Finding aid created by E. Fudge, 1984.
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce fonds material.
Smith, Edward. "150 Years of Vision, Faith and Courage: The Chamber's Amazing Story." Panorama Magazine. Published by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, 1995, p. 4-27.
Title is based on the contents of the collection.
The Hamilton Board of Trade was formed at a public meeting held at the Royal Exchange Hotel on April 29, 1845, with thirty-seven Hamilton businessmen in attendance. The constitution of the board was adopted at this meeting and Isaac Buchanan was elected as first president. Board members were comprised of merchants and bank managers, and individuals engaged in trade in the Gore District. The mandate of the organization was to promote fair mercantile principles, correct abuses in trade, protect the rights of businesses, and advance the interests of the business community. During the war years, the organization's membership declined even though growth and development in the city were increasing. In 1919, the organization went through a major reorganization and emerged as the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce in 1920. After an intensive promotional campaign, membership increased to 1000 individuals and the new mandate of the Chamber shifted from a focus mostly on trade, to a new emphasis on promoting the economic, civic and social welfare of the people of Hamilton.
Throughout the years, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce has played an active role in improving the business and social climate in the city through the financing of various ventures such as the Royal Connaught Hotel and the Chedoke Civic Golf Club, as well as heading the effort to relocate McMaster University to Hamilton. The Chamber has promoted better trade, roads, parking and transportation, educational and employment opportunities, the development of the Harbour and civic centres, as well as promoting access to capital for small business. The Chamber has engaged the city and its citizens through task forces and committees, studies and reports, programs and events such as Corporate Challenge, as well as promotional materials and publications, including the area’s first business directory. The Chamber has also contributed to tourism, promoted Hamilton’s art scene by founding the Hamilton Region Arts Council, and brought both the United Way and Crime Stoppers to the greater Hamilton area. Today, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce continues to represent the interests of the business community and the community at large by encouraging the improvement of commercial and industrial activity in the city, and by promoting Hamilton as a place of innovation and progress, and a good place to invest, work and live.
Published
The material in the fonds consists of administrative records such as meeting minutes, annual reports, constitution and bylaws, and historical material on the Board of Trade, as well as financial records, committee records, reports, correspondence, newspaper clippings, publicity and promotional materials, programs and events, centennial projects, awards and recognition, a few photographs and a medallion, all of which pertain to the Hamilton Board of Trade and its successor, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.
Some of the documents were previously numbered by the creator of the records, but due to the nature of the material and the series arrangement, these numbers are no longer relevant. Some file folders were barcoded during the previous processing of the material in 2019, but these barcodes are not relevant to the reprocessed fonds and its arrangement.
Most of the material is in good condition, with the exception of some of the earlier material, which is more fragile.
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Further accruals are possible.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Meeting minutes are on microfilm reel numbers 516, 517, and 871-908.
The following related material can be found in the Local History & Archives (LH&A) department at the Hamilton Public Library pertaining to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce:
The Bugle Newsletter; 2003
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Newsletter (Oversized); 1920–1951
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Reporter; 1953–1975
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Insider Report; 1990–1993
Panorama Magazine; 1980-2003
CF - Hamilton – Organizations and Societies – Chamber of Commerce
The material is open to researchers. There are no restrictions on access.
Preferred citation: Hamilton Chamber of Commerce fonds, 00099, Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario.
File list available
Published
Series consists of administrative records including information on the history of the Board of Trade, the Constitution and Act to Incorporate the Board of Trade of the City of Hamilton, acts and petitions, revised constitution and by-laws, member ship lists, a membership application and fee schedule, a freight rate and operations log, meeting minutes and agendas for the Board of Directors, annual reports, records for the Ancaster and Dundas divisions of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Constitution and Bylaws of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of accounts of imports and exports, property leases and taxation records.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of records of meeting minutes for the Executive Committee, as well as meeting minutes for various committees. Earlier committees included ones concerning agriculture, exports, taxation, public safety, retail, finance, street naming and numbering, elections and city planning among others. Modern committees included the Agenda for Action, the Ambassador Committee, the Business Development Committee, the Civic Centre Arena Project, the Community Based Employment Adjustment Committee, the Education and Skills Training Subcommittee, the Federal/Provincial Affairs Committee, the Finance and Taxation Committee, the Foreign Trade Subcommittee, the General Committee, the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Committee, the Hamilton Harbour Task Force, the Hospitality Committee, the Human Resources Committee, the Industrial Liaison and Zoning Committee, Publicity Committee, REACH (Regional Employment and Adjustment Committee of Hamilton-Wentworth), the Small Business Subcommittee, Tourism and Conventions Development Task Force, and the Transportation Committee. Some of the minutes have incomplete years. This series also contains two photographs from the file on the Transportation Services Committee pertaining to the Instaglide, which was a train model for rapid transit from the Instaglide Transportation Corporation.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of reports produced by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce including the Access to Capital by Small Business, a Board of Trade Report, Comments on Bill 208, Economic Reports, an Executive Summary, Government Reports, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce reports on various issues, a report to the Board of Directors, as well as Noise Control By-Law Reports.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of general correspondence and representative correspondence pertaining to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Included in this series is an undated note from an individual who enclosed a Hamilton Chamber of Commerce medallion (no ribbon attached). The medallion is dated 1864 and the sender of the note felt the Chamber would like to have this item. The Chamber responded by letter dated 1955, thanking the sender.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of newspaper clippings from various newspapers including the Hamilton Spectator, the Hamilton Herald, the West Hamilton Journal, the Dundas Star Journal, the Ancaster News, the Hamilton Mountain News, the Canadian Economist Free Trade Journal and the Liverpool Standard, pertaining to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. The articles cover Chamber events, the state of the Hamilton economy and Hamilton businesses, and business in general, including taxes, imports and exports, transportation, elections, unemployment, labour strikes, as well as government legislation affecting business. The series includes a scrapbook of clippings from the early 1900s, which is wrapped due to the fragile nature of the material. The articles pertain to the Board of Trade and its reorganization, announcements regarding events, and the work of the Board of Trade in the community.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of various forms of publicity and promotional materials pertaining to and created by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, including pamphlets, flyers, programs and information releases announcing upcoming events, seminars, workshops, speakers and business news. The series also consists of two publications; Hamilton, Canada: A Panorama of Beauty and Industry, and Hamilton: The Place for Your Plant.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of records pertaining to various programs and events held by the Chamber of Commerce including a beauty contest, breakfasts, luncheons and dinners, Career Day, Corporate Challenge, seminars, speakers, sporting events and tours.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of records pertaining to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Centennial in 1945, the city of Hamilton Centennial in 1946, and the Canadian Centennial in 1967.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of award certificates received by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the region of Hamilton-Wentworth, as well as records on the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Convention Ambassador Awards. The series includes 2 contact sheets of the convention including images of award recipients and various tables, as well as a photograph of the award recipients for the year 1990.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.
Published
Series consists of a photograph of the 1938-1939 Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Young Men’s Section. The names of the men are added under the inset of their image. The photo has been encapsulated.
The earlier material in the fonds was donated to the library by Dr. Johnston in 1971. In 1990, more material was transferred to the Hamilton Public Library upon request by Mr. Brian Henley, Head of the Special Collections Department (precursor to Local History & Archives), to the Executive Director of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, L. Lee Kirby, who agreed to the transfer of materials to the library through correspondence dated July 27, 1990.