On November 11, 1971, A. E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. acquired Steele Briggs Seed Co. Ltd., Rennie Seeds, and the Canada Seed Co. from Maple Leaf Mills Limited of Toronto, Ontario. The purchase included the packet seed business and most of the brand names and trademarks of the above companies as well as the Steele Briggs properties in Winnipeg and Regina, and all of the equipment in their Toronto location. This same location was leased by A. E. McKenzie Co. for a number of years. As a result of the acquisition of Steele Briggs, the name of A. E. McKenzie Co. was modified to A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. - Steele Briggs Ltd; each company continued to operate under its respective trade names in the marketing of Garden Seeds, Lawn Grass and other product lines across Canada.
The Steele Briggs Seed Co. was founded in 1873 in Toronto, although at the time of its inception, the company, which was a small retail seed store, was known as Steele Brothers and Company. Two of the company's founders, Mr. R. C. Steele and Mr. S. E. Briggs, were already involved in a grocery and produce business in Oshawa, Ontario together.
From the first store at 23 East Market Street, Toronto, Steele Briggs moved into a new warehouse at the Southeast corner of Front and Jarvis Streets in 1887. However, by 1888, new premises were required due to the rapid growth of the company, and a warehouse was leased at 107 Front Street East. Five years later, a separate store was opened to manage the local retail and mail order sections of the business at 132 King Street East. The annual increase in trade, however, made the construction of a new five-story building necessary in 1911-1912.
By 1902, the volume of business the company was receiving from Western Canada led to the establishment of a branch house in Winnipeg. Further expansion occurred in 1922, when Steele Briggs purchased a large warehouse and Seed Cleaning elevator at Regina in order to more adequately deal with the demands of the Western Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1933, a branch house was opened in Edmonton, and in 1956 one was established in Vancouver.
In its formative years, prior to the 1930's, the management group was comprised of a number of well-known businessmen. These included: Mr. J.S. Steele, Mr. E. F. Crossland, second Vice-President and General Manager, Mr. W. D. Steele, first Vice-President and Manager of the List Seeds Department, Mr. C. J. Turnbull, General Manager of the Western houses and Seed Grain supplies, Mr. R. S. Ferguson, Assistant Manager of the Catalogue and Wholesale trade located in Winnipeg, and L. B. Robinson, Assistant Manager and Accountant at Regina.
Sometime between 1944-1948, Mr. W. D. Dack was appointed President of Steele Briggs, and, in 1951, he announced new executive appointments to the company. Mr. George F. Boyd was appointed Manager of Steele Briggs' Regina branch and later supervisor of all Western branches as Vice-President in charge of Western Canada Operations. Mr. C. S. Beattie was appointed Secretary Treasurer of the company. In June of 1964, D. H. MacKay, E. R. Seede of Regina and Tom Gray of Edmonton, were named to the Company's Board of Directors.
For many years Steele Briggs published and distributed a retail catalogue, the first was published in 1875.
Rennie Seeds Ltd. was founded by William Rennie in 1870 and incorporated in 1905. It was located in a small store at Adelaide and Jarvis Streets in Toronto. Following the death of Mr. Rennie, the business carried on under the leadership of his son Thomas Rennie, and subsequently under Thomas Rennie's son-in-law K. J. Harrison. Steele Briggs acquired Rennie Seeds in 1961.
The Ferry Seed Company, which operated primarily in Eastern Canada, was bought by the Steele Briggs Seed Co. in 1926, effectively ceasing all operations under the Ferry name.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of financial records, miscellaneous documents, including some correspondence and files relating to the merger of Steele Briggs Seeds and McKenzie Seeds. Information regarding the Canada Seed Company can also be found in the sub-series.
The sub-series also contains a scrapbook (500 pages; 24 x 28 x 6 cm) dealing with Steele Briggs Seeds and the seed industry. Items in the scrapbook include newspaper/magazine clippings dealing with executives of the company (including the death of prominent members), commentaries on the seed industry and seed varieties and a number of general interest columns. A copy of the painting "A Gateway to Canada's Granary, Winnipeg 1872" by J.D. Kelly is also included. Photographs, magazine advertisements, correspondence and writings on seed varieties are also located in the sub-series. A page level inventory of the types of seeds included is available for the scrapbook.
A copy of the 1893 Steele Briggs catalogue is also contained within the sub-series. Special attention should be paid to the color covers included near the beginning of the book.
The sub-series is divided into five sub sub series, including: (1) Merger; (2) Financial; (3) Miscellaneous; (4) Canada Seeds; and (5) Scrapbook.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 3 Acquisitions
Related Material
Historical information relating to Steele Briggs Seeds is located in the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds, Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 2 (J. Lasby Lowes), Historical Topics, file 10 (tape 23) and file 11 (tape 24).
Sales literature and seed packets for Steele Briggs Seeds are located in the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 4 (Marketing).
One photograph of Steele Briggs Seeds can be found in Series 5 (Photographs) in the sub-series 5.17, Steele Robertson/Steele Briggs of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds. There is also a Steele Briggs poster located in oversized drawer # 4.
In Series 6 (Miscellaneous) of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds, under the Centennial Exhibition, there is a folder for Steele Briggs containing various records/documents for the company that were used in the display.
BRANDON UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS:
DR. JOHN E. ROBBINS (Brandon College 1960-1967; Brandon University 1967 - August 31, 1969)
John E. Robbins was raised in Darlingford, Manitoba. He received both his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Manitoba. He spent a number of years working in the Education Division of the Bureau of Statistics, attaining the position of Director there, as well as being the Director of the Information Division. During the years that he worked there he took several leaves of absence in order to hold a Carnegie Corporation Traveling Fellowship in the Scandinavian countries in 1933 and to obtain his Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa in 1935.
Robbins helped to found the Canadian Association for Adult Education, the Social Science Research Council of Canada, the Humanities Research Council of Canada, the United Nations Association in Canada and the Canadian Citizenship Council. In 1942 he became a member of the Board of Directors of Carlton University. Dr. Robbins was active in UNESCO work, was a member of Canadian Government delegations to foreign conferences and spent a year as director of an educational system for Palestinian refugees in the Arab countries surrounding Israel.
In 1960, while editor-in-chief of the newly compiled "Encyclopedia Canadiana," Robbins was asked to become the sixth and final President of Brandon College. From 1960 to 1967, he oversaw construction of the Arts and Library Building and Lecture Theatre, a Mens' Residence, a Dining Hall, a Heating Plant, a Ladies' Residence, a Music Building, a Physical Education Building and an Education Building. After the university charter was granted in 1967, Robbins was installed as the first President of Brandon University. After his retirement from Brandon University in 1969, he took the position of Canadian Ambassador to the Vatican. He died in 1995, at the age of 91.
DR. A.L. DULMAGE (July 1, 1970 - June 30, 1977)
Andrew Lloyd Dulmage was born in Hamilton, Ontario on August 13, 1917. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in 1939 and his Masters in 1940, both from the University of Toronto. After working as a teaching fellow at the University of Toronto for one year, Dulmage took a position at the University of Manitoba teaching in the department of mathematics. In 1950, he left the University of Manitoba for a position at the Royal Military College of Canada. Dulmage received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1952.
Dulmage returned to the University of Manitoba from 1956-1964, before being appointed head of the department of mathematics at the University of Alberta. In 1966, he returned to the University of Manitoba as Professor of mathematics and Associate Dean of the faculties of arts and science; he was named Dean of Arts and Acting Dean of the faculties of arts and science in 1969. Dulmage left the University of Manitoba in 1970 to accept the position of President of Brandon University.
Under his leadership, from 1970-1977, the Native Studies Department was established and several four-year programs were introduced at Brandon University. Dulmage also helped to expand educational opportunities for the public in general and senior citizens in particular. After leaving BU, Dulmage headed the mathematics department Andrew Lloyd Dulmage was married with two children. He died suddenly at his home in Gold River, Nova Scotia on May 16, 1989.
DR. HAROLD J. PERKINS (July 1, 1977 - December 1983)
Harold Jackson Perkins was born in London, Ontario c. 1930. He received degrees from the University of British Columbia and Iowa. From 1958-1963, Perkins was a researcher with the Canadian department of agriculture in Lethbridge, AB before moving to Plattsurgh, NY where he held the post of Dean of Graduate Studies and Research for the University of New York, Plattsburgh campus.
Perkins began his tenure as President of Brandon University in July 1977. He resigned on November 28, 1983. Following his departure from the President's Office, Perkins returned to a faculty position at Brandon University and did some teaching related to computer systems until his retirement.
Harold Perkins is married to Mary Louise. They have four children together, three sons and a daughter. They continue to live in Brandon, MB.
DR. E.J. TYLER (February 1984 - July 31, 1985)
Earl John (Curly) Tyler was born December 22, 1913 in Moose Jaw, SK. He received his B.A. from the University of Manitoba in 1946 and his M.Sc. in 1950 and Ph.D. in 1954 from the University of Utah. He carried out post-doctoral studies at the University of Saskatchewan in 1957 and 1961, the University of Michigan in 1959, and Harvard University in 1960.
Tyler joined the staff at Brandon College in 1949, founding and developing the undergraduate program in psychology there; from 1949-1976, he was the Chairman of the Psychology Department. In 1979, while continuing his consulting and research work in the areas of recreation and leisure, Tyler retired to do continued research on the psychology of aging. He was appointed Professor Emeritus in the fall of 1980. From February 1984 to July 1985, Tyler was the Interim President of Brandon University and in October, 1985, he was the first BU past-president to be honored as President Emeritus by the BU Board of Governors.
In 1974, Tyler was the third recipient of the Clifford J. Robson Distinguished Psychologist in Manitoba Award for outstanding service to Psychology in Manitoba. Tyler, a social psychologist, was the first winner from outside Winnipeg. In 1983, he was awarded The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Citation for Outstanding Achievement. Tyler was also an honorary lifetime member in the Canadian Psychological Association.
Earl J. (Curly) Tyler died on October 16, 1997.
DR. JOHN R. MALLEA (August 1, 1985 - July 31, 1990)
Born in 1937/8, John Mallea's academic and research background included the fields of sociology and education. Prior to becoming President and Vice-Chancellor of Brandon University, Mallea held teaching positions at Queen's University and at the Ontario institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, where he also served as Assistant Director (Academic).
During his tenure at Brandon University, Mallea worked closesly with the Planning and Priorities Committee, which resulted in academic and physical growth, including: approval for the Bachelor of Nursing and Masters of Education; the opening of the Rural Development Institute; the establishment of the Stanley Knowles Distinguished Visiting Professorship Endowment; cooperative educational projects with Malawi, Swaziland and Botswana; the completion of the Knowles-Douglas Complex, the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building, the near completion of a new steam plant and the initial plans for the Clark Hall and Original Building renovations; and the Building From Strength campaign.
John Mallea is married to Paula Mallea, a lawyer who had a thriving law practice in Kingston before coming to Brandon, where she sat for the Manitoba bar exams. The John and Paula Mallea Endowment Fund at Brandon University was established in their honour.
DR. C.D. ANDERSON (August 1, 1990 - July 31, 2000)
C. Dennis Anderson was born on September 29, 1942 in Libau, Manitoba. He received his B.Sc. from Brandon College (The University of Manitoba) in 1964, his Masters in Business Administration from McMaster University in 1969, and his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario in 1977.
From 1969-1971, Anderson was an Assistant Professor of Marketing and Management at the College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan and from 1974-1990, he taught in the Faculty of Management at the University of Manitoba. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Anderson was also the President of Decision Research Limited, a marketing research and business consulting firm.
Anderson came to Brandon University in 1990. From that date until his resignation in July 2004, he was a Professor in the Department of Business Administration. In addition, from 1990-2000, Anderson was the President and Vice-Chancellor of Brandon University. During his years in Brandon, he was also: Chair of various search committees for senior administrative positions; a founding member of the Northern Manitoba Business Institute; a member of the Board of the Brandon University Alumni Association; a member of the Board of Brandon University Foundation; an ex-officio member of Faculty Councils; Chair of the Central Appointments Committee; Chair of the President's Advisory Group; Chair of the Joint Board-Senate Planning and Priorities Committee; Chair of the Senate and senate Executive; and a member of the Board of Governors and various Board subcommittees.
Some of Anderson's additional involvements included being a member of: the Rural Advisory Committee to the Minister of Rural Development (1994-1997); the Board of Directors of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada; the Economic Innovation and Technology Council (EITC) Government of Manitoba; the Governing Council of the University of Swaziland; the Board of Directors, Centra Gas Manitoba Inc.; the Board of Directors, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (Manitoba Region); and the Board of Directors, Brandon Chamber of Commerce.
At present (January 2006), Dennis Anderson lives in Libau, MB.
DR. LOUIS P. VISENTIN (August 1, 2000 - July 31, 2009)
No biographical information yet.
Dr. Deborah Poff (August 1, 2009 - July 31, 2014)
Deborah Poff has a B.A. (Hons) from Queen's University and a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Guelph. She obtained her M.A. from Carelton University and her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Guelph. She is married to Dr. Alex Michalos.
Poff joined the University of Northern British Columbia in 1993 as the founding Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science and served for ten years as the Vice-President Academic and Provost. In 2004-2005, she served as the Sheldon Chumir Fellow in public policy doing research on ethical leadership and the future of university governance.
During her career Poff co-founded two international peer-reviewed academic journals, the Journal of Business Ethics and the Journal of Academic Ethics. She has served on numerous national and international boards and councils, holding positions including President of the National Council on Ethics in Human Research and Vice-President Development with the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Following the completion of her term as President at Brandon University, Poff retired to the Ottawa area. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2016.
DR. GERVAN ALBERT FEARON (August 1, 2014 - July 31, 2017)
Gervan Fearon completed his post-secondary education at the University of Guelph (B.A. and M.A. in Agricultural Economics) and received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He also holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) designation.
Prior to joining Brandon University as Vice-President (Adcademic & Provost) in 2013, Fearon held several academic positions including Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University, as an Associate Dean (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) and Associate Professor at York University. He was also a Visiting Scholar at the University of Washington. In addition to his academic career, Fearon also spent several years in the Ontario Government as a senior analyst at Treasury Board Division, Ontario Ministry of Finance, and as an executive assistant to the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamon Jubilee Medal.
Fearon was appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of Brandon University in August 2014. He left his position at Brandon University in July 2017 to become President and Vice-Chancellor at Brock University.
DR. STEVEN ROBINSON (Interim President, August 1, 2017 - April 30, 2019)
Steven Robinson joined the Philosophy Department at Brandon University in 1996, after lecturing at both the University of Regina and the University of Guelph. Robinson completed brief stints as Associate Dean of Arts, Acting Dean of Arts and Acting Vice-President (Academic & Provost) before being appointed Vice-President (Academic & Provost) for a five year term commencing July 1, 2016.
Robinson was appointed Interim President and Vice-Chancellor by the Brandon University Board of Governors following the announcement of Gervan Fearon's departure.
DR. DAVID DOCHERTY (May 1, 2019 - present)
David Docherty completed degrees from McMaster University and Wilfrid Laurier, as well as a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
Prior to becoming Brandon Univeristy's President and Vice-Chancellor in 2019, Docherty spent more than seventeen years at Wilfrid Laurier University, serving as a Professor of Political Science, as Dean of Arts and as a Senior Advisor on Multi-Campus Initiatives. He was also a founding member of the university's Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion. For ten years before coming to Brandon, Docherty served as President at Mount Royal University.
Scope and Content
The majority of the records in this sub-series are unprocessed.
Notes
A partial inventory of the sub-series exsists as a Word document. Biographical information for John E. Robbins was taken from the "Brandon College finding aid" prepared by Karyn Riedel for the McKee Archives in 1998. Biographical information for Dennis Anderson was taken from his personel file. Biographical information for E.J. Tyler was taken from his biographical file in the McKee Archives. Biographical information for Harold Perkins was taken from an article in "The Quill" (April 7, 1977). Biographical information on Lloyd Dulmage was taken from Campus News - 1989. Biographical information for John Mallea was taken from Campus News (April 1985, May 1989, June 1990). Biographical information for Deborah Poff, Gervan Fearon, Steven Robinson and David Docherty was taken from Brandon University press releases.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 3: Office of the President
