Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
City of Hamilton Military Records fonds
General material designation
- Textual record
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Fonds
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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
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Date(s)
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1914-1945 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
24 cm of textual material
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Archival description area
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Administrative history
During the First and Second World Wars, the City of Hamilton and its various departments contributed to the military operations by purchasing Victory Bonds, which helped the Canadian government finance the war efforts without having to raise taxes on citizens. The City of Hamilton also kept records of casualties, both killed and wounded, as well as created Honour Rolls for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The city also kept insurance records of soldiers who had purchased insurance policies on behalf of their dependents in case of death overseas. Realizing that many soldiers could not afford this luxury, the city made an effort to financially insure the lives of the local enlisted men with the help of insurance companies and money from the city departments. City Council created the Soldiers Benefit Fund Committee to administer the money and determine who was eligible to receive assistance. By 1920, 551 residents were receiving payments to lessen the hardships faced by the dependents of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Scope and content
The material consists of 13 volumes of records created by the City of Hamilton pertaining to the First and Second World Wars including Victory Bond purchases, casualty lists, Honour Rolls, as well as Soldiers’ Benefit Fund documents such as meeting minutes and insurance benefits payments. The volumes pertain predominantly to the First World War with the exception of a casualty list for World War Two, which is restricted material.
Notes area
Physical condition
There are 13 volumes of records some of which are in fair condition, and some are in fragile condition with damaged spines and covers, as well as red rot staining. The larger volumes have been wrapped and a few of the smaller ones located in file folders in the archival boxes are also wrapped due to red rot staining that can easily transfer to other material.
Arrangement
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Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
No
Restrictions on access
12 of the 13 volumes are open to researchers. The volume of casualty lists for World War Two is restricted and unavailable to the public until 2045.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
The records for World War One are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on reproduction for research and private study.
Preferred citation: City of Hamilton Military Records fonds, 00924, Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario.
Finding aids
File list available
Associated materials
None
Accruals
Further accruals are not expected.
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Status
Draft
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
The fonds was processed in March of 2025 by Archives Technician Kelly Bucci.
Language of description
Script of description
Sources
The information for the administrative history was provided by the records in the fonds.