Laura Anne Orchard was born on July 31, 1909 at Graysville, MB to Jeannie and Harold Orchard. She was the fourth of six children. In 1912, the family moved to Glenorchie Farm in the Morton district near Miami, MB.
Laura attended Morton School and Miami High School, completing Grade XI, then attended Manitou Normal School in 1928-1929. She taught in one-room schools: Bracken near Laurier (1929-1930); Rothesay near Isabella (19301-1931 or 1932); and Badger near Roland (1932-1933).
After Laura married Hugh Loyns in 1934, they farmed near Roseisle, MB and raised two children, Shirley, who became a high school teacher, and Alwyn, who became a university professor.
Laura continued to work with young people through 4-H Clubs. She also served on Eldviado school board, the one-room school where her children attended. In 1958, Laura returned to teaching at Roseisle Consolidated School District until 1961. When Laura and Hugh left the farm to live in Vanderhoof, B.C., she worked as a resource teacher in Vanderhoof Elementary School from 1965-1974. Though she never completed Grade XII, she did continue to keep abreast of teaching methods through correspondence courses, workshops, and summer sessions.
In the late 1970's, Laura and Hugh retired to Chilliwack, B.C. Laura Anne Orchard died at Chilliwack on July 28, 1983.
Custodial History
The records in the collection were in the possession of Shirley Hicks, Laura Anne Orchard's daughter, until donated to the S.J. McKee Archives in September 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records related to Orchard’s time at Manitou Normal School. The textual records include: An autograph book with signatures of all the students at Manitou Normal School; Department of Education Entrance examinations for drawing (1929), composition (1929,1930), science (1929), and physiology and hygiene (1930) ; a copy of the Manitou Normal School Closing Ceremonies programme (1929); a notebook on how to teach reading (c.1929); a lesson plan notebook containing notes on various subjects including Manitou Normal School executive, Students, Arithmetic, Primary Reading, Grammar, History, Poetry, Spelling, Geography, Geometry, Science, and class scores.
The collection also contains ten black and white reproduction photographs including: the 1928-1929 Manitou Normal School composite portrait; the Manitou Normal School building; Manitou Normal School Executive; Mr. Gordon, School Principal (1927-1930); various students; and an individual photo of Laura Orchard.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by Shirley Hicks. Description by John Ball (2013).
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Mrs. Marian Gray of Brandon, September 13, 1978.
Scope and Content
Postcard shows the West End Park (also known as Stanley Park) and Park School. The school was situated on the southwest corner of Lorne Avenue. A couple of residences surround the school. Walking paths, a park bench, and a gazebo/grandstand can be seen in the park.
Notes
Front of postcard reads: Published for Christie's Book Store, Brandon, Man., 6350. Back of postcard reads: Canadian Souvenir Post Card, Warwick Brothers & Rutter, Limited, Printers, Toronto. The postcard is addressed to Miss Isabella Heastwell of Broderick, Saskatchewan, and is dated July 14, 1910.
The Brandon Collegiate was built in 1907 and officially opened in 1908. Architect W.A. Elliott designed the building, which was faced with brick from Wisconsin (order 65,000 bricks). Located at 527 Louise Avenue, it ceased to be Brandon Collegiate Institute (BCI) in the summer of 1974. It was renamed New Era School on the recommendation of Marion Pye, who was a teacher at BCI in its last years. The name "New Era" was also the name of the BCI yearbook.
Custodial History
Sent to Fred McGuinness from Martin Kavanagh of Brandon.
Scope and Content
Photograph is an outdoor class picture of Brandon Collegiate Institute students standing on the front steps of the school.
Notes
History/bio information obtained from Lawrence Stuckey descriptions and the Manitoba Historical Society website. The negative for this photograph can be found in McG 1.2 File 19.
Given to Fred McGuinness by Stewart Tait (1912-1988) of Brandon.
Scope and Content
Photograph is an outdoor class picture of young students standing on the front steps of what appears to be Park School.
Notes
Mr. Tait provided Fred McGuinness with a photocopy of the photograph (see McG 1.2, file 19) on which he identified a number of students in his class, including: first/front row - Miss Fleming (fourth from right); second row - Stan Fraser (first from left), Stewart Tait (second on left), Mrs. Ron Relf (nee Stock?) (fourth on left); third row - Ed Bolton (fourth from left), G. Cranston (fifth from left), Ed McGill (offset, above G. Cranston), Mary McGregor, daughter of C.C. McGregor (third from right)
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard is an outdoor class photograph of the 1909-1910 Central School Grade 8 class. The girls are wearing dresses and the boys suits and ties. School principal, Bedford A. Tingley, lays in front of the class.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VIII, Teacher, B.A. Tingely [sic.], Allena Coombs
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class picture of the 1908-1909 Central School Grade 7 class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and bows in their hair. The boys are wearing suits and ties. Teacher Naomi Moore stands to the right of the class.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VII, Teacher, Naomi Moore, Allena Coombs, 1908-1909.
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class photograph of the 1907-1908 Central School Grade 6 class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and the boys are wearing suits and ties.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VI, Allena Coombs, 1907-1908.
Postcard has two thumb tack holes in its corners, bottom left corner is creased, face of one student is blotted out.
History / Biographical
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class photograph of the 1906-1907 Central School Grade 5? class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and boots. Most of the boys are wearing suits and ties.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Allena Coombs, 1906-1907. All the students' names are listed. The class teacher is identified as Miss [Nettie?] Harrison.
Postcard has graphite smudge on the top right corner of image
History / Biographical
Wheat City Business College was established in 1904, when J.W. Beveridge and F.E. Werry resigned from the Commercial Department of Brandon College to establish the Wheat City Business College. It was located originally on the top floor of the Commercial Building at 143-10th Street, owned by Hughes and Co. Wheat City Business College continued to operate until the later 1960s. In 1911, the Henderson's Brandon City Directory lists the following teachers on staff: Mamie J. Macdougall, John B. Sample, John H. Snyder, Nettie M. Werry, and F.A. Wood (principal).
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts the 1911 class of the Wheat City Business College. Students include: O. Mutrie, E. Mailey, J.W. Belcher, S. Downey, H.R. Dustan, G. Greaves, D. Burden, C.J. Howey, M. Madder, A. Mills, E. Ballantyne, E. Lang, A. Binnie, L. Trent, M. Clark, E. Robertson, T. Ortenburg, A. Barnes, W.B. Grainger, V. Sanderson, H. Smith, E. Horror, M. Deacon, J. Smith, S. Gardiner, C.D. McMillan, N. Barss, E.J. Scott, M. McEwen, A. Scott, W. Naser, J. Cope, M. Trotman, J. Jackson, M. Gurr, P. McChesney, A.H. Andrews, M. Agnew, R.N. Truman, L. Cameron, T.C. Taylor, G. McClement, A. Armour, M. Drake, D. Chambers, M. Bourke, W.M. McGregor, Miss. McIlmoyle, J. Tendeck, G. McChesney, J.B. Stephens, O. Thornborough, A. Connor, H. Teale, E. Karr, P. Borland, J. Middleton, M. McIlmoyle, F.A. Wood, Principal D. Chambers, M.I. McGregor, B. McDougall, M. Maxwell, W. Crane, M. Vandeau, A. Lee, A. Hargreaves, H. Gimby, J. English, A. Coombes, H.J. McAnerin, M.C. Green, A.M. McGuinness, A.E. Shingfield, R. Blanshard, C. Goldstone, R. Heyden, Q. Oliver, N. Sterling, E. Cohen, V.E. Potter, H. Bellamy, Miss Pattison, Miss N. Werry, Miss. McQuarrie, J.H. Snyder, Miss M. MacDougall, Mr. J.S. Sample, Miss Lowry, A. Standal, G. Kennedy, C. Stojanosski, J. Elliott, M. Stnartk, R. Rewand, J. Mcneill, A. Kirchner, E. Green, E. Barnett, C.H. Howey, W. Main, M. Trew, M. Livingstone, B. Donaldson, A. Miller, J. Irwin, P. Brooks, R. Frank, S.A. Brown, B. Isman, M. Spearin, S. Thorsteinson, Miss Watson, J.A. McDonald, E. Zachary,S. Baglole, C. O'Brien, M. Thompson, F. Bockus, J. Hudama, E. Thompson, F. Shanks, M. Morrison, E. Cookman, ?.S. Wedderburn, E. Robinovitch, M. Maskew, C.A. Sharpe, M. Dack, M. Cossar, L. Grassie, I. Porteous, L. Markell, G. Burden, O. Paget, L. Cunningham, H.P. Hilton, F. Neilly, M.C. Feedman, E.F. Dixon
Notes
Back of postcard reads: A HAPPY XMAS./ and A very propersous / NEW YEAR / F.A. Wood [Principal of the Wheat City Business College]. Postcard is addressed to Miss Allena Coombs, Box 628, City, and has a cancelled one cent green King George stamp postmarked December 23, 1911, Brandon, Man.
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.
William "Billy" Muir came to Brandon in 1881 where he worked at the Coombs & Stewart general store. He became the proprietor of Brandon's first grocery store located on 138-6th Street. The building was demolished in 1952 (see Brandon Daily Sun 04 September 1952). According to correspondence in the McGuinness collection (see McG 1.2 File 22), Dr. Matheson brought the first car to Brandon, which he later sold to Muir. A note in McGuinness' papers (see McG 1.2 File 53) identifies the first motor car as a Hupmobile, which was purported to have arrived in Brandon in 1905. The Hupp Motor Car Company, however, is reported to have manufactured Hupmobiles between 1909 and 1940. Mrs. (Jessie) R.M. Coombs was Allena Strath's (nee Coombs) mother.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard shows a woman, identified as Mrs. (Jessie) Robert M. Coombs, seated behind the wheel of a motor car.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Mother Mrs. R. [Robert] M. Coombs in Billy Muir's car, Brandon around 1908
The International Peace Garden is situated on the international border between Manitoba and North Dakota, adjacent to the Canadian Border Services Boissevain port of entry and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency's Dunseith port of entry. The dedication for the International Peace Garden was held on July 14, 1932. It was estimated that 50,000 people were in attendance on opening day. The park is 9.5-square kilometers or 3.54-square miles.
Custodial History
Pictures were sent to Fred McGuinness in 1970 from E.M. Bergson of Brandon.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the crowded parking lot at the International Peace Garden's 1932 dedication ceremony. People mill amongst the automobiles and tents can be seen in the background.
Notes
The back of the photograph is stamped: Enameloid Velox Print by the Jul 27 1932, Chicago Postal Photo Supplies, Regina, Sask.
According to Russ Gourluck (Silver Screens on the Prairie, Winnipeg: Great Plains Publications, 2012, 26), the Orpheum Theatre was in operation from 1917 to 1920 when it then became the Willis Theatre.
Scope and Content
Postcard shows the 100 block of 10th Street facing north. The CPR train station can be seen at the end of 10th Street. The sign for the Rex Cafe is visible on the west side of 10th Street. On the east side of 10th Street, billboards for Campbell & Campbell furniture are visible as well as signs for Pianos and the Orpheum Theatre. Motorists and cyclists share the road. Street car tracks run the length of 10th Street.
Notes
Postcard was manufactured by T.B. [Tichnor Brothers, Inc., 1908-1987] Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Photograph exfoliated on edges where masking tape has been removed.
History / Biographical
In 1912, the Brandon Daily Sun (30 September 1912) published an article about the 7th Annual Meeting of the Manitoba Association of Architects that was held at the Prince Edward Hotel on September 28. It was the first time that the association held an annual meeting outside of Winnipeg. Local architect W.A. Elliott was elected first vice president of the assocation. As part of the meeting's entertainment, the Brandon Automobile Club provided excursions around the city, making special stops at the fair grounds, industrial school, new asylum buildings, and the experimental farm.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of gentlemen wearing overcoats and hats posing with a motor car parked in front of the Prince Edward Hotel. A Brandon pennant is attached to the windshield of the vehicle. The large man standing second from the right wearing a light top hat and coat is architect W.A. Elliott.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Return to Brandon Sun, F.V. Haney and T.W. Willey, September 14, 1912.
Photograph shows a street view of 10th Street facing north. There are many automobiles parked along the street and several pedestrians in summer dress are on the sidewalks and street. Visible business signs include: Hentzman & Co. Pianos (possibly belonging to J.J.H. McLean Co. Ltd.), the Strand Theatre, T & D Clothes, Campbell & Campbell, the CPR Station, and Bowling Alley and Billiards.
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: 10th St., looking north (C.P.R. Station at end of Street) Brandon, Man.
Photograph shows the 700-block of Rosser Avenue facing west. Visible businesses on the north side of Rosser Avenue include: Burchill's Music Store, E.W. Woolworth Co. Ltd. 5-10 and 15 Cent Store in the E.E. Evans Block, Empire Hotel, and W.A. Paterson Drugs. Automobiles are parked on both sides of the avenue and at the time the photograph was taken, Rosser Avenue was a two-way 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: Rosser St. [sic.] - Brandon, Man.
Photograph given to Fred McGuinness by Helen Turner
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a man - George Porterfield - and woman - Mary Porterfield - posing with a vehicle on a farm property.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Taken in the Summer at one of the neighbour homes George & myself. Note attached to the back of the photograph reads: George & Mary got married on June 6th 1923 and lived on the farm. This is their first car.