Graham Spry fonds [multiple media] Archives / Collections and Fonds
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Graham Spry fonds [multiple media]
Hierarchical level:FondsContext of this record:Fonds includes:114 lower level description(s)View lower level description(s) -
Finding aid Textual records: (Paper) The finding aid is a file list. MSS1561Textual records: (Electronic) Finding aid. MSS1561
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000000262.pdf(Paper) Medal inventory numbers: 12745-12790, 3126, 3135, 3150, 3152, 3204, 3211, and 3226.Moving images: (Electronic) Refer to MINISIS for select item-level descriptions.Cartographic material (Paper) Finding aid is available in the main reference room. Spry, Graham 84502/3600. Please consult lower level descriptions. Finding aid consists of an item listing. (90: Open) -
Record information Graham Spry fonds [multiple media]
Date:1825-1984.Reference:R4607-0-6-E, MG30-D297Type of material:Textual material, Photographs, Art, Sound recordings, Moving images, Objects (including medals and pins), Maps and cartographic materialFound in:Archives / Collections and FondsItem ID number:101826Date(s):1825-1984.Place of creation:No place, unknown, or undeterminedExtent:33.79 m of textual records.
1 microfilm reel 35 mm.
1557 photographs b&w and col.
37 prints posters.
4 drawings pen and ink, pencil.
1 watercolour watercolour, gouache.
29 audio cassettes (22 h, 10 min).
22 audio reels (19 h, 45 min).
1 audio disc (13 min, 57 s).
2 videocassettes (1 h, 18 min, 49 s).
1 film reel (9 min).
25 medals gold, silver, bronze, aluminum.
15 badges cloth.
8 pins brass, enamel, gilt plastic.
6 buttons.
1 map blackline print 55 x 88 cm.Language of material:EnglishScope and content:Fonds consists of 19 series of textual records titled as follows: personal material; Elizabeth Smart material; Frank Underhill material; subject files; career related material, non-broadcasting; convocation addresses; general manuscripts; non-broadcasting manuscripts with extensive resource material; general notes and resource material; memoirs; manuscripts relating to broadcasting; Alan Plaunt papers; broadcasting, notes and resource material, series I; broadcasting, notes and resource material, series II; broadcasting, notes and resource material, series III; Eugene Forsey material; Canadian Broadcasting League; research assistants' notes; Austin Weir, Forgotten Footsteps 1825-1984, available on microfilm reel M-7470.
The fonds contains photographs relating to the life, career, and family of Graham Spry; photographic postcards collected by Spry in the course of his career, [ca. 1900]-1983.
Included in the fonds are postcards and booklet of 10 views, mostly of Canadian subjects or Canadian paintings, entitled "En Rout: Toronto to Winnipeg," [ca. 1930-1960]; British World War II posters, 1939-1945; preliminary designs for an opera tour, [ca. 1928]; a portrait, [ca. 1940], a cartoon, [ca. 1975], and a sketch of Spry.
The fonds also contains sound recordings including: several CBC radio programs such as Ideas, Gerussi, Sunday morning, Canada watch, Electric circus, and Your two bucks worth; and speeches, seminars, correspondence and notes dictated by Spry. As well, there are video recordings of television programs about the future of the CBC and a film of Spry being interviewed on the CBC series Seven-O-One.
Also included are medals, badges, lapel pins, brooches, and insignia which were awarded to Graham Spry and other members of his family, 1885-1983; and a pin commemorating a reunion of Rhodes Scholars to Oxford University, 1953.
Fonds contains one map of the Kingsmere area, traced from an enlargement of part of an airphoto taken in 1960 showing buildings put up since 1960. The property owned by the Spry family is indicated on the map.Provenance:Biography/Administrative history:Spry, Graham, 1900-1983 : Graham Spry was born in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1900. After receiving his public school education at various schools in Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg, Spry attended the University of Manitoba where he graduated in 1922. He attended University College, Oxford, on a Rhodes Scholarship, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1925.
Spry began his working career in the Research Division of the League of Nations' International Labour Office in Geneva. By 1926, he returned to Canada where he served for six years as the National Secretary of the Association of Canadian Clubs.
Graham Spry is perhaps best remembered for his work as a founding member of the Canadian Radio League. The League took shape in 1930, the creation of Spry and Alan Plaunt. Its purpose was to pressure the Conservative government to support and legislate into being a national public broadcasting system. The Aird Commission (the Royal Commission on Radio Broadcasting) had been appointed in 1928 and had reported to Parliament a year later. The Commission recommended the formation of a Canada-wide, publicly-owned broadcasting system. When it appeared, by 1930, that the Bennett government would ignore the Aird proposal, the League was formed to rally public support for a national broadcasting system. The concerted lobbying efforts of the League ensured the eventual establishment of the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Corporation in 1932 which in turn led to the creation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1936.
In 1932, Spry became the editor and owner of the Farmers' Sun. Spry later became the Vice-president of the Ontario C.C.F. and ran unsuccessfully as a C.C.F. candidate in a Toronto-Broadview by-election in 1934 and in the 1935 general election. It was in this period that Spry joined with other members of the League for Social Reconstruction, including F.R. Scott, Leonard Marsh and Eugene Forsey, to write the critical analysis of the breakdown of the Canadian economic system, Social Planning for Canada.
In 1937, Spry left Canada and became an executive for the American company, Standard Oil, in London, England. By 1942, Graham Spry became the personal assistant to Stafford Cripps, a member of the British Cabinet and in this capacity undertook a number of diplomatic assignments in aid of the Allied War effort. In particular, Spry assisted Cripps on his mission to negotiate independence for India after World War II ended. In 1946 Spry was appointed the Agent General for Saskatchewan in the United Kingdom and Europe. Spry served as a representative for the province on many issues, particularly the sale of wheat in Europe.
In 1968 Spry retired and returned to Canada. Actively involved as a lobbyist for public broadcasting for many years (he revitalized the Radio League as the Canadian Broadcasting League in 1958) he continued this work after his return to this country in 1968. He was made the Honorary Life President of the League and served it as a fulltime volunteer. In particular, he wrote many briefs on issues in communications for various C.R.T.C. hearings.
Spry's published articles include, "A Case for Nationalized Broadcasting," in Queen's Quarterly, 1931; "Radio Broadcasting and Aspects of Canadian-American Relations," Proceedings of the Conference on Canadian American Affairs, St. Lawrence University, 1935; "India and Self-Government," in United Nations Today and Tomorrow, 1943; and "Public Policy and Private Pressures: The Canadian Radio League, 1930-1936 and Countervailing Power," in On Canada: Essays in Honour of Frank Underhill, 1973.
Graham Spry married Irene Biss in 1938 and they had three children: Robin, Richard (deceased) and Elizabeth. Over his lifetime, Spry received many honours. In 1970, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. At the ACTRA Awards in 1972, Spry received the John Drainie Award "for distinguished contribution to broadcasting" and in 1981, the Canadian Conference of the Arts established the Graham Spry Lecture Series devoted to the study of issues in Canadian broadcasting. Spry also received five honorary doctorates: from Brock University and the University of Saskatchewan in 1968, from York University in 1976 and from Carleton and Mount Allison Universities in 1982. Graham Spry died in 1983.Additional information:General note:The bulk of the papers were acquired in 1982 from Graham Spry, Rockcliffe Park, Ontario. The remaining material was presented in 1984, 1985 and 1986 by his widow Irene Spry. In 1994, one CCF campaign poster 1934 was received from Irene Spry, who had received it earlier from Roy W. Spracklin. Two letters, 1935, placed in the General Correspondence Series, were copied from originals lent by J. King Gordon, Ottawa, in 1984.Subject heading:- Union soviétique
- Spry family, 1825-1984 Association of Canadian Clubs, 1928-1967
- Graham Spry - Diaries, 1925-1984 The Farmers Sun, 1930-1934
- Graham Spry - Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc., 1925-1984 Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, 1932-1944
- Frank Underhill - Manuscripts, 1930-1983 Standard Oil, 1937-1946
- Institutions, associations, etc., Canadaian, 1926-1968 Stafford Gripps, 1941-1961
- World War II - Canada Canadian Radio League, 1930-1983
- War Correspondents, 1939-1947 Alan Plant, 1930-1940
- Politics - England, 1918-1954 Canadian Broadcasting League, 1931-1983
- Speeches, addresses, etc., Canadian, 1976-1982 Eugene Forsey, 1958-1978
- Radio broadcasts - Great Britain, 1939-1945 Ian MacCullum, 1971-1973
- Graham Spry - Manuscripts, 1921-1974 Donald Mowat, 1971-1973
- Wheat - Europe, 1921-1974
- Graham Spry - Autobiography, 1960-1980
- Communication - Canada, 1931-1980
- Broadcasting - Canada, 1931-1980
- Radio - Canada, 1925-1984
- Radio broadcasting - Canada - History, 1931-1968
- Soviet Union
- India
- Inde
Source:PrivateFormer archival reference no.:MG30-D297 -
Ordering and viewing options Conditions of access:Textual records[Consultation Open]Finding aid box [FA 1561] 122[Consultation Closed]Textual records: microform[Consultation Restrictions vary]Microfilm reel M-7470[Consultation Open]Graphic (photo)[Consultation Open]Box [SPRY, GRAHAM 1985-333] TCS 01014[Consultation Open]Graphic (art)[Consultation Open]Box [1984-166] 2000788000[Consultation Open]Sound recordings[Consultation Open]Moving images (video)[Consultation Open]Moving images (film)[Consultation Open]Object[Consultation Open]Medals[Consultation Open]3126;[Consultation Open]3135;[Consultation Open]3150;[Consultation Open]3152;[Consultation Open]3204;[Consultation Open]3211;[Consultation Open]3226;[Consultation Open]Cartographic material[Consultation Open]Terms of use:Photographs: No restrictions. Various copyrights. Credit: Name of photographer / National Archives of Canada / Copy negative no.
Art except for portrait of Graham Spry (Acc no. 1984-128): No restrictions. Various copyrights. Credit: National Archives of Canada.
Portrait of Spry (Acc no. 1984-128): Restricted. Portrait must be consulted under close supervision for conservation reasons.Copyright: Unknown. Crown copyright on reproductions. Credit: National Archives of Canada.
Medals and pins: No restrictions. Various copyrights. Credit: National Archives of Canada.
Sound recordings and moving images: Reproduction and use in any form requires the written permission of the copyright holder and in some cases of the donor; please see item level descriptions for details.
Cartographic material: No restrictions. Credit Library and Archives Canada.You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.
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