Postcard is an advertisement for the Brandon Winter Fair. Image is of two dogs, with a caption below them.
Notes
Writing on the front of the postcard reads: "If you expect to be among those present, Florine, you'll have to have yours bobbed"/ Fools may rush in where Angles fear to tread./ The Winter Fair, Brandon, March 13 - March 17, 1933 / is good for either, yet is really better for the pople who are / neither, but, like ourselves, are somewhere between the two.
Fred McGuinness worked with The Medicine Hat News for 10 years, starting in 1955, when he was hired as an assistant to the paper’s publisher. In 1958, he was promoted to publisher of the newspaper. At the same time McGuinness was also appointed vice-president of Southam Company Limited. Based in Toronto, Southam Company Limited was the parent organization that oversaw the Southam Printing Company (Toronto and Montreal) and the publication of a number of weekly newspapers, including The Ottawa Citizen, The Hamilton Spectator, The Winnipeg Tribune, The Calgary Herald, The Edmonton Journal, The Vancouver Province and The Medicine Hat News. In addition to his administrative duties, while with The Medicine Hat News, McGuinness authored a column titled, “The Lighthouse.” In November of 1965, he resigned as publisher and moved with his family to Winnipeg where he was appointed manager of the New Personnel and Information Division with James Richardson and Sons.
In 1988, McGuinness was hired by The Medicine Hat News to write a 20 article feature about his reminisces of Medicine Hat. McGuinness referred to this collection of stories as “Hat Memoirs.”
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 for The Medicine Hat News. Records include Medicine Hat News clippings from the 1960s, a scrapbook containing clippings of McGuinness’ Lighthouse column (1961-1964) and drafts of McGuinness’ 1988 Medicine Hat memoirs.
Records in the subseries consist of rough drafts, article proofs, newspaper clippings, a scrapbook, and correspondence.
Notes
Readers’ correspondence pertaining to McGuinness’ time in Medicine Hat may be found in Fred McGuinness’ personal papers, subseries McG 1.2 Correspondence
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period
Fred McGuinness wrote the syndicated weekly news column “Neighborly News” for 22 years, beginning in 1979. According to McGuinness, the Neighborly News column evolved out of the interest in and the impending cancellation of the CBC Radio broadcast “Neighborly News from the Prairies.” McGuinness credits Eugene Derksen (Steinbach Carillon), Miles Phillips (Boissevain Recorder), and Ian MacKenzie (Portage Graphic) for approaching him about printing/publishing a Neighborly News column. The column initially began with a dozen subscriptions from weeklies and grew to publication in 55 weeklies.
McGuinness described his creative process as follows. McGuinness received weeklies from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, from which he would read the first page and the editorial page. He created thematic files from clippings he accumulated over a period of time. He would then write four columns at a time based on the materials he assembled and had the columns printed at the Brandon Sun plant for camera-ready copy. Other weeklies had to re-type the columns if they did not have the facilities. The weekly columns were written for publication periods beginning every Monday.
McGuinness wrote his last Neighborly News column during the publication week of April 1, 2002. In his final column he confessed that his age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diagnosed in 2001, had become an impediment to his research, writing, and editing abilities. A month later, a Neighborly News retrospective written by McGuinness was published. In that column McGuinness reviewed the history of the Neighborly News broadcast and column and described his writing process.
The successor to McGuinness’ Neighborly News column was Margaret “Peggy” HASEIN, the editor and co-publisher of the Biggar Independent. Hasein was the successful bidder for the column after McGuinness put his column up for sale upon receiving his AMD diagnosis. The Neighborly News column is still in print today (2015).
Custodial History
Records were collected and created by McGuinness during the publication of the syndicated column Neighborly News from 1980 to 2002. 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 (i.e., typed drafts, camera ready copy, and correspondence) created during the publication period (1980 to 2002) of Fred McGuinness’ syndicated Neighborly News column. The Archives does not have copies of McGuinness’ Neighborly News columns from 1999 to 2002. There is one file folder containing letters of thanks and congratulations upon McGuinness’ retirement in April 2002.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from Neighborly News columns published in the Roblin Review (April 2, 2002, 4), and The Glenboro Gazette (May 7, 2002, 11). In the Glenboro Gazette column, “Looking Back,” McGuinness recalled the history of history Neighborly News radiobroadcast and column. The timeline provided in the article, appears to conflict with the actual dates the radio broadcast was cancelled by CBC and the beginning of the publication of the Neighborly News column. The Archives have used McGuinness’ date in the looking back column but researchers should be aware of the discrepancies in the timeline
The original location of the file (when the Fred McGuinness collection was unprocessed) is noted on the front of each file folder. The first sentence of each column was provided in the file level inventory because weeklies published alternative titles for the same column. The square bracket at the end of each item contains a few keywords for the respective column
Camera-ready proofs are numbered and dated for the weekly publication period beginning on Mondays. Certain columns in this series were mis-numbered and/or mis-dated by McGuinness. McGuinness’ numbers and dates have been retained and the discrepancies noted by the editorial marking [sic]
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. For example, when researching and writing the Bootstrap profiles for the provincial government, McGuinness also mentioned these individuals in his Neighborly News or Brandon Sun Diary columns. Therefore, it is possible research materials pertaining to his Neighborly News columns may be found in the subseries: Correspondence (McG 1.2), Clippings (McG 4.2), Local history (McG 4.1), Miscellaneous freelance (McG 3.2) and Reader’s Digest (McG 3.1)
McGuinness details his vision problems and sale of the Neighborly News column in his memoir “Lost in Hotel Beesborough” (see McG 2.2 File 16, and McG 3.2, Misc. Freelance File 53)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been arranged according to column number/publication period
Photograph shows the exterior of the Winter Fair Arena on 10th Street.
Notes
Part of "Souvenir of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada [viewbook], Printed by Photogelatine Engraving Co. Limited, Ottawa." Dates obtained from the Burchill's Music Store Henderson's Brandon City Directory listings (1927-1929). Writing on the front of the photograph reads: Winter Fair Arena, Brandon, Man.
Photograph shows Fred McGuinness sitting at a table in the John E. Robbins Library. Spread before him are a variety of weeklies containing his Neighborly News column.
According to the Brandon Daily Sun (07 May 1913), the first three street cars (Nos. 10, 9, and 7) arrived in Brandon on the evening of May 6, 1913. The cars were shipped via Canadian National Rail to Brandon from Winnipeg and stored at the railway siding on McTavish Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets. The daily paper (15 May 1915) reported that a test run for the street cars was scheduled for May 16, 1913. The City Clerk published a public notice in the paper (29 May 1913) announcing the formal opening of the "Brandon Municipal Street Raily" for on Monday, June 2, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at city hall where the cars would be displayed.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts three municipal street cars parked on the 10th Street tracks in front of the Winter Fair Building. In front of the cars are a group of men wearing suits, hats, and top coats. Two automobiles are parked alongside the street cars. According to Archivist Emeritus Tom Mitchell, the group of men are members of the Brandon Municipal Street Railway Committee. The chairman of the committee, Harry Cater, can be seen in the center-left of the group wearing a watch fob. The committee had assembled for a test run of the street car service, which the Brandon Daily Sun reported to have occured on Sunday, May 16, 1913.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: First Street Car in Brandon in front of Winter Fair building 1910.
Photograph shows the interior of Fred McGuinness' office at the Medicine Hat News. Fred is seen scribbling on a notepad at his desk. The newspaper was located at Second Street and Sixth Avenue in downtown Medicine Hat until it moved in 1981.
Photograph shows a group of 38 loggers outside their camp. The men are wearing long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, and coveralls. One man is holding a cat on his lap, another appears to be holding a rifle.
The Canada Winter Games were held in Brandon, Manitoba, from February 12-24, 1979. According to the official Canada Games website, approximately 2,000 athletes and officials and more than 4,000 volunteers participated in the event. Brandon artist and calligrapher Alex Matheson served as games president. Infrastructure improvements resulted in the construction of the Canada Games Sportsplex complex which contained a 400-seat hockey area, raquetball courts a six-lane 50-metre swimming pool, and a speed skating oval. Mount Agassiz was the site for alpine ski events and new cross country ski trails were developed in the Brandon Hills.
Custodial History
Photograph sent to Fred McGuinness from the Winnipeg Free Press Photo Department
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the opening ceremonies of the Canada Games held in Brandon, Manitoba, 1979. Various teams can be seen standing in the hockey arena of the Keystone Centre. Pennants representing the athletic events hang from the rafters.
Notes
Photograph was collected during the research phase of the monograph "Manitoba: The Province & The People" (1987) written by Fred McGuinness and Ken Coates.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
On 16 November 1906, Manitoba was hit by a severe winter storm that began that Thursday evening and extended through the weekend. The Brandon Daily Sun ("Storm Extends Over a Large Territory," 17 Nov. 1906, 1) reported that rail and telegraph services had been disrupted, country roads were impassable, and business in town was at a stand still. Following the weekend, the daily reported the blizzard was one of the greatest in recent memory. CPR trains had been caught in drifts by Carberry and an express car had caught fire and was destroyed ("Worst Storm in Many Years," Brandon Daily Sun, 19 Nov. 1906, 1).
John Dickson (b. 17 Mar 1854, Scotland; d.15 April 1926, Brandon) was considered one of Brandon’s pioneer dentists. Dickson immigrated to Canada in 1857, where he lived in Hamilton, Ontario, for a number of years. Dickson then came to Manitoba and operated a grocery in Chater before he studied dentistry, graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1886. Dickson settled in Brandon where he married Anna Louise Harrison on 28 December 1891. (Source: “Pioneer Dentist of Brandon in Dr. John Dickson,” Brandon Daily Sun 16 Apr 1926).
The couple had four children: Mrs. Irving Cross [Mary Louise, b.20 Dec 1892, Brandon; d. 22 Oct 1981, Saratoga, NY]; Dr. John Harrison Dickson [b. 26 Aug 1894, Brandon; d. 17 June 1956, Killarney]; Dr. Stanley Rodgers Dickson [b. 18 Feb 1896, Brandon; d. 25 July 1963, Brandon]; and Mrs. Emile Baldeschweiler [Isobel Marion Coates, b. 13 Nov 1900, Brandon; d.?] of New York. (Source: Manitoba Vital Statistics database)
Scope and Content
Photograph shows three children playing on a residential street in the winter. Two girls are wearing winter overcoats and a boy is wearing a winter jacket. The trees are covered in hoarfrost and snow lines the streets. The children are possibly those of Brandon dentist Dr. John Dickson who resided at 342-8th Street.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 1906, 343.
Photograph shows eight men on a frozen lake or river. Four men are harnessed to a toboggan loaded with logs. Four men walk alongside the toboggan with guide ropes.
Notes
Writing beneath the photograph in the album reads: Gettin in provisions
Photograph has been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
On 16 November 1906, Manitoba was hit by a severe winter storm that began that Thursday evening and extended through the weekend. The Brandon Daily Sun ("Storm Extends Over a Large Territory," 17 Nov. 1906, 1) reported that rail and telegraph services had been disrupted, country roads were impassable, and business in town was at a stand still. Following the weekend, the daily reported the blizzard was one of the greatest in recent memory. CPR trains had been caught in drifts by Carberry and an express car had caught fire and was destroyed ("Worst Storm in Many Years," Brandon Daily Sun, 19 Nov. 1906, 1).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of intersection of the 000 block of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue in the winter. Businesses on the east side of 8th Street from Pacific to Rosser Avenues are clearly visible and include: a Lunch Room (likely Aagaard's Lunch Counter), the Hotel Imperial Annex, Liverpool House (a boarding house), R.S. Thompson and Company Real Estate Office (Land Office), a barber shop (likely J. Coulter's), Frank Gowen photography studio. Fleming's Drug Store on the corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue has been replaced by the Bank of Hamilton. The Imperial Hotel is visible on the west side of 8th Street. The 8th Street Bridge is visible in the background.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 338, November 1906. Page appears to be from a photo album. The photograph appears to be taken from the interior of a builing on the southwest corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue.
Photograph has been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
On 16 November 1906, Manitoba was hit by a severe winter storm that began that Thursday evening and extended through the weekend. The Brandon Daily Sun ("Storm Extends Over a Large Territory," 17 Nov. 1906, 1) reported that rail and telegraph services had been disrupted, country roads were impassable, and business in town was at a stand still. Following the weekend, the daily reported the blizzard was one of the greatest in recent memory. CPR trains had been caught in drifts by Carberry and an express car had caught fire and was destroyed ("Worst Storm in Many Years," Brandon Daily Sun, 19 Nov. 1906, 1).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of intersection of the 000 block of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue in the winter. Businesses on the east side of 8th Street from Pacific to Rosser Avenues are clearly visible and include: a Lunch Room (likely Aagaard's Lunch Counter), the Hotel Imperial Annex, Liverpool House (a boarding house), R.S. Thompson and Company Real Estate Office (Land Office), a barber shop (likely J. Coulter's), Frank Gowen photography studio. Fleming's Drug Store on the corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue has been replaced by the Bank of Hamilton. The Imperial Hotel is visible on the west side of 8th Street. The 8th Street Bridge is visible in the background. Men in winter coats and hats are crossing the street at the intersection. A horse-drawn sleigh is parked on 8th Street.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 340, after the storm November 1906. Page appears to be from a photo album. The photograph appears to be taken from the interior of a builing on the southwest corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue.
