The Diocesan Archives
Part 3 : Recent Acquisitions
by
Harvey Malmberg, Diocesan Archivist
Twila Buttimer, Provincial Archives
In two previous articles, we have looked at early efforts to preserve Anglican records, the establishment of the Diocesan Archives, some key series of documents and records in the Archives and how these records are organized and described. This month, we want to look further at records held by the Diocesan Archives - especially concentrating on records acquired since the Diocesan Archives moved in 1988. For those of you familiar with the holdings of the Archives in the Cathedral Hall days, this will help to update your knowledge of the holdings of the Diocesan Archives.
This month we look at recent acquisitions using the framework of the organization of the Diocese (mentioned in our previous article), i.e., Records of Bishops, the Diocese, the Deaneries and the Parishes.
Our two largest acquisitions to date are the records of the Offices
of Bishop Henry O'Neil and Bishop Harold Nutter. Together they total 28
metres and cover the years, 1957-1989. They have been organized according
to headings discussed last month, with the extensive correspondence
arranged alphabetically by subject. These acquisitions are significant as
comprehensive records of activities in the Diocese, but become increasingly
valuable when you remember that the office records of none of the previous
Bishops have survived.
Of the earlier Bishops, information on Bishop Medley is the most plentiful and the Archives continues to accumulate it. Recently, we have acquired: two Medley Charges; a video copy of the 1994 play by the Rev. Richard McConnell, They Stand Those Halls of Zion, An Appreciation of the First Bishop of Fredericton; and an undated nineteen page handwritten sermon, attributed to Medley.
Also acquired lately are personal records of Bishop Nutter, dating from the 1940s.
For the Diocese, we have recently discovered a few founding documents including: a two-page document entitled Diocese of New Brunswick:
These complement other founding documents:
Another record described under the Diocese is a photograph album,
probably from the 1860s, showing head and shoulders photographs of Bishop
Medley and the clergy in the Diocese. For parishes compiling photographs of
their rectors, this is a good resource to check. Last year we organized
records of Camp Brookwood, including Minutes of the Board, dating back to
1967. No corresponding records have yet arrived for Camp Medley.
A bound volume recently donated to the Diocesan Archives serves as
a bridge between records at the Diocesan and Deanery levels. Edited by the
Rev. Charles Medley amd the Rev. J.R. deWolfe Cowie, the Kingston Deanery
Magazine, 1884-1888, initially served Kingston Deanery then became The
Deanery Magazine (carrying news of all Deaneries, 1889) and finally
appeared briefly as The Diocesan Magazine in 1890. Parish historians will
find unique information here for their publications.
Other than records received from the Bishops, the largest body of records acquired since 1988, came from the Church of England Institute in Saint John. Almost two metres in total, this accession contained a variety of material. Included were :
A key item in this acquisition is a photo album presented to Mrs.
Thomas Walker, the first President of the Diocesan Women's Auxiliary,
1903-1925. The album contains a photograph of each church in which a branch
of the Women's Auxilary (or the Junior Auxiliary or the Girls' Auxiliary)
was established during Mrs. Walker's Presidency -- and includes the year
each was established. In addition to this album being a mini-history of the
W.A., it complements the work of Jerry Williams and the Rev. William
Forgrave mentioned earlier.
It should be mentioned that the Women's Auxiliary (W.A.) (including
its successor, the Anglican Church Women/A.C.W.) has more conscientiously
preserved its records (and donated them to the Archives) than any other
group in the Anglican Church. Recently, we have received W.A.. G.A. & J.A.
Records from Christ Church (Parish) Church, Hampton, New Bandon, St.
Stephen, Sussex, and Woodstock. Probably there are still others out there.
Perhaps yours?
The Sunday School Records would be on the other end of the scale. Only Gagetown has forwarded extensive records.
Donations of Parish records of every description and volume continue to come to the Archives on a very regular basis. Extensive records have been received (and catalogued) from Bright, Carleton (Saint John), Canning & Chipman, Chatham, Derby & Blackville, Ketepec,, Ludlow & Blissfield, Oromocto, Simonds & Upham, St. James, Moncton, St. George, Moncton, St. John the Baptist Mission Church, St. Mary (York), St. Stephen, Sussex, Studholme, Westfield, Wicklow, Wilmot, Peel & Aberdeen. Annual Baptism and Confirmation Returns and Annual Reports are regularly transferred from the Synod Office.
We continue to receive many publications about particular Parishes or the Diocese as a whole. For the Diocese, Gregg Finley's (with Lynn Wigginton), On Earth As It Is In Heaven, (1995), Gillian Liebenbergs Guide to the Use of the Synod Journals of the Diocese of Fredericton, 1890-1990 (1995), and Lyman Harding's Citizens With the Saints are taking their place beside earlier standard works, such as G. Herbert Lee's, First Fifty Years of the Church of England (1880) and W.Q. Ketchum's, Life and Work of the Most Reverend John Medley (1893).
Also recently published, Willis Hamilton's Dictionary of Miramichi
Biography contains biographies of many Anglican clergy and lay people who
served in the Miramichi area before 1900. New parish histories include Ross
Hebb's The History of Holy Trinity, St. Martins (1995) and Jim Mercer's
From A Hayfield to Cosmopolitan, St. James Church, Moncton (1996). These
authors follow in the footsteps of earlier recorders of parish history such
as Archibald Lang Fleming's A Book of Remembrance (Stone Church,
1825-1925); William Spray's David's Kingdom (Chatham Parish) (1979) and Bob
Watson's Christ Church Cathedral (1984).
Please do not think that the types of records that you have are not
important because we have not mentioned them. We may not even be aware of a
group whose records are still in your attic! Recently arrived records such
as those of the Historical Aid, Hampton, Friendship Guild at Christ Church
Cathedral, St. Mary's (Fredericton) Talent Chapter & Mothers' Union,
Fireside Club (Trinity-St. Stephen) and the A.Y.P.A.. Bible Class (Sussex)
are particularly interesting because they document activities unique to
those parishes. Preserving records of these groups helps the Diocesan
Archives reflect the uniqueness and individuality of the Diocese of
Fredericton.
Archives are the recorded memory of an organization; help us keep
yours complete and accurate.
Ana Watts
773 Glengarry Place
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5Z8
phone/fax 506-459-5358