Fonds consists of textual records including correspondence, manuscripts, and miscellanea relating to the career of David Milne.
Fonds also includings photographs depicting the activities of Milne and his family, including photos depicting his career, 1900-1957; a sketchbook containing various drawings of different subjects done by Milne, 1882-1953; a sketchbook of finished and unfinished works of animals, houses, plants, and abstract views done by May Milne, [ca. 1926]; a depiction of William Aikens, a carriage maker, done by David Milne as a boy, n.d.; a watercolour (and duplicate watercolour) of the E.B. Eddy Mill, Hull, Quebec, 1923; a watercolour entitled, The Christmas Box, 1938; and a print done by David Milne entitled, North Elba, 1927.
Also included in fonds are sound recordings by Blowden Davis with people of the area of Paisley-Southampton-Port Elgin, who recount the life and times of the Milne family.
Milne, David, 1882-1953 : David Milne was born near Paisley, Ontario. He taught school for a time before leaving Canada for New York to study at the Art Students' League. He remained in New York painting and working as a commercial artist, and in 1913, five of his paintings were exhibited at the famous Armoury Show. In the late fall of 1917, Milne enlisted in the Canadian Army and a year later was appointed as official war artist. He spent the year following the Armistice painting the aftermath of war in France.
After his return to the United States, Milne lived and painted with his wife May (Patsy) at Boston Corners in the Taconic Mountains, and in the Riga Lakes and Lake Placid Districts of New York State. In 1928, David Milne settled again in Canada, first in Weston, Ontario, then in Palgrave in the Caledon Hills and later at Severn Falls and Six Mile Lake in the Muskoka District.
