1. Archival Finding Aids

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10464/2683

These finding aids are meant to help researchers find information in the fonds and collections available at the Brock University Archives & Special Collections.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 885

Open Access
An Act to Incorporate the Town of Saint Catharines, March 29, 1845
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
An Act to incorporate the Town of Saint Catharines, March 29, 1845. A royal coat of arms is on the cover and below reads “Anno Octavo Victoria Reign. CAP. LXIII.” Printed in Montreal by Stewart Derbishire and George Desbarats. The Act describes the organization and government of the Town including elections, by-laws, infrastructure, and commercial activities. The document is 17 pages and contains printed notes in the margin describing the contents. Notes include the division of the town into four wards; election of members of Corporation; qualification of voters; annual elections; oaths of person presiding at elections; candidates’ qualifications; perjury; election of President; making by-laws; appointment of officers; filling vacancies; contested elections; and the summoning and examining of witnesses.
Open Access
An Act to incorporate the Town of Niagara, March 29, 1845
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
An Act to incorporate the Town of Niagara, and to establish a Police therein, March 29, 1845. A royal coat of arms is on the cover, and below reads “Anno Octavo Victoria Reign. CAP. LXII.” Printed in Montreal by Stewart Derbishire and George Desbarats. The Act describes the organization and government of the Town including elections, by-laws, infrastructure, and commercial activities.
Open Access
Stan Skrzeszewski fonds, 1876-2021, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Fonds consists of research material compiled by Stan Skrzeszewski for a book he wrote about Facer Street in St. Catharines. Material includes photographs, news clippings, articles, books and a painting. Several published books by Stan Skrzeszewski are included. There is also some material about Laura de Turczynowicz (née Blackwell). Laura was an internationally known opera singer from St. Catharines who married Stanislaw de Turczynowicz, Count Gozdawa in Krakow, Poland. Material was removed from binders and kept in its original order.
Open Access
Benson family collection, 1866-1899, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
The collection consists of four albums and a portrait of a young woman. Three albums contain carte-de-visite and one album is a scrapbook containing illustrations and photographs. The carte-de-visite albums include some notable Niagara people and groups including Thomas Rodman Merritt and his wife Mary Benson; Cynthia Street Fuller (daughter of Samuel Street and wife of Thomas Brock Fuller); and the Durham Regiment at camp in Thorold at the time of the Fenian Raid in 1866.
Open Access
Lewiston Court records, 1835-1856
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Two volumes of a chronological record of court proceedings in the Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, New York. Entries include the names of the plaintiffs and defendants, as well as details of each case including the nature of the complaint, judgements, appeals, fines and penalties. Some of the entries may involve citizens across the border in Canada. Cases include theft, financial and property disputes; assault and battery; vagrancy; and selling liquor contrary to the statute.
Open Access
Documenting COVID-19 in Niagara collection, 2020-2021
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
The collection consists of a website containing 344 digital items such as photographs, videos, social media posts, and written observations. These items were submitted by Niagara community members to a website created by Brock University Archives & Special Collections to document the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. Community members were invited to submit their photographs, written observations, videos, or other material that reflected their experience during the pandemic. There were also quarterly surveys posted during the first year of the pandemic that community members could complete and submit to record their thoughts and experiences. To reflect these different types of submissions the collection is divided into two categories: Submitted Content (such as photos, videos, social media posts) and Questions and Answers (survey results). In both categories, items were listed in chronological order by date of submission. Digital submissions to the archive were closed in April 2023.
Open Access
COVID-19 in Niagara web archives collection, 2020-2023, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
The collection consists of a weekly crawl of websites of major institutions, governments and organizations in the Niagara area focusing on the varied responses to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2023. Further, one-time crawls of newspaper articles focused on Niagara centric COVID-19 news were collected and exist in a private collection.
Open Access
Road Maps of England and Wales from the atlas Britannia, 1675, 1698
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Contains twenty-two colour maps from John Ogilby’s 1675 and 1698 road atlas of England and Wales, titled Britannia. Each map contains multiple strips. Each strip represents a part of the road and the surrounding environment, with the top of one strip continued at the bottom of the strip next to it. The maps are numbered in the bottom right corner to indicate the proper order. Many of the maps are missing, and the remaining ones have been grouped together by their assigned number. The title of each map is surrounded by an illustration or decorative border. The maps note towns and counties as well as landscape features such as hills, rivers, bridges, some buildings such as churches and mills, notable side roads, and the relative size of towns. A 1970s reproduction of the complete 1675 atlas is available in Archives and Special Collections with the title “Ogilby's road maps of England and Wales from Ogilby's ‘Britannia’, 1675” (SPCL G 1808 O302 1971).
Open Access
Dan Livermore Brock University collection, 1967-2024
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
The collection mostly consists of correspondence, photographs, news articles, and programs related to Brock University. Some of the subjects covered include athletics, awards ceremonies, and Dr. James A. Gibson’s 90th birthday celebration.
Open Access
Slides of the Port Robinson Bridge after a collision with the freighter Steelton, 1974
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Contains 22 slides of the wreckage of the Port Robinson Bridge over the Welland Canal after a collision with the freighter Steelton on August 25, 1974. There are also a few slides of the freighter.
Open Access
St. Catharines photographs, 1901, 1912, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Four black and white photographs from the St. Catharines area. Two of the photographs are portraits taken by [Edwin] Poole in St. Catharines and measure 10.5 cm x 16 cm. One portrait shows a woman with two boys. The other portrait is a head and shoulders photo of a man in a suit. The other two photos are larger. The smaller of the two photos measures 21 cm x 15 cm and shows a line of cars in a building on one side, and a line of men and women along the other side. Writing on the reverse of the photo reads “A.J. Gilmore Garage, 1912 all Cadilacks”. It is mounted on cardboard. The last photo shows two men sitting in a car on a bridge and measures 22.5 cm x 15 cm. Handwriting on the bottom left of the photo reads “Jno. Quinn, proprietor, Russel House, St. Catharines”. In the bottom centre the word “Oldsmobile” is written. It is dated 1901 at the bottom right of the photo and is mounted on paper.
Open Access
Fort Erie Lodge No. 613 fonds, 1923-1993
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Fonds contains material related to the activities of Fort Erie Lodge No. 613. Most of the material consists of minute books and attendance registers. There are also some account books, a by-law book containing administrative details, and a record of deceased members. Also contains a booklet on the history of Fort Erie Lodge No. 613 on its fiftieth anniversary in 1973, enclosed in the minute book at the entry noting the anniversary, October 16, 1973.
Open Access
Baker family photo albums, 1889-2014, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Three photo albums containing portraits of men, women and children. The albums belonged to the Baker family of St. Catharines. A paper cover album contains 42 portraits of men, women, and children. None of the photos contain dates and most of the photos are not labelled. Photographers include E. Poole (St. Catharines); H.M. Platt (Oberlin); Dixon (Toronto); Thos. Charles (St. Catharines); J.C. Walker (Toronto); T.S. Hill (St. Catharines); Mair (Toronto); and Jas. Fairbairn (St. Catharines). One baby photo is labelled “Norma Maud Alexandra Johnston, age 9 months”. An album with an embossed cover contains 38 portraits of men, women, and children. None of the photos contain dates but other material in the album have dates ranging from 1889-1898 and 2012-2014. Photographers include E. Pemberton (Uxbridge); J. Zybach & Co. (Niagara Falls, Ont.); Thos. Farmer (Hamilton); T.S. Hill (St. Catharines); Hendrickson & Zahner (Niagara Falls, N.Y.); and VanDeusen & Houghton (Detroit, Mich.). Many photos are labelled, either on the page or on loose pieces of paper enclosed with photos. Names include Mr. Moser; Mr. Pemberton; Mrs. Pemberton; Florence Neal; Maggie McCandus; Jack MacKinnan; Mrs. Kimmins; Mr. and Mrs. Neal; Ida Hughes; Aunt Sarah & Uncle Will; Ernest LeRoy; Bessia Henderson; Bertha Rouse (New Zealand); and Tom Newman. Includes a photo of four women with Niagara Falls in the background. Several papers are enclosed in the album including Christmas cards; a funeral card for Ernest LeRoy, infant son of Daniel and Maria LeRoy of Fenwick (1889); business card for R.H. Brydon & Co. Art Store in Guelph; an invitation to the 75th anniversary gala dinner of the Dalhousie Yacht Club; and a program for a requiem mass for L. Col. Clifford Roy Baker (2014). An album with a red velvet cover contains 58 portraits of men, women and children. None of the photos contain dates. Photographers include Hendrickson & Zahner (Niagara Falls, N.Y.); Thos. Farmer (Hamilton); [Thos.] Charles (St. Catharines); Marshall (Guelph); J. Zybach & Co. (Niagara Falls, Ont.); A.E. McCollum (Brampton); Dobereiner & Ward (Guelph); Burgess & Son (Guelph); and T.S. Hill (St. Catharines). Many photos are labelled. Names include Aunt Lill; Aunt Maria; Will, Alf & Edith Fenwick; Charlotte Neil; Edith Fenwick; Kittie & Ida Skinner; Charles R. Newman (older brother to Grace Newman & former mayor of Niagara Falls); Berdia[?] & Ethel Mason; Kit Gunn; Grandmother Rouse / Priscilla Boulding; Albert Deming; Albert Hare; Will House; Aunt Liza; Great Grandmother and Grandfather Boulding; Steve Rouse; Will Fenwick; Gordon Fenwick; Will Word; John Rouse; Bertha Rouse; Mrs. Maclean; Bradley girls; Mrs. Harvey; Harry Schwartz; Mr. & Mrs. J.F. Henderson; and George Wright. Papers enclosed in the album include a Christmas card and pressed flowers. One of the photos includes a man sitting on rocks with what appears to be the Niagara River rapids in the background.
Open Access
Norman Ball Stereo Card Collection, 1873-1905, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
The collection consists of 104 stereo cards of Niagara Falls and the Niagara River sorted by publisher or photographer. Photographers and publishers include American Scenery; E. & H.T. Anthony, including “American Views”; Geo. Barker, photographer, Niagara Falls, New York; C. Bierstadt; Geo. E. Curtis; Griffith & Griffith; T. W. Ingersoll; International Stereoscopic View Co.; Keystone View Company; B.W. Kilburn; The “Perfec” Stereograph / H.C. White; Standard Series, American scenery; Strohmeyer & Wyman, sold by Underwood and Underwood; and Underwood and Underwood.
Open Access
Lundy’s Lane Historical Society fonds, 1888-1962, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Fonds consists of material about the Lundy’s Lane Historical Society and includes correspondence, programs, invitations, publication lists, and a petition. Two newspapers from the War of 1812 era were removed and added to the War of 1812 Newspaper Collection (RG 638).
Open Access
John Ussher fonds, 1792-1793, n.d.
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
Fonds contains a partial page of handwritten notes and typewritten transcripts of two letters and a military commission. There are two copies of each typewritten document. The partial page of handwritten notes concerns Edgeworth Ussher and his brother John Ussher Jr. Edgeworth Ussher’s murder by [Benjamin] Lett is mentioned, as well as John Ussher’s departure for Montreal to make a deposit at the Bank of Montreal. The first letter is written by John Ussher to his uncle and is dated at Niagara, November 2, 1792. Ussher writes “I now begin to like the army much better than I expected even though we are quartered at such a disagreeable place. I can’t say that Governor Simcoe’s being at the opposite side of the river makes it more lively than if he was forty miles off. He is so taken up with settling this new Province that he can think of nothing else, if I had any idea that I would make a good farmer I should be almost tempted to remain, land application to the Governor will get as much as they can wish for, provided they settle or get others to settle on it and clear off the wood, for its all a vast forest, so great is the rage amongst our Officers for such work, and for being loyal subjects, that no less than our Major and five or six Lieuts (married) are going to sell out and remain in this country…” The second letter is written by John Ussher to his uncle and is dated at Niagara, September 14, 1793. Ussher writes “…I wish with all my heart you had some of this vast tract of woods that surrounds us being so well supplied with turf you’d make much better use of it than we do. If wood and water constitute the beauty of a country this is beautiful, and yet I’m almost tired of it. In one of my letters I informed you several of our Officers were going to settle in this Province, they now think better of it and seem to have adopted the idea as you justly say, they may find the Indians about this part troublesome, being more in the interests of the United States than ours. It was since my last commissioners from the United States went up to treat with the Indians about the boundary. The Indians will not accept any other but the Ohio, so both sides are ready for war which I believe will be a very bloody one as they have all joined against the Americans except the Six Nations round us. No doubt there have been some engagements ere this…” He also comments on the uniforms they must wear and the expense, noting that “…we have become quite a high dressed regiment from being the plainest in the army, it looks very fine, but agrees badly with a Subaltern purse…”. Ussher also comments about the health of the citizens, writing that “I may say that this country is very unhealthy, our hospital is full of sick…”. The military commission is a typewritten transcript of John Ussher’s commission in the Canadian Militia, and is dated June 1, 1838.
Open Access
Steamboat “Caroline” Account book, 1834-1836
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
An account book for the American steamboat Caroline. The title page reads “Steam Boat Caroline belonging to Duncan McFarland, Port Robinson. 1st trip to Buffalo 22nd June 1834”. The book contains 164 pages and includes cash paid for expenses such as wood; lockage; food; Cooper; Blacksmith; fare for railroad; and repairs. Some of the pages are blank. Other pages contain accounts for individuals including Herman Wilcox; Charles Walton; James Ballentine; Louis Beat; Taylor Lee; Joshua Thumons; James P. Provoost; Pratt Gailor Co.; Bradley & Co.; William Hepburn; J.G. McCormick; T. Brundage; Bush & Shepherd; Daniel Moody; Henry Wysoon; Matheson [?] Mason; John Emery; Peter Burger; E.W. Stevenson; J.H. Lacy; S. Cary; N. Walker; William H. Berret; Gipson Grason; B. Sherwood; H. Bond; John Jones; Charles Clark; John B. Miller; William Duff; James Macklem; Theo. Brundidge; Dilly Coleman; James Martin; J.M. Jackson; David Graybill; Arden Weller; Jos. Quincy; Henry Bond; Jessie Lacey; James Keefer; George Rykirk & Co.; C. Brown; Edward Emery; Capt. James Balintine; Robert Goldie; John Huggan; Thomas Merritt; David Reid; John Donaldson; and William H. Merritt. The last two pages of the book contain copies of three letters written by Duncan McFarland. Two of the letters are dated at Port Robinson, June 16,1835. The first letter is addressed to Capt. Brundage and concerns fares for passengers and luggage, and coordinating payments with other Captains when necessary. The second letter is addressed to Captain Balintine and asks whether the person who handles the bar on the steamboat [K?] sets a good table for gentlemen and keeps good order about the bar, and allows no drunkenness on board the boat. The third letter is dated at Port Robinson, March 17, 1836, and reads “agreeable to a letter forwarded from [Sh? Dutcher] by Mr. H. Merritt for our advice we agree that it is best to submit the lawsuit pending between us the subscribers and the above company to arbitration[?].”
Open Access
El Poema del Niagara, 1880
(2025-04-01) Cameron, Chantal
A manuscript poem about Niagara written in Spanish by Juan Antonio Pérez-Bonalde titled El Poema del Niagara. The poem is handwritten and dedicated to Emilio Castelar, a Spanish politician, historian, and journalist. The notebook contains 64 pages and is bound in leather with gold lettering on the cover that reads “A Emilio Castelar. El Poema del Niagara por J.A. Perez Bonalde, New York”. The translated dedication reads “The Poem of Niagara. To the Tribune of Liberty, Friend of America, To the glorious son of noble Spain, from that generous, poetic, and chivalrous land that I love so much, And in which I wish to see the end of my days, wrapped in the flag of gold and gravel under whose folds my ancestors were born to light, honor, and freedom. To His Excellency Mr. Emilio Castelar, This humble song, in homage of sincere, ardent, and profound admiration Dedicates The Author New York, July 15, 1880.” The last page is signed by J.A. Perez Bonalde, and dated “Niagara Falls, Clifton (Canada), July 4, 1880.” At the bottom of this same page is written “Liberty Street, New York, July 15, 1880”. The poem is structured into nine sections, which are: (I) The Lyre and the Harp; (II) The River; (III) The Torrent; (IV) Sub-Umbra; (V) The Echo; (VI) Hosanna!; (VII) Man and Abyss; (VIII) La Poesia; and (IX) Dies Grae. This manuscript contains some additional lines not found in some of the published versions.
Open Access
Niagara ship papers collection, 1874-1905
(2025-03-25) Cameron, Chantal
The collection contains documents related to three Great Lakes ships that were built in the Niagara area: “Arctic”; “Grimsby”; and “Inez”.
Open Access
Letter to Mrs. Hill from her niece B.A. Tom, January 1, 1861
(2025-03-25) Cameron, Chantal
A letter to Mrs. Hill, Smithville, Gainsborough, District Niagara, Upper Canada, America, dated at Lank St. Breward [Cornwall, England], January 1, 1861, from her niece B.A. Tom. The letter is 6 pages and contains mostly family news. The author writes a great deal about the health of family members and the deaths of many of them. She also comments on the weather and the harvest. The envelope contains postmarks from Bodmin, London, Hamilton, and Smithville. There is also a stamp that reads “insufficiently stamped”. The postage stamp is six pence.

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