Course:ARST573/Archives of Ontario

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The Provincial Archives of Ontario (also referred to as, the Archives of Ontario) is the provincial archives for the Province of Ontario. It is the largest provincial archives and is the second largest archives in Canada.[1][2] The Archives of Ontario assemble their archival holdings based on a total archives concept, meaning they acquire records of both the government work of the province as well as the private lives of Ontario’s citizens (also referred to as, Ontarians).[3] Through the records held by the Archives of Ontario, Ontarians are connected with Ontario’s ancestors, communities, and government.[1] The Archives of Ontario holds unique and multi-faceted records including, hand-written ledgers, hand-drawn maps, architectural drawings, photographs, films and sound records, and digital files.[1] The Archives of Ontario “is dedicated to the preservation of Ontario’s rich documentary heritage and acts as the guardian of Ontario’s collective memory for future generations.”[2]

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History and Development

The rich history of the Archives of Ontario officially began in 1903. It was the same year the first successful flight by powered airplane was achieved by the Wright Brothers, and the first two-way public message between North America and England was completed by Marconi.[4] “In 1903 the province of Ontario was on the cusp of its own age of discovery, growth, and transformation” leading to an evolving economic future[4]

Early Beginnings

Alexander Fraser (1860-1936) left Scotland at the age of 26 and settled in Toronto. Over the years, Fraser became active in many community developments, including the Scottish-Canadian Association, the Gaelic Society of Canada, and Toronto’s 48th Highlanders. He established himself as a writer and researcher and worked at the Toronto Mail. George Ross, Premier of Ontario, assigned Fraser with the task of developing the provincial archives. “In July 1903, the Government of Ontario passed an Order-in-Council appointing Alexander Fraser as the Archivist for the Province of Ontario.”[4] Through careful organization, Fraser addressed each deputy minister of the Ontario government and requested information on the departmental histories and inventories of their holdings. Fraser believed in acquiring and preserving not only government records, but records from the people of Ontario. He sought records from schools and churches, including correspondence, manuscripts, documented oral histories, and other records focusing on the earliest settlers in Ontario.[4] Adopting the concept of a provincial archives was not met with enthusiasm and Fraser struggled to find support amongst local historical societies, government departments, and provincial authorities. In 1914, three clerks were employed to assist with incoming material, however, Fraser was left to advocate the importance of archival acquisitions.[4] “In 1922, to bolster his authority, Fraser started campaigning for a legislative act to establish protocol for the preservation of archival materials.” Fraser fought to mitigate the unauthorized destruction of records, define records management responsibilities, and to gain recognition for the archives as “an Office of Record and a clearing house for Government papers.”[4] Fraser’s campaign was met with success and in 1923 the Archives Act was passed.[4]

Depression Years

Mitch Hepburn became Premier of Ontario in July of 1934. During his time as premier, he drastically reduced government spending and as such, significantly reduced the Archives of Ontario’s budget and dismissed employed staff. Prior to reductions, the archives was operating on an $18,000 budget and eleven employed staff members. As a result, six staff members were dismissed and Fraser, the Archivist of Ontario, reluctantly retired.[5]

Records Management

Following the expansion of records generated from the Second World War, management and functional capabilities of recordkeeping practices and systems were placed under great pressure.[6] Between 1950-1976, the Archives of Ontario aimed to establish a “more systematic management of the records in Ontario’s government.”[7] Formal disposal/transfer forms were adopted and surveys of the current holdings were conducted within the archives to support improved management.[7] Under the direction of George Spragge, Archivist of Ontario, the archives efforts to present a new Bill was nulled during the departmental shift from Education to the Department of Travel and Publicity.[8] In 1961, the archives articulated a need for a records centre and upon investigation, inaccurate statistical projections of the future needs and a lack of records knowledge and management were discovered.[9] In 1963, a draft program detailing the logistics of a new records centre was proposed and during the development of an effective records management program for the Ontario government, the Moore Report of 1965 was produced.[10] The Treasury Board later approved the report on April 15, 1965, and the appointment of the Records Management Committee was made.[11] The change in management progressed over the years and faced unconstructive challenges before entering a phase of positive action.[12] Under the leadership of the archives, records management was expanding. The Financial Administration Act and its successor, the Management Board of Cabinet Act, passed three Regulations (Ont. Reg. 350/70, 370/71, and 275/73) marking the significant emergence of the defined regulatory, operational and administrative responsibilities of records management.[13] Only a few years later, changes in government structure transfigured the records management program and a directive in the Manual of Administration replaced the Regulations.[14]

Implementation of Standards

Prior to 1986, finding aids and control documentation were an intimidating hotchpotch of things that seemed like a good idea at the time.[15] In 1987, the Archives of Ontario established the Task Force on Intellectual Controls. The Task Force undertook the responsibility of revising the archives practices and procedures, and implementing the changed standards within the work environment.[15] “In 1990 the Task Force introduced an institutional manual of policy and procedure which covers appraisal, accessioning, arrangement and description – a whole range of archival practice.”[16] The adoption of descriptive standards was to be applied in all levels of archival work, not only within the finding aids.[16] This was a significant change met with many challenges in dealing with prioritization, resource constraint issues, the role of the Descriptive Standards Officer, and the development of a new finding aid system and reference materials (catalog cards).[17] The descriptive standards transformation represents a significant shift in the archivists' work strategies.[17]

The Provincial Archives of Ontario's previous system of arrangement was based on record groups that defined government records unsystematically and arbitrarily. [18] The archives considered adopting a fonds-based approach in identifying the government records, but instead decided to adopt the series-based system as the primary level of arrangement.[18] The records creation and use were more accurately represented by the series-based system, allowing for “multiple creators who contribute to a particular series over time and in hierarchies.”[19] The archives define two levels of hierarchy would represent the provenance; primary agency would represent the top level of administration, and secondary agency would represent the subordinate level of administration. As such, the archives adopted the use of an agency registration process to capture the records provenance information (agency histories) according to each agency.[20] The archives records are arranged by series and/or subseries and described following the implemented archival authority records. Accordingly, the authority records provided standardization in demonstrating the relationships between agencies.[20]

The Office of the Auditor General of Ontario

Since 2005, the Archives of Ontario have been under the direction of the Ministry of Government Services. The Office of the Auditor General of Ontario conducts an annual review of the government bodies within Ontario and publishes the significant findings within the Annual Report.[21] In 2007, the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario published an Annual Report including the Archives of Ontario’s operational procedures, and in 2009 a follow-up report was published. The audit conducted a thorough investigation and reported on the current practices and procedures of the records management through the records semi-active and destruction/disposition lifecycle stages. Almost a million cubic feet of semi-active records are stored in government owned and operated warehouses, as well as through private companies.[22] In 2007, the audit identified the archives initiatives to upgrade its facilities and information systems to be not yet completed. The archives systems and procedures that were set in place to ensure the identification, preservation, and accessibility of the records provenance information were reported to be inadequate.[23] The archives implemented an action plan to improve its operations and the auditors noted progress in the 2009 follow-up. The archives records retention schedules that govern the ministries and agencies records were incomplete and outdated.[24] The archives initiated a multi-year strategy to complete and update the ministries and agencies record retention schedules, and oversee the ministries and agencies record management practices.[25]

Current Facility

The Ontario Government, in Partnership with York University, began constructing a new home for the Archives of Ontario in 2007, and opened its doors in 2009.[26][27] York University’s Keele campus is home to the Archives of Ontario’s 96,000 square foot, self-contained facility at the heart of an expanding Greater Toronto Area.[26] The Archives of Ontario, now 20,000 square feet larger than the previous downtown Toronto location, offers one of the most cutting-edge archival facilities in Canada, and meets international archival standards.[28][26][27] The facility is the first Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) silver certified building on the York campus.[27] The building design supports the Ontario Government’s project, ReNew Ontario, and the principles of the Building a Better Tomorrow, by consuming less water and energy, and utilizing a reflective roof system that prevents heat build-up.[26][27] The Archives of Ontario’s new building location and the 75 per cent increase in the public reference area, promotes greater public accessibility.[26][27]

Information Storage and Retrieval Unit

Almost a million cubic feet of semi-active records are stored in government owned and operated warehouses, as well as through private companies.[29] In 2007, the archives initiated a multi-year strategy to complete and update the ministries and agencies record retention schedules, and oversee the ministries and agencies record management practices.[30] The archives and the government’s information technology community collaborate to manage an estimated 144 terabytes of ministry and agency electronic records.[31] In 2009, the archives established a project to structure the processes and procedures in managing the arrangement, description, preservation, and accessibility of the electronic records, and a multi-year project was initiated in 2009/2010.[31]

Archivist of Ontario

The Archivist of Ontario is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and administers the Provincial Archives of Ontario.[32] The Archives and Recordkeeping Act 2006 outline the responsibilities and authority for the Archivist of Ontario, including:

  • administering the Archives of Ontario and exercising the powers and performing the duties assigned to the Archivist;
  • hold office for a term fixed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and may be reappointed for a further term or terms;
  • despite any other Act or privilege, access to any public record for the purpose of exercising or performing their power or duties under this Act and, for greater certainty, nothing in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Municipal Act, 2004 prevents the Archivist from having such access;
  • a public body or former public body and any officer, employee, former officer or former employee of a public body or of a former public body shall give the Archivist access to any public record to enable the Archivist to exercise or perform their powers or duties under this Act;
  • The Archivist of any person employed in the Archives of Ontario is not compellable to give evidence in a civil proceeding concerning anything coming to their knowledge in the exercise or performance of a power or duty under this Act;
  • the Archivist may delegate any of their powers or duties to a person employed in the Archives of Ontario;
  • No action or other proceeding shall be instituted against the Archivist or any person employed in the Archives of Ontario as a result of any act done in good faith in the performance or intended performance of any duty under this Act or in the exercise or intended exercise of any power under this Act, or of any neglect or default in the performance or exercise in good faith of such duty or power;
  • the Deputy Minister may at any time appoint an acting Archivist with the powers and duties of the Archivist if,
    • the Archivist is absent or unable to act; or
    • the office of Archivist is vacant;
  • the Minister may give directions to the Archivist in relation to the exercise of his or her powers and the performance of his or her duties under this Act, other than the establishment of standards and guidelines under section 25. 2006, c. 34, Sched. A, s. 10.[32]

Chief Privacy Officer and Archivist of Ontario

  • 1903-1935: Alexander Fraser (Provincial Archivist, title changed to Archivist of Ontario in 1923) [33]
  • 1935-1939: James J. Talman (Acting Archivist of Ontario, also Acting Legislative Librarian)[33]
  • 1939-1944: Helen A. McClung (Acting Archivist of Ontario)[33]
  • 1944: John H. Bennett (Archivist of Ontario; appointed by Order in Council dated May 11, 1944; became military archivist by Order in Council dated June 8, 1944) [33]
  • 1944-1950: Helen A. McClung[33]
  • 1950-1963: George W. Spragge[33]
  • 1963-1978: Donald F. McQuat[33]
  • 1978-1986: William G. Ormsby[33]
  • 1986-1999: Ian E. Wilson[33]
  • 1999-2010: Miriam McTiernan[33]
  • 2010: Angela Forest (Acting Archivist of Ontario) [33]
  • 2010–2013 - Heather Clarke (Acting Chief Privacy Officer and Archivist of Ontario) [33][34]
  • 2013-current: Jim Hamilton (Chief Privacy Officer and Archivist of Ontario)[34]

Legislation

The Province of Ontario creates laws through “the passage of Acts, and the issuance of regulations.”[35] An Act can be issued into effect after a bill has received three readings and is passed by the Legislative Assembly. In the Province of Ontario, an Act may take effect in five different ways: Royal Assent, fixed date (retroactive), fixed date (prospective), proclamation, and hybrid (combination).[35] “Regulations are made under the authority of Acts and enter into force in accordance with Part III of the Legislation Act, 2006.”[36] The Archives Act was first passed in 1923 and later revised to the Archives and Recordkeeping Act, in 2006. The legislative act that governs the Archives of Ontario is critical in comprehending the archives legal authority, obligations, standards and procedures, and access rights. The Archives and Recordkeeping Act 2006 is the foundation upon which the Archives of Ontario functions.

Archives Act 1923

The Archives Act of 1923 granted the provincial archivist the authority required to ensure the appropriate appraisal, acquisition, and destruction was completed for all government records. No government records were to be destroyed without permission. As well, the provincial archivist held the authority to request the acquirement of any record that was twenty years beyond the state of current use. Until 2006, the Archives Act of 1923 was the oldest unrevised archives statue in Canada.[4]

The Archives and Recordkeeping Act 2006

The Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006 authorizes the Archives of Ontario with the authority and legal rights required to enact as a provincial archives. The purpose of the act is defined in three parts:

  1. to ensure the public records of Ontario are managed, kept and preserved in a useable form for the benefit of present and future generations;
  2. to foster government accountability and transparency by promoting and facilitating good recordkeeping by public bodies;
  3. and to encourage the public use of Ontario’s archival records as a vital resource for studying and interpreting the history of the province.[32]

The act outlines the legal obligations of the archives and the powers and duties of the Archivist of Ontario whom is appointed under the Lieutenant Governor in Council. As defined by the act, a record schedule indicating the records length of retention and the final disposition is required for every class of public records (created or received within the public body), and must be approved by the Archivist of Ontario. The legislative body’s records must be transferred to the Archives of Ontario 20 years from the date the records cease to be in current use. Private records are also incorporated in the act, allowing the Archivist of Ontario to acquire records of archival value and/or provide recordkeeping advice to a person/entity. The public retains the right to access any public record of archival value and any private record of archival value, or copy of the record, that is in the custody and control of the archives; however, public access to public and private records may be subject to any restrictions imposed by law, and/or private records may be subject to any restrictions imposed by agreement upon acquisition.[32]

Acquisition Mandate

The Archives of Ontario’s acquisition mandate defines the archives as responsible for acquiring:

  • records that have enduring significance to the history of Ontario;
  • records that document events and trends having broad social or political impact across the province;
  • records that document events and trends reflecting Ontario’s cultural diversity.[2]
Responsibility of Records Management

The Ontario Government ministries and provincial agencies recordkeeping practices are guided by the Archives of Ontario under the authority of the Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006.[37] “To foster government accountability and transparency, and to promote excellence in government recordkeeping practices, the archives has developed and released supporting tools, guides, and related training and education materials.”[37] Over 14,000 archivist-approved record retention schedules for the government ministries and agencies are tracked and managed by the Archives of Ontario.[37]

Services Offered

The Archives of Ontario utilize their public service facility and their website to encourage Ontarians and others to engage with Ontario’s rich heritage.[1] The Archives of Ontario offer a wide range of services to assist the public’s research interests.[28] The Archives of Ontario house the most frequently requested records in their facility and manage most of the records in offsite storage. Records requested prior to visiting the archives facilities are retrieved by staff and are made available for viewing in the reading room.[1]

Educational Programs

The Archives of Ontario offer both onsite, online, and offsite workshops to engage the public with Ontario’s rich history.[38] The onsite, half-day, free education workshops hosted by the Archives of Ontario are free workshops run by experienced educators. The workshops are linked to the Canadian and World Studies Curriculum, and are programed to engage students from grades K to 12. Students are provided the opportunity to tour the archives reading room, preservation lab, and conservation vaults. The specially designed classroom space introduces students to primary sources in an interactive and hands-on environment.[39] The Archives of Ontario offer free of charge online lesson plans and travelling workshops for grades 3 to 12 that align with the Social Studies, History, and Canadian and World Studies curricula. The online lesson plans and workshops focus on the themes: Black Canadian History; Children; Early Ontario; Conflict and Change; Interwar Years; Diaries and Letters; French Ontario; Geographic History; Politics; Post-World War II; Posters and Pamphlets; Upper Canada; War of 1812; Women; and World Wars I & II. The lesson plans and workshops emphasize student learning by encouraging the development of the skills required for historical inquiry, interpretation, and analysis. Primary source material, background information, worksheets, and marking rubrics are included in the lesson plans and the workshops are coordinated by an experienced educator.[40][41] The Archives of Ontario also offers educational resources for educators focusing on teaching with primary resources, records and services offered by the archives, and an introduction to other tools designed to enrich the learning experience.[42]

Public Tours

The Archives of Ontario engage visitors by providing fully accessible public tours of its facilities. Visitors are offered an introduction to the archives reading room, the preservation services lab, and the records storage vaults. The tours are offered free of charge to groups of 5 to 45 people and require a completed Tour Request Form 30 days prior to the preferred visitor date.[43]

Speakers Bureau

The Archives of Ontario offer informative presentations, free of charge, by staff experts to interested organizations and groups. Staff experts offer services to engage groups of at least 30 people who may be located onsite or offsite of the archives facilities. The presentation, An Introduction to the Archives of Ontario, offers a comprehensive overview of the archives collections and services, and engages the public who may be unfamiliar with the archives. This presentation outlines a typical visit to the archives, and explains how to access the most frequently used records. The presentation, Doing Research from a Distance, engages researchers who are unable to conduct research in person at the archives. This presentation offers a comprehensive tour of the archives website, an introduction to the archives Microfilm Interloan program, and explains services that are located from anywhere in Ontario. Another presentation, Lights, Camera, Archives, is the most popular presentation offering a nostalgic view of the archives historic film collection. This presentation features film clips produced by the Government of Ontario and include health promotion, tourism, education, and OPS staff training. The most recent presentation, Accessing and Preserving Family Heirlooms, offers a comprehensive review on how to care for family records at home. This presentation outlines detailed instructions on proper storage and handling, advice for purchasing archival supplies, advice for acquiring the help of an independent conservator, as well as information about digitizing private collections.[44]

Celebrating 100 Years

In 2003, the Archives of Ontario published a commemorative book marking the 100th anniversary of the Provincial Archives of Ontario.[45]Permalink.svg Permalink The commemorative book is segregated into three components that highlight the archives’ historical records. The first chapter, Images of Ourselves, offer a glimpse into the archives’ documentary art, maps, portraits, and records that document Ontarians lives. The second chapter, The Importance of Context, sparks curiosity in understanding the provenance behind amateur and commercial photographers, the Government of Ontario art collection, architectural records, government publicity and promotional material, and photojournalism. The final chapter, Important Events in Ontario History, highlight momentous changes in Ontario’s history from colony to province, and its development.[46]

Outreach through Social Media

The Archives of Ontario joined YouTube on November 22, 2007, and between 2007-2011, the archives had uploaded eleven videos. The videos further diversify the archives outreach methods and offer a glimpse into the rich archival holdings. Archival records including How to Carve a Turkey, 5 Minutes Per Shirt, and Macintosh Apples are available to view. As well, an introduction to the archives current facility at York University is available for viewing, along with an oral history with Raymond Moriyama.[47]

The Archives of Ontario is also present on Twitter. The archives encourages Twitter users to engage with Ontario’s history by offering an interactive discussion. The archives also offers an educational workshop about the War of 1812 to students in grades 7 to 10 and a lesson plan titled, “Tweeting the Past.”[48]

Archival Holdings

Oil on canvas (n.d.) painting by Cyrus C. Cuneo of a Glengarry settler ploughing his field. Mr. Edward Beatty, the fourth president of the Canadian Pacific Railway presented this painting to Dr. Alexander Fraser, the first Archivist of Ontario, in the late 1920’s. The presentation took place at Banff, Alberta during the annual Highland Gathering sponsored by the railway from 1927-1930. Source: Archives of Ontario[49]

The Archives of Ontario acquire records from the Government of Ontario and Ontario’s citizens.[3] The majority of the records within the archival holdings are the government records, which date from the late eighteenth century to the present day.[3] These government records document political and legal decisions, the evolution of provincial administration, the interaction between the government and its citizens, and provide key evidence of the rights and responsibilities of Ontarians.[3] Historical registrations of births, marriages, and deaths are the most accessed government records in the Archives of Ontario.[3] Acquiring private records from Ontario’s citizens, businesses, clubs and associations, as well as labour and political organizations, began in 1903. [3] Since then, the Archives of Ontario has acquired over 2,600 private sector records.[3] The archives is valued at $411 million dollars and includes: textual records, maps and architectural drawings, government of Ontario art collection, photographs, electronic records, sound and moving images, documentary art, and other records (such as publications and microfilms).[50]

Government of Ontario Art Collection

Initiated in 1853,[49] the art collection is comprised of over 2,500 original works of art including, paintings, murals, works on paper, indoor and outdoor sculpture, antique furnishings and decorative objects. [3] Conservatively valued at almost 16 million dollars,[3] the art collection can be found displayed in government buildings across the province.[49] Donors have contributed significantly over the years, creating a captivating and diverse art collection.[49]

J. J. Talman Library

The J. J. Talman Library houses approximately 80,000 books, pamphlets, Ontario Government publications, periodicals, microfilm, microfiche, and other printed and published records.[51] The library is available to the general public and the staff of the archives. It operates as a research and reference collection and provides records relating to the social, political, economic, cultural, and military history of Ontario.[51]

Raymond Moriyama Fonds

Black and white print of John and Elsie Moriyama with Raymond Moriyama on his dad’s lap, Vancouver B.C., 1931. Source: Archives of Ontario[52]

Raymond Moriyama is a contemporary Canadian architect and Japanese Canadian, born in Vancouver, British Columbia on October 11, 1929. [53] In 1941, Moriyama was evacuated from Vancouver to an internment camp in British Columbia’s interior. Following World War II, the Moriyama family moved East of the Rockies to Hamilton, Ontario. Moriyama graduated from the University of Toronto in 1954 and received his BArch from the School of Architecture. In 1957, Moriyama received his MA at McGill University in Architecture and Planning. Moriyama worked for the City of Toronto Planning Board between 1955-1956, and Fleury, Arthur and Barclay architectural firm between 1957-1958. In May of 1958, Moriyama established an architectural practice in Toronto and in 1970 he went into partnership with Ted Teshima. Moriyama is a world-renowned architect known for his and the Moriyama & Teshima Architects designs of the Bata Shoe Museum, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, the Canadian War Museum, and many more. Moriyama is a recipient of several awards, medals, medallions, congratulatory letters, Honorary Degrees, and he is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario.[53]

The Raymond Moriyama Fonds is identified by F 4449. The records date from [ca.1919]-2004 and predominately consist of records from 1953-2004. The fonds consists of photographs, architectural drawings, digital video files, digital still images, audio reel, video cassette tapes, framed objects, and textual records. The fonds contains personal records created and accumulated by Moriyama and the records were acquired by the Archives of Ontario directly from Moriyama in 2004.[53]

Ontario Archaeological Society Fonds

In 1954, the Ontario Archaeological Society was established to promote the development of archaeological investigation in Ontario and to educate the public regarding the value of archaeological resources. The Society publishes a newsletter and a scholarly journal, Ontario Archaeology[54]. The Society has sponsored symposiums and conferences focusing on discussing the developments in the field of archaeology, promoting best practices, and amalgamating professionals and amateurs. The Society emphasizes the value of archaeological sites and the common interest in their preservation by salvaging threatened archaeological sites. Destruction to archaeological sites occurs through the development of highways and housing, erosion and environmental changes, as well as neglect. The Society strives to mitigate the historic loss by sponsoring volunteer excavations and by providing educational and information sessions to members of the general public, industry, and government.[55] The Ontario Archaeological Society Fonds is identified by F 1187. The records date from 1939-1999 and consist of maps, photographs, special media, and textual records including, minutes, correspondence, and reports. The work of the Society in the study and preservation of archaeological sites in Ontario are also included. As well as published journals, newsletters, and incidental publications. The fonds was acquired from Lorna Proctor of Toronto in 1979 and from the Ontario Archaeological Society in 2001.[55]

Simcoe Family Fonds

Watercolour of [Niagara Falls] by Elizabeth Simcoe [between 1791 and 1796]. Source: Archives of Ontario[56]

The Simcoe family fonds documents the official and private lives of several members of the Simcoe family in England and Upper Canada (Ontario). The Simcoe family, based in Devonshire, Ontario was prominent in the administrative affairs and social life of early Upper Canada. John Graves Simcoe (1752-1806) became the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. During his time as Lieutenant-Governor, he was instrumental in organizing the first civil government in what is now Ontario. His wife, Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe (1762-1850), was a prominent figure in Devonshire and the province’s social and artistic life. John Graves Simcoe and Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe had eleven children. The eldest child, Eliza Simcoe (1784-1865), was responsible for gathering and preserving the family’s papers during their lifetime.[57]

The Simcoe Family Fonds is identified by F 47. The records date from 1665-[ca. 1918] and predominately consist of records from 1762-1848. The fonds consists of textual records (official correspondence, letter books, reports, and commissions), watercolours, drawings, prints, photographs, a sketchbook, maps, celestial charts, technical drawings, architectural drawings, a sabre with scabbard, a dress sword with scabbard, a walking cane and a wedding ring. Following the death of Eliza Simcoe, the family records remained within the care of the family until the late 1940’s when part of the records were purchased by Dr. S. McLaughlan and donated to the University of Toronto Library. In 1951, custody (but not ownership) was transferred to the Archives of Ontario. In 1993, the Archives of Ontario purchased more records and artifacts from other Simcoe descendants and a variety of sources have contributed small donations.[57]

T. Eaton’s Fonds

Black and white print of Christmas Santa Claus Parade, Toronto, 1918. Source: Archives of Ontario[58]

Founded in 1869 by Timothy Eaton in Toronto, Ontario, the T. Eaton Company Limited was a major Canadian retailer and operated until 1999. On December 8, 1869, a single dry goods store in Toronto, Ontario opened as the first Eaton’s store. In 1884, Eaton’s introduced catalogue ordering to support their mail order business allowing the company to broaden across Canada. Later in the twentieth century, Eaton’s expanded to Winnipeg, Moncton, Montreal, Regina, Hamilton, Halifax, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, New Westminster, Charlottetown, and Vancouver. The company also owned Eaton Knitting Company, the Guelph Stove Company, and Brampton Tire and Rubber. In 1987, the company employed over 35,000 staff and had 108 outlets. Unfortunately in 1999, the T. Eaton Company Limited declared bankruptcy and corporate assets were later acquired by Sears Canada.[59]

The T. Eaton Fonds is identified by F 229. The records date from 1792-1999 and predominately consist of records from 1900-1960. The fonds consists of textual records, photographs (prints, negatives, proofs, slides, and copy prints), posters, motion picture film, videocassettes, audio reels, audio cassettes, architectural drawings, survey plans, decorative drawings, and textual records mostly from Eaton’s executive offices at national headquarters, in Toronto. The fonds was acquired from T. Eaton Company Limited through numerous accessions between 1959 and 1991. In 2008, an accrual was received from the court appointed liquidator consisting of minute books and shareholders records.[59]



See Also

Community Archives of Ontario

  • Anglican Diocese of Huron Archives

http://archives.diohuron.org

  • Anglican Diocese of Ottawa Archives

http://www.ottawa.anglican.ca/Archives.html

  • Archives & Collections Society (marine history)

http://navalmarinearchive.com

  • Archives of the Canadian Museum of Nature

http://www.nature.ca/en/research-collections/library-archives

  • Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto (ARCAT)

http://www.archtoronto.org/archives/

  • Arnprior & District Archives

http://www.adarchives.org

  • Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives

http://www.ago.net/research-library-archives

  • Canada Aviation Museum Library & Archives

http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/collections/library_and_archives/

  • Canada Science and Technology Museum

http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/index.cfm

  • Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Library and Archives

http://www.bushplane.com/index.php?id=archives

  • Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (Toronto)

http://www.clga.ca

  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Archives

http://www.camh.ca/en/education/about/services/camh_library/Pages/camh_archives.aspx

  • Centre franco-ontarien de folklore, archives

http://www.cfof.on.ca/porteurs-de-tradition

  • Dance Collection Danse

http://www.dcd.ca/general/atob.html

  • Deaf Culture Centre

http://www.deafculturecentre.ca/Public/index.aspx

  • Dundas Historical Museum, Library & Archives

http://www.dundasmuseum.ca/research.php

  • Georgina Pioneer Village & Archives

http://www.georginapioneervillage.ca

  • Grey Roots Museum & Archives

http://www.greyroots.com/collections-research/

  • Guelph Public Library - Local History Archives

http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/archives/search.cfm

  • Hamilton Public Library Special Collections

http://www.hpl.ca

  • London Room, London Public Library

http://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/node/2411

  • Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston

http://www.marmuseum.ca

  • Mennonite Archives of Ontario

https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/

  • National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives

http://www.gallery.ca/en/resources/archives.php

  • Norwich and District Museum and Archives

http://www.norwichdhs.ca/archives.html

  • Ontario Jewish Archives

http://www.ontariojewisharchives.org

  • Osgoode Township Historical Society & Museum, Archives

http://www.osgoodemuseum.ca

  • Ottawa Jewish Archives

http://jewishottawa.com/page.aspx?id=193507

  • Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives

http://www.pencenmuseum.com

  • Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives

http://www.pcma.ca

  • Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives and Records Office

http://www.presbyterianarchives.ca

  • Redemptorists of the Edmonton-Toronto Province – Archives

http://www.redemptorists.ca/archives/

  • Robert McLaughlin Gallery (The)

http://www.rmg.on.ca

  • Royal Military College of Canada

http://www.rmc.ca/index-eng.asp

  • Scotiabank Archives

http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,473,00.html

  • Toronto Public Library

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/books-video-music/specialized-collections/

  • Ukrainian Canadian Research & Documentation Centre

http://www.ucrdc.org

  • United Church of Canada Archives

http://www.united-church.ca/local/archives/on

  • Whitehern Museum Archives

http://www.whitehern.ca


Municipal Archives of Ontario

  • Ajax Public Library

http://www.ajax.ca/en/insidetownhall/historyheritagearchives.asp

  • Bruce County Museum and Archives

http://www.brucecounty.on.ca/government-council/departments/museum.php

  • City of Cambridge, Archives

http://www.cambridge.ca/city_clerk/city_archives

  • City of Thunder Bay Archives and Records Centre

http://www.thunderbay.ca/City_Government/City_Records_and_Archives.htm

  • City of Toronto Archives

http://www.toronto.ca/archives/

  • City of Vaughan Archives

https://www.vaughan.ca/services/vaughan_archives/pages/default.aspx

  • Clarington Archives

http://www.claringtonmuseums.com

  • Elgin County Archives

http://www.elgincounty.ca/archives

  • Lennox and Addington County Museum and Archives

http://www.lennox-addington.on.ca/museum-and-archives/overview.html

  • Markham Museum and Archives

http://www.markham.ca/wps/portal/Markham/RecreationCulture/MarkhamMuseum

  • Oshawa Community Museum and Archives

http://www.oshawamuseum.org

  • Port Hope Archives

http://www.porthopearchives.com

  • Pickering-Ajax Digital Archives

http://www.pada.ca

  • Region of Peel Archives

http://pama.peelregion.ca/en/index.asp

  • Simcoe County Archives

http://www.simcoe.ca/dpt/arc/#.UWZ-J7_hFUQ

  • Thornhill Archives & Special Collections

http://www.thornhillhistoric.org/archives/

  • Thunder Bay Museum, Archives

http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/artifacts-archives/

  • Trent Valley Archives

http://www.trentvalleyarchives.com

  • Uxbridge-Scott Museum - Archives and Research Centre

http://www.uxbridgehistoricalcentre.com/research.html

  • Wellington County Museum and Archives

http://www.wellington.ca/en/museum.asp

  • Whitby Archives

http://www.whitby.ca/en/townhall/officeofthetownclerk.asp

  • Windsor's Municipal Archives

http://members.tripod.com/swo_heritage/archives.htm


University Archives of Ontario

  • Brock University Special Collections and Archives

http://www.brocku.ca/library/collections/special-collections-archives

  • Carleton University Archives

http://www6.carleton.ca/records/

  • George Brown College Archives

http://archives.georgebrown.ca

  • Lakehead University Library, Special Collections

http://library.lakeheadu.ca/?rc=493

  • Laurentian University Archives & Special Collections

http://142.51.14.1/Laurentian/Home/Departments/Library/Finding_information_in_the_Archives/Finding_Information_in_the_Archives.htm?Laurentian_Lang=en-CA

  • Law Society of Upper Canada Archives

http://www.lsuc.on.ca/with.aspx?id=2147489828

  • McMaster University: The William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections

http://library.mcmaster.ca/archives/

  • Bertrand Russell Archives

http://www.mcmaster.ca/russdocs/russell.htm

  • Faculty of Health Sciences and the Archives of the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation

http://hsl.mcmaster.ca/archives/

  • Ottawa University, Morisset Library Archives and Special Collections

http://www.biblio.uottawa.ca/html/HomePage?node=archives&lang=frindex-e.html

  • Queen's University Archives

http://archives.queensu.ca/index.html;jsessionid=3841C59B79CA67D5DFFB90E628D02E8E

  • Ryerson University Archives

http://library.ryerson.ca/asc/

  • Trent University Archives

http://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/

  • Trinity College Archives (University of Toronto)

http://www.trinity.utoronto.ca/library_archives/index.html

  • University Health Network Archives

http://www.uhn.ca/Teaching/libraries/corporate_archives/index.asp

  • University of Guelph Library - Archival and Special Collections

http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/resources/archival_&_special_collections/

  • University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College

http://www.uoit.ca/sites/library/about_the_library/uoit-library-policy-and-related-documents/library-archives.php

  • University of Ottawa Archives

http://www.archives.uottawa.ca/eng/index.html

  • University of Toronto - Archives and Records Management Services

http://utarms.library.utoronto.ca

  • Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

http://fisher.library.utoronto.ca

  • Victoria University Library Special Collections

http://library.vicu.utoronto.ca/collections/special_collections/

  • University of Waterloo Special Collections and Archives

http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/discipline/SpecColl/Special1.html

  • University of Western Ontario Archives

http://www.lib.uwo.ca/archives/

  • University of Windsor Archives

http://cronus.uwindsor.ca/units/archive/main.nsf

  • Wilfrid Laurier University Archives and Special Collections

http://library.wlu.ca/archives

  • York University: Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections

http://www.library.yorku.ca/cms/archivesspecialcollections/

Category ARST573 not found

References

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  5. Archives of Ontario, Documenting a Province: The Archives of Ontario at 100 / Chronique d’Une Province: Le Centenaire Des Archvies Publiques d’Ontario (Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2003), xvii
  6. Craig, Barbara, “Records Management and the Ontario Archives, 1950-1976,” Archivaria 8 (Summer 1979): 3.
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