In November 1966, McGuinness was hired as vice-president to the Brandon Sun. He moved to Brandon with his family and had a career with the paper until his death in 2011. During his years with the Sun, McGuinness wrote a tri-weekly “Sunbeams” (sometimes spelled “Sun Beams”) column using the nom-de-plume F.A. [Fifth And] Rosser. Sunbeams was similar to McGuinness’ “Lighthouse” column for The Medicine Hat News; commenting on a variety of current events, Sunbeams also included book reviews, local events, and reminiscences.
Upon his retirement in January 1987, McGuinness was made publisher emeritus of the Brandon Sun. A week after his retirement, he began writing a new column for the Sun, called the “Diary.” Initially a bi-weekly column, which was made into a weekly column in 2009, McGuinness continued writing the “Diary” until his hospitalization in 2010. The Diary column was primarily a historical retrospective of Brandon, although it also touched on broader topics of interest to McGuinness during the time period.
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 with the Brandon Sun. The records consist of scrapbooks of Sunbeams columns, Sunbeam drafts, Diary drafts, article proofs, column research, and correspondence.
Notes
Readers’ correspondence pertaining to McGuinness’ time with the Brandon Sun can be found in Fred McGuinness’ personal papers, subseries McG 1.2 Correspondence. Possible research for his Sunbeam and Diary columns may be found in McG 4.1 Local history research and McG 2.3 Neighborly News (File 3)
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
These records were produced between 1987 and 1988, the researching and writing period for The Wheat City: A Pictorial History of Brandon monograph. Published in 1988 by Western Producer Books (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), The Wheat City is a 117-page soft cover book, containing black and white images.
Western Producer Books pitched the book’s concept to Fred McGuinness in the fall of 1987. This book was part of the publisher’s “city series” which focused on smaller cities such as Medicine Hat and Prince Albert. It was estimated that the book would contain a 6,000-word introduction followed by approximately 80 archival photographs of Brandon spanning from early settlement to the late 1950s/early 1960s.
Brandon University history major Pam Svistovski worked as McGuinness’ research assistant and McGuinness obtained images for the book from his own personal collection, the Brandon Sun, Lawrence Stuckey, the Archives of Manitoba, and the Western Pictorial Index.
Custodial History
Records were collected and created by McGuinness during the writing phase of the monograph The Wheat City. 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 and photographs created and collected during the production of the monograph The Wheat City. It includes correspondence, newspapers articles, drafts and black and white photographs from the Archives of Manitoba, Western Canada Pictorial Index, and Illustrated Souvenir of Brandon.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was obtained from The Wheat City’s acknowledgements and a letter to Mr. Fred McGuinness from Western Producer Books, dated September 24, 1987 (McG 5.6, File 11)
Where known, archival reference numbers for photographs obtained from the Archives of Manitoba and the Western Canada Pictorial Index and considered/used in The Wheat City have been provided in the item level description
Accruals
Closed
Repro Restriction
Images published in the monograph and stored in files copyright protected by their respective organizations
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Clarence Hopkin collection
Lawrence Stuckey collection
Jack Stothard collection
Fred McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a number of forums. Therefore, it is possible research materials pertaining to this monograph may be found in the Fred McGuinness collection subseries: Correspondence (McG 1.2), Brandon Sun (McG 2.2) Miscellaneous freelance (McG 3.2), Local history research (McG 4.1), Manitoba: The Province & The People (McG 5.4), and Manitoba Enterprise (McG 5.5)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to picture sources
Foxing on matting and photograph, primarily along edges of photograph
Custodial History
Mona McKinnon (nee Corkish) gave photograph to Colleen McGuinness who, in turn, gave it to her father, Fred McGuinness in 2007.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Mrs. Scott's residence in Kemnay, Manitoba. Members of the family along with two horse-drawn buggies are clearly visible along the front of the house. A possbile church appears to the right of the house in the background.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Margaret Brown Scott, Mother in law to, Frank McGee Sr.
Photograph shows the Brandon Hardware Company Ltd. storefront at 641 Rosser Avenue on the corner of 7th Street. A billboard advertisement for Stephen's Pure Paints is on the 7th Street side of the building. A company delivery truck is parked on the street. Two men appear to be window shopping on the avenue side of the store.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
Scope and Content
Photograph shows parade floats travelling on 100 block of 8th Street (Brandon). Horse-drawn floats appear to belong to the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, Murdock/Murdoch Brothers (furniture dealers), and F.W. Durst (cement contractor). Businesses visible in the background include the Sylvester Brothers Manufacturing Company and McDiarmid and Clarke lumber and fuel yard. Spectators in the foreground are leaning on a wooden fence likely belonging to the Old City Hall.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 315 July 1906. Two photographs (20-2009.7, 20-2009.6) are glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. Horse and buggies are travelling on the avenue and pedestrians fill the sidewalks. Union Jacks and English flags are mounted from the windows on the Fleming and Beaubier blocks. Flag banners are drapped across Rosser Avenue. Businesses visible in the Fleming Block include: Lowes Brothers Clothing and Spring Park Nurseries. Businesses visible in the Beaubier Block include the Empire Hotel. Businesses east of the Empire Hotel are grocer A.M. Percival and the Brandon Hardware Company. An advertisement for the Northern Bank is affixed to a telephone pole on the southside of the street.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: July 1 1906, 314. One photograph (20-2009.8) is glued below and another, 20-2009.6, is glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. Horse and buggies are travelling on the avenue and pedestrians fill the sidewalks. Union Jacks and English flags are mounted from the windows on the Fleming and Beaubier blocks. Flag banners are drapped across Rosser Avenue. Businesses visible in the Fleming Block include: Lowes Brothers Clothing and Spring Park Nurseries. Businesses visible in the Beaubier Block include the Empire Hotel. Businesses east of the Empire Hotel are grocer A.M. Percival and the Brandon Hardware Company. An advertisement for the Northern Bank is affixed to a telephone pole on the southside of the street. The street is lined with litter and a number of dogs can be seen roaming the area.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 313 July 1906. One photograph (20-2009.8) is glued below and another, 20-2009.6, is glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
Photograph of possible Dakota from Sioux Valley in Brandon for the summer fair.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. Businesses visible in the Fleming Block include: Lowes Brothers Clothing, Robert Hall [Insurance Broker], Manitoba Farmers Hedge and Wire Fence Company. Businesses visible in the Beaubier Block include the Empire Hotel. Businesses east of the Empire Hotel are grocer A.M. Percival and the Brandon Hardware Company. A number of Aboriginal peoples are driving horse and buggies west along Rosser Avenue as spectators look on.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 294 July 1906. One photograph (20-2009.10) is glued below and two others are glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
Photograph of possible Dakota from Sioux Valley in Brandon for the summer fair.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. Businesses visible in the Fleming Block include: Lowes Brothers Clothing, Robert Hall [Insurance Broker], Manitoba Farmers Hedge and Wire Fence Company. Businesses visible in the Beaubier Block include the Empire Hotel. Businesses east of the Empire Hotel are grocer A.M. Percival and the Brandon Hardware Company. A number of Aboriginal peoples are travelling on horseback west along Rosser Avenue as spectators look on.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 293. One photograph (20-2009.9) is glued above and two others are glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photograph is scratched and has been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of intersection of the 000 block of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue. Horse and buggies are travelling on both roads. 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, and Fleming's Drug Store. A possible street fair is in progress on Rosser Avenue. One man is surrounded by a crowd adjacent to the Fleming Block, another man stands on a soap box in the middle of the intersection, while a third man is standing behind a booth. Building construction appears to be happening on the west corner of 7th Street and Rosser Avenue.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 296. One photograph (20-2009.12) is glued above and two others are glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
History / Biographical
Photograph of possible Dakota from Sioux Valley in Brandon for the summer fair.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. Businesses visible in the Fleming Block include: Lowes Brothers Clothing, Robert Hall [Insurance Broker], Manitoba Farmers Hedge and Wire Fence Company. Businesses visible in the Beaubier Block include the Empire Hotel. Businesses east of the Empire Hotel are grocer A.M. Percival and the Brandon Hardware Company. A number of Aboriginal peoples are driving horse and carriages west along Rosser Avenue as spectators look on.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: 295 July 1906. One photograph (20-2009.11) is glued above and two others are glued on the reverse side. Page appears to be from a photo album.
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.
Photographs have been glued to a backing board that has warped over time
Scope and Content
Photograph shows street view of north side of Rosser Avenue, primarily the 700 block. The Fleming Block, Beaubier Block and its Empire Hotel, A.M. Percival (a grocer), the Brandon Hardware Company (600 block), and the Arlington Hotel (500 block) are visible along the north side of the avenue. The Bank of Hamilton Building on the southeast corner of 8th Street and Rosser appears to be under construction. A sign in the second storey window above the main entrance reads: law office. The streets are muddy and a horse and buggy is traveling west on Rosser Avenue.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: mud November 12, 1906, 339. The photograph appears to be taken from the interior of a builing on the southwest corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue. Page appears to be from a photo album.
Photograph was in possession of Mrs. Ruby Miles, who passed the image on to Fred McGuinness. McGuinness makes reference to Mrs. Miles and this photograph in his Sunbeams column (Brandon Sun 14 September 1978).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a horse drawn wagon advertising Cowan's Cocoa. The Gilmore Advertising Company of Toronto appears to be responsible for the ad and the wagon is numbered "No.4". Three men appear in the photograph: one behind the reigns, one in the rear seat of the wagon, and other standing at the rear axel.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph matting reads: Pringle & Booth, 181 George Street, Toronto. Writing on the back of the photograph matting reads: Mrs. R. Miles, R.J. Brdgdon?, Right Side 2.50 a day.
Date obtained from http://photographersofontario.ca
Photograph shows members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Brandon City Lodge No.6 parading down a street, possibly Portage Avenue in Winnipeg. Spectators line the street. Visible storefronts include: Central Barber Shop, The Royal Bank of Canada, and Liggetts Drug Store.
Notes
Back of photograph is stamped: The Star Photo Studio, 490 Main Street, Winnipeg, Sep 23, 1931
Photograph shows the midway at the 1913 Dominion Fair. Attractions include California Orange Juice stand and Patterson's Animal Trainer Show. The Dominion Exhibition Display Building II can be seen in the background.
Notes
Photograph appears to be a part of a sequence of photographs, see 20-2009.30 to 20-2009.40
Mrs. McVicar was Brandon's/Grand Valley's first postmistress. Biographical details about Mrs. McVicar can be found in a newspaper clipping [F.A. ROSSER, “Sunbeams – The Birds Dived Down Like Fighters on Gopher,” Brandon Sun, September 16, 1978, 3] in McG 4.1 File 67.
Custodial History
Photograph was brought to Fred McGuinness by Owen Anderson of Cypress River, Manitoba.
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of Mrs. McVicar sitting outside of her home in Texas.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph consists of greetings and salutations to the unknown recipients. Photograph "finished by Edrington's Studio, Weslaco, Texas."
