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Robertson, H. Rocke (Harold Rocke), 1912-1998
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Diaries

This series of diaries, arranged chronologically and spanning the years 1934 1995, contain Robertson’s matter of fact overview and some of his measured reflections his personal life, including his private interests and his family life, as well as his professional activities, as a surgeon, as principal of McGill University, and as an advisor and a board member following his retirement from McGill in 1970. Also included in the series are photos, correspondence files, ephemera, and newspaper and magazine clippings attached to entries in his diaries 1922 1981 (Container 15, File 224).

In particular the years 1934 1961 Container 12, Files 195 200/ Note: There are no diaries for 1959 1960), recount his final student years at McGill, his courtship of Rolly Arnold, his completion of his medical fellowship in Scotland and England, his war experiences in both Great Britain and Italy, his medical years in Vancouver, and his return to the Montreal General Hospital. Of note is the bustling social life that Robertson maintained during his final years as a medical student at McGill. He, his friends, and Rolly frequently went to cocktails parties, to the theatre, and played sports, including doubles tennis and golf. Also of interest are his comments about headmasters that he encountered at St. Michael’s School and Brentwood College in Victoria, British Columbia 1940 1941 (Container 12, File 197) and his anecdote about Sir Arthur Currie, a former McGill Principal, 1940 1941 (Container 12, File 197) which was later incorporated into one of his speeches, 1972 (Container 8, File 153).

The diaries dating from 1962 1969 document the events that transpired during Robertson’s tenure at McGill Container 12, Files 201 203; Container 18, Files 247 256), including his reflections on his ultimate decision to retire. These diaries, in particular, are more introspective and personal as they reveal Robertson’s attempts to assimilate the societal change of the 1960s as well as discussing his own feelings of stress and sense of confoundedness at the student unrest at McGill. The diaries dating from 1969 1979 Container 14, Files 214 223), commence with the announcement of his retirement, his decision to ultimately leave Quebec, due to the political turmoil and violence of the times, and the initial years of his retirement. They also treat his reactions to the Stanley Gray affair. His diary entries include his relief over Gray’s dismissal, which Robertson felt was crucial in allowing him to maintain a semblance of control during his final year as McGill’s principal Container 14, File 214).

The aforementioned diaries, coupled with the set from 1980 1995 (Container 13, Files 205 213), focus on the retirement years of H. Rocke Robertson They are increasingly dedicated to reflections on the weather (which are an aspect of all of his diaries), as well as his activities as a gentleman farmer at “Struan” in Mountain, Ontario. Activities include gardening, caring for his dog, Blaze, and working on his dictionary manuscript. Most revealing are his reflections on the purpose of his book and his attempt to convey how each dictionary and his collection, in its entirety, illustrate the development of English dictionaries 1969 (Container 14, File 214). His retirement diaries also document his efforts to keep active in the professional milieu, such as through his duties as an honorary librarian and archivist for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Also included is a Diary Index, compiled in 1988, spanning January 1961 February 1971 (Container 13, Files 212), which reveal his attempt to make key life events, particularly during his time as principal of McGill, readily accessible to researchers.

Part of this series consists of notes and a partial draft of his autobiography (Container 4, File 82; Container 12, File 197 as well as the original manuscript and a transcribed version of Robertson’s War Diaries 1940 1943 (Container 11, Files 192 -93 Container 4, File 88). His reflections on the war reveal his restlessness during his time in England, where it became evident that Prime Minister Mackenzie King did not want Canadians to see active combat. Despite this, Robertson did experience one of the first significant London bombings and he assisted in the treatment of patients who had been injured at Coventry. His diaries also reveal that he learned about hospital organization and administration, particularly during his time at Marston Green, on the outskirts of Birmingham; this knowledge was to become crucial for his subsequent professional activities. His time in Sicily and Italy, known as Operation Husky, includes descriptions of surgical techniques, of individuals he performed surgery on, as well as few instances of being under mortar fire, particularly at the Battle of Ortona, 1943. This information is supplemented by photos, as well as a scrapbook of newspaper clippings and notes, all related to Robertson’s activities during WWII, 1940 1943, 1940 Container 11, File 194; Container 16, File 238).

Robertson, H. Rocke (Harold Rocke), 1912-1998

Publications and research notes

This series documents Robertson’s contributions to the medical field through articles and reports on such diverse topics as wounds and infection and surgical techniques, 1953, 1958, 1963 1964, 1974, 1981 Container 2, File 47, 49, 51, 56 Container 2, File 59 ), trauma care, including one VHS cassette 1962 1996 (Container 1, File 11), the state ofthe Canadian Health Care System, 1972 1973 (Container 2, Files 52 53), and the effects on human health of lead in the environment, 1974 (Container 2, File 54; Container 5, File
123 . In particular, Robertson made significant contributions towards the efficiency of hospital operating systems, to the treatment of wounds, and to gastrointestinal surgery, especially duodenal ulcers and to vascular surgery, with an emphasis on venous thromboembolism and arterial replacement, 1954, 1957, 1962, 1960 1962 Container 2, Files 46, 48, 50; Container 4, File 106). Robertson’s publications include: The Emergency Care Project Books I and II, 1973 1974 (Container 16, Files 236 237), Health Care in Canada: A Commentary, 1973 (Container 5, File 120; Container 16, File 239) and Health Care in Canada: Supplementary Papers, 1973 (Container 16, File 240). This series also contains the article, entitled “Ten Years After”, published in the McGill Journal of Education, which reflect on Robertson’s principalship at McGill, 1978 1980, 1980 Container 2, File 57; Container 5, File 122 .

Newspaper articles, correspondence files, published and unpublished publications, and descriptions of visits to libraries worldwide demonstrate Robertson’s diverse personal interests, particularly his passion for rare English dictionaries 1963 1992 1946 1993, 1966 1986 (Container 6, Files 176 188; Container 8, Files 145 147, 149 152, 172) as well as his interest in literature and rare books, which includes a book of hand written literary quotes 1967 1991 (Container 15, Files 1/225 2/225), as well as efforts to imitate
the literary style of Lyttleton Hart Davis in a letter to his brother, Bruce Robertson, 1989 1994 (Container 4, File 82). This file also includes two of Robertson’s creative writing endeavours, entitled “Silly Boy” and “The Paymaster, or the Artful Dodger”. This series also contains Robertson’s and his grandson’s A Collection of Dictionaries and Related Works, Volumes 1 and 2, 1987 (Container 16, Files 1/235 2/235).

Robertson’s interest in the history of medicine is documented, in particular, through his correspondence with Joyce He slow, ormer Professor of English at McGill University, in which she discusses the Fanny Burney Papers, 1963 1976 (Container 8, File 169) as well as through additional correspondence and articles, 1993 1997, 1976 1984 (Container 8 , Files 170 171). Burney’s first person account of undergoing surgery without anesthesia is later incorporated into one of Robertson’s article on the history of medicine entitled, “Without Benefit of Anesthesia” (Container 8, File 146) which also addresses George Wilson’s anaesthetized amputation during the nineteenth century Further indications of this interest include Robertson’s annotation of the Archibald and Archibald McCrae Correspondence for the Osler Library 1976 (Container 8, Files 154, 159

Robertson, H. Rocke (Harold Rocke), 1912-1998

Speeches

This series contains H. Rocke Robertson’s speeches which document his role as the Principal of McGill, 1963 1970 (Container 8, Files 161, 164, 175); his medical experience during WWII and his subsequent surgical and medical expertise, 1945 1971 (Container 8, Files 155, 157), including such speeches as that delivered to the Vancouver Medical Association on the Activities of a F eld Surgical Uni , 1945 (Container 8, File 158); and the Shattuck Lectures delivered in Massachusetts in 1965 (Container 1, File 19), in which Robertson reflects on noteworthy medical cases that he encountered during his career while simultaneously commenting o his failure to develop innovative surgical techniques. Graphic medical photos accompany the speech. Following his retirement, Robertson was frequently called upon to give public addresses such as that delivered at a nurse’s graduation at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, 1971 (Container 4, File 82) and at the Montreal General Hospital Dinner on October 12, 1989 (Container 4, File 113), in which he reflects on his time studying pathology under Dr. Pop Rhea.

Robertson’s interest in the history of medicine is apparent in the speeches he delivered to both the Osler Society, 1947 1958 Container 8, File 156) and the American Osler Society in 1991. The later, entitled “William Osler and the OED”, includes slides and booklets, as well as offering a hypothesis on Osler’s possible medical word contributions to the Oxford English Dictionary, 1991 (Container 8, File 160). The Osler speeches cover such diverse topics as Robertson’s reminiscences on war surgery, including detailed descriptions of the effects of missiles (bullets) passing through the body, the effects of gas gangrene, and Robertson’s feelings on his first experience using the new drug, penicillin (Container 8, File 156). Also included is a speech Robertson delivered about Osler’s trip to British Columbia in 1886 and the development of the practice of medicine in the province, 1947 1958 (Container 8, File 156), which highlights Robertson’s skills as an orator.

Numerous speeches reflect Robertson’s duties as principal of McGill University, including his installation address on April 2, 1963 in which he comments on the achievements of past McGill principals, as well as elucidating his own plans for improving relations between English and French Canada through improved education at McGill (Container 8, File 161). Also included are Robertson’s graduation addresses 1962-1992 (Container 3, File 67) and the bound volumes Addresses and Other Papers: H.
Rocke Robertson, 1963 1970 (Container 19, Files 257-264), which contain Robertson’s speeches during his principalship at McGill.

Correspondence files and speech notes reflect Robertson’s activities as a collector of rare books and English dictionaries, 1960 1991 (Container 8, File 163 . Also preserved is his speech for the reception of his dictionary collection at the University of British Columbia, 1990 (Container, File 40) and a series of pamphlets and newspaper clippings on conferences, where Robertson was a uest speaker 1971 1983, 1972 1973, 1971 1973, 1977 (Container 15, File 233; Container 2, File 32, 35; Container 8, File 162).

Robertson, H. Rocke (Harold Rocke), 1912-1998

H. Rocke Robertson Fonds

  • CA MUA MG2001
  • Fonds
  • 1912-2015

The fonds document H. Rocke Robertson’s personal and family life, including his early education, his athletic abilities, his experiences during WWII in Britain, Sicily, and Italy, as well as some aspects of his professional life, including articles, speeches, and correspondence on his activities as a surgeon, surgeon in chief, professor of surgery, and as McGill’s principal, inclusive 1912-1998. In particular, his tenure as McGill’s principal is characterized by records in diverse formats such as personal diaries, correspondence files, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, and related ephemera reflecting his administrative duties, including the changes he implemented at McGill, as well as his efforts to cope with radical student behaviour and the Quebec government’s unwillingness to provide McGill with much needed financial assistance. Robertson’s retirement activities are also reflected in the records. Also included are numerous documents that reveal his interest in rare English dictionaries, rare books, and the history of medicine, in particular the history of surgical techniques. The fonds consist of 18 boxes with some files arranged into subject categories while others have a chronological arrangement scheme.

The series consist of 1) Diaries; 2) Publications and Research Notes; 3) Speeches; 4) Personal and Family Related Materials; 5) Student Years at Brentwood College and McGill; 6) Medical and Professional Activities; 7) McGill Principalship and Administrative Activities; and 7) Awards and Honours.

Robertson, H. Rocke (Harold Rocke), 1912-1998