Phyllis R. Blakeley fonds - MemoryNS (original) (raw)

A Catalogue of Archived Records Preserved in Nova Scotia

Title proper

Phyllis R. Blakeley fonds

General material designation

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

Variations in title: Previously known as the Phyllis R. Blakeley collection.

Level of description

Fonds

Repository

Reference code

MG 1 volumes 3000-3128; 3184

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Date(s)

[ca. 1830]-1986, predominant [195-]-1985 (Creation)
Creator
Blakeley, Phyllis R., 1922-1986

Physical description

25 m of textual records

Name of creator

(1922-1986)

Biographical history

Phyllis R. Blakeley was born in Halifax, N.S., on 2 August 1922, the daughter of Cecil Pearson Blakeley and Clara Amanda McLearn. She received a BA (1942) and MA (1945) from Dalhousie University. She taught briefly at Alexandra School in Halifax and joined the staff of the Public Archives of Nova Scotia as a research assistant in 1945. She served as Assistant Provincial Archivist, 1959-1977; Associate Provincial Archivist, 1977-1981; and Provincial Archivist, 1982-1985. She received an honourary LLD from Dalhousie University in 1977, was a member of the Order of Canada (1978) and a Fellow of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society (1979). She wrote extensively under her own name, as well as under her early pseudonym, Ruth Blake. Phyllis Blakeley died in Halifax on 25 October 1986.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of records created and accumulated by Blakeley in the course of her career, including her activities as historian and archivist, her research and publications, and involvement with various professional and special interest organizations. Fonds contains research material such as notes, clippings, photocopies of documents, correspondence, draft chapters of books, and rough drafts of articles and speeches, particularly dealing with Nova Scotia history, including Halifax, the United Empire Loyalists, Samuel Cunard, and biographies for the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Fonds also contains incoming and outgoing correspondence concerning archives business, her publications and personal activities, personal documents, diaries, travel journals, programs, pamphlets and other ephemera, certificates, genealogical notes on the Blakeley family and others, various records relating to Blakeley's involvement with Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia, local history committee of the Canadian Historical Association, as well as records relating to her sister Shirley Blakeley. Photographs are found among the textual records, several of which were used in her publications. Most of the fonds is arranged in alphabetical order, with the exception of Blakeley's correspondence and personal papers which are organized chronologically.

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Donated by Shirley Blakeley, sister of Phyllis R. Blakeley, in 1986.

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Restricted access to United Empire Loyalists Association files.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

File list available.

Associated materials

Other records relating to Blakeley's activities are found in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia fonds and Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia fonds.

Accruals

General note

Several books and other publications were donated with the fonds. A bibliography of the works of Phyllis R. Blakely prepared by Wendy Duff was published in Nova Scotia Historical Review, 7 (2): pp.88-100 (1987).