Title and statement of responsibility area
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Hamilton Naturalists' Club
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Fonds
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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1919-2022 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
2.615 m of textual and graphic materials. - 145 photographs: 14 b&w, 131 col.; - 4 negatives. - 2 water colours.
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Hamilton Naturalists’ Club is a not-for profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the natural environment of Hamilton, Ontario and the surrounding areas, through education and activism. The Club was first established in 1918, and was officially incorporated as the Hamilton Bird Protection Society in 1919. The Club’s original function was to protect and preserve birds and bird habitats from extinction. Over time, members of the Club broadened their scope to include all aspects of the natural world, changing their name to the Hamilton Nature Club. This name remained in place until 1959, when they officially became known as the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. Since the early days of the organization, members have been instrumental in raising awareness and securing the protection of the environment such as the 1927 designation of Cootes Paradise as a wildlife sanctuary by a Provincial Government order. In 1961, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club became the first conservation society and not-for-profit organization in Canada to purchase land in perpetuity for nature and wildlife sanctuaries. For the past century, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club and its members have worked to protect and preserve the environment through their conservation projects and programs, playing an active role in environmental issues that affect the local community.
Custodial history
The material was donated to the Local History & Archives Department of the Hamilton Public Library in 2013 by former President of the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club, Michael Fischer. A small accrual of material was later donated to the department at an unknown date by Club member, Lois Evans.
Scope and content
The material in the fonds consists of predominantly textual materials pertaining to the organization’s conservation projects, programming, public education, promotional materials and publications. The fonds contains eleven series and one subseries including, administrative records, correspondence, bird records, environmental conservation projects, programs and events, the Junior Audubon Club, property records, bequests, endowments and funds, awards and recognition, publicity and publications, photographs and scrapbooks. The fonds also contains graphic materials including water colours, as well as photographs of members, events, programs, wildlife and plant life.
Notes area
Physical condition
Good
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
None
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Created by Archives Technician Kelly Bucci in June of 2017. Revised October 2024.
Associated materials
Thomas McIlwraith Fonds, accession # 00025.
The Birds of Ontario by Thomas McIlwraith (598.29713 MCI)
The Breeding Birds of Hamilton, Ontario by Bob Curry (598.0971352CUR)
The Wood Duck publication, issues from 1948-2017
Below is a list of books from the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club fonds that were added to the Local History & Archives book collection. To view these materials, please ask the staff member at the information desk.
Historical Review of Water Bird Populations and Annotated List of Water Birds Associated with Burlington Bay, Lake Ontario, 1857-1990 by Environment Canada (1993)
The Natural Heritage of Southern Ontario’s Settled Landscapes (1994)
Royal Botanical Gardens Trails Master Plan (1995)
Atlas of the Mammals of Hamilton by Kara Vlasman (2005)
Head-of-the-Lake Pocket Nature Guide by Laurel McIvor [n.d.]
The Breeding Birds of Hamilton, Ontario by Bob Curry [n.d.]
City of Hamilton Environmental Assessment for Erosion Control and Leachate Management: Rennie Street and Bramptom Street Landfill Sites Response to Bump-Up Requests (July 2001)
The City of Hamilton Final Report on Western Boundary Investigation (September 2003)
City of Hamilton Certificate of Approval Municipal and Private Sewage Works No. 2034-5F9Q2J Application for Amendment (October 2003)
Accruals
The material in the accrual included administrative records such as meeting minutes (2013-2022), and reports, some correspondence, bird count censuses, native species checklists, records pertaining to a few programs and events, property records, and publicity and publications, including newspaper clippings, manuscripts of articles published in various newspapers and Hamilton Naturalists' Club publications and newsletters, as well as a manuscript of bird songs. The fonds was re-processed, and the accrual material was added into the corresponding series. A box containing administrative records (mostly meeting minutes), was added to the fonds as Box 7a, so as not to require re-labelling of subsequent boxes.
General note
The material donated by the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club included some books and reports. These items were pulled from this fonds and integrated into the Local History & Archives book collection. Duplicates were returned to the Club as per their request.
General note
Located in Room B
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Status
Final
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
The processing of the fonds was completed by Archives Technician Kelly Bucci in July 2017. The fonds was revised in October 2024 to include an accrual of material.
Language of description
Script of description
Sources
Hamilton Naturalists Club. "About Us." Accessed June 19, 2017. http://www.hamiltonnature.org/about-us/about-the-hnc/.