Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Donald William Adams fonds
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Level of description
Fonds
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Physical description area
Physical description
24 cm of graphic materials (2 boxes)
403 photographs: 240 negatives and 163 prints; 12 x 9 cm or smaller
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Donald William Adams was born June 4, 1922 in Louth Township to Stanley William Adams and Dorothy Serena (Kerr) Adams. The family moved to Hamilton a few years later. They lived with Charles Staple Kerr and Mary Alberta (Knight) Kerr, his maternal grandparents. C.S. Kerr was a high school teacher employed at Central Collegiate Institute. They lived at 92 Blake Street until about 1938 then moved to 36 Maple Avenue. Don Adams attended Hamilton Technical School and was then employed by the Bell Telephone Company. He was a member of the Cedar Springs Ski Club and the Model Engineer's Club. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in about 1942 and became a Pilot Officer with the Atlantic Transport Group. While at the Ellenburg Depot in New York State he was killed in a flying accident on June 22, 1944 along with three other men. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.
Custodial history
The custodial history of the material is unknown. Envelopes containing the prints and negatives were found in a box of assorted photographic material in the office of the Manager for Special Collections, following his retirement. Original envelopes indicate that "Mr. Don Adams" had photographs developed at Thompson's Camera and Art Store (later known as Thompson's Camera Sales and Exchange) at 458 Barton St. East. No dates are provided.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of 7 envelopes of photographic prints and negatives all relating to the railways in and around Hamilton. Based on their content, the photographs and negatives appear to have been taken in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Image subjects include: the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway Company; various Canadian National trains, including passenger coaches; the Hamilton Street Railway; and the CNR Royal Train, which carried King George VI and Queen Elizabeth across Canada on their royal tour in 1939.
Notes area
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Restrictions on access
Use of gloves required for handling photographs.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
A finding aid with item-level description is available in Local History & Archives.
Associated materials
Accruals
General note
The images were identified by Mr. Carl Riff.
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Status
Final
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Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised by Jennifer Dell 09/21/2016
Language of description
Script of description
Sources
Houghton, M. (2015). Donald William Adams Fonds. Local History & Archives, Hamilton Public Library.