RSS 1.01. Archival Finding Aids
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These finding aids are meant to help researchers find information in the fond available at The Brock University Special Collections and Archives.
Recent Submissions
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Dramatic Arts, Brock University fonds, 1969-1990, n.d.The fonds consists of negatives, photographs, playbills, posters, press releases, contact sheets, clippings and correspondence collected and compiled by the staff of the Dramatic Arts department.
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Unifor 199 fonds, 1937-2021The fonds contains the textual, visual and ephemeral records of the Unifor Local 199 union. The union largely represented autoworkers and workers in manufacturing industries in the Niagara region.
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Harry Ellsworth Marine Photo Collection, 1864-1938, n.d.The collection contains black and white photographs of Port Colborne, including the Welland Canal, local businesses, and people. Other photographs taken around Niagara include the Niagara River; Welland Canal in St. Catharines, Port Dalhousie, Port Weller, Thorold, and Welland; Wainfleet; and the Humberstone Club.
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Brock University Fine Arts Collection fonds, 1966-2019, n.d.Fonds contains material related to the Fine Arts Collection at Brock University. The bulk of the material consists of individual files for each item, such as a painting or sculpture, in the collection. The files are sorted by the artist’s surname and contain documentation about the item including acquisitions forms, condition forms, photographs, and appraisals. The original order of the files has been retained. Material about the work of the Fine Arts Committee is also included and contains meeting minutes and correspondence. Additional administrative material such as insurance information and forms are included.
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Aerial photograph of Beaverdams, 1946A black and white aerial photograph of Beaverdams. The photo is framed by a cardboard frame with some staining. Letters on the frame mark north, east, south, and west. A settlement, mostly surrounded by water, can be seen near the center of the photo.
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Township of Wainfleet photo albums, c. 1890-1940Two photo albums with photographs from the Township of Wainfleet, c. 1890-1920. Some of the photos also include surrounding areas such as Niagara Falls and Queenston. The first photo album contains 96 small black and white photographs featuring local residents, businesses, farms, churches, and houses, including the Fenwick Railway Station; the Alexander [Alexandra] Bridge in Welland; O’Reilly’s Bridge; the brink of Niagara Falls; P.J. Gracey’s Store; Steward Carriage Works in Wellandport; a shingle factory; Sutherland’s Gingerette; Wainfleet S.S. #8/Beckett’s Bridge School; military camp labeled “Tent Med 1908”; boaters in Chippewa Creek; Hamilton; the Port Colborne Elevator; Hewitt’s Post Office and Store; and the Town of Wellandport. A picture of two men in blackface wearing suits and hats, with one man holding a banjo, is also included. Enclosed in the pages of the album is a postcard of men and women picking berries in a berry patch. The second photo album contains 47 large photographs. Most of the photos are black and white but some have had colour added. Most of the photos are affixed to the album but there are also 12 loose photos included. Photos feature farm life; large family gatherings; houses; J.E. Chambers Store at Chambers Corners (1909); the Erie Apple Evaporator (Forks Rd.?); the Horseshoe Falls from the American side, showing the newly constructed Canadian Niagara Power Plant on the Canadian shore (c. 1905); the Whirlpool Rapids with the steel arch bridge and cantilever bridge over the gorge; Brock’s Monument; Sutherland’s Deering Machinery Shop; Central Roller Mills in Wainfleet Centre; O’Reilly’s Bridge; the collapsed Falls View bridge (January 27, 1938); and a lumber yard in Fenwick (Chambers?).
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Leaf from an English Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, c. 1420A leaf from an English Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, featuring a miniature portrait of the Virgin. The illuminated manuscript is in Latin on parchment and is from England, probably London, c. 1420. A large initial “O” (opening the Obsecro te prayer) encloses a small portrait of the Virgin holding a golden vessel. The leaf contains a single column of 14 lines of a notably spiky English, late gothic bookhand. Three of the margins contain leaves and foliage.
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Leaf from a Book of Hours, c. 1460sA leaf from a Book of Hours featuring a two-faced creature in the border. The illuminated manuscript on parchment is in Latin and comes from France, likely Paris, c. 1460s. The leaf contains a single column of 14 lines of a late gothic bookhand and features initials in blue touched with white on a gold background. There is one decorated border panel featuring foliage and fruit, with a fantastical creature. The creature appears to have the body of a bird, head of a long-horned goat, and a long-eared, toothy face like a crocodile with a yawning muzzle emerging from its bottom.
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Two leaves from a Psalter, early 13th centuryTwo leaves from a Psalter in Latin. The illuminated manuscript is on parchment and features a Lion and Griffon in the initials. It is from the early 13th century, France, likely before 1230. The leaves each contain a single column of 18 lines of an angular early gothic bookhand. Large, one-line initials are featured in gold on blue or pink backgrounds. Large, two-line initials are featured in orange-red or blue on a burnished gold background. Each leaf contains one initial enclosing an exquisitely painted lion or a blue-winged griffon who looks back over his shoulder at the text.
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Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University fonds, 2000-2019Fonds contains material about the activities of the Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University. The group worked to establish a collection of source material dealing with the United Empire Loyalists at Brock University to encourage academic research and study. Materials include correspondence, meeting minutes, financial statements and business plans.
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Merritt Family/Rodman Hall collection, 1841-2008The collection contains material about the family of Thomas Rodman Merritt and Rodman Hall in St. Catharines. Thomas Merritt was the youngest son of William Hamilton Merritt and Catherine Prendergast, and Rodman Hall was built by him between 1857 and 1860. The house remained in the Merritt family until 1959 when it was purchased by the St. Catharines and District Arts Council. Additional material about the history of the Merritts and Rodman Hall were added to the papers over the years and were stored in a wood chest labeled “The Honorable [W]. H. Merritt [St.] Catharines”. In 2003 Brock University acquired Rodman Hall and in 2020 an agreement was reached to sell the property to a local group known for heritage building restoration and redevelopment. Rodman Hall was designated as a heritage building under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2018. Most of the material concerns the history of the Merritt family and Rodman Hall. Materials include travel diaries belonging to William Hamilton Merritt Jr. (1824-1906), a transcript of the diary of Catherine Prendergast Merritt (wife of William Hamilton Merritt), news clippings, correspondence, family trees, photographs, magazine and news articles, and booklets. Some of the material concerns William Hamilton Merritt and the Welland Canal.
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Mark Hartmann fonds, 1982-2007, n.d.Fonds contains material related to Mark Hartmann, an autistic individual, and a legal challenge for his inclusion in a regular classroom in Virginia in the mid-1990s. Mark was in Grade 3 when the legal proceedings began. The case was drawn out for many years and reached the Supreme Court of the United States in 1997. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case and the Hartmanns ultimately lost their legal battle, however, they relocated Mark to a different school district in Virginia where he was successfully included in a regular classroom. Most of the material is legal documents and education documents. The legal documents include court proceedings, decisions, transcripts, and exhibits. The education documents include Mark’s schoolwork, progress reports, and Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Other materials include correspondence, news clippings, video and audio cassettes, DVDs, and a USB drive.
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Howard Engel fonds, 1905-2019, n.d.Fonds consists of material acquired by mystery writer Howard Engel. Most of the fonds consists of books written by Engel, including various editions and languages. Some of the books are signed by Engel and dedicated to members of his family. Most of the books are from Engel’s Benny Cooperman series of detective novels. All 13 books from the series are in the fonds, published between 1980 and 2012, and include The Suicide Murders; The Ransom Game; Murder on Location; Murder Sees the Light; A City Called July; A Victim Must Be Found; Dead and Buried; There Was an Old Woman; Getting Away with Murder; The Cooperman Variations; Memory Book; East of Suez; and The Whole Megillah. Several anthologies that contain Engel’s work are included. Two sketchbooks belonging to Engel are also included, as well as numerous images of Niagara Falls by the Carborundum Company from 1915 to 1927.
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Haynes Avenue Presbyterian Church fonds, 1876-1996Fonds consists of minute books, financial records, a marriage register, and a newspaper.
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Rickard Family Fonds, c.1888-1977The fonds consists of material related to the family of George and Cora Rickard and their daughter Mary Margaret (Rickard) Patterson. The fonds is comprised mostly of photo albums and photographs but also includes personal papers and a book. There are several photographs taken around Niagara, including the Ontario Power House near the base of the Horseshoe Falls; Lundy’s Lane; camping at Chippawa Creek; Queenston Heights Park; and Brock’s Monument.
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Francis Petrie fonds, 1679-1983Fonds consists of scrapbooks and slides. The scrapbooks contain news clippings of articles Francis Petrie wrote about Niagara’s history for the Niagara Falls Review. Petrie was a regular contributor to the newspaper. The title of each article is included. Some additional descriptive details about the article have been included when the title does not clearly state the topic of the article. Some other items are also included in the scrapbooks, such as invitations to local events or articles concerning Petrie’s family. The slides cover much of the Niagara Peninsula including Niagara Falls, Stevensville, Ridgeway, Fort Erie, Crystal Beach, Thorold, Merritton, Port Robinson, Allanburg, Port Colborne, Welland, Pelham, Fonthill, Grimsby, Beamsville, Smithville, Jordan, Ball’s Falls, Port Dalhousie, St.Catharines and Queenston. The slides contain many landmarks in the area, including local businesses, industries, public buildings, schools, churches, railways, power plants, tourist attractions and bridges. A presentation with slides titled “History of Welland County in slides” is also included.
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Nathan Ford fonds, 1792-1903, n.d.Fonds mostly consists of correspondence written by, or to, Nathan Ford. Much of the correspondence concerns the War of 1812, especially the events around Ogdensburg. A significant part of the fonds concerns Ford’s claim for damages and losses incurred during the war. Reference is sometimes made to claims for damages in Niagara. Several letters to the editor are included which comment on the war and on some of the events that occurred in Niagara, such as the burning of Newark. Isaac Brock is mentioned in another of Ford’s letters. Also includes some information on the Jones family history. There are also several letters to the editor concerning tensions between France and the United States around 1797.
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The Battle of Queenston print, 1836A coloured print titled “The Battle of Queenston, Octr. 13, 1813. Which ended in a complete Victory on the part of the British, having captured 927 Men, killed or wounded about 500. Taken 1400 Stand of Arms, a Six Pounder, and a Stand of Colours”. It was published in London on April 12, 1836 for I.W. Laird’s Martial Achievements at 1 Leadenhall St. The print shows several stages of the battle, including the Americans crossing the Niagara River from Lewiston to Queenston; the British firing on the Americans as they land at Queenston; the first British counterattack on the redan battery, during which Isaac Brock was killed; and the British advance against the American position on the Heights later in the day. The painting is attributed to British Major James Dennis of the 49th Foot, who fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights. It was engraved by T. Sutherland. It first appeared in Martial Achievements of Great Britain by Thomas Sutherland shortly after the War of 1812. A note indicated it was based upon a drawing by “Major Dennis”. A painting based on Major Dennis’ account of the battle can be found at the RiverBrink Art Museum in Queenston. Many of the prints vary in detail from the painting. This particular print reverses the colours of the uniforms from the painting, showing men in red coats crossing from Lewiston and men in blue coats defending Queenston. The year of the battle included on the print is also incorrect. The battle took place on October 13, 1812, and not in 1813 as indicated in the title.
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Rebellions of 1837-1838 Newspaper Collection, 1838The collection contains American and British newspapers published around the time of the Upper and Lower Canada rebellions in 1837-1838. Many of the issues report on the events of the rebellions. Relevant news items from each issue have been described, with special attention to events that occurred in Niagara. Other articles of local interest concerning the War of 1812 or Welland Canal have also been noted.
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Reminiscences of the early years of Brock University basketballConsists of a 3-page typewritten account of Claude Zorzetto’s experiences with the early years of Brock University’s basketball team. Zorzetto was on the first Brock University basketball team in 1966 and remained on the team until 1970. Also contains several black and white photocopied photographs of the Brock University basketball team and players, including Zorzetto.
