Photograph is looking either north or south into the A.E. McKenzie Building (Library and Arts Building) during construction. A number of the members of the construction crew are visible.
Photograph is looking east northeast and shows the construction of the A.E. McKenzie Building (Library and Arts Building). Clark Hall is in the background.
Photograph is looking southwest from the back steps of the Education Building and shows the northeast corner of the A.E. McKenzie Building, which housed the Library and Faculty of Arts.
Photograph was taken at the opening of the A.E. McKenzie Building (including the Evans Theatre) and shows the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre doorway. L to R Dr. John E. Robbins, Mrs. Olive (Freeman) Diefenbaker (Class of 1923 and wife of Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker)
Notes
The opening of the A.E. McKenzie Building took place the same day as the installation of John E. Robbins as President of Brandon College.
Photograph is looking southwest from in front of the Original Music Building and shows the north side of the A.E. McKenzie Building and the west side of the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building (including the link). A number of cars in the parking lot are also visible.
Photograph is looking southwest and shows the A.E. McKenzie Building under construction. In black lettering above the building are the words: "Brandon College Cornerstone Laying." In white lettering below the building are the words: "Sat. May 28 - 3 pm CKX TV"
Notes
The Winnipeg Tribune is stamped on the back of the photograph.
View is north probably from the roof of McMaster Hall. Photograph shows the construction of the new roof on Clark Hall and the Brandon College Building.
View is north probably from the roof of McMaster Hall. Photograph shows the construction of the extension to Clark Hall and the skywalk. Also visible are the A.E. McKenzie Building, the Brandon College Building, the Education Building, the original Music Building and the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, as well as the walkway that runs north between the buildings and the courtyard.
View is southeast from Clark Hall. Photograph shows a large crane, building materials and machines and the construction trailer (Bird Construction) on the driveway during the restoration of Clark Hall and the Brandon College Building. Portions of the front lawn, the John R. Brodie Science Centre and the Knowles Douglas Students' Union Centre are also visible. In the distance is Knox United Church.
View is southwest from the roof of Clark Hall. Photograph shows the construction of the foundation and exterior walls of the Clark Hall extension. George T. Richardson Centre and construciton materials in the background.
View is north northwest from the roof of the John R. Brodie Science Centre. Photograph shows the Knowles Douglas Students' Union Building, and the Citizens' Science Building, the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall under restoration, as well as parts of the driveway and front lawn, including the flag pole.
View is northwest from Clark Hall. Photograph shows construction materials in the area between Clark Hall and the A.E. McKenzie Building during winter. The Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium is visible in the upper right hand corner.
View is south southeast from the skywalk. Photograph shows the courtyard in winter full of vehicles, machines and building materials. Also visible are the Development and Physical Plant H-Huts, the Citizens' Science Building, the John R. Brodie Science Centre and McMaster Hall.
View is northwest from the roof of the Brandon College Building. Photograph was taken through wire fencing and shows construction on the roof of the Brandon College Building during winter. The original Clark Hall entrance to the roof is clearly visible. Portions of the A.E. McKenzie Building, Clark Hall and the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium are visible in the background.
Photograph was taken from the skywalk and shows students leaving the George T. Richardson Centre during winter. The courtyard contains construction materials. The Physical Plant H-Hut and McMaster Hall are partially visible in the background.
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.
