Fonds consists of personal material, writings, engineering and geology work, history, association and subject files, 1904-1994.
The fonds also contains photographs documenting the life and activities of Robert Leggett, [ca. 1870]-1989.
Also included are medals, pins, plaques, and paper-weights from a variety of sources, including engineering societies and institutes, 1927-1987.
Legget, Robert Ferguson, 1904-1994 : Robert Ferguson Legget was born in Liverpool, England of Scottish parents and was educated at local schools. He studied civil engineering, with a minor in geology at the University of Liverpool, obtaining a B. Eng. in 1925 and a M. Eng. in 1927. Legget worked for the London consulting firm of C.S. Meik and Buchanan. His first major project was the Lochaber Hydroelectric project in Scotland. Legget came to Canada in 1929 and worked for the Power Corp. of Canada on the Upper Notch Hydroelectric station in northern Ontario and on other projects. In 1932 he joined the Canadian Sheet Piling Co. of Montreal which specialized in building wharves and docks. From 1936 to 1938 he taught engineering at Queen's University in Kingston and then moved to the University of Toronto, teaching engineering there until 1947. During this time he worked on a number of war projects, was active in the Engineering Institute of Canada and developed a strong interest in conservation.
Legget was selected by C.J. MacKenzie, President of the National Research Council in Ottawa, to head its new Building Research Division. Legget quickly moved into action establishing research programs in soil and snow mechanics, northern construction and building standards. One of his most important projects was the creation of the National Building Code which set building standards and was adopted by many other jurisdictions in Canada. Legget retired from NRC in 1969.
Legget was president of the American Society for Testing and Materials (1965-1966), Geological Society of America (1966), International Council on Building Research (1966-1969) and Canadian Academy of Engineering (1987). He received honorary degrees from numerous Canadian and British universities. Legget was awarded gold medals by numerous engineering, geological and standards organizations. He received the Order of Canada in 1967 and 1989 and the Royal Bank Award in 1989.
Legget was also a prolific writer. His book Geology and Engineering (1939, 1962, 1988) became a standard engineering text. He also wrote Cities and Geology (1973) and co-authored Handbook of Geology in Civil Engineering (1983). He was also interested in the origins of civil engineering in Canada, publishing Rideau Waterway (1955, 1986), Ottawa Waterway (1975) and Ottawa River Canals (1987) plus books on the railways and canals of Canada. In addition Legget produced nearly 300 articles and published speeches. Legget died in April 1994.
