This series includes documentation on subjects ranging from corporate history to biographical material on the Paterson family. Most of records were produced and used for several events. The N. M. Paterson & Sons Limited showed an interest in its history particularly for its 50th, 75th, 90th and 2008 centennial anniversary.
For the company's 75th anniversary in 1983, Dave Trembley was hired to write the history of the company. His work was titled "The Company History Project, 1908-1983". This series contains Trembley's documentation and research notes. Documents which can be of particular interest are the multiple versions of his manuscript entitled "How Great the Harvest Is" as well as his interview projects. A 190-page manuscript was published only for the members of Paterson family. During his research, he accumulated documentation on the history of Fort William and produced statistics on shipping, finance and grain operations. He compiled biographical material, several photographs and retrieved the Paterson family's genealogy (read all files in container 507). A list of 62 pictures is available in container 507, file 11. His research notes include: lists of country elevators photographs, lists of retired Captains and Chief Engineers and lists of other employees. He also sent questionnaires out to Captains and Chief Engineers in regards to their recollections and memories as a Paterson employee (read 508, file 2), which are included in the file. He photocopied newspaper clippings related to the company activities from 1908 to 1983. The loss of Paterson ships during the war is well-documented (see letters, articles, lists of ships, ship appraisals, reports from Canadian Government and from Captains preserved in container 508 file 21).
David Trembley documented the history of other activities of N. M. Paterson such as the exploration and mining activities in Steep Rock Iron Mines Limited (container 508, file 19). In 1943, the town of Atikokan, Ontario - located near Steep Rock Iron Mines - went through a period of urban agglomeration when its economy and population began to rapidly develop. The town's population consisted mostly of some railroad workers, woodsmen, and their families, but soon increased due to mining development and exploration by the company Steep Rock Iron Mines Ltd. The Paterson Company was also involved with this expansion. By 1947, Atikokan's population jumped to 1300; today there are 2800 residents. John N. Paterson was chairman of Rock Iron Mines Ltd for many years. There is additional text on the history of Steep Rock in container 127, file 25 - which offers interesting information to researchers.
Several ephemeras are preserved in this series such as original letters written by Lady Dunn, Lord Beaverbrook, The Prince of Netherlands, Lester B. Pearson and Pierre E. Trudeau.
Audiovisual material in this series consists of a 5-minute vignette regarding the history of the N.M. Paterson & Sons Limited and a 60-minute audio cassette which details the story of Norman M. Paterson and his life.
Container 506, file 14 includes letters sent to Norman M. Paterson by his brother Dr. Donald H. Paterson from 1966 to 1968. Some letters contain Christmas drawings made by Dr. Donald H. Paterson. His brother was a pioneer in the field of pediatric medicine and was a founding member of the British Pediatric Association (now the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health). He contributed a considerable amount of work in the field of pediatrics both in the United Kingdom and in Canada. He is credited with increasing the international reputation of the Hospital for Sick Children, located in London, U.K., where he worked as a head physician until 1947. He returned to Canada in 1947 and settled in the West Coast where he was active in the development of pediatrics at the Vancouver General Hospital (the Health Centre for Children). In 1952, he became a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia and published several articles and books related to the field of pediatrics. Some records produced during his career were acquired by the British Columbia Medical Association Archives. Digital copies of records are available on their Website.
