9.46 m textual records; 1919 photographs & graphics
History / Biographical
Brandon, Manitoba was incorporated as a city in 1881. In 1882, led by Charles Whitehead and a small Board of Directors that included J.W. Vantassel, Charles Pilling, George Halse, J.E. Smith, William Johnson, R.T. Evans, and Thomas Lockhart, it was decided to hold an agricultural exhibition. These men were all involved in the farm business in one way or another, and they wanted an opportunity to help residents realize the agricultural potential of the region. In October of that year, the fledgling community held its first agricultural exhibition . The fair was held in downtown Brandon at what was known as “Market Square.” Market Square was two acres of land located on Princess Avenue between Eighth and Ninth Streets. Due to poor weather, and the fact that not many people were ready to show animals and grain, there was a relatively small turnout. The following year was much improved. There were 730 entries into the exhibition. By 1884, the Board of Directors of the Brandon Agricultural Society, which was in charge of the exhibition, realized that they were in poor financial shape, to the point of being personally out of pocket. It was realized that October was not the best time for farmers to be leaving their farms to go to an exhibition. In 1888, it was decided to move the exhibition to the summer time, when it was much easier for people to attend.
The first Brandon Summer Fair was held in July 1889, and it was a resounding success. The Board of Directors had added many items of interest to appeal to the entire public, not just agricultural people. In 1892, the Western Agricultural and Arts Association (WAAA) was formally established to take over duties from the Brandon Agricultural Society. However, it was not until 1897 that the WAAA held its first meeting. There is no explanation as to why there is a five year gap between the formation and the first meeting of this organization. 1897 was the turning point of the Brandon Exhibition. The fair was now firmly established in Brandon, and the Board of Directors was instrumental in ensuring that it remained so. This was done by petitioning to both the municipal and provincial governments for grant money. As well, the Board booked midway and grandstand acts that would bring the city dwellers to the agricultural exhibition.
There were also early attempts at holding an agricultural exhibition in the winter. The first such attempt was in 1884. There was also a Spring Stallion show held in 1891. By 1904, however, a petition by J.D. McGregor had gone out to formally establish a winter exhibition. This effort also failed, but by 1906, it was decided by businessmen, politicians, and farm representatives in Brandon, including McGregor, to organize a winter fair. Rather than seeing this new fair as competition, the Board of Directors of the summer fair felt that it would complement their exhibition. The new fair would remain primarily agricultural. The first winter fair was held in 1906. While the two fairs were not amalgamated, they did share the same secretary-manager. The secretary-manager was responsible for the day to day management of the fair, as well as keeping track of meetings and decisions reached by the various fair boards and committees. In 1907, the Brandon Winter Fair and Livestock Association (BWFLA) was formed to act primarily as a land-holding joint stock company. The following year the Provincial Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (PWFFSA), an entirely separate organization from the BWFLA, was formed to manage the activities of the winter fair. The PWFFSA name was soon changed to the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (MWFFSA).
By 1906, Brandon could boast two full size exhibitions, one in the summer and one in the late winter, both of which were considered to be premiere events. In 1908, the Brandon summer fair was renamed the Inter-Provincial Exhibition, and in 1912 it held it’s first Traveller’s Day, an event which would soon become an important addition to the fair and is still in existence today. It is thought that the name “Traveller’s Day” came from the fact that it was held on a Saturday, a day when many people could travel to Brandon for the exhibition.
In 1913, Brandon was bestowed with the honour of hosting the Dominion Exhibition. This was a national exhibition sponsored by the federal government. It was held in a different city every year. There were several cities vying for the 1913 Dominion Exhibition, but it was Brandon that impressed the sponsors the most. With the government funds received for this honour, the Board of Directors supervised the building of a new grandstand, display buildings, and racetrack, as well as the general expansion and improvements to the fairgrounds.
In the spring of 1912, it was decided by the Board of Directors of the winter fair that the facilities they were currently housed in were inadequate for their needs. The mayor and city clerk of Brandon went to the provincial legislature in order to request that there be an amendment added to the Brandon city charter. This amendment would allow the city to guarantee bonds issued by the winter fair board to help pay for the construction of a new facility. This request was granted, and a $70 000 addition was built next to the original winter fair building. The new building was opened in 1913.
Throughout the First World War, both the winter fair and Provincial Exhibition buildings were used for the war effort. There was one distinct difference however. The summer fair Board was able to negotiate a deal with the army that enabled it to reclaim the fair buildings during fair week. The winter fair, however, had to give up the idea of holding fairs in 1915 and 1916. It was not until 1917, that the winter fair was able to resume.
During this time, due to the financial problems that had beset the winter fair, the two exhibitions considered amalgamation. The Board of Directors of the winter fair felt that because they were the smaller of the two fairs, their interests would be swallowed up by the summer fair. The winter fair withdrew from the negotiations to amalgamate. With this rather sudden turn of events, the Board of Directors of the summer fair petitioned the government to be allowed to incorporate. This was granted, and in 1920, the WAAA was incorporated as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. From 1920, the summer fair was officially known as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. This was the first time that the summer fair was incorporated, and received the “status and financial assistance” that came with incorporation.
More problems beset the winter fair in the 1920s. In 1920, a fire burned down the winter fair pavilion, located at the south end of the winter fair buildings, and caused the Board to cancel the 1921 winter fair. It was not until 1922, that a new building was completed. By 1929, both fairs were well regarded throughout Canada. In 1929, a decade long Depression hit the west. While many fairs closed during this time, Brandon struggled to keep its open. The Directors of both fairs felt that the agricultural shows “encouraged excellence at a time when faith and enthusiasm were at a low ebb.” The summer fair proved to be quite successful during the Depression, likely as a result of the few moments one was able to forget one’s troubles while there. The winter fair was not quite as successful, although both fairs received government grants and work relief projects. There was little new entertainment in these exhibitions.
There were changes about to manifest themselves at the summer fair, however. While the winter fair had representatives from various associations on its Board of Directors, the summer fair Board of Directors was a small close-knit group of men. Citizens saw entry into this elite group as elusive and difficult. To ward off the possibility of the Board becoming a “self-sustaining clique,” that only chose Directors from within, it was decided by several citizens to try and elect some new blood into the fair Board. In 1933, there was a general election for the Board. Instead of the usual men shuffling positions, there were forty-four nominations for the twenty positions. When the voting was all over, seven new men sat on the Board. Despite some inner rumblings, especially on the summer fair Board over the next few years, both exhibitions survived the Depression.
During the Second World War the fairs once again were forced to operate under adversity. Once again, the buildings were requisitioned for the army, although they were released during fair week. The summer fair was forced to make several concessions, and the winter fair was relocated to the summer fair grounds for the duration.
The winter fair did not survive the Second World War intact. Due to financial reasons, in December of 1945, the Board of Directors turned the winter fair buildings over to the City of Brandon. By 1946, the BWFLA, which was the joint-stock land holding company, had ceased operations because the city now controlled the winter fair land and buildings.
The next fifteen years would be a time of rebuilding for both of Brandon’s exhibitions. Children especially were more active participants in the agricultural exhibitions. The summer fair continued to diversify and look for new ways of entertaining the public at large. The winter fair remained primarily agricultural. By the end of the 1950s the winter fair, which was used to struggling, was now both successful and stable; and the summer fair, a perennial success, was starting to fade.
By 1969, both the winter and summer fair Boards had realized that amalgamation was the best possible decision, both practically and financially, for the future of the two fairs. On 29 October, 1969, the two exhibitions amalgamated to become the Manitoba Exhibition Association. The reconstituted Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba was now responsible for both the winter and summer fairs. A new building was erected on the summer fair grounds to house both of the exhibitions. On 2 April 1973, the Keystone Centre was officially opened at the winter fair, although it had been in use since October of the preceding year.
In 1970, Manitoba’s Centennial, it was decided that an organization in Manitoba would receive the title of “Royal,” as a way to celebrate the centennial. Although many organizations applied for the honour, it was the Brandon winter fair that received the accolades. The winter fair was bestowed with the title “Royal”, and became known as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
In 1975, a third exhibition was added, this time a purely agricultural fall show known as the Agricultural Exhibition, or AgEx. This fair was partly organized on behalf of the cattle growers, who found that the summer and winter fairs did not give them adequate time and space to properly show their cattle. The return to a fall show, which had not existed since 1888, would be the return to a purely agricultural exhibition. This show was to be primarily a show and sale event. On 3 November 1975, the first AgEx was opened to resounding success.
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and AgEx are all still in existence in Brandon. They are regarded as three of the most important events to take place annually in the city.
Custodial History
These files were housed with the Manitoba Exhibition Association until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of textual records and photographs comprised of the records from the three annual exhibitions that are held in Brandon, Manitoba: the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and the Agricultural Exhibition (Ag-Ex). The textual records include prize lists, programs, minutes, financial, administrative files, original results, scrapbooks, tickets, news releases, contracts, by laws, documents as well as a miscellaneous section. There are approximately 1846 photographs that include scenes from these three exhibitions. These records provide a unique perspective on the development of agriculture and rural life in southwestern Manitoba. Fairs such as these have been and remain prime media of farm improvement, technological and scientific advancement in rural Canada, and the promoters of country living. These fairs also reflected the long tradition inherited from Britain and Europe of country fairs as centers of entertainment, social interchange and diversion. These records are a principal source of information about the most broadly based vocational, entertainment and social events held on an annual basis in southwestern Manitoba over the last century. The records are vital to academic research on agriculture or fairs, individual biography, or community history.
Notes
The RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association finding aid was created by Karyn (Riedel) Taylor with the exception of Series 9 and the accompanying database, which were created by Donica Belisle. This finding aid was created in August 1999.
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Finding Aid
Available
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
Storage Range
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
Related Material
Additional records regarding the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and AgEx are housed at the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association offices. To gain access to these records, it is necessary to contact the general manager of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association.
Arrangement
The fonds is divided into sous-fonds by exhibition. There is a Provincial Exhibition sous-fonds, a Royal Manitoba Winter Fair sous-fonds, an Ag-Ex sous-fonds, and a Miscellaneous sous-fonds that holds information that could not be easily broken down into one exhibition. The arrangement is as follows:
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba fonds
RG2SF1 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
1.1 Documents
1.2 Minutes
1.3 Financial Records
1.4 Administrative Files
1.5 Prize Lists and Programs
1.6 News Releases
1.7 Original Results
1.8 Tickets
1.9 Photographs
1.10 Scrapbooks
1.11 Miscellaneous
RG2SF2 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair
2.1 Documents
2.2 Minutes
2.3 Financial Records
2.4 Administrative Files
2.5 Prize Lists and Programs
2.6 News Releases
2.7 Original Results
2.8 Tickets
2.9 Photographs
2.10 Scrapbooks
2.11 Miscellaneous
RG2SF3 AgEx
3.4 Administrative Files
3.5 Prize Lists and Programs
3.6 News Releases
3.7 Original Results
3.9 Photographs
RG2SF4 Miscellaneous
4.1 Documents
4.2 Minutes
4.3 Financial Records
4.4 Administrative Files
4.9 Photographs
4.10 Scrapbooks
4.11 Miscellaneous
2.4 m textual records; c. 5 photographs; 1 minute book (measuring 1"x 9"x 14")
History / Biographical
The Brandon Trades and Labour Council was established in 1906, as an affiliate of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada. The original Council contained thirteen locals, including those of railway workers, sheet metal workers, plumbers and steam fitters, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, cigar makers, printers, and barbers. By 1912, the Council contained twenty four locals. The Council's principal function was to advance the corporate interests of labour within the framework of a largely unregulated capitalism. After 1955, the Council was affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress, which was created through a merger of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada and the Canadian Congress of Labour.
Custodial History
Fonds remained in possession of Brandon and District Labour Council prior to donation to the S.J. McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of financial and administrative records of the Brandon and District Labour Council. Records also include collective agreements, correspondence, publications of the Labour Council and affiliated unions, some union local minutes, newspaper clippings, petitions, and various miscellaneous files. Fonds also includes a minute book for the Council (1971-1985) and two union charters.
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.
The forerunner of Manitoba Pool Elevators (MPE), the Manitoba Wheat Pool was created in 1924 as a mechanism to allow for the co-operative marketing of wheat by Manitoba producers by the United Farmers of Manitoba. The Manitoba Wheat Pool was initially intended to be a provisional organization until the establishment of an interprovincial Pool, but when Alberta and Saskatchewan established their own permanent Pools the United Farmers decided to do the same. The Manitoba Pool was different from the SK and AB Pools in that the municipality was the primary unit of organization; members belonged to their municipal Pool associations first, rather than having direct membership with the central Manitoba Wheat Pool. Manitoba Pool Elevators was established in 1925 as a subsidiary of the Pool in response to local members complaints about the unfair business practices of privately owned elevators. The private elevators also slowed up the shipment of grain to the Central Selling Agency employed by the Wheat Pool, acting as a barrier between the local Pools and the Manitoba Wheat Pool. Once established MPE quickly began to build new elevators and aquire privately owned elevators.
MPE's approach to marketing grain promised to stabilize the market price of grain and ensure a fair market price to producers. Initially the Manitoba Wheat Pool was very successful. However, in 1930, the Manitoba Wheat Pool found itself burdened with an unsold surplus from the preceding year that had been bought from the farmers at a price that was significantly higher than any possible return during the Depression. As a result, in 1931 the Manitoba Wheat Pool's Central Selling Agency defaulted on its bank loans. Despite attempts to save the organization, it was forced to declare bankruptcy in November 1932. The financial difficulties of the Wheat Pool had little to no effect on the Pool Elevators, and so this former subsidiary organization became the main Manitoba Pool organization. This change meant MPE had to reorganize, which they were able to do with funds from the provincial government. The company was successful enough in subsequent years that it was able to finish repaying the Manitoba government a full year early in 1949.
MPE did not limit itself to grain handling; they wished to enrich the lives of rural families through education and to provide economic stability through diversification.
MPE established a lending reference library for members and a traveling library for rural families in 1926. With the passing of the Public Libraries Act in 1948, the province took over responsibility for providing rural families with books. MPE decided that since their traveling library would no longer be needed when rural libraries were established, the best course of action was to donate their library to the Provincial government. They also established and supported programs that educated young people about agriculture and ag business.
Subsidiary companies that dealt with course grains, livestock, packing and fertilizer were established by MPE to streamline and stabilize business for its members.
1961 marked the high water mark for the number of local associations within Manitoba Pool Elevators with 225 local associations. After this date the associations began to amalgamate and consolidate. Improvements in rural roads and rail systems and increases in the size of farms and mechanization of farm labour meant that fewer elevators were needed to service all members and regions. These changes led to an organizational restructuring of Manitoba Pool Elevators in 1968. Membership became direct, and the main unit of organization became the central office. The central office administrated the Pool through districts, which were further subdivided into sub-districts. The locals which were formally the main organizational unit came under the immediate direction of the sub-district they were located in. Local association could opt out of this system if they wished, but by 1975 all but 29 associations had become part of the new structure.
In 1998 Manitoba Pool Elevators merged with the Alberta Wheat Pool to form Agricore Co-operative, Ltd. In 2001 this organization merged with the United Grain Growers to become Agricore United, and in 2007 AU was taken over by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; the new company is currently known as Viterra.
Custodial History
The bulk of this fonds was accessioned in 1975, when the forerunner to the McKee Archives at Brandon University, the Rural Resource Center, was founded. The original mandate of the Rural Resource Center was to house the records of the Manitoba Pool Elevators. Previous to this, most of the fonds was stored at MPE's head office in Winnipeg. Many accruals to this collection have since taken place, with some of the larger ones being received in 1997, 2001, and 2002.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains records dealing with every aspect of the Manitoba Pool Elevators organization, from the events leading to its formation in the 1920's, to its amalgamation as part of Agricore beginning in the late 1990's.
Fonds includes records of the local co-operative elevator associations established in the period 1925 - 1968 under the Co-operative Associations Act including: organizational papers; minutes of executive boards; minutes of shareholders annual meetings; financial statements; correspondence; membership lists; and miscellaneous documents.
Also to be found are: documents related to the Royal Commission re the Manitoba Pool Elevators Limited ca. 1931; miscellaneous reports and submissions documents (1925 -1952); central office papers consisting of annual reports, circulars to local co-operative elevator associations and documents related to various other activities of the Manitoba Pool Elevators organization. Fonds also contains documents pertaining to the Manitoba Co-operative Poultry Marketing Association Limited and its successor, the Manitoba Dairy and Poultry Co-operative Limited, and related agencies.
Other items in the fonds (dating from the 1890's to 2001) include: books acquired for the Manitoba Pool Elevator Library, including a complete run of both the Scoop Shovel (MPE's first newspaper)and the Manitoba Cooperator; photographs; slides; audiotapes; and reel-to-reel videos.
Finally, the fonds contains a small number of miscellaneous items such as banners, and company issued briefcases.
This fonds is organized into four series, (A) Local Association records, (B) Central Office Records, (C) Subsidiary Companies and Co-operatives, (D) Commissions, Committees and Inquiries
Notes
Description by Mike White (2002), revised and enlarged by Jillian Sutherland (2009-2010).
History/Bio taken from F.W. Hamilton, "Service at Cost: A History of the Manitoba Pool Elevators 1925-1975" (Saskatoon: Modern Press) and from records within the fonds.
Preparation of this description made possible in part by a generous grant from the Brandon University Student's Union Work Study Program 2009.
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Finding Aid
File level inventory available for some boxes. The Pool Elevator library and publications are available online through the Brandon University Library catalogue.
4.2 m textual records; 5 cassette tapes; 2 cd roms, 110 photographs (colour and b/w) various sizes
History / Biographical
Errol Black was born on September 8, 1939 in Brandon, Manitoba. He was the son of Thomas Alexander Black, who immigrated to Canada from Limerick, Ireland in 1929, and Roberta Jean (nee Groat) Black, a native of Chatham, New Brunswick. Black attended King George Elementary, Earl Haig Junior High, Brandon Collegiate Institute for Grade 10, and completed high school through correspondence courses for Grandes 11 and 12. He left school in 1956 to work a variety of jobs in Brandon, Calgary and on the west coast. He spent a short time in the Royal Canadian Navy. Errol Black undertook post-secondary education at Brandon College (1963-1965, graduated with a B.A.), the University of Alberta (1965-1967, graduated 1973 with an M.A. in economics) and Warwick University (1975-1977). Black taught economics at Brandon University from 1970 until his retirement in 2002. Following retirement he was granted Professor Emeritus status in 2003.
Errol Black has published three books, as well as many articles and reports in leading academic journals. He has a longstanding interest in the history of organized labour and working-class politics in Brandon. These remain important themes in his research and writing. He served on the Executive of the Brandon University Faculty Association for many years, and was President of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations for two years. Black is also a member of the Brandon District Labour Council, a founding member of the Manitoba branch of the Canadian centre for Policy Alternatives, and a board member of the Brandon Regional Health Authority (2000-2006). He was elected to Brandon City Council in 1998, and for a second term in 2001. In 1999 he was the federal NDP candidate for Brandon-Souris.
Black married Margaret Millard from Waskada, MB in 1961, with whom he had three sons: Sean, Dennis and Tom.
Custodial History
Accession 17-1997 was originally owned by Jim Davis, brother to Communist activist Stanley Forkin. Taimi Davis, Jim Davis' wife, mailed the collection from her residence in Ontario to Errol Black in 1994. Professor Black donated the collection to the McKee Archives. Accession 02-2003 was donated to the Archives in November 2002 by Errol Black. Accession 15-2003 was donated to the Archives on April 30, 2003 by Errol Black. Accession 17-2003 was donated to the Archives on July 15, 2003 by Errol Black.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of a number of accessions. Accession 17-1997, dating from 1935-1936, consists of twelve of the thirteen issues of the "Unemployed Worker," published in Brandon in the 1930s. The "Unemployed Worker" was the organ of the Brandon Unemployed Workers' Council. This Council, like its counterparts in other communities, was created by Canadian Communist Party militants. The "Unemployed Worker" covered the activities of the Unemployed Workers' Council, the plight of Brandon's unemployed, efforts by the city's unemployed to improve their lives, and City Council decisions, specifically those regarding relief policy.
Accession 02-2003, dating 1917, 1936-1939, 1970-2002 (predominant 1970-2002), contains extensive correspondence from former Brandon University Economic Professor Don Wheeler to Errol Black. In addition, the accession contains an important body of correspondence received by Professor Black from Taimi Davis written by Pat Forkin and his wife Pheobe Forkin to family members in Canada during the years 1936-1939, while Pat was a Moscow based corespondent for the Canadian Communist Party Clarion. The accession also contains personal correspondence of Errol Black dating from ca. 1970, drafts of papers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets related to labour and labour political matters. Two publications of note include: "Labour in Brandon" published by the Brandon and District Labour Council and a student guide to labour law written by George MacDowell. The accession also contains several documents related to Black's involvement in the provincial Industrial Adjustment Committee.
Accession 15-2003, dating 1930-2002 (predominant 1930-1939; 1971-2002), contains extensive clippings from the Canadian Communist Party publications "The Worker" and the "Daily Clarion" from the years 1930-1939; twenty-one personal and family photographs (b/w 3x5) of the Forkin family of Brandon, many of whom were active in the Canadian Communist Party; various historical photographs (b/w 8x10) related to the history of labour in Brandon, Manitoba; personal files containing correspondence, letters and opinion pieces to various newspapers, course outlines, research materials and draft publications, arbitration awards and documents related to Black's involvement with the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations (MOFA).
Accession 17-2003, dating 1970-2002, contains correspondence, a manuscript of an autobiography written by Black's father Tom Black, research files, letters to the editor and draft publications by Errol Black.
Accession 3-2011, dating 1909-2010, contains an extensive record of newspaper clippings often of Professor Black's correspondence with the Brandon Sun from the early 1970s through to 2011. Clippings relate to civic issues, labour relations, social justice, economic questions. Documents (membership cards, cards of thanks, stamps) of various kinds, and photographs of Professor Black, family members, and various labour related events including parades and rallies, appear throughout these clippings. Collection includes miscellaneous files relating to the 75th Anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike including the Brandon Sympathetic Strike of 1919, the Brandon Greys Baseball team, the Assiniboine College BMHC lobby campaign, Brandon and Area Environmental Council, the Brandon East NDP Contituency Association. Editions (1925-31) of the Sons of England - Official Organ of the Sons of England Benefit Society - published in Oshawa, Ontario, and copies of documents related to the Commission of Inquiry (1928) into labour issues at the Brandon Mental Hospital are included.Collection also contains extensive correspondence associated with Professor Black's activities as a department member, scholar, and activist in the Department of Economics at Brandon University. Collection contains as well research materials related to the Brandon labour movement, strikes at A.E. Mckenzie Seed Company 1940s, cd roms containg research materials - clippings and images - for Labour Council Anniversary book ( 2006), and civic politics in Brandon. Records also contain research materials on various members of the Forkin family - in particular the Pat Forkin, Tom Forkin, and Stephen Forkin (aka Jim Davis) - who were active members of the Canadian Communist Party during their adult lives. A collection of family photographs and six tape cassettes containing accounts of the experiences of single unemployed men during the Great Depression and the funeral of Stephen Forkin ( Jim Davis) and correspondence from Taimi Davis the widow of Stephen Forkin (Jim Davis) supplement the sources on the Forkin family.
Notes
Photographs of Joe Forkin, Pat Forkin, Stan Forkin, Jim Davis and other members of the Forkin family are contained in Box 3 (15-2003) and Box 10 (3-2011).
Some restrictions. Consult the University Archivist for access.
Repro Restriction
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Storage Location
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.1 Errol Black
Related Material
MG 3 1.12 contains additional records related to George MacDowell; RG 6, Series 15 (BUFA) contains additional records on the Brandon University Faculty Association; RG 6, Series 7, Sub sub series 7.1.5 (Department of Economics) contains additional records related to the Department of Economics at Brandon University; RG 6, Series 7, Sub-series 7.1 (Dean of Arts) contains files on Don Wheeler and George MacDowell.
1.5 cm textual records; 25 photographs various sizes; 3 strips of negatives
Physical Condition
Very good
History / Biographical
William Robert Morrison was born January 26, 1942, in Hamilton, Ontario. He graduated from McMaster University with a B.A. (Hons. English and History) in 1963, and an M.A. (History) in 1964. He completed his Ph.D. in Canadian History at the University of Western Ontario in 1973.
From 1964-1965, Morrison was a secondary school teacher in London, Ontario and from 1968-1969, he was a historical researcher at the National Historic Sites Service in Ottawa. Morrison began his career at Brandon University in 1969. During his time there he taught in the History Department and was also a member of the Knowles-Douglas Commission (1986-1987), a member of the Brandon University Senate (six years), Chairman of the Scholarship Committee (three years), a member of the Senate Executive Committee (two years), Chairman of the Athletic Directorate (three years), a member of the Board Budget Committee (two years), the originator of the English Proficiency Test for Graduating Students, a member of various Arts Faculty Committees, a member of the BUFA Executive (three years) and Chairman of the Department of History (three years). In addition, Morrison also played in the Brandon University Wind Ensemble, was a member of the Executive of the Western Manitoba Science Fair (four years) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Manitoba Record Society (two years). Morrison resigned from Brandon University in August 1989 to accept a position at Lakehead University.
At Lakehead University, Morrison was a professor of history at the Centre of Northern Studies. He left Thunder Bay in 1999 and moved to Prince, George, British Columbia to teach at the University of Northern British Columbia. Throughout his career he has also taught courses at the University of Victoria and Duke University. In addition, Morrison was the founding Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at UNBC. Morrison's research interests include Northern Canadian history, First Nations and Canadian-American relations. He is the author and co-author of twelve books and many book chapters and journal articles, most of them on the history of Northern Canada. In particular, beginning at Brandon University, Morrison has develped and maintained a close academic partnership with Kenneth S. Coates, and together they have published a number of works. Morrison has also served as the co-editor of the "Northern History Newsletter" and as a member of the advisory board of the "Northern Review."
William R. Morrison is married, with four children, and as of January 2006, living in Prince George, British Columbia.
Custodial History
Some the the material in this fonds was in the possession of the Brandon University Library prior to its possession by Dr. Morrison for use in the production of My Dear Maggie. The materials created by Dr. Morrison were in his possession until their donation to the McKee Archives in July 2002.
Scope and Content
The Morrison fonds is a result of the research conducted by Morrison in the Shellmouth region of Manitoba between 1986 and 1991 for the production of "My Dear Maggie." The fonds consists primariloy of pictures, homesteading documentation, and personal correspondence. Pictures include memberts of the Wallace family, their homestead and the Shellmouth area. Textual records consist of correspondence between Andrew Wallace and individuals at Brandon College ca. 1941, regarding the donation of the Wallace letters to the Brandon College Library. Photocopies of homesteading information from 1881 to 1905, as well as corresondence between Morrison and residents of the Shellmouth area regarding information about the Wallace family, are also included. Finally, there is extensive correspondence to and from Morrison in connection with the publication of "My Dear Maggie: Letters from a Western Manitoba Pioneer," a production of edited letters from the William Wallace fonds.
Notes
Information in the Location of Originals field, the History/Bio field, the Scope & Content field and the Arrangement field was taken from the William R. Morrison fonds finding aid written by Katie Pollock (2005).
There are photocopies of homsteading documentation, as well as letters to Maggie Wallace from William Wallace once he arrived in Canada. The orignals of the letters to M. Wallace can be found in the William Wallace fonds, while the originals of the homsteading documentation can likely be found in either the William Wallace fonds or through Archives Canada.
Storage Location
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.5 William R. Morrison
Related Material
Additional records related to William R. Morrison are located in RG 6, series 7, sub sub series 7.1.1 (Dean of Arts). Other records relating to the Wallace family of the Shellmouth region can be found in the William Wallace fonds located in the McKee Archives (47-1997).
Arrangement
The fonds is divided into two files. The first file contains information that Morrison accumulated in his research for "My Dear Maggie," including pictures, as well as correspondence between Morrison and members of the Shellmouth community. The second file also contains correspondence between Morrison and members of the Shellmouth community, but consists primarily of communication between Morrison and a number of publishing companies.
Georgina Bernice Matiation (Hill) was born in Virden, Manitoba on February 19, 1936, daughter of Gordon and Florence Hill. She received her education at Brandon College (1954-1956). Originally a student in Arts, she graduated from the Teacher Training program in 1956. During her time at Brandon College, Matiation participated in the College Glee Club as well as college track and field meets. She also acted as Junior Ladies Athletic Representative in 1955. In addition, Matiation was was the President of her Normal School class.
Matiation began her teaching career in Hargrave and Melita, before taking a position at Prince Charles School in Portage la Prairie in 1960. She remained at that institution until her retirement in 1991. In addition to her teaching career, Matiation was a past president of the Portage Evening Ladies Curling Club, a past president of the La Prairie Lioness and a leader of CGIT. She was a lifelong member of the Lenore Presbyterian Church.
Georgina Hill married Zane Matiation in 1970. They had no children. Georgina Matiation died on October 28, 1995 in Portage la Prairie at the age of 59 years.
Custodial History
This collection was donated to the McKee Archives by Bessie Marie Hill of Winnipeg on May 1, 1998.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of items collected by Mrs. Matiation (Hill) during her years as a student at Brandon College. The collection contains a scrapbook of photos of students and activities at the College taken from 1954-1956. Fonds includes copies of speeches made by her at various school events, such as her validictorian speech at the Normal School Graduation in 1956. There is also an autograph book with messages to her from friends and classmates. Finally, the collection includes two photographs of students in the 1924-25 Brandon Normal School, and one photograph of the Westminister Presbyterian Church in Brandon.
MG 2 Brandon College Students
2.23 Georgina Matiation (Hill)
The collection is located with MG 2 2.2 Gerald Brown. It was placed there as a result of space issues.
60 photographs (b/w) and 18 negatives; 3 cm textual records
History / Biographical
Rubina Isabella Miles (née McGregor) was born October 9th, 1909, in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, the only child of Kate (née Rowe) and William McGregor. Her father, William Thom McGregor was a native of Scotland who, before coming to Canada, travelled to Australia and New Zealand, and served in the Boer War. Ruby Miles and her parents migrated to Australia in 1921. In 1925, the family moved to Papua New Guinea where Mr. McGregor was employed as Head Stockman on the Giligili Estate, part of the Commonwealth Copra Company. The family returned to Canada in 1929. In 1940, Ruby married Leonard "Len" Miles, a native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Following the Second World War, they settled in Brandon, Manitoba. Ruby spent her adult life as a homemaker. She died in April 2003.
Custodial History
The records came into Ruby Miles' possession through her husband (correspondence while he was overseas) and through the death of various family members. Following the death of Ruby Miles, the collection was donated to the S.J. McKee Archives by Errol Black, the executor of her estate.
Scope and Content
Collection includes c. 15 letters from Kate McGregor, to her parents Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Rowe of Brandon, Manitoba. The letters were written in the years 1925-1929, when Mrs. McGregor and her family were living in Papua New Guinea. Collection also includes photographs and photographic negatives containing images of the Giligili Estate in New Guinea. Collection contains correspondence with Len Miles during his service overseas in the Second World War, as well as Len Miles' service record, death certificate and various memorabilia from his time in military service. Finally, the collection includes various news clippings, documents and correspondence received or retained by Ruby Miles.
Some pages in the scrapbooks have fallen out and some of the glued pieces are no longer attached to pages
History / Biographical
Dilys Collier (nee Pearce) was born 4 December 1937, in the Rural Municipality of Daly near Rivers, MB. Before studying at Brandon College, Collier was educated in Bradwardine, MB. Collier graduated from Brandon College with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Pedagogy in 1958 and 1959 respectively. In 1961, Collier married a Brandon College classmate, Clare Coburn. She spent much of the next two decades working as a homemaker and mother to her three children.
After she and her husband separated in 1979, Collier decided to go back to school. In the next ten years, Collier completed a Bachelor of Education degree (1980), a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Regina (1982) and a Master of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan (1987). Across her working career, Collier held many posistions including public school teacher, adult educator, social worker, researcher and personal counselor. Along with her work, Collier volunteered extensively with the Knox United Church and the Brandon Cooperative Nursing School. Through the years, she worked for a variety of organizations, including The Saskatoon Family Service Bureau and the REgina John Howard Society. Collier has lived and worked in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Swansea, Wales.
Currently (January 2017), Collier is retired and lives in Mission, BC with her husband of thirty-four years, Kenneth Collier.
Custodial History
The records were created and collected by Dilys Collier during her years as a student and alumna of Brandon College/University. The records were stored in her home huntil they were donated to the McKee Archives in 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records created and collected by Dilys Collier as a means to document her life as a Brandon College student in the 1950s.
Included are three scrapbooks and two folders containing: newspapers and newspaper clippings from The Brandon Sun and The Quill, dealing primarily with Brandon College students, faculty and events; Brandon College administrative records such as the Clark Hall Rules, Collier's proof of registration records, her Brandon College acceptance letter, class schedules and exam timetables; photographs and programmes that cover events such as Freshie Week, dances and other student functions on campus; records documenting campus student activities, including the words to Hail Our College and various College Yells performed after student dances and other functions; decorations from fall proms and Valentine's Day dances, as well as Convocation (1958); programmes from various College convocation ceremonies; various cards Collier received, including those for her birthday and Valentine's Day; election advertisements, primarily for those students running for Student Administration "Stick" positions.
The collection also contains a green taffeta, net and rhinestone gown purchased by Collier to wear to some of the formal dances held at Brandon's Prince Edward Hotel.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by the donor in late 2016/early 2017. Information on the green gown can be found on prairiehistory.ca. Description by Brian Erixon (October 2016) and Christy Henry.
James Douglas Wall was born in Brandon, Manitoba on March 22, 1933, the only son of James Jesse Wall and Audrey May Simm. James Wall grew up in Brandon, attending public schools in the city and graduating from Brandon Collegiate Institute. At an early age, he became a member of the 82nd Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets. In the summer of 1950, he earned his pilot's wings through the Air Cadets Scholarship Program. Wall has been employed with the Brandon Flying Club and has earned a commercial pilot's licence and an aircraft maintenance engineer's licence. In 1957, he became manager of Maple Leaf Aviation Limited. Wall is a long time member of the South West branch of the Manitoba Genealogical Society, Inc. of which he has served as president for several terms. Wall has been married to his wife Elizabeth since 1957. They have one son, David. James Douglas Wall died in Brandon, Manitoba on February 11, 2011.
Custodial History
These items were acquired by Wall in his capacity as President of the Southwest Branch of the Manitoba Genealogical Society. Custodial history prior to their acquisition by Wall and his donation of them to the S.J. McKee Archives is unknown.
Scope and Content
Collection contains 35 photographs of Baldur, Manitoba taken ca. 1900. These photographs contain images of buildings, street scenes, and residents (individuals and groups) of Baldur, Manitoba. Collection also includes a copy of Christie's Map of the City of Brandon ca. 1900.
The Humesville Women's Missionary Society began in 1885, in Humesville, Manitoba. Originally named the Humesville Women's Foreign Missionary Society, it was formed in connection with the Brandon Presbyterial Society as an auxiliary group. The reference to "Foreign" was later dropped from the organization's name. The HWMS was a non-profit group that raised money and gathered goods for the needy in the local area, Canada and around the world. The Forrest Women's Missionary Society was involved in much of the same work as the Humesville group. The membership of the two organizations was drawn from women residents in the Forrest/Humesville area.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of financial records, newspaper clippings, and attendance lists for the Humesville and Forrest Women's Missionary Societies. Minutes for the Humesville Society cover the years 1885-1907; 1920-1940. The minutes of the Forrest Society cover the years 1928-1943. The attendance lists cover the years 1892 to 1904, 1906, 1907 and 1939 (Humesville) and 1928 to 1934, 1938 to 1941 (Forrest). Fonds also contains minutes of the Young Peoples' Society of Humesville 1910-1914, Forrest United Church Women's Association 1930-1946, and a pamphlet detailing the history of the Humesville/Forrest United Church.
The Crown Protestant School District was founded in 1883, in the municipality of Whitewater, Manitoba. It became the Crown School District following school reform in Manitoba in 1890. The School District provided schooling for children in the Elgin, Fairfax, Heaslip and Minto communities. In 1930, the district was replaced with the creation of separate school districts for Elgin, Fairfax, and Lily.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains minute books (1883-1930), financial records (1884-1917), attendance registers (1892 -1906), tax records for the District (1918-1930), and documents concerning the disestablishment of the Crown School Division.
The A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. originated with the McKenzie family Flour, Grain and Seed business, started by F. B. McKenzie in the early 1880's. When F. B. McKenzie passed away in 1896, his son, Albert Edward McKenzie, assumed control of the company, and renamed it The Brandon Seed House. With its main office and plant in Brandon, Manitoba, the company specialized in the production and sale of field seeds and service exclusively to seed buyers in the prairie provinces and British Columbia. In later years, a complete line of products including garden seeds, lawn grass, and other allied lines was developed for sale across Canada.
In 1906, the company underwent a change of name when A. E. delete determined that the growth of the country demanded a larger seed institute than could be managed by one man. As a result, the company was incorporated under provincial statutes and the federal Joint Stock Companies Act as A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd., and new personnel were hired.
Under the Joint Stock Companies Act, A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was required to elect a Board of Directors of not less than three, and not more than nine individuals. Only shareholders of the company were eligible for election, and election was to take place yearly with each shareholder entitled to as many votes as shares owned in the company. The Act also dictated that the directors were, from time to time, to elect from among themselves, a president of the company. They were also able to appoint and remove all other officers of the company and to create company by-laws. The directors were not obliged to pay any dividend on shares if the company should became insolvent. Under the Act, the stock of the company was deemed a personal estate and was only transferable as such. In addition, the company could acquire, hold, and transfer real estate, and was required to submit annual statements.
A. E. McKenzie was elected President of the newly constituted company. For the memaninder of his natural life he remained in this position and supervised the operation of the company. S. A. Bradford, who was given responsibility for various company departments, filled the position of General Manager. H. L. Patmore became the Vice-President, overseeing the nursery business, while W. A. McCracken was put in charge of the warehouse stock, and shipping department. McCracken also supervised the mail order department.
The Company was intially comprised of three divisions: The Brandon Seed House, Brandon Nurseries, and Brandon Greenhouses. Each division was registered under Dominion Patents. Later, the company was divided into Retail Mail Order, Wholesale and Commission Packet Trade divisions. It also undertook some export business.
By registering the divisions of the company under under federal legislation affecting trademarks and industrial designs, McKenzie and the Board,were able to register both the company’s trademarks and to protect the company’s industrial techniques. Thet company could thus patent the methods and processes of its operations so that no other individual or business could duplicate them.
Located at 30 9th Street, the head office and plant of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. housed all the facilities and staff of the company, with the exception of the regional sales offices and warehouses. The business of the A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. was conducted from a frame warehouse until the current McKenzie building was constructed on the same site after a fire destroyed the original premises. Designed by architect Thomas Sinclair, and built by the Brandon Construction Company, the new building opened in 1911. In time, The A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. came to be known as Western Canada's Greatest Seed House.
During the 1930's, before a new building was erected in 1945, the A. E. McKenzie Co. occupied space at five different locations in Brandon, including the Massey Harris Building, the International Harvester Building and the Security Building. The last of these premises was destroyed by fire in 1972. As a result of its proximity to the Security Building, the main McKenzie Building also suffered heavy fire and water damage. A. E.
McKenzie Co. Ltd. also utilized a warehouse on the north side of Pacific Avenue alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks between 5th and 6th streets. This building and its contents were destroyed by fire (1946). In May of 1949, the company purchased and erected a Quonset structure on the west side of 15th Street between Rosser and Pacific Avenues.
In 1908, the first branch of the A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was established at Calgary. In the following sixteen years, additional branches were established in Edmonton and Saskatoon (1923), Moose Jaw, Toronto (1934) and Winnipeg (1935). Both the Edmonton and Saskatoon branches were seasonal, operating for a four-month period, March to June inclusive. Business in the Maritime Provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick further extended the company's operations by the mid 1940's. In 1946, the company purchased property in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, 120 miles north of Brandon. This purchase enabled the company to handle larger quantities of Sweet Clover, a popular crop that was grown in the surrounding area. Additional offices were opened in Vancouver and Quebec City in rented premises by the early 1960's.
In the years 1944-1945, the McKenzie Foundation was created. Through the Foundation, arrangements were put in place to transfer shares of the company to the Manitoba Government for the benefit of higher education, specifically Brandon College. In return for this gift, which included 90% of all capital resources of the company together with all of the income earned each year, except for the amount retained annually to ensure sufficient operating capital, the A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. received exemption from paying Corporate Tax.
Prior to the establishment of the McKenzie Foundation, in 1945, the National Trust for the benefit of the College held the shares of McKenzie Seeds. On April 7, 1945 the Manitoba Legislature passed legislation whereby A. E. McKenzie retained effective management control of his company, but 1031 shares out of 1145 issued shares were gifted to the Provincial Government. In return, the government agreed that all financial benefits from the shares would go to Brandon College through the A. E. McKenzie Foundation. When Mr. McKenzie passed away in 1964, the primary responsibility of appointing the Board of Directors for McKenzie Seeds passed to the Provincial government.
The remaining 114 shares of the Company were turned over to the Crown on July 16, 1975 in accordance with an agreement between Brandon University, A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. and the Manitoba government. The same agreement also turned the McKenzie Foundation over to Brandon University. Therefore, since 1975 the crown has held all shares of the McKenzie Co. through the Province of Manitoba.
A.E. McKenzie died on September 25, 1964 at the age of 94 and was succeeded as President of the company by J. Lasby Lowes. When Mr. Lowes retired in 1968, A. R. Swanson was appointed by the government to fill the position and was responsible for all operations of the company under a Board of Directors comprised mainly of appointees of the government. It has proven impossible to establish a complete list of those individuals who held the positions of President/General Manager of McKenzie Seeds after 1964. A partial account is as follows: Anthony J. Maruca became President of A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. in 1972. In 1975, the Board of Directors appointed William Moore General Manager, creating a new position to relieve the President of the company from management of plant operations. At the same time, Pat Kelleher was named new interim President. Following the resignation of Kelleher, William Moore assumed the role of President as well. Moore left the company in the early 1980s. He was later convicted of criminal misconduct as President of the company. Keith Guelpa became President/General Manager in the mid 1980's; Raymond West was his successor.
Beginning in 1969, the A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. began phasing out the Field Seed division of their company, including business related to forage crops and cereals. Seed cleaning equipment located in Brandon and and the company’s Calgary and Toronto cleaning plants was sold. The Company concentration its resources on the production and sale of vegetable and flower seeds, and lawn and turf grasses. It acted as a wholesaler and conducted business through chain stores, grocery, hardware and general stores.
Late in 1971, A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. purchased its largest competition in packaged seeds - Steele Briggs Seed Co. from Maple Leaf Mills Inc. for two million dollars. At the time of the acquisition the company changed its name to A. E. McKenzie Co. - Steele Briggs Seeds, in order to benefit from the favorable reputation held by Steele Briggs Seeds across Canada. In the early 1970s, the acquisition of Brett-Young Seeds Ltd., a Winnipeg company that dealt exclusively in the production and sale of field seed, brought the A. E. McKenzie Co. back into the field seed market.
In 1994 the Manitoba Government sold the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. to Regal Greetings and Gifts, Canada's largest non-retail mail-order catalogue company, which is owned by MDC Corporation of Toronto.
In 2001, McKenzie Seeds is Canada's leading supplier of packaged seeds and related gardening products. It is divided into a Retail Consumer Products division which features well known seed brands including McKenzie Seeds, Pike Seeds and Thompson & Morgan Seeds from England. As well, this division also carries a complete range of lawn seeds and perishables. It also continues to ship the seed racks invented by A.E. McKenzie to numerous retail stores. The second division, Direct Mail, consists of the McFayden and McConnell catalogues which reach over 500,000 Canadian homes each year.
Custodial History
Following the sale of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. to Regal Greetings and Gifts, the records of McKenzie Seeds and its subsidiaries were retained in the McKenzie Plant on 9th Street. In April of 1997, the records were transferred to the McKee Archives at Brandon University. Because the company was a crown corporation, the records of McKenzie Seeds belonged to the Province of Manitoba and might have been placed in the Provincial Archives. However, Provincial Archivist Gordon Dodds permitted the retention of the records in Brandon at the S. J. McKee Archives. The minutes of the Board of Directors, previously transferred to the Provincial Archives, remain in Winnipeg. Until 1960 these minutes, by-laws of the Company, and the letters patent of incorporation (April 7, 1906) were in the possession of the Company's lawyers, Johnson, Garson, Forrester, Davidson, & Steen.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of textual records, photographs and artifacts from A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. The textual records include minutes, documents, financial records, administrative records, by-laws, legal records, catalogues, sales literature, seed packets, newspaper clippings, appraisals, publications, scrapbooks and miscellaneous sections.
In addition, some of the records within the fonds relate to the operations of McKenzie subsidiaries -- Brett-Young Seeds, Steele-Briggs Seeds, Pike & Co. and McFayden Seeds -- and various properties owned by McKenzie Seeds.
Fonds contains approximately 500 photographs. These depict the operations and employees of McKenzie Seeds and the seed industry in general. Artifacts contained in the fonds include blueprints, newspaper clippings, copper printing plates, seed bags and plaques.
Fonds also includes an artificially created series of records dealing with Brandon College Inc., the A.E. McKenzie Foundation, the Brandon Allied Arts Council and the Brandon Board of Trade. These records stand outside the provenance of the McKenzie Seed Co.
Of particular interest within the textual records are the transcripts of various features of the company's history as dictated, researched and recalled by its second President/General Manager, J. Lasby Lowes. The fonds also contains a collection of company catalogue which is almost complete. Outside of the seed industry, the records dealing with both Brandon College Inc. and the McKenzie Foundation are significant records relating to the history of Brandon College/University and the City of Brandon.
Because the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. was a crown corporation, the records in the fonds are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
Related Material
Additional records regarding A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. are housed at the Provincial Archives of Manitoba. In order to gain access to these records it is necessary to contact the Archives of Manitoba.
Arrangement
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. Fonds
McS 1 Board of Directors
1.1 Documents
1.2 Minutes/Meetings
1.3 Management Consultant Reports
1.4 Miscellaneous
1.5 Financial Records
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
2.1 A.E. McKenzie
2.2 J. Lasby Lowes
2.3 Comptroller
2.4 Properties
2.5 Marketing
2.6 Reference Library
2.7 Miscellaneous Publications/Correspondence
McS 3 Acquisitions
3.1 Brett-Young Seeds/Sabetha
3.2 Steele-Briggs Seed Co.
3.3 Pike & Co.
3.4 McFayden Seeds
McS 4 Seed Marketing Co.
McS 5 Photographs
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 (2 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
McS 6 Miscellaneous
6.1 Centennial Exhibition
6.2 Miscellaneous Publications
6.3 Scrapbooks
MG 1 A.E. McKenzie Fonds
1.1 Brandon College Inc.
1.2 McKenzie Foundation
1.3 Brandon Allied Arts Council
1.4 Brandon Board of Trade
1.5 Miscellaneous
Some of the pages and photographs in the scrapbooks have become loose
History / Biographical
Verda Joan McDonald (nee Peden) was born in Brandon, MB on May 2, 1934. She was the middle daughter of Bill, a school principal, and Phyllis Peden. McDonald attended school at King George, Alexandra (now Betty Gibson), Earl Oxford and Brandon Collegiate Institute.
In 1951, McDonald enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at Brandon College. A fellowship program from the local YMCA enabled her to teach gym and swim programs after school and on Saturday for a small salary, which enabled her and some other students to finance their education. She graduated in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During her graduating year, McDonald served as Lady Stick for Brandon College; the title of Lady Stick was an elected position and an honour, and gave McDonald and the person elected Senior Stick, Frank McKinnon, the responsibility of leading the student council for that year. In 1956, McDonald obtained her Bachelor of Pedagogy degree, also from Brandon College, which allowed her to teach grades 1 to 12 in Manitoba.
Verda married her college sweetheart, Dick McDonald, on August 25, 1956, and the couple moved to Dauphin to teach at the Dauphin Collegiate and Technical Institute for two years. They returned to Brandon in September 1958, and Verda proceeded to teach at Brandon Collegiate, Neelin High School and Vincent Massey until December 1960.
When Dick finished his degree at Brandon College and started teaching, Verda stayed at home to raise their three sons, Rick, Paul and Daren. During this time she began her many years of volunteering within the community. She served seven years on each of the following three boards: The Brandon Schools Instrumental Music Association; The Brandon University Alumni Board; and The Board of Fairview Nursing Home. She became President of each board during her term.
McDonald supported her husband throughouet his teaching and financial career, as well as his strong involvement in the Artillery Reserve Army with the 26th Field Regiment where he served as Commander and later Honorary Colonel. Both McDonald and her husband maintained strong ties with Brandon University and have contributed generously to funding campaign and scholarships. The Sports Wall of Fame in the Health Living Centre on the Brandon University campus is named in their honour.
In addition to their involvement with Brandon University, the McDonald's were members of the Kinsmen, K40 service club, gold and bridge clubs and enjoyed many years together in Brandon. They enjoyed going on cruise ship holidays and visited many countries together.
Since Dick's death in September 2015, Verda has tried to maintain her involvment in university activities. She continues to reside in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Records were created and collected by Verda McDonald during her years as a student and alumna of Brandon College/Brandon University. The records were stored in her home until their donation to the McKee Archives in 2015.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records dealing with Verda McDonald's experiences as a student and alumna at Brandon College/University. The majority of the collection contains records from the early 1950s during McDonald's college years (1951-1955). These records, which cover the social and athletic aspects of Brandon College in the 1950s, provide a detailed look at college student life during this time period. The collection also contains a small number of records (1955-2005), documenting McDonald's experiences as an alumna of Brandon College/University.
The collection consists of four scrapbooks, which contain photographs, newspaper clippings, graduation cards, lyrics for class songs, and programs for graduation banquets, school dances, graduation ceremonies and drama productions. The scrapbooks also contain ephemera such as sports emblems, table decorations, election paraphernalia. It also includes McDonald's oath of office from when she was sworn in as Lady Stick, as well as her acceptance speech from the same ceremony.
The three file folders in the collection include: a list written by Frank McKinnon, a classmate of McDonald's, outlining his reasons for coming to Brandon College and his recollections of being a student at Brandon College; the rules of Clark Hall residence hall; and pamphlets for various celebrations and events at Brandon University (Homecoming 2009, Homecoming 2006, Reunion Weekend 2005, Reunion Weekend 2004, Homecoming 1995 and 1995 Reconovocation program, Homecoming 1980, 1975 Open House).
Finally, the collection contains 18 loose photographs. A number of the photos document important reunions for the Class of 1955 (40th Anniversary in 1995, 50th Anniversary in 2005), while others were taken at alumni events over the years (1988-1997). There is one postcard of Brandon University buildings (Original Building and Clark Hall, McMaster Hall and the Queen Elizabeth II School of Music building). Some of the 1995 reunion photos include images of the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall under renovation. Also included are a composite portrait of the Class of 1955 and class portraits Arts and Science for the Class of 1960.
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Verda McDonald. Description by Emily Bate (October 2016) and Christy Henry.
Reg Forbes was born September 16, 1924. He and his wife Clara have two children, Bob and Faye. Forbes served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Navigator during World War II. From 1945-1949, he attended the University of Manitoba where he received his B.Sc.A. While working as Village Councillor and as Secretary-Treasurer for the Pilot Mound Hospital, Forbes initiated the "Save the Soil Campaign," a soil conservation programme that became province-wide, between 1952-1962.
From 1956-1975, Forbes was the Principal of the Agricultrual Extension Centre in Brandon, where he reorganized the Adult Education Centre into the Agricultural Extension Centre. During this period, Forbes was a founding member of the West-Man Regional Development Corporation and a founder of the Manitoba Committee on Rural Leadership. He was also instrumental in the amalgamation of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition and in the resulting construction of the Keystone Centre.
From 1975-1977 Forbes was a Commissioner for the Grain Handling and Transportation Commission (Hall Commission/GHTC). Following his work with the Commission, Forbes was employed as the General Manager of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba (1977-1979), the Director of the Grain Handling & Transportation Section of the Manitoba Department of Agriculture (1979-1983), the Industrial Commissioner for the Brandon Industrial Commission (1983-1986), and as the Westarc Group Inc. Project Director for delivery under contract of Canadian Rural Transition Programme in Manitoba.
Forbes also held a number of voluntary and elected positions, such as Long-term Director and President of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. In 1970-1971, he was the President of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, and from 1978-1981, Forbes was the first chairman of the Agricultural Advisory Committee of the Canadian Broadcasting Corportation. He was also a member of the Canada West Foundation Board, the Brandon University Board of Governers (1974-1976), and the Federal-Provincial Transportation and Industrial Development Advisory Committee (TIDAC). Forbes is also a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada. In 1977, he received the Jubilee Medal and in 1987, he was given the Distinguished Agrologist Award by the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists.
Custodial History
Reg Forbes donated his working collection of briefs, correspondence and other documents relating to his work as a commissioner of the Grain Handling and Transportation Committee (GHTC) to the McKee Archives c. 1985.
Scope and Content
The majority of the collection consists of records created and received by the Royal Commission on Grain Handling and Transportation (GHTC). Included are documents detailing numerious hearings from all four Western provinces. In addition to the GHTC hearings, there are also a number of documents given to the GHTC as reference material. These include information on the Snavely Commision, documents for the province of Alberta, various reports, the Prairie Regional Studies in Economic Geography (No. 1-27) and General Information. The collection also includes two maps given to the GHTC.
This record group was artifically created in January 2007 by Tom Mitchell and Christy Henry of the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
The record group consists of various fonds and collections concerned with the political, cultural, social, and educational life of western Manitoba. See the Subject Access field for a list of titles.
31 cm textual records;
1 b&w photograph - approx. 50 x 20cm (torn in half);
1 ribbon from the International Pool Conference of 1928
History / Biographical
Leslie Victor Robson was born in Deleau, Manitoba in 1893. Following graduation from the Manitoba Agricultural College in 1915, he began a career in farming near Deleau, Manitoba. Robson married Edna Chapman in 1917. He was active in farm organizations, the co-operative movement and the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. Robson focused his farming activities on raising purebread polled herefords. His stock was exhibited across Canada and the United States and sold in Great Britain, Japan and Czechoslovakia. In 1977, he was made a member of the Canadian Hereford Honour Roll. Leslie Victor Robson died in 1977.
Custodial History
This fonds was donated to the McKee Archives in 1995 by Clarke M. Robson of Deleau, Manitoba.
Scope and Content
This fonds contains booklets and issues of newspapers from the Canadian prairie provinces concerning the CCF, the Independant Labor Party, the UFM, the Canadian farming co-op movement, Manitoba Pool Elevators, and the early NDP. Also included are publications of the CCF including "The Commonwealth," the Canadian Department of Agriculture, the League for Social Reconstruction, the NDP, the UFM, and Manitoba Pool Elevators. The single photograph is a group picture of mostly men taken at the International Wheat Conference of 1926 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It includes Colin H. Burnell, Fawcett W. Ransom, and Dick Mahoney.
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba has been an institution almost as long as Brandon has been a city, although under the guise of several different names. The idea of an exhibition came from Charles Whitehead, who was the founder and first president of the fair. Whitehead was one of the earliest and most prominent businessmen in Brandon. The first Brandon fair was organized in October of 1882, by the Brandon Agricultural Society (BAS). The Board of Directors of the BAS offered up two hundred dollars in prize money, but poor weather and a subsequently small turnout of people and exhibits to the downtown location caused the fair to do poorly. Undeterred, the Board of Directors began to make plans for the second fair, in what was to become an annual event. This time, due to generous grants from the city, district, and province, the Board of Directors was able to purchase land just south of the city to hold the fair on and built a Crystal Palace to hold exhibits in. In October 1883, there were seven hundred and thirty entries, and the fair, the first to be held on the new fair grounds, was considered successful.
The Brandon Exhibition was not financially sound however, and by 1888, the Directors knew that major changes had to be made if they wanted to continue the fair. It was decided that October was not the best time to hold an agricultural exhibition because most farmers were in the middle of harvesting and did not have time to leave their farms for an exhibition. A decision was made to move the exhibition to the summer, when most farmers could get away for a few days. In July 1889, the first Brandon summer fair was held. The Directors had managed to revamp the fair in order to appeal to the wider public. The fair was a huge success, with both city and rural people attending.
The Board of Directors formally established the Western Agricultural and Arts Association (WAAA) in 1892 to take over management duties of the fair from the BAS. However, the first meeting of the WAAA was not until 1897. There is no explanation for the five year delay. The WAAA received generous donations from the various governments, and the citizens of Brandon. In 1897, the Board of Directors purchased another 42 acres of land from the city that was located beside the fair grounds. They erected a grandstand and new stables. Prize money was increased, there were special prizes offered for the first time, and special exhibition trains were available to transport fair goers at a reduced rate.
The 1897 fair was the major turning point for the Brandon exhibition. The fair appealed to both urban and rural dwellers. The Board wanted to put Brandon on the map, and accordingly, they brought forward events and entertainment that would do so. The first Traveller’s Day, still running strong today, was put on in 1912. The parade associated with it was unlike any Brandon had seen before. Despite the attractions, carnivals and midways that were beginning to dominate the fair, organizers insisted that it was still primarily an agricultural event. The promotion of agriculture was still prominent at the exhibition. As local historians have written, “the exhibition symbolized the accomplishments and potential of the region, and encouraged all agriculturists to strive towards higher standards.”
By 1912, all outstanding loans had been paid off, and the Board of Directors could boast an eleven thousand dollar surplus in funds. As well, the physical assets available to the summer fair were expanded dramatically in 1913. In 1913, Brandon was granted the honour of hosting the Dominion Exhibition. From the funding that came in for this prestigious event the Board of Directors was able to build a new grandstand, erect new display buildings, replace the racetrack, and generally expand and improve the fair grounds. Another 80 acres of land was bought from the city for the summer fair. The Brandon Dominion Exhibition was declared open on 15 July 1913 by Manitoba Premier Rodmond Roblin. Although it was a resounding success, the Directors ended up having to pay for parts of it out of their own pockets.
Canada entered World War One in the late summer of 1914. The WAAA reached an agreement with the military that the army could use the fairgrounds during the year if they allowed the WAAA use of the grounds for the fair week. Because of limitations put on the fair because of the war, the Brandon exhibition became more involved with the Western Canada Fair Circuit. This organization enabled the summer fair to join in the exhibitions that worked together to bring events like the midway to their exhibitions.
It was also during this time that moral reform became more prevalent in Canadian society. Due to this growing concern with moral purity and the desire for social reform, the Directors had to find ways to ensure that the summer exhibition did not cross the boundaries of good taste. There was a short-lived protest in 1913 against horseracing, but by 1916, then-president of the fair, R.M. Matheson, cast the tie breaking vote in favour of letting both the horseracing and the betting continue. By 1917, the Board had decided against allowing betting, but the horseracing was allowed to continue.
After the war ended, financial stress on the part of the winter fair brought forward a proposal to amalgamate the summer and winter fairs. The provincial government stated that they were interested in supporting an amalgamation, and the two fair boards resolved to consider the option. In spring of 1920, the winter fair backed out the deal because they felt they would lose out to the WAAA in the deal. Not to be deterred, the WAAA applied for incorporation with the provincial government. On 3 April 1920, the WAAA was incorporated as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba (PEM). In 1920, the official title of the summer fair was changed from the Inter-Provincial Exhibition to the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.
After incorporation the Board of Directors was increased to a membership of twenty. The provincial exhibition continued to increase and change with the times. The directors tried to make each fair interesting and stimulating for the people of Brandon and the surrounding areas. A Manitoba Government Building was opened in 1927, by Premier John Bracken, and an Automobile Building opened in 1927. By 1929, the Provincial Exhibition was one of the leading summer exhibitions in Western Canada. Unfortunately, 1929 was also the beginning of a decade-long Depression throughout Canada and the United States. The exhibition continued though, although at a less grandiose level. The exhibition was the site of some work relief programs throughout the thirties, but the grants were generally small.
It was also during the 1930s that people began wanting a change in the management of the Board. For many years, almost since the inception of the fair, the Board had been run by the same group of men who took turns in the various positions. In 1933, there were several men brought forward to run against the Directors at the annual general meeting. A total of forty four nominations went up for the twenty positions. After the dust had settled, seven new faces took seats around the Directors table.
During World War Two, the Provincial Exhibition managed to continue. The Board made an agreement with the military that while their buildings could be used by the military during the war, the fair would be able to take control of the buildings for fair week. While the fair remained open, its exhibits were hampered by the war. In 1942, for example, the Wartime Prices and Trades Board declared that farm machinery could not be exhibited for the duration. This was one of the fair’s bigger draws, and its absence was felt greatly. As another concession to the war, the livestock show had to be reduced from five days to three, although this decision was met by protest from many of the directors. Despite these impediments, the entries into the agricultural exhibits continued to increase. Horse racing, long a bone of contention among members of the Board was almost eliminated in 1942, but a compromise was made and the Directors allowed one day of racing at the 1943 fair.
After the war, the prize money increased by up to twenty-five percent in an effort to increase the number of exhibitors. Many new events were added to the fair roster, including an annual 4-H show and farm camps for children. A Trade Show was added in 1952 and became a large success. The fair always enjoyed support from the City of Brandon, although there were the occasional tensions between the two. In 1955 the Board approved a proposal by R.A. Hodges to sponsor a Dream Home contest. While the attraction was a big success, the Directors evidently did not receive the cut of the proceeds that Hodges had promised them. The fair Board ended up fifty-five hundred dollars in debt.
In 1958 an attempt was made to break the all male hold on the directorate. While no women were elected to the Board itself, a Women’s Advisory Committee was created to provide input into fair activities. The original committee was made up of Mrs. D. Elviss, Mrs. D. Graham, Mrs. G. McRae, and Mrs. F. Heeney.
It was also during this time that the Board began to face more direct competition from Winnipeg. The Red River Exhibition had been operating for several years, and its Board of Directors wanted their exhibition to be admitted into the Western Canadian Association of Exhibition. This would not have been particularly good for the Brandon Provincial Exhibition. Partly due to the Brandon Board’s vigorous protests, Winnipeg was only granted an associate membership.
By the end of 1958, the Brandon fair was once again facing financial difficulties. The Provincial Exhibition was at its peak at the end of the 1950s. By 1961 the fair recorded a net loss of sixty-five hundred dollars. Because of financial problems, the fair Board had to mortgage its property for $50 000. As well, the Royal American Shows left Brandon for Winnipeg in 1966, leaving the Directors scrambling to find another midway. It took several years and several different companies before the Directors settled on the Conklin Brothers Shows. To make matters worse, the grandstand was condemned in 1974, leaving the fair without a place to hold its grandstand show. This show was replaced by the Western Canada Rodeo Circuit, in an attempt to regain patrons.
By 1966 both the summer and winter fair Boards had decided that one facility could be used to house both the summer and winter fairs. Both financially and practically, it became an increasingly good idea to merge the two fairs together. In 1969, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and the Manitoba Winter Fair were amalgamated to become the Manitoba Exhibition Association. Ground was broken a few years later on the summer fair grounds, and by 1972, the Keystone Centre was open for business. The official opening was at the 1973 Winter Fair. From then on, the Provincial Exhibition, Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and, later, AgEx, were housed in the same building, and run by the same board of directors.
Custodial History
These files were housed with the WAAA, the PEM, and the MEA until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds consists of textual records and photographs from the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. The textual records include prize lists, programs, minutes, financial, contracts, by laws, administrative files, original results, news releases, scrapbooks and tickets. The photographs include animal shows and events, dignitaries, entertainment, attractions, ceremonies, buildings and other events.
It has been divided into eleven series, including: (1) Documents; (2) Minutes; (3) Financial reocrds; (4) Administrative files; (5) Prize lists and programs; (6) News releases; (7) Original results; (8) Tickets; (9) Photographs; (10) Scrapbooks; and (11) Miscellaneous.
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
RG2SF1 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
The records are a product of the administrative staff of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.
Custodial History
The records were housed with the PEM and the MEA until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The series contains letters regarding complimentary tickets in 1951 and 1955. As well, the series contains examples of tickets, badges, and ribbons used or worn by guests and exhibitors to the provincial exhibitions from 1955 to 1973. There is also a pin from the 1909 Inter-Provincial Fair.
Notes
Part of RG2SF1. Inventory of documents in the series is available in the printed finding aid.
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
RG2SF1 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
The first attempts to hold a winter agricultural fair in Brandon happened in 1884, when a show was held in the buildings owned by A. Harrison and Company. However, this did not become an annual event. There were also several unsuccessful attempts to establish annual Stallion Sales in the late spring by horsemen in the area. In 1904, J.D. McGregor petitioned Brandon City Council for a winter fair. The petition was accepted by the city, and in 1906 Brandon’s first winter fair was held. It was a big success, and the Board of Directors looked forward to it becoming an annual event. The summer fair, which had been in operation since 1882 welcomed this new exhibition. The Board of the summer fair felt that a winter fair would be complementary to the summer exhibition. Although the two fairs were not amalgamated, they did share a secretary-treasurer and several Board members.
In 1907, the Cattle Breeders Association decided to make the Brandon Winter Fair the site of its annual stock sale. With this support, it was felt that the winter fair would become an annual event. A joint stock company was created in 1907 entitled the Brandon Winter Fair and Livestock Association (BWFLA), to be used primarily as a land-holding company. Land was purchased at Tenth Street and McTavish Avenue in order to erect a winter fair building.
The following year, the Provincial Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association was created to manage the winter fair. The name was soon changed to the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (MWFFSA). Unlike the summer fair, the winter fair was solely an agricultural event. The Board felt no need to please the citizens with carnivals and midways. The winter fair was “by and for the farmers...[and]...the primary functions of the Brandon Winter Fair were to educate the agricultural community and to honour the community’s accomplishments.”
Additional land was bought on Eleventh Street and Victoria Avenue to build a new winter fair building. The building opened in 1913. By this time, the Brandon Winter Fair was one of the best livestock and agricultural exhibitions in the province.
When the First World War broke out, the winter fair buildings were requisitioned by the military for troop accommodation and eventually as a detention centre for Ukrainian internees and other “enemy aliens.” Unlike the summer fair, which was allowed to use their buildings during fair week, the winter fair buildings were not released for the exhibition. This led to the cancellation of both the 1915 and 1916 winter fairs.
By 1917 the winter fair was allowed to open again, but by this time both the BWFLA and the MWFFSA were experiencing financial difficulties. It was at this time that the proposal first went out regarding an amalgamation of the summer and winter fairs. The provincial government approved of the idea of an amalgamation, and both fair Boards considered the proposal. However, in early 1920 the winter fair Board pulled out of the discussions, as it felt that the winter fair would lose out to the WAAA. The winter fair Board decided to struggle on independently.
Financial problems heightened Board concerns that the winter fair was not exciting enough to keep the public interest. To add to the financial concerns of the winter fair board, in the fall of 1920, the old winter fair pavilion caught fire and burned. Forty six horses were killed and the fair Board had to cancel the 1921 winter fair. When the new winter fair building opened in 1922, it was greeted with enthusiasm. The Directors, in an attempt to ease the increasing financial burden they were feeling, tried to keep the buildings open year round for other events.
In 1929, the Depression began in Canada. While the winter fair continued to run, its buildings were once again requisitioned by the government, this time to house men looking for work. The winter fair Directors were conscious of the problems that the citizens of Brandon were facing, and they offered free admission to those on relief. The fair received grants from the government to provide work relief programs, but these were often small or canceled. The Board members may have resorted to helping to pay for the fair out of their own pockets.
Despite financial problems, the winter fair managed to survive the Depression. Unfortunately, as Brandon recovered from the Depression of the 1930s, the Second World War broke out. For the third time in as many decades, the government requisitioned the winter fair buildings. This time, however, instead of canceling the fair as in previous years, the winter fair went on as scheduled, although it was held on the summer fair grounds.
By 1945, the directors were at a loss financially. They decided that the best course of action in order to keep the fair going was to turn over the buildings to the City of Brandon. By the fall of 1946 the BWFLA had ceased operations.
While the Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba were still not amalgamated, they continued to share the same secretary-manager and several Board members. After the cessation of the war, the Directors knew they had to become more appealing to the wider public. There were promotional events held and more entertainment was offered to attract the public. These additions led to dessention among Board members, as some wanted the fair to remain purely agricultural. The appeal for the greater good of the fair, even if it did include some non-agricultural attractions, eventually won out.
The fair was still to be plagued with difficulties though. In 1952 the fair had to be canceled because of an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease. Despite setbacks such as this, the Board persevered. The following year a 4-H seed show was created and sponsored by the provincial agronomist, P.F. Ford. A carcass class was added in 1957. Soon the fair was successful and stable and rapidly outgrew its facilities.
It was decided by 1966 that the winter fair and the summer fair should be housed in one building. In 1969, the respective Boards went one step further and decided to become one organization. The Manitoba Winter Fair and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba amalgamated in 1969 to become the Manitoba Exhibition Association. In 1970, the year of Manitoba’s Centennial, it was decided that an organization in the province would receive the designation “Royal” by Queen Elizabeth II. After much consideration by the province, the Manitoba Winter Fair was chosen, and in 1970 it became known as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. In 1972 the construction of a common facility was completed, and the 1973 winter fair was the occasion of the official opening of the Keystone Centre. The winter fair continues in this facility and under this designation to this day.
Custodial History
The records were housed at the MWFFSA, the MWF and the MEA until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds consists of textual records and photographs pertaining to the Winter Fair. The textual records include prize lists, programs, minutes, financial, administrative files, original results, news releases, scrapbooks, and tickets. The photographs include animal shows and events, dignitaries, entertainment, ceremonies, buildings, and other events.
The sous-fonds has been divided into eleven series, including: (1) Documents; (2) Minutes; (3) Financial records; (4) Administrative files; (5) Prize lists and programs; (6) News releases; (7) Original results; (8) Tickets; (9) Photographs; (10) Scrapbooks; and (11) Miscellaneous
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
