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Wooden-hulled, screw (propeller) steamer vessel measuring 142 x 23 x 13 feet, 408 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1872 by Archibald Miller Robertson. The Canada was a passenger and freight ship that operated between Montreal and Chicago from 1872 until 1878. In 1892 the ship was severely damaged by fire. The engine was salvaged, repurposed and used in the S.S. Arabian. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration and ownership documents, mortgage papers, and a few pages of correspondence.

File consists of a photograph of showroom windows for General Motors Products of Canada, 68-72 John Street North, which are painted with signs for Oldsmobile automobiles, and photographs the interior of the General Motors building situated at George and Bay Streets, which was completely renovated in 1936 with a two-story addition that ran 138 feet along George Street. Seven houses were demolished to make room for the new L-shaped structure. Shortly after this renovation, the business changed its name to Hamilton Motor Products.

File consists of photographs of the exterior of White Motor Company of Canada Limited at 165 York Street, Hamilton.

The series consists of postcards related to the City of Hamilton's parks, including Ainseley, Confederation, Dundurn, Gage, Gore, Lakeland Beach, Landsdowne, Reservoir, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sam Lawrence, and Woodland.

Material consists of 18 coloured photographs of Jimmy Lomax and family at the reception for Jimmy's appointment to the Order of Canada, April 1984.

Material consists of 1 coloured photograph of Jimmy Lomax being invested into the Order of Canada, April 1984.

Series consists of Canada Council Exploration Grant funding documents, including the Hamilton Poetry Centre's applications for funding during the 1980s.

Material consists of 2 coloured photographs of Ryan Lomax on Parliament Hill, during the Lomax trip to Ottawa for Jimmy's appointment to the Order of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 1983.

Series consists of materials from various organizations and events across Canada that were collected by Michael Johnstone such as pamphlets, newsletters, correspondence and information sheets.

Material consists of 4 coloured photographs of Jimmy, Susan and Ryan Lomax on route to Ottawa, Ontario for Jimmy's appointment to the Order of Canada, 1983.

File consists of photographs of vehicles from Life Savers & Beech-Nut Sale Company Limited, located at 225 Sanford Ave S. Life Savers Limited first operated in Canada at Prescott, Ontario, in 1916. In 1932, Life Savers bought out the Beech-Nut company of Canada, and the two companies amalgamated and began production in Hamilton in 1932. The original factory was at the corner of Cumberland and Sanford Avenue. A new building was erected in 1951 and was the only Life Savers plant in Canada, which produced millions of boxes of candy annually. In 2004, after more than 80 years of candy-making history in Hamilton, production of the candy ended.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 46 x 11 x 3 feet built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1915 by John and William Robertson. There is little information pertaining to this vessel and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration and ownership documents, as well as correspondence from the Department of Marine and Fisheries, Customs Canada, the Department of Transport and the Canada Steamship Lines Limited, to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton regarding the existence and whereabouts of the vessel.

Series consist of postcards that showcase Hamilton’s military history, in particular the 91st Highlanders, military parades throughout the city, and the armoury on James Street North.

Screw (propeller) yacht steamer built in 1886 in Hamilton, Ontario by Thomas Reid. There is little information pertaining to this vessel and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, several ownership documents, legal correspondence, as well as correspondence from various individuals, Customs Canada, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, the Dominion Bank, and the National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division, to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Series consists of 2 Stelco Anniversary Books: The 25th Milestone: A Brief History of Stelco the Steel Company of Canada Limited 1910-1935 and 50th Anniversary Issue Stelco Flashes 1910-1960.

Screw (propeller) yacht measuring 35 x 7 x 3 feet, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1905 by Thomas W. Jutten. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, a certificate of marking indicating the seaworthiness of the vessel, ownership documents, as well as correspondence to and from Customs Canada, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, the National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division and from various individuals, to the Registrar of Shipping, regarding the existence and whereabouts of the vessel.

This series contains non-postcard material donated alongside the postcard collection. Such material includes commemorative items such as the Centennial coin, as well as historical ephemera such as bus tickets issued by Canada SS. Lines Ltd.

Series consists of records relating to poetry readings hosted by the Hamilton Poetry Centre, including those held externally in different locations in the city of Hamilton, information on the Canada Council Public Readings Program, readings relating to the League of Canadian Poets regarding their Canada Poetry Tours Program, readings by visiting poets, documentation relating to a festival of contemporary Canadian poetry (Canada Poetry Now), presented by the Hamilton Poetry Centre from March 6th to March 8th of 1986, which was held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton and included lectures, readings and poetry workshops for aspiring poets and writers, as well as information on the Poetry in the Schools Program, with readings at local schools. This file contains some poetry written by some of the students.

Wooden schooner sailing ship measuring 143 x 25 x 10 feet, built in Port Dalhousie, Ontario in 1869 by William H. Andrews. The vessel was re-built in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1881 by Joseph Shickluna. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains a few builder’s certificates, a certificate of survey, several ownership documents, registration documents, legal correspondence, telegraphs, memorandums, and correspondence from the Department of Marine and Fisheries Canada, Customs Canada, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, as well as from various companies, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Screw (propeller) pleasure steamer measuring 105 x 20 feet, 150 tonnage, built in Toronto, Ontario in 1884 by Melanchthon Simpson for the Hamilton Steamboat Company Limited. The Mazeppa was a passenger boat that served the area around Hamilton Bay. The file contains ownership and registration documents as well as correspondence from the Hamilton Steamboat Company, Customs Canada, Collectors Office, the Toronto Ferry Company Limited, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division, as well as from various individuals, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, regarding the existence and whereabouts of the vessel.

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.

Twin screw (propeller) steel steamer built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1888 by William Hamilton & Company. The boat was brought over and used as a pleasure cruise carrying about 114 passengers between Hamilton and Burlington, as well as Hamilton and Toronto. In 1928, the vessel was sold and became known as the Manasoo, and was used as a passenger ship in the Georgian Bay area where it sank shortly afterwards. The file contains registration and ownership documents, a certificate of marking verifying the seaworthiness of the vessel, a mortgage certificate, a transfer of registry, receipts and memorandums, as well as correspondence to and from the Canada Customs Collector’s Office, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, the Hamilton Steamboat Company, the Collingwood Shipbuilding Company Limited, the Owen Sound Transportation Company and the Canada Steamship Lines Limited, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Twin screw (propeller) steamer measuring 67 x 15 x 5 feet, 66 tonnage, built in Grandes-Piles, Quebec in 1903 by William Ritchie. The vessel was bought by the Hamilton Ferry Company and used for ferry service around Hamilton. The vessel was dismantled in 1924. The file contains ownership documentation, a bill of sale, a certificate of inspection, legal documentation as well as correspondence from the Department of Marine and Fisheries Canada, the Department of Transport, and the Hamilton Ferry Company, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Screw (propeller) yacht steamer measuring 68 x 10 x 3 feet, 29 tonnage, built in Toronto, Ontario in 1890 by Polson Iron Works for William Eli Sanford, a prominent Hamilton politician and businessman. There is little information pertaining to the vessel and its voyage history. The file contains ownership documents, a bill of sale, legal correspondence, a probate will for William Eli Sandford, as well as correspondence from Customs Canada, Collector’s Office, and the Department of Transport, Marine Services, to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Screw (propeller) steamer built in 1888 in Sunderland, Scotland by the Sunderland Ship Building Company. In 1919, on a voyage from Cardiff, Wales to Bordeaux, France, the S.S. Luella collided with the Rosedale and caused her to sink, with the loss of most of the ship’s papers and documentation. The file contains mortgage papers, a collision report, a transcript of register for transmission to Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, as well as correspondence from Customs Canada, the Department of Marine and Fisheries and the Inland Navigation Company Limited, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

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.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 35 x 7 x 4 feet, 8 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1901 by John and William Robertson. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, and correspondence from the Department of Transport, the Department of Marine and Fisheries Canada, as well as from William LaFarelle, the ship’s owner, to and from the Registrar of Shipping Hamilton, regarding the existence of the vessel and it’s known whereabouts.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 63 x 10 x 3 feet, 27 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1893 by Thomas Larkin. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, ownership and ownership transfer documents, receipts, legal correspondence, and correspondence to and from the Department of Transport, Marine Services, and the National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, regarding the existence and whereabouts of the vessel.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 56 x 11 x 5 feet, 32 tonnage, built in 1896 in Hamilton, Ontario by Melanchthon Simpson. There is little information pertaining to the vessel and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, ownership documents, a certificate of marking verifying it’s seaworthiness, receipts, telegrams and memorandums, legal correspondence, and correspondence from Killey-Beckett Engine Company Limited, Customs Canada, and the Department of Transport, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Sailing ship measuring 40 x 15 x 6 feet, 22 tonnage, built in 1886 in Trenton, Ontario by A. Cuthbert. There is little information pertaining to this vessel and its voyage history. The file contains ownership, transfer and registration documents, a bill of sale, a memorandum, a postcard, a newspaper clipping, as well as correspondence from various individuals, the Department of Transport and the National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Screw (propeller) steamer yacht measuring 47 x 10 x 5 feet, 15.5 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1903 by John and William Robertson. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains ownership documents and certificates, a mortgage certificate, a letter written by the ship builders certifying that they built the vessel, as well as correspondence from various individuals, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, National Revenue Canada, and Customs and Excise Office Division, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Motorboat measuring 33 x 7 x 2 feet, 4.75 tonnage, built in Gravenhurst, Ontario by Ditchburn Boats Limited. There is little information pertaining to the vessel and its voyage history. The file contains ownership, transfers and registration documents, a certificate of survey, a builder’s certificate, telegraphs, legal correspondence, as well as correspondence from Ditchburn Boats Limited, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, National Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise Division and the Department of Transport, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 230 x 37 x 21 feet, 1,554 tonnage, built in 1903 in Glasgow, Scotland by Russell & Company. There is little information pertaining to this vessel and its voyage history. The file contains a certificate of British Registry, ownership and registration documents, mortgage papers, receipts, a telegraph, as well as correspondence from Customs House Glasgow, Scotland to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Canada Steamship Lines Limited, and the Department of Marine and Fisheries.

This collection principally consists of early to mid-20th century postcards collected by Michael Johnstone on the Bank of Hamilton and its expansion from Hamilton to western Canada. Examples include: the Bank of Hamilton building in downtown Hamilton, Bank of Hamilton branches in rural towns of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and Bank of Hamilton Seasonal greetings. Furthermore, collection contains non-postcard ephemera related to the bank, including advertisements for the bank’s savings account, a notepad and 1890’s Bank of Hamilton passbook.

Screw (propeller) steamer built in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1872 by Melanchthon Simpson. There is little information pertaining to the ship and its voyage history. The file contains registration records and ownership certificates, a surveyor’s certificate, several declarations of joint owners, a steamboat inspector’s certificate, a few bills of sale, a wreck report, memorandums, receipts and telegraphs, as well as correspondence from Customs Canada, Collector’s Office, the National Revenue, Customs and Excise Division, the Department of Transport, Marine Services, legal correspondence, and correspondence from various individuals, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Subseries consists of correspondence regarding the submission of annual tax returns, registration as a Canadian charitable organization for income tax purposes and donation tax deductions, correspondence with various government ministries such as the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and the Ministry of State and Urban Affairs Canada, regarding grant information inquiries, correspondence from an accounting firm regarding some annual statements of receipts and disbursements, as well as correspondence pertaining to the dissolution of the Society and the revocation of its charitable status registration. The series also contains correspondence from the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society to various companies and foundations requesting funding for the restoration of various rooms within Battlefield House. The letters were sent with an information sheet explaining why the funds were needed mentioning that although the Niagara Parks Commission now owned Battlefield House, the Society had agreed to help refurbish four rooms, specifically the parlour, dining room, and two bedrooms at an estimated cost of $25,000.00, and the bank balance of the organization was only $2,700.00 The information sheet mentions that any donations will be tax deductible. The correspondence contains the responses from the companies and foundations as to whether they would provide funding. The local companies contacted included Stelco, T. Eaton Company, Westinghouse, Canron Limited Foundry Division, Canada Steamship Lines, International Harvester Company, Otis Elevator Company, and Dominion Foundries and Steel Company, as well as various banks and a few family foundations.

Steel paddle steamer measuring 143 x 25 x 7 feet, 303 tonnage, built in 1897 in Levis, Quebec by John Lovett Davie. The vessel was originally named the Champion and sailed the St. Lawrence River as a river boat for most of its career. It then served as a ferry operating around the Thousand Islands and between Gananoque, Ontario and Clayton, New York. In 1944, it was purchased by the Hamilton Harbour Commission and re-named the Hamiltonian, to be used as a ferry and day cruise service taking passengers from Hamilton Harbour to Burlington Beach and Lasalle Park in Burlington, Ontario. After a fire destroyed the boat in 1952, it was taken out of ferry service and scrapped in 1954. During its time as a ferry boat, the Hamiltonian carried one million passengers across the waters of Hamilton Bay. The file contains a transfer of registry, a report of shipping casualties and strandings documenting the fire, as well as some correspondence from Canada Customs and Excise Office, Hamilton Harbour Commissioners, the Department of Transport, and the Steel Company of Canada Limited, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Series consists of general correspondence such as thank you cards and notes, as well as several letters written to members of the Hamilton Poetry Centre Executive, and letters written by members to other organizations and individuals. The letters predominantly consist of requests regarding author and poetry readings, the organization of poetry events, as well as correspondence that promotes and raises the profile of the Hamilton Poetry Centre in the community. This file includes a letter from Margaret Atwood (April 27, 1987) declining an invitation to read. The series also consists of tax correspondence between members of the Hamilton Poetry Centre and the Canada Council regarding T4 slips and grant funding.

Series consists of photographic prints made from negatives in the Superior Engravers collection for the Hamilton Public Library, Local History and Archives department. Series contains images of equipment, vehicles, buildings, products, displays and showrooms for various businesses in Hamilton and the surrounding area. Some of the businesses represented in the series include Firth Brothers Ltd., G.V. Clancy Limited, Consumers' Lumber Company, Hamilton Mill Stock & Metal Company, Hobbs Glass Limited, International Business Machine Co., Russell T. Kelley Limited, Mac's Garage, and White Motor Co. of Canada.

Steel screw (propeller) steamer built in Dundee, Scotland in 1906 by the Caledonia Shipbuilding & Engineering Company. The vessel was owned by several companies and was requisitioned for use during World War One. It was sunk by an enemy submarine in March of 1917. The file contains a Certificate of British Registry, shipping port transfer documentation from the Port of Dundee, Scotland to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario, transfer of mortgage documents, as well as some correspondence from the Canada Steamship Lines and the Department of Marine and Fisheries, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario and the Registrar of Shipping, Dundee, Scotland.

In the 1980s, it was discovered that some of the negatives in the Superior Engravers collection were nitrate. Series consists of prints made from nitrate negatives prior to their destruction. Images in this series depict industry in Hamilton and elsewhere in Ontario during the 1930s-1950s. Companies documented in the series include Wright Fruit Company; Hamilton Pure Milk Dairies; Crawford Cartage; Meaks and Sons Limited; Life Savers & Beech-Nut Sale Company Limited; McLaren Motor Sales; General Motors of Canada; Goodale Transport Limited; Lloyd's Glass Co.; and Shoe Clinic Ltd. Series includes images of equipment, vehicles and buildings; products and displays and showrooms; and office interiors.

Series consists of different publicity and marketing documentation used by the Hamilton Poetry Centre to promote their organizational mandate. Items include copies of the Hamilton Poetry Centre’s published newsletter Iambus, 39 posters and flyers advertising poetry readings hosted by the Hamilton Poetry Centre, as well as ones co-sponsored or hosted by other community organizations such as the Hamilton Public Library, McMaster University and the Canada Council, 3 press releases regarding poetry readings, one dated June 1, 1987 and the other two are undated, as well as 7 different styles of letterhead for the organization.

American wooden-hulled ship built in Detroit, Michigan in 1882 (builder unknown). The vessel was in service in American waters for 24 years before being bought by the Canada Steam Lines Limited Company and used for service in the Hamilton area until 1914, when it became a barge carrying coal. The vessel sank in 1919. The file contains a bill of sale, a certificate of survey, a certificate of marking, verifying the sea worthiness of the vessel, registration and ownership documents, memorandums, a telegraph, as well as correspondence from various departments and companies to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Screw (propeller) steamer built in Yoker, Scotland in 1889 by Napier, Shanks and Bell. From 1889 to 1927 the Modjeska was operated by the Hamilton Steamship Lines as a freight and passenger ship between Hamilton and Toronto, including moonlight excursions. The ship was sold to the Owen Sound Transportation Company, re-built and re-named the Manitoulin where it plied the waters of Georgian Bay near Owen Sound and Collingwood, Ontario. The file contains ownership, registration and transfer documents, a certificate of survey, mortgage certificates, receipts, memorandums, a bond surety, as well as correspondence to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton from the Hamilton Steamboat Company, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, Customs Canada, and the Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited.

Series consists of certificates and letters of recognition and congratulations from prominent politicians for receiving various awards such as the Order of Canada, the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, the Outstanding Hamiltonian of the Year award, as well as his 50th anniversary of Operation Santa Claus. Dignitaries sending their congratulations include the Right Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Governor General Michaelle Jean, former and current mayors of Hamilton, city councilors, and a few Members of Parliament from various political parties. The series also consists of invitations to awards nights, a Hamilton Tiger-Cat Football Club Touchline Pass ticket no.1 with Jimmy Lomax’s name on it, programs for awards nights, as well as plaques.

Iron screw (propeller) freight steamer measuring 180 x 31 x 13 feet, 798 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in1892 by John Balmer Fairgrieve and Hugh Fairgrieve. The Arabian was built using a steam engine salvaged from the S.S. Canada and repurposed for the new vessel. The Arabian plied the waters along the Montreal to Lake Ontario route as a package freighter until it was removed from service and cut down for use as a barge in 1935. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration and ownership documents and transfers, memorandums, legal documents, correspondence from the Department of Marine and Fisheries, the Montreal Transportation Company Limited, the Canadian Import Company Limited, and the St. Lawrence Stevedoring Company Limited, to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, as well as telegrams, a bill of sale and a collision report.

Series consists of certificates and plaques awarded to the IODE Hamilton Chapters by various institutions and organizations, including Women’s Voluntary Services, Mohawk College, Ronald McDonald House, the Canadian Red Cross, the Pediatric Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Bolingbroke Restoration Project, Our Millennium, and St. Matthew's House, and by various government bodies, namely the City of Hamilton, the Office of the Mayor (Hamilton), and the Government of Canada. Series also contains IODE membership awards and certificates of recognition for military service. In addition to awards, the series includes correspondence from the Canadian Manufacturer’s Exhibition, a copy of the creed of the IODE, two identical china plates featuring a depiction of IODE Hamilton Municipal Headquarters, a plaque from Fonthill recognizing the donation of the residence in memory of Mrs. S.O. Greening, and a framed hand-stitched banner.

Series consists of 3 pure (99.9%), silver commemorative medals of the Battle of Stoney Creek. Two identical medals have an inscription on the front reading, “Battlefield Memorial, Stoney Creek, Canada” and an inscription on the reverse reading, “Dedicated to the brave men who fought and fell in the Battle of Stoney Creek, June 6, 1813,” and manufactured in 1963. The third medal has an inscription on the front reading, “The Battle of Stoney Creek 1813” along the top, and “Mary Gage tended the wounded on both sides” along the bottom. The inscription on the reverse reads, “The Battle of Stoney Creek, a small Canadian unit attacked a much larger American force by night routing them completely and capturing two American generals, June 6, 1813,” dated 1963 and manufactured by the Wellings Manufacturing Company Limited, Toronto. There is also a receipt from the company which includes a serial number, dated June 4, 1963.

The fonds consists of an account ledger for the Bain Machine Shop covering the years 1914 to 1923. The ledger records various aspects of the business including cash account entries, records of deposits and balances at the Bank of Hamilton, wage entries, material accounts, records of expenses such as taxes and water rates, office furniture, new machinery costs, building repair costs, and machine repairs, as well as business transactions with various entities such as the County of Wentworth and the Public Board of Works Department, as well as firms such as the Hamilton Bridge Works, the Hamilton and Toronto Sewer Pipe Company, the Hamilton and Barton Incline Railway, the Times Printing Company, the Spectator Printing Company, and the Steel Company of Canada among many others. The entries record the company name, the date, the amount owed, the type of payment made including cash, cheque or merchandise in lieu of payment, as well as the resulting balance or debts. There are also account entries for Thomas Bain and Mrs. Bain.

Subseries consists of general letter correspondence as well as draft letters, mostly from the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society to its members and external organizations, as well as some addressed to the Society from other historical societies and individuals. The correspondence includes condolences on deaths of members or those connected to the Society, confirmation of attendance at upcoming meetings, appreciation for guest speakers’ appearances, the acceptance of executive officer roles, resignations from the Society, membership inquiries, genealogical research inquiries from the public, interest from the public in Battlefield House, the monument, and the Battle of Stoney Creek, and appreciation for restoration work completed and donations received. The series includes a formal letter sent to the Right Honourable Lord Byng, of Vimy, Governor General and Commander in Chief of the Dominion of Canada, from the Society extending a welcome to him and his wife, Lady Byng, and mentioning the historical significance of the area of Stoney Creek to the formation of Canada. The letter also welcomes Lady Byng as the honourary President of the Society, dated April 10, 1922. There is also some correspondence regarding Chief Joseph Brant’s sword that was donated to the Society, as well as correspondence on the transfer of the sword from Battlefield House on loan to the Joseph Brant Museum, which includes a newspaper article. The series also contains correspondence from the Society to the membership regarding the disbandment of the organization due to dwindling membership, shortages of volunteers, and changing social and economic times. The letter, dated August 23, 1982, outlines the plan for the disbandment and the tasks left to complete to cease operations.

Series consists of two visitor registration books dated 1908-1929 and 1929-1958. The books record the names of individuals and organizations that visited (or rented), Battlefield House for luncheons, parties, reunions, church picnics, family picnics, meetings, presentations and lectures, and other events. Examples of visiting groups include the IODE, Hamilton Ladies College, various clubs, societies, associations such as the United Empire Loyalists, guilds, schools and choirs. The visitor registers also record when various members of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society entertained members of the public and other societies for teas, luncheons causeries, bridge parties, tours and for special occasions, such as the anniversary of the Battle of Stoney Creek. The book records the type of event, the names of visitors and where they were visiting from. Many of the guests were locals, but there were also a number from all over Ontario, Canada and even the United States and overseas. The series also contains a copy of the House Regulations and Fees at Battlefield House, which lists the rules and fees for renting Battlefield House for events such as parties, teas and luncheons. One of the rules mentions that all guests must sign the visitors’ book. There is a house tariff document listing the fee rates for the type of event held at Battlefield House during the summer and winter seasons, a list of members involved in a social tea, notes regarding a Dundurn Castle Tour and Luncheon, a program for the first annual banquet and ball at Stoney Creek Battlefield, dated December 18, 1900, a program for the musical “Queen Zephra” produced under the auspices of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society, a Town of Stoney Creek official schedule of events taking place at Battlefield House on the anniversary of the battle, dated June 8, 1963, notes and information on the architectural features of the houses promoted on a house tour, dated June 8, 1974, a memo and training program schedule to train participants on the various programs and events to be held at Battlefield House, dated April 12, 1976, and an itinerary for autumn day trips through Heritage Trails heritage outings services for the fall of 1978. The series also has documentation for various historic plaque unveilings including a notice regarding the tablet being erected by the Society in memory of Sara Calder, founder and first President (1899-1914), unveiled at Battlefield House, March 18, 1918, as well as an account of the unveiling of the Honour Roll and tablet to the memory of the men from the County of Wentworth and Hamilton who gave their lives in the Great War. The account was documented and a copy was being sent to the Public Archives of Canada (now Library and Archives Canada), containing a Society invitation to the event, a black and white photograph of Battlefield House and monument, a program of the event, copies of prayers and dedications read, quotations and inscriptions on the tablet, as well as a few newspaper clippings of the unveiling dated October 19, 1920. The series also contains a notice regarding the unveiling of a tablet in memory of the men who fell in battle at Stoney Creek, June 6, 1813, presented by the Society October 11, 1940, and two copies of a program for the unveiling of a historical plaque erected by the Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board, for the Hamilton Mountain, sponsored by the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society, dated October 21, 1964. The series also contains speeches by members of the Society on various topics including guest speaker introductions, the Gage family, the Gage homestead and the battlefield grounds and monument, the Loyalists, Christie Manor, the Niagara Escarpment, the formation of the Ladies’ Committee of the Wentworth Historical Society, the formation of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society, and their work on preserving Battlefield House, as well as the history of Stoney Creek, Ontario

Twin screw (propeller) turbine-engine steamer measuring 250 x 33.2 x 12.6 feet, 1,064 tonnage, built in 1904 in Hebburn-on-Tyne, England by R.W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company. The ship was built as a passenger ferry service between Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario. The ship could accommodate 2000 passengers and was the most luxurious and fastest pleasure steamer to ply the waters of the lower great lakes. The vessel was used overseas during the First World War and returned to the waters of Western Lake Ontario in 1924. By 1927, its days as a Hamilton area cruise ship came to an end as fewer people travelled by boat or took pleasure cruises. It was then sold and used for service between Montreal and Sorel, Quebec. The file contains a surveyor’s report on crew space, a builder’s certificate, receipts, memorandums, mortgage documents, registration and ownership documents, legal correspondence, as well as correspondence from the Turbine Steamship Company, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, Canada Steamship Lines Limited, the Department of Transport, and Marine Industries Limited, to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Series consists of administrative records such as the Declaration of Incorporation of the Society dated June 5, 1899, the Constitution and Bylaws, lists of executive officers, membership lists, membership cards, and meeting minutes recording the election of officers, as well as discussions pertaining to historic sites and monument preservation, Society finances, donations to the Society, upcoming events, the preservation and maintenance of Battlefield House, the transfer of the property to the Niagara Parks Commission, and the refurnishing project at Dundurn Castle. There are also annual reports, committee reports, a draft proposal pertaining to Stoney Creek Battlefield, appointment calendars, stationery, including letterhead and envelopes, documents listing the contents of a safety deposit box, records pertaining to the dissolution of the organization, as well as 3 Society ink stamps. The series also contains some documentation pertaining to the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society’s membership in or association with, other historical organizations including, the Hamilton and District Local Council of Women, the Canadian Historical Association, the Ontario Historical Society, the Women’s Canadian Historical Society, the Ontario Museum Association, and Heritage Canada.

The collection consists of approximately 10,000 photographic negatives of varying sizes, the majority of which are small format, as well as a selection of approximately 800 photographic prints produced by the Hamilton Public Library Local History and Archives from Superior Engravers negatives. This collection documents commerce and industry in Hamilton, and elsewhere in Ontario, from the 1930s-1950s, particularly during the years of World War II and immediately afterwards. The collection is comprised primarily of images of employees, products, facilities, and activities of Hamilton and surrounding-area businesses, including the Hamilton Bridge Works Company; Adam's Furniture Company; Wright Fruit Company; Dundas Clay Products Limited; Thomson Motors in Burlington; Steel Company of Canada (Stelco); and City Chevrolet Sales Limited. Many images document wartime activity in the various industrial plants, such as the Miss War Worker Contest of 1942. The collection also contains aerial photographs of Hamilton, as well as images of local churches and schools. In the 1980s, approximately 600 nitrate negatives were discovered and subsequently removed from the collection. Prints of many of the nitrate negatives were made and added to the Black Mount collection.

Subseries consists of correspondence pertaining to the refurbishing of the antiques, and refurnishing of the rooms of the house, including donations and repairs of antique items. After the transfer of Battlefield House to the Niagara Parks Commission, the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society noticed that although the Commission was doing a satisfactory job of maintaining the park grounds, the house was being neglected. To protect the house from falling into disrepair, and to ensure it was restored to its former glory, the Society persuaded the Commission to restore the house to its original state and refurnish the rooms to the time period when the Gage family occupied the house. The Commission consented and arranged and paid for Jeanne Minhinnick, a consultant with expert knowledge of refurnishing historic sites, to assist Society members with the project. Jeanne had previously worked on the restoration of Dundurn Castle and so was hired to provide her expertise on the Battlefield House restoration. She estimated the cost of the project to be about $25,000.00 and her advice and instructions feature prominently in this correspondence. To raise the money needed, the Society fundraised by asking individuals and companies for donations, but also held an auction to sell furniture in the collection that was not relevant to the time period. Furniture and items from 1830-1900 were sold by Sotheby & Company Canada Limited and the money was used to buy antiques from the 1790-1830 period. There is correspondence from the auctioneer regarding the sale of irrelevant items as well as a company pamphlet and a photocopied list of items available for auction. The donations raised by the Society came in the form of cash as well as actual antique items, and were donated by companies, organizations and individuals. Items included a piano, framed pictures, furniture such as beds, tables, desks, chairs, etc., as well as weapons, candles, a silver tea set, and cutlery. Some of the materials were also loaned to Battlefield House by the Royal Ontario Museum. The series contains some photocopies of sketches, pictures and information on various types of furnishings copied from publications on antique furniture used to guide the members in their project. The correspondence also pertains to repairs to current or donated furniture, the movement of furniture and other articles to other areas of the house, and the placement of furniture in various rooms. There is correspondence with government and tax officials to get a specific tax exemption status for items purchased for the refurbishment of Battlefield House, over and above the charitable tax exemption status the Society currently held. The application was successful, and the Society was granted an Ontario Retail Sales Tax Purchase Exemption Certificate, which could be used when any item was purchased for the house. The subseries correspondence also includes letters from various companies and foundations regarding donating to the refurnishing project, as well as thank you letters from the Society in response to the donations. Donors include, but are not limited to, banks, the Hamilton Spectator, The Hamilton Foundation, Bell Canada, Stoney Creek Dairies Limited, Simpson-Sears, Slater Steel, Molson Brewery, as well as a large donation from Dominion Foundries and Steel Limited of $12,000.00 for the furnishing of the dining room. During the processing of this fonds, the records for this series were found in a separate file from the financial and tax records. Given that they are specific to the refurnishing of Battlefield House and in many cases deal with non-financial donations and transactions, the records have been kept separate to maintain original order.

The Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation Movement, the first gay liberation group in Hamilton, was founded by Dr. John Stewart and Susan Rosenthal after a lecture on homosexuality by George Hislop of the Community Homophile Association (CHAT) in November 1972. It was officially established with its first executive committee on January 1973. They changed their name to McMaster Homophile Association (MHA) on January 1976 and was active until 1979 under the name Hamilton-McMaster Homophile Association. The Hamilton-McMaster Homophile Association was a member of the National Gay Rights Coalition (NGRC), an organization of gay associations across Canada who challenged federal government laws regarding homosexuality. They were also a member of the Coalition for Gay Rights in Ontario (later known as Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario, CLGRO), an organization of lesbian and gay groups and individuals focused in Ontario. They hosted dances, educational programs, established Hamilton’s first Gayline, and produced the Dialogue newsletters. The Hamilton-McMaster Homophile Association was also politically active and submitted briefs to the Ontario Human Rights Commission to include sexual orientation within the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Association of McMaster (formerly Gay and Lesbian Association at McMaster) was a social and support network for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals that began in 1986 and received support from the Hamilton United Gay Societies (HUGS). They had weekly support groups, social groups, peer counselling, educational presentations, a radio show on CFMU 93.3 FM, and a column on The Silhouette. GLBAM was a member of CLGRO and the Coalition of Lesbians and Gays on Campus (CLGC).

Series consists of administrative records such as constitutions and by-laws, financial statements, correspondence, newspaper clippings, the Dialogue newsletters from the Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation Movement, The 10% newsletters from the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Association of McMaster (GLBAM), The Phoenix and 10% newsletters, and The Silhouette newspaper clippings.

The fonds is composed of materials from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) organizations in Hamilton and its surrounding areas founded from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. Textual materials include agendas, meeting minutes, reports, financial statements, notes, correspondence, newspaper clippings, newsletters, pamphlets, information sheets, flyers, magazines, newspapers, programme books, booklets, directories, bibliographies, and articles. The fonds also consists of other materials such as t-shirts, buttons, a plaque, photographs, posters, artwork, audio cassette tapes, DVDS, floppy disks and VHS tapes.
Contains series and subseries:
Series 1 – Hamilton AIDS Network for Dialogue and Support (HANDS)
Series 2 – Hamilton-McMaster LGBTQ+ Groups
Series 3 – Hamilton United Gay Societies (HUGS)
Subseries 3.1 – Administrative files
Subseries 3.2 – Sub-organizations and associated groups and events
Subseries 3.3 – Lesbian/Gayline
Subseries 3.4 – Gay Phoenix/The Phoenix
Series 4 – Hamilton Gay and Lesbian Alliance (HGALA)
Series 5 – Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (CLGRO)
Series 6 – Hamilton Pride
Series 7 – Associated Organizations and Events
Series 8 – Resources and Subject files
Series 9 – Publications
Subseries 9.1 – Hamilton
Subseries 9.2 – South/South Western Ontario
Subseries 9.3 – Ontario
Subseries 9.4 – Outside of Ontario and across Canada
Subseries 9.5 – International
Series 10 – Artifacts
Series 11 – Photographs
Subseries 11.1 – HUGS/HGALA Honour Roll Dinners
Subseries 11.2 – Pride
Subseries 11.3 – Festival ‘91
Subseries 11.4 – HUGS Social Events
Subseries 11.5 – Meetings and Locations
Subseries 11.6 – Events and People
Subseries 11.7 – Negatives and slides
Series 12 – Posters and oversized materials
Series 13 – Audio-visual materials

Series consists of ship registration records pertaining to 34 vessels that sailed through the Port of Hamilton. The documents include builder’s certificates and ship surveys describing the size, type, dimensions and means of propulsion for each vessel, along with ownership and registration papers, bills of sale, mortgage papers, legal papers and correspondence, shipwrecks, strandings and collision reports, telegrams and memorandums, as well as general correspondence written to and from the Registrar of Shipping from various government departments, companies and individuals, regarding transfers of ownership, ship name changes, purchases and sales, as well as inquiries into the fate of particular vessels.

Screw (propeller) steamer vessel measuring 33 x 7 x 4 feet, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1894 by Herbert Lutz, Thomas Johns, William Wylie and Allan Marshall. The voyage history of this ship is unknown. The file contains documents such as a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration and ownership documents, certificates and transfers, as well as a receipt for a bill of sale.

Screw (propeller) steamer vessel measuring 179 x 33 x 15 feet, 800 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1882 by Archibald Miller Robertson for Thomas Myles and Son, Coal Company Merchants. The vessel was a cargo ship that sunk in 1886 and was raised by the owners. In March of 1906, the Myles was re-named the Cataract when the Cataract Ice Company purchased the vessel. The file contains a builder’s certificate, certificates of survey, registration and ownership documents and transfers, ship stranding reports, memorandums, legal correspondence regarding bills of sale, receipts for bills of sale and mortgage payments, as well as general correspondence to and from the Registrar of Shipping from the Department of Marine and Fisheries, Thomas Myles and Sons Coal Merchants, Myles Transportation Company and the Cataract Ice Company.

Screw (propeller) steamer yacht measuring 50 x 10 x 5 feet, 20 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1892 by William Robertson for Miss Alice May Petrie. The voyage history of this ship is unknown. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration and ownership documents and transfers, legal correspondence to and from the Registrar of Shipping and the Department of Transport, Marine Services, regarding bills of sale and ownership papers, as well as legal documentation regarding the estate of Alice May Petrie.

Screw (propeller) yacht measuring 41 x 9 ½ x 5 feet, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1899 by James Weir. The voyage history of the vessel is unknown. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, a declaration of ownership, a memorandum regarding the receipt of documentation, as well as some correspondence regarding the existence of the ship and its whereabouts.

Twin-screw motor pleasure yacht measuring 60 x 12 x 6 feet, 24 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1921 by John and William Robertson and William Burnside. There is little information pertaining to the vessel and its voyage history. The file contains a builder’s certificate, a certificate of survey, registration documents, a surveyor’s report on crew space, as well as correspondence from the Department of Marine and Fisheries, J.H. Thomas, Surveyor of Shipping, Charles, H.O. Pook, owner of the vessel, and the Canadian Westinghouse Company Limited, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, regarding the existence and whereabouts of the vessel.

Screw (propeller) steel freighter steamer measuring 249 x 42 x 21, 1,882 tonnage, built in 1900 in Dundee, Scotland by Caledonia Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. The ship carried cargo such as grain, rails and ore. The file contains a certificate of British Registry, a transcript of register for transmission to Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario, as well as correspondence from the Inland Navigation Company Limited, and the Customs House, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Screw (propeller) steamer vessel measuring 92 x 19 x 6 feet, 107 tonnage, built in Hamilton, Ontario in 1893 by M.O. and A.A. Matthews. The voyage history of this ship is unknown and the vessel was retired in 1919. The file contains builder’s certificates, certificates of survey, registration and ownership documents, memorandums regarding receipt of documents such as mortgages and bills of sale, as well as correspondence to and from the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, from the Department of Marine and Fisheries, the Department of Transport, the Dominion Sugar Company Limited, and some legal correspondence.

Screw (propeller) steamer built in Bill Quay, England in 1900 by Wood, Skinner and Company. The ship sank in the North Atlantic in October of 1915. The file contains a Certificate of British Registry, shipping port transfer documentation from the Registrar of Shipping, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario, report of a lost ship, and correspondence pertaining to the sinking of the ship.

American steel screw (propeller) steamer built in River Rouge, Michigan in 1928 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works. It was originally a ferry boat called the Cadillac and it serviced the Detroit-Windsor route. It was used during the Second World War as an ice breaker. The vessel was then upgraded and modernized and used as a day boat until it was bought by the Hamilton Harbour Commission in 1952 to replace the Hamiltonian. It was renamed the Lady Hamilton and operated as a day passenger boat and pleasure cruising vessel out of Hamilton Harbour. The file contains a bill of sale, ship name change documentation, registration and ownership documents and transfers, telegraphs, a certificate of marking verifying it’s seaworthiness, as well as correspondence between the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Hamilton Harbour Commissions, and the Department of Transport, to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton.

Screw (propeller) steamer measuring 245 x 40 x 22 feet, 1,799 tonnage, built in 1903 in Greenock, Scotland by Grangemouth and Greenock Dockyard Company. The vessel had several owners and was captured by a submarine and sunk in April of 1917 during the First World War. The file contains a certificate of British Registry, ownership documents, as well as correspondence from the Customs House of Glasgow, Scotland to the Registrar of Shipping, Hamilton, Ontario.

Material consists of a Hamilton Business College Register of Students, dated October 1888 to May 1901. The register records the names and addresses of the students, and their choice of course to enroll in, [business, shorthand or spec?]. Later entries also included the length of time the students were enrolled, their experience of the course, and whether they returned to the course at a later date.