s Institutes.
In September 1978, the University transformed the Rural Resources Centre into the Brandon University Archives. Originally housed in a trailer, from October 1981 to September 1998 the University Archives operated out of the Archives Centre located in the basement of the Jeff Umphrey Building at 20th Street and Victoria Avenue.
In 1990 the University Board of Governor’s renamed the University Archives the S. J. McKee Archives. The S. J. McKee Archives was so established on Saturday, November 19, 1990, to mark the anniversary of the opening of the Brandon Academy by S. J. McKee and his wife Laura McKee one hundred years earlier. In 1899, the Brandon Academy founded by Samuel and Laura McKee became Brandon College.
The S. J. McKee Archives moved to its current location on the mezzanine floor of the John E. Robbins Library in the summer of 1998.
The McKee Archives is the principal repository for records of archival value created by the University or which relate to the history and mandate of Brandon College and Brandon University. The Archives collects records of selected Brandon College and Brandon University faculty and alumni.
The McKee Archives also acquires manuscript collections, which support the research and teaching programs offered at Brandon University. These include archival records related to rural development, education, agriculture, heath studies, First Nations, and the city of Brandon.
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVISTS:
SALLY CUNNINGHAM (1975 - ?)
No biographical information yet.
EILEEN MCFADDEN (1981 - 1997)
See RG 6, series 8, sub-series 1 (University Librarian) for biographical information on Eileen McFadden.
TOM MITCHELL (1997 - present)
See RG 6, series 5 (Registrar's Office) for biographical information on Tom Mitchell.
Scope and Content
The sub-series has been divided into four sub sub series, including: (1) Archives - general files; (2) Archives - budget files; (3) Archives - correspondence files; and (4) Archives - exhibits and displays.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from articles in "The Quill" (September 24, 1981 and November 20, 1990) and the S.J. McKee Archives hompage at http://www.brandonu.ca/library/archives/ (September 2006).
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
In addition to working as a journalist, editor, and publisher, Fred McGuinness worked as a freelance writer or “wordsmith” as he identified himself on his business cards. Throughout his career, McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a variety of forums and would continually re-work manuscripts. The last piece of freelance writing the S.J. McKee Archives appears to have is a un-proofed draft manuscript titled “Tommy Douglas and Me” printed on October 2, 2010.
McGuinness wrote promotional pieces for businesses such as McKenzie Seeds, The Keystone Centre, possibly Patmore’s Nursery, and Westman Communications Group. He wrote for industry magazines and newsletters such as CP Trucking News, BC Business Journal, TV Times, and Western People. He also contributed memoirs to the Manitoba History Journal. He was invited to submit contributions to the World Book Encyclopedia (1977) and Encyclopedia of Manitoba (2007).
In the 1990s, McGuinness was a consultant with the WESTARC Group, the non-profit Western Training and Applied Research Centre affiliated with Brandon University. The group was concerned with the project management, research, training, and economic development of communities and organizations in Western Canada. McGuinness would be involved in a number of economic development workshops and rural forums through his work with WESTARC.
Additional freelance work was contracted by the Manitoba government to write business profiles about Manitoban entrepreneurs; these stories/profiles were published as booklets for distribution titled: Bootstrap Two (1989), Bootstrap Three (1994), and Bootstrap Four (1995).
McGuinness’ interests in rural development lead to writing assignments for the Community Futures Program and Western Diversification Series. He accepted a five-year writing assignment for Industry Canada (1996 – 2000) and the Community Access Program, which focused on introducing the internet into rural communities.
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 subseries contains records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his time as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer in Manitoba. 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.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from documents in the Miscellaneous freelance subseries (McG 3.2)
In the file level inventories, square brackets at the end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
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 this subseries may be found in the Fred McGuinness collection subseries: Correspondence (McG 1.2), Brandon Sun (McG 2.2), Neighborly News (McG 2.3), The Reader’s Digest (McG 3.1), Local history research (McG 4.1), and Talks and workshops (McG 6.3)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of one folder containing thank you letters to Prof. George F. MacDowell, Professor of Economics at Brandon University, and a long-time member of the McKenzie Seeds Board for his service to the company.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 1 Board of Directors
Related Material
RG 6 (Brandon University fonds), MG 3 (Brandon University Teaching and Administration), MG 3 1.12 (George MacDowell fonds).
This artificially created sub-series consists of records related to the office of the President/General Manager that did not fit into any of the preceding sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
The sub-series includes photocopies of articles on A.E. McKenzie and Keith Guelpa, Pat Kelleher's resignation as President of McKenzie Seeds (1975), as well as correspondence from Bill Moore's term as President.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of miscellaneous MPE records:
Box 1:
1a-5. Miscellaneous files March 5 1925-Nov 19 1973
Box 2:
6. Membership Lists
7. Training and Development
8. Member Complaints
9. MPE Employee Handbook
10. Plebiscite Nov 24 1951
11. Quiz Programs 1940, 1948
Canadian Wheat Pool Visitors Book 1930-1956
12. Delivery Ledger 1967-1968
13. Information re: Wheat Export Shipments 1924-1930
14. Important Issues by Association June 2 1944
15. Grain Booklets
This sub-series is artificially created and contains records that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
The records in this sub-series concern A.E. McKenzie's personal life. It contains a number of documents created by his father, F. B. McKenzie, including land deeds, financial records, and a grant of probate. The sub-series also includes documents concerning the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Co., the dissolution of partnership between A.E. McKenzie and George. E. McKenzie, the release of F.B. McKenzie's estate to his son and a copy of A.E. McKenzie's mother's last will and testament.
Also included within the sub-series is a file or correspondence between McKenzie and R.B. Dessert, a former employee of McKenzie Seeds who established his own seed company in California after leaving Brandon. The correspondence is almost entirely personal in nature.
Thank you letters regarding Brandon College and scholarships, as well as minutes from meetings of the Education Advisory Board can also be found within the sub-series.
Contains the following files:
1.1 Johnston McPherson's drivers licenses and membership cards 1923-1963 (includes 2 photos)
1.2 Miss Ella McKay/Mrs. Johnston McPherson correspondence 1903-1919
1.3 Mrs. Johnston McPherson miscellaneous [1903-1968]
1.4 Mr. and Mrs. Johnston McPherson correspondence 1960 (includes "Story of the Brandon Hills" and "Fun and Happiness on Treasure Trail"
1.5 Mr. and Mrs. Johnston McPherson correspondence 1961
1.6 Mr. and Mrs. Johnston McPherson correspondence 1962-1963
1.7 (Possibly Johnston McPherson) hay account book 1902; same volume contains a travel diary
1.8 Johston McPherson - Land Title (1910) and correspondence re: land purchase (1909)
1.9 Transcript of History of Justice, Manitoba 1956
1.10 Brandon Hills Busy Bees account book 1927-1934
1.11 Basil McDonald's land patent 1884
1.12 List of electors 1938
1.13 Brandon Hills School teacher's notebook 1927
1.14 List of electors in Glenwood [1915-1941] and Blanchard 1933
1.15 Unidentified correspondence [1902-1929]
1.16 Ella McPherson unsorted correspondence 1915-1952
1.17 Address book with newsclippings ca. 1940 (the bigger of the two address books)
1.18 Ella McPherson address book 1913-1939 (includes 2 photographs; was given to Ella McPherson by Ethel McPherson in 1913; the smaller of the two address books).
Sub-series Brandon College track and field programs for 1920 and 1922; two copies of Brandon College songs and yells, along with a typed copy of the class song for the class of 1929; a copy of the Brandon College students' directory for 1914-1915; and a donations pamphlet for the Brandon College Students' Memorial Gymnasium ca. 1918.
Notes
Located on the front page of the Memorial Gymnasium pamphlet is a proposed campus development plan showing the site of the proposed gymnasium, with other additional facilities including: a science building, a library/chapel, a conservatory, and a new women's residence.
At the front of the Brandon College songs and yells is a copy of the Brandon College Students' Association constitution.
The students' directory contains the constitution of the Literary Society, and a newspaper clipping regarding the death of Dorothy Nelson (nee Werthembach), former Dean of Women at Brandon College 1934-1935.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 12: Brandon College publications
Contains the following files:
13.1 Georgina McPherson newspaper clippings 1897-1949 (arranged by Margaret McPherson in 1952)
13.2 Angus McPherson autograph album 1901
13.3 Ella McKay McPherson 1903
13.4 Jessie Sellers autograph album 1883
13.5 Postcard albums [early 1900's] - some are loose
13.6 Souvenir cards and photo album
13.7 Angus and Ethel McPherson photograph album 1909-1915
13.8 Photograph album [turn of the 20th century] - many of the photographs appear to be of Roseland, B.C.
Notes
Part of the Alfred Angus Murray McPherson collection.
Contains the following files:
17.1 Trail B.C. advertisement 1911
17.2 Angus McPherson beaver license 1900's
17.3 "The Angels of Mons" by Lieutenant Dougald MacEchern
17.4 Brandon General Hospital school graduation invitations 1925 and 1927
17.5 Machinery catalogues [1909-1928]
17.6 Watkins Stock Raisers manual [1920's]
17.7 List and map of Indian Reserves and Metis communties 1959
17.8 Wes Pentland Orange Lodge documents and materials 1862-1940
17.9 Brandon Collegiate reunion ribbon October 9, 1908
17.10 Victory Loan documents 1943-1945
17.11 Boys and Girls Service Clubs exhibit ribbons 1927
17.12 Prize lists for Justice Boys and Girls Clubs 1923-1926
17.13 Voluntary War Aid bulletin #12 [World War One]
17.14 "Canada's War Record" July 1942
17.15 Douglas war memorial unveiling ceremony programme November 17, 1922
17.16 Travel: Waghorns Guide 1898; Manitoba Driver's Guide 1935; southland Chicago-Florida train route and schedule 1916-1917; Manitoba road map 1941-1942; CPR western lines timetables 1918
17.17 Movie programme for "Gone with the Wind" [1939]
17.18 Magazine insert of funeral of Edward VII from Illustrated London News May 24, 1910
17.19 Manitoba Telephone Systems directory with provincial exchanges March 1930
17.20 Brandon Sun articles re: Brandon Hills picnic 1963
17.21 "The Academy Critic" December 1909
17.22 Weldon's Famous Dress catalogue [1920's]
17.23 Alex M. Brown, Pharmacist calendar 1935
17.24 Empire contest from the Winnipeg Free Press (undated)
17.25 Annnie I. Pentland speech re: Barbara Heck
17.26 Electoral division of Landsdowne Municipality map 1949
17.27 Speech on wheat sales (author unknown)
17.28 Site and situation project on Brandon history (author unknown) [1970's]
17.29 Annual report from Protestant Orphans' Home 1937
17.30 Orange Lodge memorabilia (gavel, pin) 1881-1933
Notes
Part of the Alfred Angus Murray McPherson collection.
Storage Location
Margaret McPherson family fonds
Box 14 (Files 17.1-17.29)
Box 15 (File 17.30 and Orange Lodge ribbons and certificates)
This sub-series consists of publications that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes one copy each of Manitoba Business Top 100 (June 1985), Trade and Commerce Supplement, Brandon (c. 1963) and Manitoba Business (November 1985).
It also includes a Christmas Song book, the book "By Gossip and Myth" by Prof. George MacDowell and a document entitled "Background Information re A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd."
The following newspaper clippings have been located in the map case drawer #4 located in the archives reading room:
1. $175,000 Gift Set for College from City Man
2. McKenzie Will Leaves House to Arts Centre
3. The Old Alma Mater is Down on Her Knees
4. How to Help the Alma Mater
5. Good Things are "growing" on at McKenzie Seeds (ad)
6. Fire fails to halt work at McKenzie Seeds
7. McKenzie Seeds: new facilities are first in North America
8. A full-page advertisment for McKenzie Seeds from "The Brandon Sun" (September 24, 1971)
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
These records were produced between 1989 and 1990, the researching and writing period for The Chronicle of Canada monograph. Published in 1990 by Chronicle Publications (Montreal and Paris), the Chronicle of Canada is an approximately eight-pound, 980-page hard cover book, containing illustrations, photographs, and maps.
The premise of the Chronicle of Canada was to tell the social history of Canada in a journalistic style from the dawn of the dinosaurs to present day (July 1, 1990). Historical events were presented as short journalistic articles following a timeline.
Fred McGuinness was asked to be a contributor to the Chronicle of Canada in the summer of 1989. The writing assignment lasted six-months. Fred received, via courier every Monday, a writing package containing a computer diskette and a list of assigned stories to be completed within the week. The stories were researched, written, and saved onto the diskette, which was couriered back to Montreal on the Friday. The length of each article ranged from 100 to 500 words. The rate of pay for each article was $1.00 per line.
The editors of the Chronicle of Canada estimated their publication would contain 3,000 articles. McGuinness was assigned the majority of the prairie articles, which the editors estimated to be around 500 to 600 stories. It is possible to determine which articles McGuinness contributed to the project from the weekly period assignments and invoices.
Custodial History
Records were collected and created by McGuinness during the writing phase of the monograph Chronicle of Canada. The materials were donated to the SJ McKee Archives by the Estate of Fred McGuinness circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
The subseries consists of textual records, created and collected during the production of the monograph Chronicle of Canada. It includes correspondence, journal articles, book chapters, Government industry publications, newspapers articles, promotional materials, and McGuinness’ articles for Chronicle of Canada printed in the Chronicle template.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from Neighborly News column #578 (McG 2.3, File 14); letter to Mr. Fred McGinnis [sic] from Chronicle Publications, dated September 25, 1989 (McG 5.7, File 1)
In the file level inventory, square brackets at end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder
The idea for a Kin history was initially conceived in 1984-85 between the authors and a pair of Brandon Kinsmen, Tom Breneman (National President) and Michael Cox (National Director). These records were produced between 1986 and 1987, the researching and writing period for the book Only in Canada: Kinsmen and Kinettes. Published in 1987 by Friesen Printers (Altona), “Only in Canada” is a 271-page soft cover book, containing 40 images.
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 BU history students: Don Cooper, Diane Fowler, Rob McGarva, Scott Parker, Kurt Refvik, Karen Skinner, and Pam Svistovski supervised by Joy Dorian and Bruce Stafeld. During the writing of the book, Dr. Coates accepted a position at the University of Victoria.
During the research phase, the authors consulted Kin Magazine, committee minutes, newspapers, and members of the Kin service clubs across the country. The entire history of the Kin service organization is covered from its inception in 1920 to the time of publication; following the evolution of the association over time and documenting the contributions the organization made to quality of life in their respective local communities and to the country as a whole.
Custodial History
Accession 18-2002 records were in the possession of Fred McGuinness until the publication of Only in Canada. In the course of writing the history, records of the Kinsmen Club in Canada were amassed at the McKee Archives. The research materials developed by Coates and McGuinness were simply added to the Kinsmen records ca. 1987. The Kinsmen records have since been de-accessioned by the SJ McKee Archives and transferred to Kin Headquarters in Ontario.
Scope and Content
The subseries materials consist of letters of correspondence from the authors to numerous Kinsmen across Canada requesting information about the organization’s founder Hal Rogers for chapter one and the epilogue, as well as early drafts, outlines, and brites for all six chapters of the book. The book was commissioned by the Association of the Kinsmen Clubs of Canada and published in 1987. Of additional interest is a memo from Fred McGuinness to the Kinsmen National President Dr. Tom Breneman about the book’s launch, promotion, and distribution (see file 1).
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from the preface of the book Only in Canada: Kinsmen & Kinettes
Accruals
Closed
Language Note
Fred McGuinness often uses journalistic jargon to label his files. A “brite” refers to a short, amusing story. McGuinness often organized his ideas and research materials by potential brite topic. The term brite is often annotated on the letters of correspondence in these subseries files
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Archival materials held at Kin Canada headquarters. For an
inventory of materials de-accessioned by the McKee Archives see the donor file. Contact the Archivist for access
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to book chapter following the de-accession of the Kinsmen records
