Situated in the R.M. of Whitehead on the Little Saskatchewan River, the 10 Mile Dam was a 14 kilometer transmission line that supplied the city of Brandon with power. The Brandon Electric Light Company built the dam in 1900 and it is considered Manitoba's first hydroelectic power generating station. The dam spanned approximately 80 meters and was constructed from timber and reinforced with clay and stone. The station was decommissioned in 1924.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows 10 Mile Dam, also known as the Brandon Dam or Minnedosa River Hydro Plant. The dam's timber construction is quite evident in the picture.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: McGuinness (Manitoba Hydro), on Little Saskatchewan.
Situated in the R.M. of Whitehead on the Little Saskatchewan River, the 10 Mile Dam was a 14 kilometer transmission line that supplied the city of Brandon with power. The Brandon Electric Light Company built the dam in 1900 and it is considered Manitoba's first hydroelectic power generating station. The dam spanned approximately 80 meters and was constructed from timber and reinforced with clay and stone. The station was decommissioned in 1924.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows 10 Mile Dam, also known as the Brandon Dam or Minnedosa River Hydro Plant.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: "10 mile dam". Biographical information obtained from Manitoba Historical Society.
Beverley Clare Hicks (nee Williams) was born in New Zealand in 1938. At the age of sixteen she began working as a nurse’s aide at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Auckland. From here, she began training at the same hospital and attained her Registered Nurse Diploma, after which she obtained her maternity nursing diploma from the National Women’s Hospital in Auckland.
Hicks came to Canada in 1962, and began to work at the Toronto General Hospital in the cardiac care unit. After returning to New Zealand to complete her midwifery training at St. Helens Hospital, she returned to Canada in 1964. She then completed Canadian university entrance equivalency courses in Vancouver while working at the Vancouver General Hospital emergency department. Because her nursing transcript included no psychiatric nursing, she travelled to Brandon in 1967 to participate in a six-month post-diploma course in psychiatric nursing.
Hicks’ passion was teaching, and after her six-month course was completed, she spent her time at the School of Nursing at the Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC), after which she was offered the opportunity to attend McGill University to obtain a Bachelor of Nursing degree with a psychiatric nursing specialty. Upon her return to Brandon, Hicks developed an in-service education program at the Brandon Mental Health Centre and began training psychiatric nurses to upgrade their skills, particularly in group therapy. She was also the first in Manitoba to train new community health workers. This community education sector of her career lasted nearly 20 years; she was responsible for travelling around Westman to deliver programs in suicide prevention, stress management along with other mental health topics.
As an educator, Hicks taught Family Life Education at Brandon University, Gerontology courses at Assiniboine Community College (ACC), and Counselling for the University of Manitoba Extension Department.
In the later part of her career, Hicks was responsible for resource and housing development for the final phase of the closure of the BMHC. While doing this, Hicks obtained a Masters Degree in Health Education in 1986 from the University of Manitoba.
The final stage of her education career consisted of being hired by Brandon University to teach in Canada’s first baccalaureate psychiatric nursing education program. Being in the education setting allowed Hicks to pursue further education at the doctorate level. Once she completed the required courses, Hicks retired from Brandon University to write her dissertation, "From Barnyards, to Bedsides to Books and Beyond: The Evolution and Professionalization of Psychiatric Nursing in Manitoba 1955-1980."
In 2020, with Lesley Peterson, Hicks published "Politics, Personalities, and Persistence: One Hundred Years of Psychiatric Nursing Education in Manitoba."
Beverley Hicks continues to live in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
These records were in the possession of Beverley Hicks until she donated them to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University in December 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of transcripts of interviews conducted by Hicks as part of the research for her PhD dissertation. The interviews were conducted with a variety of former psychiatric nurses, directors, educators and other ward staff regarding their experiences working at the Brandon Mental Health Centre and related groups and organizations. All of the interviews took place between March 2002 and October 2007, and all of the participants were over 65 years of age and had worked or trained between the 1940s and 1980s. The interviews conducted were not formal in nature, rather they were intended to be a casual conversation between Hicks and the interviewee. Each interview begins with a brief biography of the interviewee written by Hicks.
Each interviewee was interviewed once, except for Jack Holleman and Elinor Samuels. Hicks interviewed Hollman three times over the course of approximately a year. Samuels was interviewed twice.
Below is a brief account of specific topics and subjects discussed during each interview. This does not include the standard topics discussed in each interview (schooling, experiences, etc.):
Myrtle Barnett – Barnett was the wife of the first president of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba, Alf Barnett. During the interview, she discusses when the association began, and how Alf went to war from 1942 to 1945. It was during this time, Barnett claims, that her husband began to question why men could not be formally trained as psychiatric nurses. Barnett comments on how her husband treated the patients like human beings and discusses his relationship with the Association. She also talks about her husband’s time in World War II as well as their relationship.
Remi Beaudette – Beaudette was a long-time attendant/psychiatric nurse at the Brandon Mental Health Centre. His interview describes his participation in the association as well as what duties he conducted through his many years working at the centre. Beaudette goes into detail about the various wards he worked on and what his duties were on each specific ward.
Marlene Brichon – Brichon was one of the first psychiatric nurses to graduate under the first legislation of 1960. During her interview, she discusses the changes in medication and treatments during her time working as a psychiatric nurse, some of the incidents that occurred between nurses and patients, patients with schizophrenia (and what the nurses did to treat it), and her feelings towards the textbooks used in her schooling.
Jack Holleman – During Holleman’s interview, they discuss the association, his presidency, how he commissioned the Breen Report and how much he paid for it, as well as the report itself.
John Martyniw – During his interview he discussed his presidency of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba, the different locations he worked at (Selkirk Mental Hospital, Misericordia Hospital) as well as his teaching jobs (Selkirk as per the Province of Manitoba). Martyniw discussed his displeasure with how they treated him when he first came to Canada – as an attendant rather than a registered psychiatric nurse, as he was trained. They also discussed the textbooks used during his time as a teacher.
Annette Osted – During Osted’s interview, they discuss the Breen Report, a quote from Dr. Tavener, what patients should be called, Challenge and Change, The Task Force, and changes in legislation.
Shirley-Jo Paine – During Paine’s interview, they discuss her role in proposing the program for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses to Brandon University. They also discuss how supportive surrounding universities and colleges were of the new program at Brandon University.
Gerald Pronyk – Pronyk did not actively practice clinical psychiatric nursing, he focused his attention on the administrative and education side of nursing. The interview discusses his positions as the Director of Nursing Education in Selkirk, the Senior Nursing Administrative Officer, and a mental health program specialist in the mental health directorate in Winnipeg.
Janissa Read – During her interview, they discuss how she became interested in psychiatric nursing, how spirituality relates to psychiatric nursing, the distinction between a Registered Nurse and a Registered Psychiatric Nurse, and how others felt about the profession of a registered psychiatric nurse.
Elinor Samels – The interview begins with them discussing her achievements at the beginning of her career, after she finished school post-World War II. They follow up by discussing some of the patients she had to deal with, her participation in the Association, her coworkers and how they treated her, and how the new changes affected their day-to-day work.
Walter Tetzlaff – In addition to being a psychiatric nurse, Tetzlaff was also a vocational rehabilitation counselor. He discusses how much he got paid at the beginning of his career, how much his room and board cost during school, what school was like for him, the kinds of things he did after he got his degree, and the textbooks he needed for class. They also discussed what he did as a vocational counselor.
Tom Street – Street was the fifth president of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba and graduated from the Portage la Prairie School of Psychiatric Nursing in 1967. During his interview they talk about how he became interested into psychiatric nursing, where he did his schooling, how he was involved with the union and how he didn’t like it.
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Beverley Hicks. Description by Karmelle Tower (September 2018) and Christy Henry
The Brandon Collegiate was built in 1907 and officially opened in 1908. Architect W.A. Elliott designed the building, which was faced with brick from Wisconsin (order 65,000 bricks). Located at 527 Louise Avenue, it ceased to be Brandon Collegiate Institute (BCI) in the summer of 1974. It was renamed New Era School on the recommendation of Marion Pye, who was a teacher at BCI in its last years. The name "New Era" was also the name of the BCI yearbook.
Custodial History
Sent to Fred McGuinness from Martin Kavanagh of Brandon.
Scope and Content
Photograph is an outdoor class picture of Brandon Collegiate Institute students standing on the front steps of the school.
Notes
History/bio information obtained from Lawrence Stuckey descriptions and the Manitoba Historical Society website. The negative for this photograph can be found in McG 1.2 File 19.
Postcard has two thumb tack holes in its corners, bottom left corner is creased, face of one student is blotted out.
History / Biographical
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class photograph of the 1906-1907 Central School Grade 5? class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and boots. Most of the boys are wearing suits and ties.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Allena Coombs, 1906-1907. All the students' names are listed. The class teacher is identified as Miss [Nettie?] Harrison.
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class photograph of the 1907-1908 Central School Grade 6 class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and the boys are wearing suits and ties.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VI, Allena Coombs, 1907-1908.
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard depicts an outdoor class picture of the 1908-1909 Central School Grade 7 class. The class is posing outside of the school. The girls are wearing dresses and bows in their hair. The boys are wearing suits and ties. Teacher Naomi Moore stands to the right of the class.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VII, Teacher, Naomi Moore, Allena Coombs, 1908-1909.
Central School was situated on Lorne Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Postcard is an outdoor class photograph of the 1909-1910 Central School Grade 8 class. The girls are wearing dresses and the boys suits and ties. School principal, Bedford A. Tingley, lays in front of the class.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Grade VIII, Teacher, B.A. Tingely [sic.], Allena Coombs
Situated in the R.M. of Whitehead on the Little Saskatchewan River, the 10 Mile Dam was a 14 kilometer transmission line that supplied the city of Brandon with power. The Brandon Electric Light Company built the dam in 1900 and it is considered Manitoba's first hydroelectic power generating station. The dam spanned approximately 80 meters and was constructed from timber and reinforced with clay and stone. The station was decommissioned in 1924.
Alonzo Archibald Rowe (b. 1862, London, ON; d. 22 Oct 1951, Brandon). The Rowes were considered Brandon area pioneers. Alonzo’s father, Alonzo L. Rowe, came to Brandon with his family in 1881, where the family had a furniture and undertaker business on the west side of 10th Street between Rosser and Princess Avenues. In 1885, the family began farming west of Brandon and Alonzo Archibald served as a councilor and then a reeve in the R.M. of Whitehead. He returned to Brandon in 1907 and served with the Brandon Police Department until 1910, when he returned to farming, this time in Arrow River. A.A. Rowe returned to Brandon in 1915 to work as a Provincial Licenses Inspector, a position he held until 1938. (Source: Obituary, Brandon Daily Sun 22 Oct 1951)
Custodial History
Photograph was in possession of Mrs. Ruby Miles, who passed the image on to Fred McGuinness. McGuinness makes reference to Mrs. Miles and this photograph in his Sunbeams column (Source: F.A. Rosser, "Another interesting chat with a daughter of the plains," Brandon Sun 18 Aug 1981).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows four fishermen at 10 Mile Dam, also known as the Brandon Dam or Minnedosa River Hydro Plant. The fishermen in the photo are identified as George H. Rowe and his father A.A. Rowe, Dr. Wilfred Bigelow, and Al Collins.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: at Brandon Dam, [right to left] son and father - George H. ROWE, Mr. A.A. ROWE, Dr. BIGELOW, Al COLLINS (dam?, 1906?, George born March 1897); Jerrett's Photo-Services, May 7 1938.
Kirkham's Bridge was built in 1906, to replace an earlier wooden bridge. The bridge was used until 1981, when it was purchased by the Town of Birtle and moved to a newsite. A former railway pridge was installed in its place.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Kirkham's Bridge, a steel truss bridge that spanned the Little Saskatchewan River in the Municipality of Riverdale.
Notes
Identification of the bridge provided by Ken Storie (2023). Additional information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website.
Given to Fred McGuinness by George Creighton, 1980?
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two men seated in a sleigh pulled by two oxen. Behind the men is a wooden building with a M.H. & L Co. Ltd. sign on its side.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph reads: 7.3.80. file family letters. picture of dad's store at Hamiota. M.H.& L. > Manitoba Hardware & Lumber Co. George Creighton gave me this. McG.
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski (nee Lepard) of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a large group of men, women and children posing in a park. A man in a WWI Canadian uniform is standing in the back row, left-hand side.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Methodist Mission Sunday School Picnic taken in the Assiboine [sic.] Park. 1st 1915. 1915. Mr. Hugh Connolly Minister, Mr. Fred Denstedt, Teacher. Miss Hornbrook, Bible Class teacher. Mr. John Davies, Choir Leader. Mrs. Foreman in the center in dark dress the oldest member & four babies. Mrs. E. Harden, 33-10th Street N., City.
See RG 6 Brandon University fonds, Series 7 Faculties and Schools, Sub-series 7.1 Faculty of Arts, Sub sub series 7.1.1 Dean of Arts for biographical information for Michael Blanar.
Custodial History
Collection was in the possession of Dr. Michael Blanar until he donated the records to the S.J. McKee Archives in May 2002.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of textual records and five microfilm reels related to Dr. Blanar’s post-graduate research. It is assumed that the records were collected during the course of Blanar’s research for his dissertation entitled “Early British Travellers in French Canada (1960).”
Textual records include three Dominion of Canada notebooks containing handwritten Saulteaux verbs, and animate nouns. Included is a dark red booklet titled “Ojibwe.” The book contains Ojibwa translations of English words. The book comes from St. Peter Clavers Industrial School in Spanish, Ontario, and may have acted as an instructional book as it also contains French and English. Collection also contains a transcript of an Ojibwa dictionary and three file folders titled “Manuscripts,’ “John Long Research,” and “Maps” which contain additional research material. Contents of “Manuscript” folder are original typed manuscripts. “John Long” and “Maps” file folders contain copies of materials held at Library and Archives Canada, as well as hand drawn documents and hand written documents detailing contents of folders.
In addition to the textual records there are five microfilm reels. Three microfilm cases are labeled “The British Reference Division,” one case labeled “Public Archives Canada, central microfilm operations,” and the last case is from an unidentified source labeled “Longs voyages and travels”. Four of the five microfilm cases are also numbered. The British Reference Division microfilm case numbered “1346 i 43” contains a copy of a book titled “The Cacique of Ontario.” British Reference Division microfilm case numbered “104706640” contains a copy of a book titled “The Four Kings of Canada.” British Reference Division microfilm case numbered “9073279” contains a copy of a book titled “The Indians.” The Public Archives Canada microfilm case numbered “c-3006” contains copies of original documents in French and English. Documents include letters, diary pages, maps, and business ledgers. Microfilm case labeled “Longs voyages and travels” contains a copy of a book written by John Long titled “Voyages and Travels of Indian Interpreter and Trader.”
Notes
Description by Aaron McKay (October 2013). The Ojibwa language dictionary and notebook make references to Fredric Baraga (1797-1868), a missionary priest from Slovenia who recorded the Lake Superior Ojibwa language dialect. Baraga’s findings were published into an Ojibwa language dictionary.
Postcard shows the 100 block of 10th Street facing north. The CPR train station can be seen at the end of 10th Street. The sign for the Rex Cafe is visible on the west side of 10th Street. On the east side of 10th Street, billboards for Campbell & Campbell furniture are visible as well as signs for Pianos and the Orpheum Theatre. Motorists and cyclists share the road. Street car tracks run the length of 10th Street.
Notes
Back of postcard reads: Morning reflection of Brandon's skyline on the Assiniboine River, photo by Sandy Black, printed in Brandno, Manitoba, Canada by Leech Printing Ltd.
Foxing on matting and photograph, primarily along edges of photograph
Custodial History
Mona McKinnon (nee Corkish) gave photograph to Colleen McGuinness who, in turn, gave it to her father, Fred McGuinness in 2007.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Mrs. Scott's residence in Kemnay, Manitoba. Members of the family along with two horse-drawn buggies are clearly visible along the front of the house. A possbile church appears to the right of the house in the background.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Margaret Brown Scott, Mother in law to, Frank McGee Sr.
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