Collection search - Sir John Thompson fonds [multiple media]

Record information – Brief
1
Sir John Thompson fonds [multiple media]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1855-1947.

Reference:

R5240-0-1-E, MG26-D

Type of material:

Textual material, Art, Photographs, Maps and cartographic material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

104457

Context of this record:

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Sir John Thompson fonds
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Record information – Details
Fonds includes:

11 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

1855-1947.

Bilingual equivalent:

Click here

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

14.2 m of textual records.
1 painting miniature.
18 watercolours.
15 drawings.
677 prints reproductions.
2 photonegatives b&w.
6 maps
3 objects: 2 photographs encased in lockets ; 1 ribbon

Language of material:

English
Accession:

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Sir John S.D. Thompson collection [graphic material]

Sir John Sparrow David Thompson fonds [graphic material, object]

Sir John S.D. Thompson Collection [object]
Scope and content:

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Fonds documents the political career and personal life of Sir John Thompson. It also contains extensive family-related papers including correspondence between Thompson and his wife and children.

Fonds consists of the following five series: Political papers; personal papers; family papers; additional papers; and family art. Volumes 1-300 are available on 55 reels of microfilm. The index is available on one reel.

Fonds consists of a plan of a proposed canal at Jeddore, N.S., a plan of Halls Harbour in King's County, N.S., a county map of Prince Edward Island, a map focusing on land grants in New Brunswick, a map of Barrington, N.S. and a map of part of Antiogonish County, N.S., Fonds includes family related artwork. Portraits include one posthumous portrait miniature of Sir John Sparrow Thompson painted by Bonne de Bock, ca. 1895. Art also includes an 1894 posthumous painted photograph of Sir John Thompson by an unknown artist after a 1891 photograph by William James Topley and a monochrome photograph of Lady Thompson likely from around 1870, the time of her marriage to John Thompson. Both are encased in elaborate lockets with inscriptions.

An early accession of art material includes an album of approximately 710 artworks of various media. They have been grouped into twelve sections: 1) Landscape views (in Canada, United States and Europe), 2) Architectural views (Europe), 3) Miscellaneous sketches of animals, and miscellaneous subjects, 4) Crimean, Civil War, and miscellaneous warfare scenes, 5) Scenes of Victorian gentry, 6) Love and matrimony, and miscellaneous, 7) Natives in Australia, Canada and the United States, 8) Greeting cards, 9) Scenes from Shakespeare's plays, 10) Portraits of various people, 11) View engraved by Smillie, 12) Views of Nova Scotia, lithographed by Eagar.

Provenance:

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Thompson, John S. D. (John Sparrow David), Sir, 1844-1894
Additional name(s):

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Caron, Lady, ca. 1888-1901

Lady Thompson Fund, 1894-1906
Biography/Administrative history:

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Thompson, John S. D. (John Sparrow David), Sir, 1844-1894 : Prime Minister of Canada (1892-94).

John Sparrow David Thompson was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 10 November 1845. He apprenticed as a lawyer, practiced in Halifax and served on local bodies.

Thompson was elected to the provincial legislature in 1878 as a Conservative in the riding of Antigonish. He served as attorney general in the cabinet of Simon Holmes, who he succeeded as premier in May 1882, only to lose the provincial election in June. He then served on the province's Supreme Court and helped found Dalhousie University's law school.

Sir John A. Macdonald made Thompson federal minister of justice in September 1885, just before he was elected to parliament for the riding of Antigonish. Thompson acted as Macdonald's deputy, but refused an opportunity to succeed him in 1891. He continued as attorney general in Sir John Abbott's cabinet, investigating corruption and overseeing the publication of the first Criminal Code.

Thompson succeeded Abbott in December 1892. He rejuvenated the ageing cabinet, helped adjudicate Canadian-American sealing rights in the Bering Sea, and tried to resolve the Manitoba Schools Question.

Thompson endorsed the federal government's systematically racist relationship with Indigenous Peoples, which caused tremendous ongoing trauma, displacement, disenfranchisement and exclusion. Specifically, Thompson was key to defeating an 1886 parliamentary motion expressing regret for Louis Riel's execution. He argued that Riel had received a fair trial and appropriate punishment for inciting Indigenous Peoples to wage war against Canada and kill settlers. To Thompson, this justified the government's immense power to protect settlers and punish those who resisted the federal state.

In 1998, the minister of Indian and northern affairs issued a 'Statement of Reconciliation' for centuries of mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples, including the execution of Louis Riel.

Thompson was knighted in 1888. He married Annie Affleck in 1870. Thompson died suddenly on 12 December 1894 during lunch at Windsor Castle. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Halifax.

Finding aid:

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Textual records (Electronic) The finding aid contains a microfilm conversion list which includes reel numbers, volume numbers, page numbers and dates. There is also a nominal list to Letters Received, volumes 1 to 224. In addition, there is a description of additional papers in volumes 300 to 319 including family papers, commissions, appointments, addresses and correspondence. MSS0156 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000001704.pdf

Textual records (Paper) There are two card indexes located in the reference room which provide a detailed finding aid to the correspondence in the Thompson Papers. These are not available on microfilm. The first is a finding aid to Thompson's political correspondence (Letters received in 1855-1894, volumes 1-224) which consists of an index card for each letter indicating date, author, subject, and item number. The cards are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. The second is a similar card index for the rest of Thompson's political correspondence (volumes 225-274), his personal correspondence (volume 283), as well as Lady Thompson's correspondence (volumes 288-293), and that of their children (volumes 297-298). In this section is the index cards from: "Abbott to Bennett" to "McLachlan to Metcalfe" MSS0156 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002439.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002440.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002441.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002442.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002443.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002444.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002445.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002446.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002447.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002448.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002449.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002450.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002451.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002452.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002453.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002454.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002455.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002456.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002457.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002458.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002459.pdf

Textual records (Paper) In this section you will find the Index cards from: "Meyer to Mulham" to "White, Col. To Zebly" MSS0156 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002460.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002461.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002462.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002463.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002464.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002465.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002466.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002467.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002468.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002469.pdf
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002470.pdf

Textual records (Microform) Finding Aid No. 156 is also available on microfilm reel C-11061. It does not include the card index in the Reference Room. MSS0156 (90: Open)

Cartographic material (Paper) Please consult lower level descriptions. Finding aid consists of an itemized listing. Thompson, John Sparrow David 86703/22. (90: Open)

Additional information:

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General note:

The papers of Sir John Thompson were received by the National Archives in 1949 from his son, Lt. Col. John Thompson. A scrapbook of newspaper clippings (volume 299) concerning Thompson's death was transferred from the Department of Justice in 1968. A number of Commissions and letters of appointment were received from his granddaughter Aloise Cameron of Rockliffe in 1971 and from her children, Ann Mitchell of North Hatley, Quebec and Douglas Cameron of Rockliffe in 1996 (volumes 300, 302-313). Additional material donated by Douglas Cameron in 2005 (volumes 316-320).

Container note(s):

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C-11061 : Finding aid
Subject heading:

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Sealing - Bering Sea

Prime Ministers - Canada - Family, 1868-1906 Lady Dewdney, 1888-1901

Elections - Canada, 1879-1892 Lady Aberdeen, 1888-1901

Canada - Constitutional law - Ammendments, 1879-1892 Lord Stanley, 1888-1901

Fisheries - North Atlantic, 1879-1892 Robert Borden, 1888-1901

Prime ministers - Canada - Spouses, 1873-1893 Sir Charles Tupper, 1894

Prime ministers - Canada - Children, 1873-1893 Mackenzie Bowell, 1894

Politicans - Biography, 1892 Dalhousie University. Faculty of Law, 1882-1884

Judges - Canada, 1879-1884 Canada. Prime Minister, 1892-1894

Law - Canada - Cases, 1879-1884 Edward Blake, [18-]

Legal instruments - Canada, 1862-1891 Toronto Press Club, 1895

John Thompson - Oratory, 1882-1884 William Miller, 1895

Lectures and lecturing - Nova Scotia, 1882-1884 Arthur Doughty, [1894-1916]

Consolation, 1894 Sir H.W. Just, [1894-1916]

Prime ministers - Canada - Death, 1894 Henry Ponsonby, [1894-1916]

Bering Sea controversy, 1879-1892

Copyright, 1882-1889

John Thompson - Diaries, 1865-1894

Practice of law, 1862-1891

Jesuit Estate Issue (Canada), 1888-1889

Fishery law and legislation, 1873-1892

Salmon fisheries, 1873-1892

Oyster fisheries, 1873-1892

Politicians Canada

Canada

Jesuits Canada
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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1949-078 NPC
1949-078 PIC
1972-028 MED
1995-00015-9
1995-00030-2
1996/0009
1997-184 DAP
2014-00203-7
96-199
97-032

Former archival reference no.:

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MG26-D
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

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Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 156] 23

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Microfilm reel C-11061

[Consultation 90 Open]

Graphic (art)

[Consultation90 Open]

Item no. assigned by LAC [R5240] 1--3

[Consultation 90 Open]

Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Textual records: microform

[Consultation90 Open]

Microfilm reel C-11061

[Consultation 90 Open]

Cartographic material

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

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The originals, Volumes 1-300, have been withdrawn from circulation. Researchers must use the microfilm. Volumes 314, 315 and 320 have also been withdrawn from circulation. Researchers are requested to use the copies available in vols 302 to 313 and 316.
Physical access to the artwork is through an art archivist.
Cartographic material: No restrictions. Credit Library and Archives Canada.

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