Collection search - William Arthur Steel fonds [moving images]

Record information – Brief
1
William Arthur Steel fonds [moving images]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

[ca. 1921-1934].

Reference:

R9032-0-X-E

Type of material:

Moving images

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

189866

Context of this record:

Show detail Hide detail

William Arthur Steel fonds
Link to this record

Add to My Research

Link to this record

This link identifies the web page describing this particular record. Unlike the temporary link in your browser, this link will allow you to access, and reference, this page in the future. To link to this descriptive record, copy and paste the URL where ever needed (wiki, blog, document).

Sign in

Sign in to start saving records using My Research

Sign in
Record information – Details

Date(s):

[ca. 1921-1934].

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

ca. 5 film reels (2 h, 15 min).

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

Show detail Hide detail

Fonds consists of films in which Steel used graphics and photographs only. They serve to document the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals' work in establishing radio systems in the North West Territories and the Yukon, and across western provinces. The films he produced also studied navigation as part of the Hudson Strait expedition, Lord Byng's visit to the Arctic, and the visit of the R-100 to Canada.

Provenance:

Show detail Hide detail

Steel, William Arthur

Biography/Administrative history:

Show detail Hide detail

Steel, William Arthur : William Arthur Steel was a Canadian soldier, a member of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (R.C.C.S.) and a Canadian Radio Pioneer. Steel went with the 4th Canadian Divisional Signal Company to France in August 1916. In 1918, he became the Wireless Officer in the Canadian Corps Signal Company. For his service during the Great War, he was awarded the Military Cross and twice Mentioned in Despatches. Steel then joined the Canadian Permanent Force as chief engineer of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, where he was responsible for the North West Territories radio system and for the air navigation radio system for Canadian civil aviation. During this time, Steel helped to invent the Cathode-Ray Direction Finder, an early form of radar technology. During this period, he was also involved in producing such films as "To the Arctic" covering Lord Byng's trip to the North West Territories in 1925. On 17 August 1930, Major W.A. Steel was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and seconded to the National Research Council, where from 1930 to 1933, he was the director of the National Research Council's Radio Division. After, he was named commissioner in charge of engineering operations for the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission from 1933 to 1936. He retired from the military on 1 November 1936 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and had a brief excursion in politics. LtCol Steel died at the age of 78 on 28 November 1968. (Reference: www.rcsigs.ca)

Finding aid:

Show detail Hide detail

(Electronic) See MISACS for item-level descriptions.

(Paper) See AV collection file for item-level descriptions.

Additional information:

Show detail Hide detail

General note:

Received in 1974 from W.A. Steel.

Source:

Private

Related control no.:

Show detail Hide detail

(1973-05-27)
1973-0239 MISA
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Show detail Hide detail

Moving images (film)

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

Show detail Hide detail

No donor restrictions.

You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.

Cannot visit us on site? You can purchase a copy to be sent to you. Some restrictions may apply.