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.
Albert Edward McKenzie was born in Wilcox Lake, York County, Ontario in 1870 to Francis Bethel McKenzie and Maria (Carley) McKenzie. In 1882 he moved to Brandon, Manitoba with his family, where his father established a Flour, Seed and Grain business. At the age of twenty-six, following his father’s death, A. E. took over the family business and transformed it into a seed institute. As the President of The Brandon Seed House, and, later, A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd., Mr. McKenzie played a central role in the daily operations of his company up until three weeks prior to his death on September 25, 1964.
In 1901, Mr. McKenzie married Laura Bell of Carmen, Manitoba, with whom he had two daughters, Marjorie and Kathleen. Kathleen married Walter C. Roberts and became a member of the Board of Directors of her father's company. Marjorie graduated from Brandon College, and received additional degrees from the Columbia College of Expression, and from Northwestern University. From 1927-1930 she taught at Brandon College, then resigned to do post-graduate work. She returned to Brandon College in 1935 as Instructor of Public Speaking and Dean of Women in Clark Hall. Marjorie resigned as Dean of Women after one year, and eventually relocated to British Columbia. Both Kathleen and Marjorie survived their father. Laura had passed away in 1943. At the time of his death. A.E. McKenzie was also survived by had one grandson: David McKenzie Roberts.
In addition to building his company into one of Canada's foremost seed institutes, McKenzie was also involved with many community projects. He was affiliated with the YMCA, YWCA, Salvation Army, and Community Chest. He was a charter member of the Kiwanis Club, and a long-term officer of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. However, McKenzie's major interest was Brandon College, for which he served as a governor and as chairman of the board of governors for the College.
A central figure in the fight to save Brandon College, McKenzie was instrumental in the formation of Brandon College Inc., and, in 1945, he established the A. E. McKenzie Foundation, for which the Government of Manitoba was the sole trustee. His gift to the
Foundation was securities valued at $1 million, which ensured the survival and re-establishment of Brandon College and later Brandon University.
In 1941, McKenzie received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from the University of Manitoba. In 1962, he was honored with a certificate of merit for exemplary citizenship in commerce and in every aspect of community life from the City of Brandon.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of correspondence created and received by A.E. McKenzie during his years as President/General Manager dealing with the operation of his company. This includes construction estimates, and correspondence with the company's lawyer, Wm. Johnson. A letter from Gairdner & Company Limited regarding McKenzie's attempt to reacquire ownership of A. E. McKenzie Ltd. from the Province of Manitoba.
The sub-series also contains material relating to legal matters: one file concerns a successful legal action against the A.E. McKenzie Seed Company by the Canadian Alfalfa Association. The action arose following the sale of seed to a seed company located in Berlin, Germany in 1938. A second file deals with the prosecution of the company in Bismarck, North Dakota for mail fraud. The company lost both cases. Patents secured by the company are also included within the sub-series.
Also contained within the legal sub-series are records dealing with A.E. McKenzie's passing. These include correspondence with the National Trust Company and Miss Jean MacKay, and a summary of A.E. McKenzie's will. There are also some documents dealing with McKenzie's stocks and shares in the Company.
Documentation relating to the 1918 By-Law Campaign, in which McKenzie tried to secure tax relief for his company in relation to the construction of its new plant, is also included within the sub-series.
The sub-series is divided into six sub sub series, including: (1) Secretary; (2) Legal Matters; (3) Correspondence; (4) Patents; (5) By-Law Campaign 1918; and (6) Miscellaneous.
Notes
* "Tapes" in the Related Material field refers to hard copy written summaries originally provided on tape for typing. Organization by tape number was found to be more efficient than listing these items by title.
Language Note
Within McS 2 1.3, the correspondence sub sub series, there are some documents written in Gregg shorthand. No translation is available.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
Related Material
Regarding sub sub series McS 2 2.2 (Legal Matters): The court pocket for the alfalfa case involving McKenzie Seeds at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina, Saskatchewan may be available through the Saskatchewan Archives Board. John Diefenbaker acted for the Alfalfa Association in this case.
Historical Topics under A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds, Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 2 (J. Lasby Lowes) contains some information regarding McKenzie's patents (file 16, Tapes 29 and 30), and a legal case in Bismarck, North Dakota in 1957 regarding the violation of mail fraud statutes involving the sale of seed wheat (file 11, Tape 26)*. Information regarding the sale of Alfalfa seed to a German seed company is available in file 2. There are also a number of files containing information about A. E. McKenzie.
In 1945 the A. E. McKenzie Trust of 1939, which led to the formation of Brandon College Incorporated, was cancelled. As a result A.E., who was still trying to solve the College's financial problems, set about attaining a special act of legislature that would enable him to transfer 90% of his company's stockholdings to the control of the Province of Manitoba to benefit the College.
See fonds level administrative history description.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes correspondence regarding the McKenzie Foundation between Brandon College Inc., McKenzie Seeds, William Johnson and the Government of Manitoba. It also contains records dealing with Educational Advisory Board. A substantial amount of this correspondence is in regards to the payment of Brandon College Inc. from the McKenzie Foundation. In addition, there is also correspondence generated by the Comptroller-General and Wm. Johnson regarding Foundation Account, as well as some other financial information.
Various documents are also present within the sub-series, including Bill 87, amendments, an authorization provision for variation in agreement and an agreement between McKenzie, Brandon College Inc. and the National Trust. A collection of prepared statements or briefs, many written by A.E. McKenzie regarding the purpose and future of the Foundation are also included.
Information regarding the A.E. McKenzie Foundation can be found in Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 2 (J. Lasby Lowes), Historical Topics file 1 (Tape 9).
Series 5 (Photographs), oversized drawer #4 contains newspaper clippings dealing with the establishment of the McKenzie Foundation.
The scrapbooks in this sub-series are fragile, particularly the product book. They must be handled with great care.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of three scrapbooks. Two of the three contain copies of advertisements for a number of businesses, including McKenzie Seeds, Steele Briggs, Patmore's, Rennie's, and McFayden Seeds. Clippings dealing with a variety of other companies in the seed industry are also included. The third scrapbook contains pictures of various flowers, vegetable, herbs and other seed products in alphabetical order. An inventory is available for the third scrapbook.
Notes
Date(s) of creation, including distribution, publication, etc.:
a) [No title] ad book - 1906-1911
b) "Scrap Book" ad book - 1917-1926
c) [No title] product book - c.1903 - c.1940
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
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
Customers and employees of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. donated some of the records in this series. Others were taken for insurance purposes, while some of the records involve McKenzie subsidiaries. Some of the records may have been taken as advertisements or for promotional reasons. Most of the records were generated by the company itself and deal exclusively with McKenzie Seeds and its business operations or the seed industry.
Custodial History
Photographs in sub-series 5.14, 5.15, 5.16 were donated to McKenzie Seeds by Irene Cullen, Josiph Airey, and Alan R. Mundie respectively.
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
Series consists primarily of black and white photographs pertaining to A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd and the seed industry. Included are photographs of the McKenzie Building, plant and field workers and equipment, executives, particular events at McKenzie Seeds and product photographs. A complete list of categories can be found below.
The series is arranged as follows:
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 (two 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
Notes
* The term "drawer" in the Scope and Content Filed for sub-series 5.21, referes to the oversized map drawers in the McKee Archives reading room.
Errol Black's article on the strike at McKenzie Seeds (sub-series 5.7) titled “25c an hour; 48 hours a week; more toilets; less cats: the labour struggles of the "girls" at the A.E. McKenzie Company in Brandon,” was published in Prairie Forum, spring 1992 vol 17 no 1 pp. 33-59.
Finding Aid
An inventory is available for the artifacts, as well as each of the photograph sub-series.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 5 Photographs
Related Material
MG 1 (A.E. McKenzie Fonds), sub-series 1 (Brandon College Inc.) of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds contains photographs relating to the History of Brandon College Inc. booklet.
Series 1 (Board of Directors), sub-series 5 (Financial), of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds contains some photographs in the file entitled Steele Briggs Spring Campaign for Edmonton. The pictures are part of a sales booklet.
Steele Briggs related photographs are located in the scrapbook in Series 3 (Acquisitions), sub-series 2 (Steele Briggs) of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds.
A.E. McKenzie was born in Wilcox Lake, York County, Ontario in 1870 to F.B. and Maria (Carley) McKenzie. His family came to Manitoba in 1883. He was educated in Brandon, Manitoba and graduated from the Collegiate Institute at age 21. In 1897 he founded the Brandon Seed House. McKenzie was present at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of Brandon College on Juy 13, 1900. From that moment on, he was very involved in the College, first as an interested businessman, and later as a member of its Board of Directors. In 1902, McKenzie married Laura Bell in Port Arthur. They had two daughters, Marjorie Bell and Kathleen. In 1906 the Brandon Seed House was incorporated and from then on was known as the "A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd.."
McKenzie became a member of the Brandon College Endowment Committee in 1918. The following year he was on the Finance Committee. By 1925, McKenzie was a member of the Board of Directors. In 1928, he was part of a syndicate that advised the Baptist Union that they were developing an endowment plan to provide continuing financial support to the College and talked the Union into providing $10 000 towards the accumulated deficit.
In 1931, McKenzie organized the Brandon Board of Trade to help save Brandon College when the Baptists said they could no longer afford to keep the College. After the By-law failed, he helped to organize the Brandon Citizen’s Campaign to raise enough money so that the College could open the following year.
When the Baptists withdrew support in 1938, McKenzie was one of the central figures on the Brandon Board of Trade that decided to save the College from closure. A representative delegation from Southwestern Manitoba of over 60 men descended upon Premier Bracken’s office to try and convince him to help the College. On June 12, 1938 McKenzie said he would set up a $100 000 endowment to Brandon College. He subsequently raised this amount to $300 000. On August 1, 1938 the Board of Trade launched a campaign to raise $15 000 to match what the government was prepared to offer the College. McKenzie was asked to provide Brandon College with $3000 personally. In September of 1938, McKenzie upped his endowment once more to $500 000. The fund raising worked however, and the chater establishing Brandon College Incorporated was assented to on April 17, 1939. On June 6, 1939 a by-law was again presented to the citizens of Brandon, and fortunately it passed.
In 1941, McKenzie received an honorary L.L.D. from the University of Manitoba. The A.E. McKenzie Foundation was created in 1945 by the provincial government, who had assumed 90% of the A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. stock.
On September 25, 1964 McKenzie died at the age of 94. He never retired, but worked full time until two weeks before his death. The funeral was held in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre. The Arts and Library Building at Brandon College was completed in 1960, and is known as the A.E. McKenzie building, in honour of the man who contributed so much time, effort and financial help to the College during a crucial period in its history.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
A.E. McKenizie’s records in the Brandon College fonds are very useful from an administrative point of view. Because McKenzie was so involved in Brandon College from the very beginning until his death in 1964, it is easy to understand how the College Administration arrived at decisions. There is correspondence between McKenzie and various regarding College and Board of Director business. There are Brandon College financial statements and letters regarding the A.E. McKenzie Foundation. The records contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets and lists of names of members of various Brandon organizations. As well, McKenzie has letters regarding Building Expansion in the 1940’s and minutes of Board of Director meetings. There are also several photographs. One photograph is the 1919 graduation picture of Zoe Hough. Another is tentatively identified as Frances Wolverton, also of the Class of 1919. There are two more photographs of unidentified young women.
The program for the McKenzie Centennial Exhibit describes the materials in this sub-series as a "visual collection of artifacts, printed materials and photographs, 1883-1996, celebrating the centennial of A.E. McKenzie Co. Inc."
Created by current employees and based on research by Nancy McLennan, Sandra Head and J. Lasby Lowes, the McKenzie Centennial Exhibit opened on April 25, 1996. It remained open to the public on every Thursday between 2 to 4 p.m. to the end of June, 1996. Some of the furnishings used in the display were contributed by the Daly House Museum. Located in the McKenzie Building, the exhibit was assembled along the corridors of the building. It contained a variety of materials, such as invoices, pay envelopes, blueprints, documents, furniture and photographs from the one hundred years of McKenzie Seeds’ history.
Following the close of the exhibit, a smaller permanent installation was to be constructed at the McKenzie Building.
Custodial History
In the course of preparing the exhibit, Nancy McLennan took documents from the collection, but failed to make a record of where the documents came from. As a result, these materials have been left in the Centennial sub-series. It proved impossible to return them to their original place in the fonds.
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes the individual descriptions of each exhibit printed on small white envelopes, a guide to the exhibit, a photograph listing for photos used in the various displays and the 1973 Directory of Canadian Chartered Accountants. The sub-series also includes intact files for exhibits 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 39 and 40, Wholesale Sales Literature, Steele Briggs Seed Co., Scrimping and Spending Big Time, Seed Wagon, Mostly Catalogue Inserts, Letterhead, and For Your Reading Pleasure, respectively.
In addition, a number of booklets made by the creators of the exhibit are also contained within the sub-series. These booklets are primarily a combination of original and reproduced sales literature and catalogues, but also may or may not contain some correspondence, seed packets, clippings and history for McKenzie Seeds, Pike Seeds/Robertson Seeds, Acquisitions (Steele Briggs, Canada Seeds, Brett-Young Seeds), and McFayden/McConnell.
In addition to the above booklets, there are also materials dealing with the catalogues and sales literature of McKenzie Seed Co. suppliers, such as Bodger Seeds, H. Keft from Holland, the Denholm Seed Company, and the Vis Brothers. A number of documents, programs and booklets relating to the seed industry in general, such as the "Black Leaf" Bulletin and a number of documents relating to agriculture in Manitoba are also included.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
Related Material
Photographs from the Centennial Exhibition of McKenzie Seeds can be found in Series 5 (Photographs), sub-series 5.9 (Centennial Photos).
The custodial history of both items in the collection is unknown prior to their accession by the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Accession 10-2003 contains the words and music for a musical "The Saga of Brandon" written by James Struthers, with music by Ken Gunning, and performed at the Brandon City Hall Auditorium February 28th, March 1st and 2nd 1951. Fonds also includes two playbills (one is signed by cast and crew members) advertising the production, an excerpt from the 1951 Brandon College Sickle describing the production and two press releases.
Accession 21-2007 contains a sound recording of excerpts of "Mr. College Spirit" by J. Struthers & K. Gunning, Chorus under direction of Lorne Watson. The recording was made at Radiolabs Institute Winnipeg. Mr. College Spirit was presented by the Brandon College Literary Board. The production was reviewed in the March 6, 1953 edition of the Quill.
Notes
The scope and content attribution of authorship is based on a telephone conversation Tom Michell had with James Struthers (September 24, 2006). A review of the play, written by Kay Rowe, appeared in the March 6, 1953 issue of the Quill. Description by Christy Henry and Tom Mitchell.
Repro Restriction
Copyright provisions apply
Storage Location
MG 2 Brandon College Students
2.4 James Struthers
Related Material
Maureen Johnson collection (14-2009) contains a second sound recording of Mr. College Spirit as well as the programme for the production.
Edith Mary Laycock was born on June 25, 1913. She attended Brandon Collegiate from 1929 until her graduation in 1931. Ms. Laycock attended Brandon College from 1931-1934, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1935, she attended the Wheat City Business College and graduated from the Stenographic Course. Ms. Laycock was employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway as a stenographer for many years and belonged to the Canadian Pacific Expressmen's Mutual Benefit Society from 1939.
Edith Laycock was very interested in drama. While attending Brandon Collegiate and Brandon College she participated in school and college plays. She was involved in drama and theatre throughout her aadult life. Edith Laycock directed many of Brandon College's major productions beginning in 1950. She was also the director of many of the plays put on by the Brandon Little Theatre from 1950. Ms. Laycock also performed in the Little Theatre productions when she was not directing.
Ms. Laycock was also involved in many other elements of Brandon life. She served alternatively as the vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and production manager of the Little Theatre throughout the 1940's and 1950's. She was the Social Manager for the Brandon Festival Committee in 1948, the Publicity Chairperson for the Brandon Music Festival Association in the 1950's, and the Secretary of the Brandon Overture Concert Association. Laycock also wrote play reviews for the Brandon Sun in the 1950's. She was the director of the Manitoba Delta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. In the 1960's Laycock was a member of the Brandon Council of Women and Chairperson of its Arts and Letters Committee. She was also the Vice-President of the Brandon Art Club in 1960. Edith Laycock also held a 12-week class in creative dramatics for children at the Allied Arts Centre in the early 1960's.
Edith Laycock died in Brandon on December 17, 1987.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of memorabilia kept by Edith Laycock. A large part of the collection consists of programs from plays that Laycock performed in or directed during the 1950's and 1960's. There are also numerous newspaper clippings about Laycock's plays including reviews, pictures, and advertisements. This collection also includes a folder of programs from the Brandon Little Theatre productions in the 1950's, as well as clippings about the Little Theatre. There are also numerous articles about miscellaneous drama and art events throughout Brandon, Manitoba, and Canada. The fonds also includes Laycock's daybook from 1962, and travel notes from Laycock's 1952 trip to Great Britain and Europe. The latter contains a passenger list for the Empress of Scotland, August 5, 1952. The collection further includes Canadian Pacific Railway passes dating from 1947-1963 and a copy of the Canadian Pacific Pension Plan. Fonds also contains material from the various organizations that Laycock was involved with including the Brandon Council of Women and Beta Sigma Phi. Fonds includes 12 photos that appear to be family photos from Laycock's childhood. Finally, the fonds contains various copies of plays that Laycock performed in or directed.
Arthur Hayward Foster was born in Picton Landing, Nova Scotia in 1872. Foster taught at Brandon College from 1931-1948. He died in Brandon on May 27, 1948.
Custodial History
Accessioned in 2007 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a brass plaque on wood that reads "In Memory of Arthur H. Foster, Professor of Classics and Religious Studies, Died May 27, 1948. Erected by Class '50."
Notes
Plaque measures 17.5 x 12.5 cm. Wood measures 20 x 15 x 2.5 cm. Description by Christy Henry.
Martin Wesley Johns was born to missionary parents Alfred and Myrtle Johns in Chengtu, West China on March 23, 1913. The family returned to Canada in 1925. Johns attended high schools in Tacoma, Washington; Vancouver, BC; Brandon, Manitoba; and Exeter, Ontario. He studied at Brandon College from 1928-1931 before obtaining his B.A. (1932) and M.A. (1934) from McMaster University and his Ph.D. From the University of Toronto (1938). From 1937-1946, he taught physics at Brandon College. In 1972, Brandon University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Johns served in the Canadian Officers Training Corps (C.O.T.C.) in 1940-1941 doing research concerned with neutron physics at Chalk River. In 1947, he joined the Physics Department at McMaster University, where he remained for the remainder of his career.
Johns married Margaret Mary Hilborn on July 15, 1939. Together they have four children: Robert, Elizabeth, Kenneth and Kathryn. Following Margaret's death c. 1979, Johns was married to Elsie North for twenty years. At the age of 90, Johns fell in love with his sweetheart Marian Thompson.
Martin Wesley Johns died on September 18, 2008 at McMaster Hospital.
Custodial History
The notebooks in accession 17-2007 were in the possession of Wesley Wong, former member of the Physics Department at Brandon College, who mailed them to Martin Johns in 2002. Wong suggested Johns donate them to the McKee Archives, which he did on January 28, 2004. The photographs in accession 8-2009 were sent to Carla Eisler, Alumni Relations Officer, Brandon University by Ken Johns (Martin Johns' son) following Martin's death. Eisler transfered them to the Archives in February 2009.
Scope and Content
Accession 17-2007 contains two lab record notebooks used by Martin Johns while he was a member of Brandon College's Department of Physics. The notebooks record class lists, grades, absences, and seating charts for courses Johns taught, as well as regulations for lab reports and major assignments.
Accession 8-2009 contains twenty-one black and white photographs dealing with Brandon College students, faculty and buildings. There a a few photographs of Brandon, as well as one of the Queen Mother from her visit to Brandon in 1939.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Martin W. Johns bio file in the Archives reading room.
Marion (Marionne) Louise Scott was born January 13, 1913 at Ste. S, Parkview Block, Brandon, MB to Annie Louisa Lawson and David Henry (Harry) Scott. She attended St. Michael's Academy and Brandon College (Arts, Class of 1933), graduating with a teching certificate. At some point following her graduation she moved to Toronto, living with her Aunt and Uncle Olive and Keith Murphy, while working for Massey Harris. Eventually Marionne became Private Secretary to the president James Duncan. She also worked with E.P. Taylor and Colonel Phillips during her duration with the company.
Marionne met her husband Robert (Roy) Warden Jamieson through friends at the Parkdale Canoe Club, which is now the Boulevard Club on Lakeshore Avenue in Toronto. They were married on December 26, 1944. Following their retirement, Marionne and Roy spent their winters in Florida.
Marionne Scott Jamieson died on July 20, 1990 in Mississauga Ontario. Both she and her husband are buried in Park Lawn Cemetery at Bloor Street and Prince Edward Drive in west Toronto.
A number of the individuals identified in the photographs are members of Marionne's extended family or friends. Basic biographical information for both side of her family are below. Additional biographical information on the Lawson and Scott families is available at the McKee Archives.
Maternal relatives:
William Lawson was born c. 1849 in Markham Township, Ontario where his parents had settled from England. In September 1875 he married Alice Brunskill (born c. 1854) in Buttonville, Ontario. The couple settled on a farm at Aurora, Ontario before come west in 1892. Lawson and his family settled in the Hayfield district south of Brandon where he farmed until c. 1916. During his farming years, Lawson made a number of trips to Scotland and Ireland for the Manitoba government to secure immigrants. After retiring from farming, Lawson became an agent for the Manufaturers' Life Insurance Company. Lawson's brother, Reverend Thomas Lawson, organized the first Methodist congregation in Brandon.
William Lawson and Alice Brunskill had seven children:
William Ernest (married Maragret Louise Conling 23/11/1904 in Souris, MB)
Clarkson Brunskill (married Florence?)
Annie Louisa (married David Henry (Harry) Scott 29/06/1910 in Brandon, MB)
Alice May (married Arthur Ferrier Valens 27/06/1912 in Winnipeg, MB)
Fred J. (married Lottie C. Gibb 18/04/1906 in Selkirk, MB)
Frank Hill (married Cora Ethel Cunningham 11/03/1914 in Oakland)
Olive Gertrude (married William Keith Murphy 25/12/1923 in Brandon, MB)
Paternal relatives:
David Hunter Scott was born in 1851 in Brampton, Ontario. After completing his education he became a telegraph operator and then deputy postmaster for his hometown. In 1873, he moved to Manitoba, settling at Meadow Lea, where he took up a homestead. After fifteen years engaged in farming, Scott moved on to become a representitve for an implement manufacturing company. In 1892, he moved to Brandon to become manager of the Brandon Times newspaper. Four years later he founded D.H. Scott and Son, a real estate and insurance business he operated with his son David Henry until his death in September 1943.
David Hunter Scott married Anne Jane Lipsett (born 1854) of Meadow Lea, MB on May 24, 1876. Together they had ten children:
John Frederick
Robert Wesley
David Henry (Harry) (married Annie Louise Lawson 26/06/1910 in Brandon, MB)
William James
Caroline (married Christopher Russell Heise)
Annie Louise (married Alexander Ferguson (died 1927), married Nettleton Whitby Kerr)
Mary Emaline (married David Gordon Bawtinheimer)
Lillian Georgina (died August 9, 1931)
Josiah Aikens (died during World War I)
Reginald Jacob (married Norma May Hughes 16/08/1915 (Reginald died during World War I))
Custodial History
The photograph album and graduate's book were sent to Alumni Relations by Ruth L. Murphy on March 31, 2004. Both items had been in the possession of Marionne Scott, passing to her husband Robert Jamieson upon her death. When Jamieson died the items came into the possession of Ruth Murphy, whose husband was Marionne's first cousin. Carla Eisler, Alumni Relations, transfered the photograph album to the Archives on January 15, 2008, and the graduate book on January 8, 2009.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a photograph album created by Marionne Scott. The majority of the photographs cover the period 1926-1933, and are of family members, friends, and classmates at both St. Michael's Academy and Brandon College. They were taken in Brandon and at a number of other locations that Marionne visited. There are three loose photographs, taken by R.M. Coleman, that were taken at the wedding of Vivian Eva? and Reginald Stanley Stark, June 7th, 1941 at St. Matthews Cathedral and the Prince Edward Hotel.
The graduate's book consists of notes, signatures, newsclippings, photographs, programs, convocation documents, graduation cards, reunion descriptions and the 1932 general information booklet for Brandon College.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Brandon Daily Sun, the 1901 and 1911 Canadian Census, the Manitoba Vital Statistics website, and the Brandon Cemetery website. Additional biographical information provided by Ruth Murphy. Description by Christy Henry.
See RG 1 Brandon College fonds, series 2 (Office of the President), sub-series 2.5 (John Robert Charles Evans) for History/Bio information.
Custodial History
Records were donated to the McKee Archives by Keith Evans, son of J.R.C. Evans, in June 1991.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains newspaper clippings dealing with Brandon College events and the death of Marion Doig, and a variety of pamphlets, including ones for piano/musical recitals held by Brandon College or independent performers, Brandon College’s Annual Graduating Banquet (1959), Brandon College Library and Arts Building Cornerstone Laying Ceremony (1960), The Crucifixion and the D-6(?) Day Observance. Fonds also includes statistics regarding Brandon College Enrollment by departments 1899-1934, miscellaneous writings by J.R.C. Evans, a list of contributors to the J.R.C. Evans Student Loan Fund, the media kit for the 10th Eckhardt-Gramatté Music Competition, a copy of Gently Smiling Jaws by Alma Perry, a photo of Wilma Taylor, a felt book cover and a Brandon College pennant.
Notes
Description available on CAIN. Copies of the Brandon Daily Sun: Tuesday February 2, 1960 and the Brandon Sun: Monday September 10, 1962, Saturday October 12, 1963 were culled as duplicates. The Brandon College pennant has been placed in the map drawers in the McKee Reading Room.
Storage Location
MG 1 Brandon College Teaching and Administration
1.10 J.R.C. Evans
The fonds contains informal photographs of students and faculty at Brandon College in the mid-1920s. The photographs are the following sizes: 2 at 6.5x11 cm; 1 at 8.5x11 cm ; 1 at 6.5 x 9 cm ; 1 at 8.5 x 6 cm ; 1 at 7 x 7.5 cm.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry.
Storage Location
MG 2 Brandon College Students
2.11 Elizabeth Kovach
Robert (Bob) Troy Blair was born on March 11, 1930 in Brandon, MB. His first six years were spent in Alexander, MB, where his father and uncle operated a grocery store. In 1936, his family moved to Souris, MB, where his father ran a grocery store. Blair received his primary and high school education, with the exception of Grade 12, in Souris.
Blair remembers his school years in Souris as mainly happy years. He was involved with both piano and organ music lessons. he was never interested in physical sports with the exception of golf. World War II broke out in September of 1939. Souris became the site of #17 SFTS and home base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Many of the service men came from England, Australia and New Zealand. Blair's mother always entertained at least two for dinner every Sunday. Rationing of sugar, tea and coffee, butter and meat became a way of life. Blair had the job every Saturday of pasting the ration coupons into booklets. It was also when he was in Grade 6, that Blair realized he was more attracted to boys than to girls. Perhaps it was because so many attractive airmen surrounded him!
In November of 1947, the Blair family relocated to Alexander where Bob Blair finished his Grade 11. This was not a good year due to bullying. In September of 1948, Blair moved to Winnipeg to attend United College for his Grade 12. Upon completion of Grade 12, Blair remained in Winnipeg until June 1950. he worked at a number of businesses - Gestetner, Eaton's Mail Order shoe department, Maple Leaf Milling, and the drug store in the Medical Arts Building. In September 1950, he entered Brandon College. Blair was very active in extra-curricular affairs while at Brandon College; particularly drama. Following his B.A. he enrolled in the Education Faculty, having decided to become a teacher.
Blair's teaching career spanned 34 years. All but one year was spent in the Brandon School Division. On his first day of teaching in the Division he met the man with whom he would spend the next 46 years. He was primarily a teacher of English and Music. A highlight of his career was exchange teaching in Sacramento, California in 1961. Orientation for exchange took place in August in Washington, D.C., where Blair had the opportunity to meet President J.F. Kennedy. He vividly recals the morning that JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. In September 1965, Blair assumed the principalship of Park School and in September of 1969, the same position at George Fitton School where re remained until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the Brandon Picnipals' Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and servedas President of the Brandon Teachers' Association. Among his major accomplishments during his time as principal were the introduction of a centralized school library in both Park and George Fitton Schools and the integration of special needs students into regular classroom situations wherever possible. He was made a Life Member of the Manitoba Teachers' Society (Brandon) in June 1990. Following his retirement Blair worked as a Library Automation Consultant (1989-1993).
Blair also had numerous community involvements during his time in Brandon. he was active in the Brandon Little Theatre (Best Actor Award, Manitoba Drama Festival for One Act Plays in 1963), the Brandon Festival of the Arts, the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, and Arm Industries to name a few.
Following the death of his partner in 2001, Blair moved to Saskatoon to live with a younger gay couple. He has been active in volunteerism: as an Ambassador for the Saskatoon Airport Authority, assistant with the Saskatoon Health Region's Immunization Clinics, information clerk for the Festival of Trees, data entry clerk for the Saskatoon Music Festival, on the Board of the Saskatoon Jazz Society, and Hospitality Coordinator for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival.
Robert Troy Blair died on July 2, 2024 in Saskatoon, SK. He is buried in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Records were in Blair's possession until he donated them to the Mckee Archives on Homecoming weekend October 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks containing 145 photographs and ephemera (play and graduation programs, tickets, pins, newspaper clippings) documenting Bob Blair's days at Brandon College. Social events and extra-curricular activities are heavily featured in the two scrapbooks. Also included are graduation portraits for the Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953. Of the 145 photographs all are black and white except for two photos of the Class of '53 reconvocation (May 1993), and one from the Class of '53 reunion (2003).
Very good. Some of the letters written in pencil are a little faded.
History / Biographical
Ruth Alverda Wade was born born July 11, 1912 in Brandon, MB to James and Etta Alverda. She had two younger siblings: sister Gwen and brother Sherry. The Wade family resided at 1837 Princess Avenue, Brandon, MB. Ruth graduated from Brandon College with the Class of 1933.
During her time at Brandon College Ruth met Archie MacLachlan. Archibald James MacLachlan was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1907. He had four brothers: Howard, Edgar, Bruce, Curly and Stirling. When Archie was quite young the MacLachlan family moved to Alberta. Archie came to Brandon c. 1930 to attend Brandon College. During the summers of his years at Brandon College Archie held pastoral charges in Alberta. The first two summers were spent in the Peace River Country and the second two in Etzikom in Southern Alberta. This is the period during which the letters in the fonds were written.
Ruth Wade married Archie MacLachlan on September 19, 1934 in Brandon, MB. Following the wedding the couple moved to Hamilton, ON. Archie graduated from McMaster University with his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1937. During this period their daughter Joann Ruth was born. After his ordination as a Baptist Minister the family moved to North Bay where Archie was minister for four years. The next six years were spent in Vancouver as Archie worked as minister at Fairview Baptist Church in Vancouver. The couple's sons Archibald James and Lachlan Wade were also born during this period.
At the end of the Second World War Archie decided to go back to school. The family travelled to Brandon, where Ruth and the children remained for part of a year while Archie went ahead to Andover Newton to enroll and find a parish that would support him while he went to school. The family was reunited in Penacook, New Hampshire; they lived there for two years while Archie completed his Masters in Sacred Theology. After a brief additional period of study at Harvard University, the MacLachlan family returned to Canada, settling in Toronto while Archie finished his second Masters degree (Psychology) and held positions as interim minister and then assistant minister at York Minster Church. Following the two years in Toronto they moved to Winnipeg.
Eventually Archie left the church ministry and became Chaplain at the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. He also continuted to train students in Pastoral Education through the courses he had begun at the Divinity College of McMaster University. He remained at the Hospital until his retirement.
During their married life Ruth was kept busy raising the couple's children and with her work as a minister's wife, particularly her work in the community. She sat on a number of community boards, including positions as President of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec and a member of the Board of Governors for McMaster University's Divinity School.
Ruth MacLachlan died on October 29, 1983 in Missassauga, ON.
Archie married Kathleen Marie (Green) French (b. January 22, 1908, d. June 1, 1998) on June 20, 1987. Archie MacLachlan died in December 1997.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Ruth and Archie MacLachlan until their deaths. At that time the records were inherited by their daughter Joann. Joann MacLachlan donated the records to the McKee Archives on October 24, 2009 at a donation event held as part of Homecoming 2009.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of approximately 197 letters written by Ruth and Archie to each other during the spring and summers of 1932, 1933 and 1934. The letters were written during the courtship of the couple and contain details not only on about their lives in Brandon and Alberta but also more personal information about their relationship, families and future plans. Because Ruth and Archie were students at Brandon College during this period the letters also often reflect on events and personalities related to the College, as well as their own personal studies.
Fonds also contains a scrapbook compiled by Ruth during her Brandon College years. It includes photographs, newspaper clippings, graduation cards, event programs, place cards and other ephemera. There are also a few miscellaneous documents - McMaster University examination papers, handwritten sheet music, postcards - that appear to have belonged to Archie. Fonds also contains a graduation photograph of Ruth.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry. History/Bio information taken from Joann MacLachlan's book Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934.
Ruth and Archie's daughter Joann edited the letters into a book entitled Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934. A copy of the book is located in the Rare Book collection of the John E. Robbins Library, Brandon University.
William Ridley Sheridan Wade collection (28-2007)
Arrangement
The letters are arranged in chronological order with all of Archie's letters to Ruth for a particular year grouped together, followed by Ruth's letters to Archie for that same year. For preservation purposes photographs in the scrapbook have been removed and placed in photograph storage, with their corresponding scrapbook page number noted on the back. Because of the fragile condition of the scrapbook a note has been made concerning the original location of many items that have become detached from their original location in the scrapbook. These items remain with the remnants of the scrapbook in one archival housing. Note that Ruth did not place items on every page so the numbering is not sequential for scrapbook items. Some items were loose at the back of the scrapbook and therefore have no corresponding page number.
6 cm. textual records; 1921 Brandon College Quill (Commencement Number); approx. 150 photographs
History / Biographical
Evan McDonald Whidden (1898-1980) was born in Galt, Ontario. He was educated at Brandon College. Following service in the Great War he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from McMaster University (Brandon College) in 1921. He obtained a Master of Arts in history (McMaster [n.d.]) and in 1928, a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Yale. Whidden married Frances Margaret Billington in 1941. Together they had three children: Howard John (b.1943), Roberta Katherine (b. 1945) and Eric Christopher (b. 1947).
Dr. Whidden served in Baptist churches in Saskatchewan and Manitoba before joining the faculty of Brandon College in 1936. In 1938, he was appointed Thomas J. Armstrong Professor of church history at Acadia University. He became Dean of the School of Theology at Acadia in 1954, and served in that capacity until 1963. He retired from the faculty of Acadia University in 1967. Dr. Whidden has written in the field of church history and education. He was awarded honorary degrees by the Pine Hill Divinity Hall, Halifax, N.S. (1950), McMaster University [n.d.] and Acadia University (1969).
Custodial History
Since his death in 1980, the fonds has been in the custody of his widow, Mrs. Frances Margaret Whidden. The first accession was donated to the McKee Archives in April, 2001; the second in 2003; and the third in May 2005.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of Evan Whidden's reports to family members, in particular to his father and mother, on his experience as a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the years 1917-1919. Records also include correspondence from his mother, Katherine Louise Whidden (nee Ganong), to Evan during these years. In these reports, Whidden records his impressions of military life through his training in Canada and England and his experience of war in Europe with the Canadian Expeditionary Force from 1917-1918. He was involved in the conflict only briefly at the conclusion of the war. His letters provide an account of life in France, Belgium and Germany in 1918.
The fonds also contains correspondence dating from the early 1920s from Chester New, a history professor at McMaster, who had previously taught at Brandon College. Fonds also contains correspondence from Whidden's father, Howard Primrose Whidden, President of Brandon College 1912-1922 and, from 1922-1949, Chancellor of McMaster University. This correspondence deals principally with the progress of Evan Whidden's education and his choice of a career in the church or the academic world.
Fonds contains several publications containing the work of Evan Whidden, mostly on religious themes. It also includes newspaper clippings and convocation programs dealing with Dr. Whidden's graduation from Yale and the presentation of honorary degrees to him at Pine Hill and Acadia. The fonds contains newspaper stories on the occasion of the retirement of Howard Primrose Whidden following his lengthy career as President of McMaster University. Death notices for Dr. H.P. Whidden and his wife are also to be found.
Finally, fonds containts approximately 150 b&w photographs of group portraits, individual portraits and activites at Brandon College and a copy of the 1921 Commencement Issue of the Brandon College Quill.
MG 1 Brandon College Teaching and Administration
1.8 Evan McDonald Whidden
Related Material
Whidden's father, Howard Primrose Whidden served as President of Brandon College 1912-1922. His records are located in RG 1, series 2.2 (Brandon College fonds, Office of the Pesident). Records from Evan Whidden's time as College Dean are located in RG 1, series 6 (Brandon College fonds, Office of the College Dean).
Ray Bailey was born in Brandon Manitoba in 1922. A Bachelor of Science degree from Brandon College in 1944 completed his education there. Following a short stint as a Chemist he entered the University of Manitoba. There, in 1946, he earned a Diploma in Education. Subsequent study brought a Master of Education degree in 1966. In 1973, he was awareded a Canada Council grant for additional studies.
He began his teaching career at Killarney, MB in March 1946, teaching science. Later he held teaching and adminitrative positions in Melita, Morris and Seven Oaks School Divisions. He retired as Principal of Arthur E. Wright Elementary School in 1986. Bailey was active in the Manitoba Teachers Society and the Manitoba Library Trustees Association. In 1973, the city of Winnipeg gave him a community service award. In 2005, he was a recipient of the Brandon University Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award.
He married Joan Pettipher in 1949. They had four children, Ronald, Ann, Mary and Robert. Joan Bailey died in 1988. Raymond Bailey lived in Winnipeg with his wife Barbara until his death on July 23, 2015.
Custodial History
Book was acquired at a book launch sponsored by Pennywise Books, Brandon, Manitoba in January 2006. The Brandon College documents were probably collected by Bailey during his time as a student in the early 1940s. He donated them to the McKee Archives in November 1994. The yearbooks were delivered to the Archives by Gerald Brown for Bailey in April 2008.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of an autographed copy of Bailey's book "tadpole to Little Frong (in a big pond)." It also includes three Brandon Collegiate Institute yearbooks the New Era for 1938-40, one file of Brandon College records, including eligibility lists for the Students' Association, a Physics IV test, a letter to Bailey excusing him from non-combat duty due to his work as an assistant in the Chemistry Department, a dance program for the Valentine Formal (1943), a freshman reception list and a program/invitation to a musical evening at the home of Martin Johns, Professor in the Physics Department.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the author description in Bailey's book. Description by Christy Henry.