A.E. McKenzie was born in Wilcox Lake, York County, Ontario in 1870 to F.B. and Maria (Carley) McKenzie. His family came to Manitoba in 1883. He was educated in Brandon, Manitoba and graduated from the Collegiate Institute at age 21. In 1897 he founded the Brandon Seed House. McKenzie was present at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of Brandon College on Juy 13, 1900. From that moment on, he was very involved in the College, first as an interested businessman, and later as a member of its Board of Directors. In 1902, McKenzie married Laura Bell in Port Arthur. They had two daughters, Marjorie Bell and Kathleen. In 1906 the Brandon Seed House was incorporated and from then on was known as the "A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd.."
McKenzie became a member of the Brandon College Endowment Committee in 1918. The following year he was on the Finance Committee. By 1925, McKenzie was a member of the Board of Directors. In 1928, he was part of a syndicate that advised the Baptist Union that they were developing an endowment plan to provide continuing financial support to the College and talked the Union into providing $10 000 towards the accumulated deficit.
In 1931, McKenzie organized the Brandon Board of Trade to help save Brandon College when the Baptists said they could no longer afford to keep the College. After the By-law failed, he helped to organize the Brandon Citizen’s Campaign to raise enough money so that the College could open the following year.
When the Baptists withdrew support in 1938, McKenzie was one of the central figures on the Brandon Board of Trade that decided to save the College from closure. A representative delegation from Southwestern Manitoba of over 60 men descended upon Premier Bracken’s office to try and convince him to help the College. On June 12, 1938 McKenzie said he would set up a $100 000 endowment to Brandon College. He subsequently raised this amount to $300 000. On August 1, 1938 the Board of Trade launched a campaign to raise $15 000 to match what the government was prepared to offer the College. McKenzie was asked to provide Brandon College with $3000 personally. In September of 1938, McKenzie upped his endowment once more to $500 000. The fund raising worked however, and the chater establishing Brandon College Incorporated was assented to on April 17, 1939. On June 6, 1939 a by-law was again presented to the citizens of Brandon, and fortunately it passed.
In 1941, McKenzie received an honorary L.L.D. from the University of Manitoba. The A.E. McKenzie Foundation was created in 1945 by the provincial government, who had assumed 90% of the A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. stock.
On September 25, 1964 McKenzie died at the age of 94. He never retired, but worked full time until two weeks before his death. The funeral was held in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre. The Arts and Library Building at Brandon College was completed in 1960, and is known as the A.E. McKenzie building, in honour of the man who contributed so much time, effort and financial help to the College during a crucial period in its history.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
A.E. McKenizie’s records in the Brandon College fonds are very useful from an administrative point of view. Because McKenzie was so involved in Brandon College from the very beginning until his death in 1964, it is easy to understand how the College Administration arrived at decisions. There is correspondence between McKenzie and various regarding College and Board of Director business. There are Brandon College financial statements and letters regarding the A.E. McKenzie Foundation. The records contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets and lists of names of members of various Brandon organizations. As well, McKenzie has letters regarding Building Expansion in the 1940’s and minutes of Board of Director meetings. There are also several photographs. One photograph is the 1919 graduation picture of Zoe Hough. Another is tentatively identified as Frances Wolverton, also of the Class of 1919. There are two more photographs of unidentified young women.
Carole Paintin-Dence was raised in Souris, Manitoba and attended Brandon College in the early 1960s. While at Brandon College she was active in the Glee Club, I.R.C. and French Clubs. She was also Quill reporter for the Music Department.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of a small collection of Brandon College memorabilia and slides. The memorabilia includes programs from various Brandon College Student Association events, Alumni News, and a copy of "The New Brandon College School of Music" by Peggy Sharpe. The slide images include: the opening of the Music Building 1963 (3) - Sir Ernest MacMillan, Lady MacMillan and Lorne Watson; raising the class flag 1964 (2); the JRC Evans Lecture Theatre 1964 (1); Brandon College Original Building 1964 (1); Freshie Parade 1962 (1) - glee club float and 1963 (3) - "wedding of Jack & Jill"; French Immersion class Summer 1964 (4) - Mme Ragot, Neil Forsyth, Henri Francq; party for John 1963 (2) - Ken May, Morlene Sparrow, John Sushelnitsky, Norma Walmsley, Poppy Cumming, Chris Cassels, Pat Brake, Eleanor Riesberry; W.U.S. parties (4) - Joan Garnett, Norma Walmsley, Claude Paintin, Brian Foster, Rae Westcott, Clark Brownlee, Nina Kosakawiecz, Berth Paintin
Collection also includes school texts and pedagogical guides - forty-seven in total - dealing with reading, spelling, social studies and particularly music.
Esther Moore was born in Norfolk, Nebraska and moved to Canada at age 3. There is a vague reference to her being related to the composer Dvorak in The Quill of 1913. She registered as a music student at Brandon College in 1909. In 1910, Miss Moore received a medal for sight-reading and accompanying in Edmonton. She took her examinations of the Toronto Conservatory of Music in 1910, and her Senior examinations in 1911. She completed her theory work in 1913, as well as finishing the academic requirements. In 1913, Esther Moore became the first graduate of the Music department at Brandon College. After graduation, Miss Moore taught music in Unity, as well as being the choirleader and organist. She returned to her home in Olds, Alberta for a rest from teaching. However, she was not idle for long. She took up teaching again, and she was the organist and choirleader at church. She also began a Glee Club. Between these responsibilities Miss Moore finished a course in the Household Science Department at the Olds Agricultural College. She returned to Brandon College to take postgraduate work, becoming the first Brandon College student to receive her L.T.C.M. in 1916. In 1922 Miss Moore began to teach piano at Brandon College. She received her Bachelor of Music in 1925, and her Master of Music in 1926.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Esther Moore’s records consist of newspaper clippings, recital programmes, concert programmes, and commencement programmes. As well, there are dance cards, invitations, tickets, and the programme for the annual Graduation Banquet for several years. There are Track and Field programmes and a ribbon. There are also Alumni Luncheon programmes for a few years. There is an issue of The Western Baptist from 1926, and the programmes for the installation of Dr. Robbins as President and the opening of the Arts and Library building and the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre in 1960. There is also a letter from William L. Wright, director of the music department at Brandon College.
See collection level description for history/biography information on Frederick George McGuinness.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his years in the Canadian navy, college, and as a journalist and publisher with The Medicine Hat News.
The subseries includes of variety of certificates pertaining to McGuinness’ marriage, volunteer work, professional memberships, and awards. The scrapbook contains ephemera (e.g., photographs, newspaper clippings, programmes, invitations, certificates, napkins) during McGuinness’ early years in the navy, college, and at The Medicine Hat News.
Notes
In the file level inventories, square brackets at end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
File level inventory is available for the certificates
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Materials from McGuinness’ time during his navy and college years may be found in the Personal papers series (McG 1). Materials pertaining to his time at The Medicine Hat News are in the Newspaper career series (McG 2)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period.
See collection level description for history/biography information on Frederick George McGuinness.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his years in the Canadian navy, college, federal government (Unemployment Insurance Commission), Saskatchewan government (Saskatchewan Jubilee), and as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer.
The papers and letters include materials from some members of the McGuinness family who assisted McGuinness with his research, as well as reader correspondence and materials from workshop participants. Readers of McGuinness’ columns often reminisced about Brandon’s local history and enclosed newspapers clippings, photographs, and pamphlets with their correspondence. Participants from his memoir writing workshops submitted their personal or family memoirs for McGuinness to review, provide feedback, or add to his collection.
Records in the subseries consist of correspondence (letters, e-mail communications, facsimiles, invitations, telegrams), newspaper clippings, programmes, ticket stubs. There is a Medicine Hat News logo patch located within File 10 1955-1965 Medicine Hat News.
Notes
In the file level inventories, square brackets at end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder.
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
File level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
John Everitt collection
Clarence Hopkin collection
Lawrence Stuckey collection
Jack Stothard collection
William Wallace papers
It is possible research and additional correspondence pertaining to McGuinness’ columns and research materials may be found in Personal papers (McG 1.1), Newspaper career (McG 2), Freelance (McG 3), Broadcasts, talks and workshops (McG 6). Photographs were pulled and added to McGuinness photographic collection (McG 9)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period.
Documents
McG 1_2 Fred McGuinness correspondence inventory.pdf
See collection level description for history/biography information on Frederick George McGuinness.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of records related to the business workings of Fred McGuinness Ltd. It includes financial statements prepared for Fred McGuinness Ltd. and information on insurance coverage.
Notes
In the file level inventories, square brackets at end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
File level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Statements on royalty earnings for McGuinness’ monograph Manitoba: The Province & The People are located in the Correspondence subseries (McG 1.2). Invoicing for McGuinness’ work on the Chronicle of Canada is located with that monograph subseries (5.7)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period.
Documents
McG 1_3 Fred McGuinness Ltd business documents inventory.pdf
Harold Arthur Kinniburgh was born in New Zealand in 1883. He spent two years in Brandon working at the Experimental Farm during the summer and studying at Brandon College during the winter. After his years at Brandon College he worked in Canada in the dairy industry from two years and then returned to New Zealand for the balance of his life. He devoted his time to developing a dairy farm in New Zealand. Harold Kinniburgh died in 1953.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of copies of correspondence written by Kinniburgh to his mother in New Zealand while he was attending Brandon College. The photograph is a copy of the 1905 First Year Academic class at Brandon College.
See collection level description for history/biography information on Frederick George McGuinness.
Frederick George McGuinness’ maternal grandparents were John POPE (b. 28 January 1852 – d. 24 January 1923) and Mary DARROCH (b. 24 May 1861 – d. 18 September 1942). Canadian Census records for 1906 show John was born in England and immigrated to Canada in 1870. Mary was born in Wellington, Ontario.
John and Mary married in Brandon on 11 July 1888. The POPE family was considered one of Brandon’s pioneer families and all nine children were born in Brandon: Fred McGUINNESS’ mother Isabella Louisa POPE, John “Jack” Stuart/Stewart POPE, Annie Ruby POPE, Alice Jane POPE, George Campbell POPE, Henry Victor James POPE, Roy Clendon POPE, Hugh Edward POPE (b. 23 February 1901 – d. 9 November 1904), and Albert William POPE (b. 1 April 1903 – d. 17 November 1904).
According to the Brandon City Henderson Directories, maternal patriarch John POPE worked as a bartender in the Brunswick Hotel (in 1906), the King Edward Hotel (from 1907-1911), and the Royal George Hotel (by 1913-14). He later became an employee at the Empire Brewing Company (1921). The 1901 Canadian Census records both his brother George (b. 23 October 1843), working as a contractor, and his sister-in-law Ella DARROCH (b. 16 August 1872) as living with the POPE family. It appears George stayed with the family for a decade.
Isabella Louisa POPE (b. 09 July 1889 – 16 December 1966) worked as clerk and stenographer with the Dominion Express Company between 1907 and 1909. It was there that she likely met her future husband, William Frederick McGUINNESS, whom she married in Brandon on 2 November 1910. The 1911 Canadian Census shows William, Louisa and their one-month old daughter Mary Charlotte living with Louisa’s parents on 629 9th Street in Brandon. William was working as cashier with Dominion Express Company at the time. [See William Frederick McGuinness below for more information about Louisa and William.]
By 1916, the POPE family was living at 708 10th Street, while Louisa and William McGUINNESS were living at their home at 337 17th Street. All of the Pope brothers listed the Tenth Street address as their home and their military accomplishments are mentioned in Fred McGuinness’ popular short story “The Button Bag” that was read on CBC’s Morningside radio program and later published in his book Letters from Section 17 (1999).
John “Jack” Stuart/Stewart POPE (b. 18 March 1891 – 5 March 1971) managed the Empire Hotel’s News Stand in 1909. From 1913 to 1914, he was a clerk with the Grand View Hotel. Jack married Helen Frances FINNEGAN on 1 May 1914. On 7 November 1916, Jack enlisted with the Canadian Field Artillery’s 76th Depot Battery in Winnipeg (regimental # 12501611). His attestation papers list his occupation as a packer, likely with the Empire Brewing Company, a company to which he would return after the war. The 1921 Canadian Census lists Jack as single and living at his parent’s Tenth Street home. By 1931, Jack was working as a foreman with the Empire Beverage Company. Jack’s listings in Henderson’s Brandon City Directories are sporadic throughout the 1930s and 1940s but it appears he was an employee with the Empire Beverage Company until 1941. Jack was listed as an engineer working at the Brandon Sanatorium from 1947 to 1949. Jack died on 5 March 1971 and was interred in the Veterans’ Section of the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 27, Block C, Plot 124); his grave marker affiliates him with the 181st Battalion.
Anna “Annie” Ruby POPE (3 August 1892 – 26 December 1971) was listed as a dressmaker in Henderson’s Brandon City Directory for 1919. Shortly thereafter, she would become a long-term employee with Yaegers Furs (from 1921 onwards) working as an operator and fur finisher. After her father’s death in 1923, Annie moved with her mother and brothers to 228 15th Street. She lived at that address until her death on 26 December 1971. She passed away in Yorkton, Saskatchewan (where her surviving sister Mrs. Alice Jane Murray lived), and was interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 6, Block B, Plot 11). The furrier Yaegers Furs Ltd. closed its shop early in her honour.
Alice Jane POPE (MURRAY) (b. 8 May 1894 – d. 11 May 1983) was a binder, folder, and stenographer with Cox Printing Copy from 1914 to 1919. She married Alexander Leo Murray on 8 October 1919 and moved with her husband, a butcher and grocery merchant, to Kenora, Ontario. Alice died in 1983 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
George Campbell POPE (b. 13 December 1896 – d. 3 September 1918) was listed as an employee of the Empire Brewing Company from 1913 to 1914 in the Brandon City Henderson Directories. His attestation papers identify him as a chemist’s assistant. George had been with 99th Manitoba Rangers for six years prior to enlisting with the 181st Battalion on 12 February 1916 (regimental # 855132). Once overseas, George was transferred to the 44th Battalion. He was killed in action six weeks before the war’s end on 3 September 1918. His Commonwealth War Grave is in the Chapel Corner Cemetery (Pas de Calais, France).
Henry ”Harry” Victor James POPE (b. 15 February 1897 – d. 18 September 1952) was another Pope brother to work with the Empire Brewing/Beverage Company. Harry became a long-term employee of the brewer, working with the company from 1917 to 1951. During that time, the Brandon City Henderson’s Directories list Harry as a bottler (1925-31) and Vice President (1933, 1941-45). He briefly left the company in 1945 to work as a foreman with the Bell Bottling Company, and again in 1952. Harry never married. He lived with his sister in their family home until his death in 1952. He is interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 6, Block B, Plot 63).
Roy Clendon POPE (b. 4 April 1899 – d. 03 March 1966) enlisted with the City of Brandon’s 181st Battalion on 3 April 1916 (regimental # 865466). He listed his occupation as bridge builder on his attestation papers. Once overseas, Roy was transferred to the 44th Battalion. He would survive the war and was awarded a Military Medal on 3 July 1919. After the war he became an employee with the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) (1921-23). Roy became a carpenter by trade (1925-1945). He served as the secretary to the Kinsmen Club from 1931-33 and worked briefly with the RCAF as a laborer in 1943. By 1949 he had a wife, Anne, and moved from his family home to live at 623 23rd Street. He worked as a clerk and caretaker of the Land Titles Office from 1951-54. Roy is buried in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 6, Block B, Plot 65).
Fred McGuinness’ paternal grandparents were Frederick Anthony McGUINNESS (b. August 1857-1862 – d. 5 March 1933) and Anna Charlotte GALLAGHER (b. 19 September 1861/1863/1864 – d. 10 March 1948). Born to Irish parents, Canadian Census records list England (1891, 1901) and Newfoundland (1911) as birthplaces for F.A. McGuinness. He immigrated to Canada in 1864 or 1865 and married Charlotte GALLAGHER in 1882. His wife, Charlotte, was born in Ontario. The couple had four children: William Frederick McGUINNESS, Ernest Albert McGUINNESS, Annie May McGUINNESS, and Frederick Gallagher McGUINNESS. The family moved to Manitoba in 1900 and while in Brandon, Frederick Anthony worked as a CPR conductor from 1906 to 1924/25. He would die in Brandon two weeks before his eldest son, William, succumbed to illness. He is interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 46).
William Frederick McGUINNESS (b. 22 August 1884 – d. 18 March 1933) was born in Ottawa and graduated with honors from the Willis School of Accountancy in that city. He moved with his family to Manitoba and worked as a cashier with the CPR Express Office from 1900 to 1905. From 1906 to 1911, he worked as a clerk with the Dominion Express Company. In 1910, William married Isabella Louisa POPE and they would have six children: Mary Charlotte, Dorreene Louise, Kathleen Ruth, Frederick George, Orma Grace, and Carol. From 1914-1919, W.F. McGuinness was the secretary-treasurer of the Hanbury Hardware Company; by 1921, he was the general manager. In 1925, W.F. McGuinness was manager of the Manitoba Hardware Company Limited and by 1927 he was the Company’s secretary-treasurer. He was also a member of a number of service clubs and fraternal organizations. From 1919-1923, he served as a director of the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Show, representing the Manitoba Poultry Association. He was also a Mason and was involved with Brandon’s Council of the Board of Trade, Brandon Curling Club (1927 treasurer), and the Lawn Bowling Club. W.F. McGuinness passed away at the age of 49 after suffering from an infection for eight months, a complication resulting from influenza. He is interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 48).
While in Brandon, Ernest Albert McGUINNESS (b. 10 July 1886 – d. 30 August 1943) worked as a CPR ticket agent from at least 1906 to 1916. He was also a well-known baritone in the community. Ernest married Evelina G. DOLMAGE in Souris on 7 August 1912. They would have three daughters: Anna Charlotte, Maire, and Mrs. Edward May. Ernest moved to Winnipeg with his family in 1916 and lived there until his death in 1943. He is interred in the McGUINNESS family plot in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 48).
Annie May McGUINNESS (b. 23 December 1888 – d. 23 March 1948) was born in Carleton, Ontario. She worked as a laundress at the Brandon Asylum in 1907. She became a stenographer and worked with a number of firms, including George White Sons and Company in 1913, A.G. Buckingham in 1917, Coldwell Coleman and Kerr from 1919-43, and Kerr, McQuarrie & Meighen in 1945. Annie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and a charter member of the Heather Club. She died in Brandon at the age of 59, and was interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 22).
Frederick Gallagher McGUINNESS (b. 1891 – d. 23 May 1968) was born in Ottawa, Ontario. While in Brandon, he was a student (1911) and secretary of Boys’ Work for the YMCA in 1913. He moved to Winnipeg where he graduated from the Manitoba Medical College in 1917. On 3 December 1917, Lieutenant F.G. McGuinness enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in Winnipeg. He served in France with the Royal Army Medical Corps and was a Medical Officer attached with the Ninth Royal Irish Fusiliers. Lt. McGuiness survived the war and returned to Winnipeg where he married Myrtle Eva WHITE in Winnipeg on 12 September 1922. They would have a son Jim “Jimmy” and a daughter Elizabeth (SHANNON). Dr. McGuinness practiced in Obstetrics and Gynecology and taught at the University of Manitoba’s Medical School from 1923 onwards. He was instrumental in helping his nephew, Frederick George McGUINNESS return to school after he was injured in the Second World War. Dr. McGuinness died in Winnipeg at the Deer Lodge Hospital following a lengthy illness.
Frederick George McGUINNESS had five sisters, three older and two younger. The eldest sister, Mary Charlotte McGuinness (b. 1 May 1911 – d. 02 December 1973), was born in Portage la Prairie. While in Brandon, she worked as a music teacher from 1937 to 1943 and was an organist with Knox United Church from 1941 to 1943. She married Reverend Henry John Herbert OLDFIELD (b. 4 June 1914, Saanich – d. September 2007, Victoria). They had two sons, John and William Frederick “Fred” (b. 1945 – d. 21 August 1986). Mary passed away in Coquitlam, BC.
Dorreene “Doney” Louise McGUINNESS (b. 31 December 1912 – d. 16 February 1976) was born in Virden, Manitoba. She married Dr. Robert INGLIS (b. 17 April 1913 – d. November 1982) and had four children. Dorreene passed away in Estevan, Saskatchewan and is buried in Souris Valley Memorial Gardens.
Kathleen Ruth McGUINNESS (b. 12 September 1915 – d. 15 September 1963) was born in Brandon, Manitoba. She worked as an operator with Government Phones from 1937 to 1941 and as a clerk with CPR Telegraphs from 1943 to 1951. In 1951, she was President of the Trillium Business and Professional Women’s Club. She died in Brandon at the age of 48, and was interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 50).
Orma Grace McGuinness (b. 13 January 1925 – d. 3 January 2013) was born in Brandon. She had trained as a nurse by 1947. She married George Edmond LONGPHEE (b. 9 September 1924, Souris, PEI – d. 7 May 2002, Sidney, BC) in Brandon on 1 June 1948. They had five children. Orma passed away in Sidney, BC.
Carol McGUINNESS married Herbert YOUNG on 16 January 1954 and had two children. She is the last surviving McGuinness sister of Frederick George McGuinness.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of records created and collected by members of the McGuinness family, as well as records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his years in the Canadian navy, college, and as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer. The papers and letters include materials from paternal and maternal sides of the McGuinness family.
Records in the subseries consist of newspaper clippings, correspondence, financial papers, legal documents, and military records .
Notes
Biographical information about the Pope-McGuinness families was obtained from the following: Manitoba Vital Statistics Database for birth, marriages, deaths; 1901, 1906, 1911 Canadian Censuses for immigration dates, addresses, occupations; Henderson’s Brandon City Directory (1906-1955) for addresses and occupations; obituaries published in the Brandon Daily Sun, Brandon Sun, and Winnipeg Free Press.
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
File level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
McGuinness wrote about his family and published snippets in his newspaper columns (see McG 2 Newspaper career series), articles (see McG 3.2 Miscellaneous freelance) and monographs (see McG 5 series). His book, Letters from Section 17: A Collection of Morningside Essays is autobiographical in nature
Trillium Business and Professional Women’s Club records
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period.
Documents
McG 1_1 McGuinness family papers and letters inventory.pdf
Thomas Russell Wilkins was born in Toronto in 1891. He received his B.A. from McMaster University in 1912, and became the Science Master at Woodstock College the following year. In 1916, he and his wife Olive moved to Chicago, where Wilkins was an instructor of Physics at the University of Chicago. The next year he served as a master signal electrician in the U.S. Signal Corps. During World War I, Wilkins completed pioneer research for the United States Navy, which led to the development of pulse sonar devices in the 1920s. He had also been researching the possibilities of a wireless telephone.
Wilkins and his wife moved to Brandon in 1918, where he took up the position of Professor of Physics. During his time at Brandon College, Wilkins introduced the latest technology to classrooms, designed the original Science Building, and along with the Brandon Citizen's Committee, seucured building funds for the Citizen's Science Building.
Receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1921, Wilkins resigned from Brandon College in 1925 to pursue postgraduate study at Cambridge University. In 1926, he began research at the University of Rochester, where he also took up the position of Professor of Physics. From 1930 to 1938, he acted as the Director of the Institute of Optics.
Widely known for his work in the fields of cosmic rays and atomic disintegration, in April 1939, Wilkins announced the perfection of a camera that was able to record the "footprints" of invisible atoms after they collide. In October 1939, he received a medal from the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain recognizing his work regarding the use of photographic emulsions in the study of radium. The following year, Wilkins perfected a camera that could determine the energy levels inside the nuclei of stable chemical elements. He received a grant from Sigma Xi, the National Society for the Promotion of Scientific Research, in November of 1940.
Wilkins married twice. The first marriage, to Olive Anges Cross took place on June 17, 1913. Olive Wilkins died suddenly on May 13, 1937, at the age of 45. Wilkins married Susan Gwendolyn Whidden, the daughter of former Brandon College president Dr. H.P. Whidden, in 1938.
Thomas Russell Wilkins died suddenly of a heart attack on December 10, 1940, on his way back to his laboratory after a faculty meeting. He was 49 years old.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
T. Russell Wilkins’ reocrds contain correspondence between himself and Mrs. Wilkins and Dr. Whidden concerning their employment with Brandon College. There are letters between the two men regarding the building of the Science Building in 1920. There is also a copy of the Canadian Baptist. Besides programmes and a picture, there is also correspondence between various people. Dr. Wilkins kept the papers he had written for various classes at McMaster University in the years 1911 and 1912. There is a "toast to the ladies" that he delivered at a banquet of some sort, that gives an interesting view on how Wilkins, and possibly other men of his time, viewed women. There are numerous newspapers clippings, and several pages taken from journals such as Popular Mechanics, Popular Electricity and others. Dr. Wilkins was at the top of his field of study. He was an extremely bright man who managed to create some very useful tools of science. His papers are interesting and informative to read.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from Campus News May 1990
