Photograph shows the City of Brandon parade float pulled by two clydesdale horses. The parade is in honour of the diamond anniversary of Canada's Confederation. The float is decorated with wheat sheaves, the city's coat of arms, and the words "education" and "health" adorn a pergola or arbour in the centre of the float. Seven people are on the float and appear to be in costume. An Aboriginal man is dressed in full regalia, one man appears to be in academic robes, another dressed as a farmer. One woman appears to be dressed like a nurse while another may be wearing a pioneer costume.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Brandon City's foat in 1927, Celebrating 60 years of Confederation, The lady in white is Miss Ann Carnahan who was on the city staff for a number of years and now resides in Victoria. She is my husbands [sic.] sister.
Photograph shows the Mental Hospital parade float pulled by two clydesdale horses. The parade is in honour of the diamond anniversary of Canada's Confederation. The side of the float is decorated with Canada's coat of arms and the words "Sixty Years." In the centre of the float is a three-tiered birthday cake with a Union Jack affixed to its top. Four women are draped in toga-like gowns and each are holding provincial (small) coat of arms for New Brunswick, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. Two men can be seen wearing top hats and coats.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Mental Hospital foat in 1927.
Photograph shows the Timothy Eaton Company's parade float pulled by two clydesdale horses. The parade is in honour of the diamond anniversary of Canada's Confederation. The side of the float reads: Canada's Power in the Affairs of the World. A large globe is strapped to the back of the float and the provincial coat of arms for Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and the Dominion of Canada line the side. The Canadian Red Ensign is mounted at the front of the float.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: T. Eaton Co. float, 1927, 60th Anniversary of, Confederation.
According to the Manitoba Historical Society, the Volunteer Monument was unveiled at Winnipeg's Old City Hall on September 28, 1886. The monument commemorated the soldiers of 90th Winnipeg Rifles (also known as the "Little Black Devils") who were killed during the 1885 North West Rebellion. In 1968, the monument was moved to the east side of Main Street, between the Centennial Concert Hall and the Manitoba Museum.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a parade marching south along Main Street in front of the Volunteer Monument on Winnipeg's Old City Hall grounds (1886-1962). The parade was in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee that was held June 22, 1899. Businesses visible on the west (left) side of Main Street include: the Great Northern Railway Line, Gurney Stove & Range Co., Sherman House, The Arlington Hotel, Hurtley & Co., Central Drug Hall, Inman Optical Co. On the east side of Main Street, the Conferation Life Block is draped with bunting and a large ensign flag is flying from its tower. Specators line the streets and can be seen on roof tops and leaning from windows.
Notes
The front of the photograph reads: Jublee [sic.] Procession June 22/99 Winnipeg
Photograph shows Fred McGuinness standing with Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood (centre) and the Centennial Commissioner John Fisher (right). The men are standing before an architectural model.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: On tour of Newfoundland as member, board of directors Canadian Centennial Commission, McG, Premier Smallwood, & John Fisher, Centennial Commissioner, 1965
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.
