McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Reginald de Havilland Tupper Fonds
Fonds
30 cm of textual records
R. de H. Tupper was born in Wimbleton, England, and educated at the Royal College of Music. He played bassoon in various symphony orchestras in Wales and London before coming to Montréal in about 1912. He joined the McGill conservatory as instructor in 1923, served as instructor in bassoon from 1924 to 1926 and 1928 to 1934, and taught orchestral playing from 1935 to 1946. He also lectured on chamber music, orchestral music and opera from 1949 until 1955. He acted as the Conservatory's secretary (1928-1947) and vice-director (1939-1948), as well as conducting its orchestra and choir, and administering its local examinations across the country. He formally retired from the Conservatory in 1948, but continued to teach both there and at the Eastern Townships Conservatory throughout the 1950s.
Tupper's papers are divided evenly between correspondence, 1928-1950, 1954 and financial papers, 1931-1948. The correspondence files were maintained by the Conservatory office, and thus contain Tupper's letters to the secretary, Miss Dawson, concerning the progress of his examination tours across Canada. Most of the letters are, however, of a social and personal nature, discussing Tupper's appointments, domestic finances, equipment (musical instruments, radios), musical arrangements for concerts and McGill events and the Montréal scene in general. Financial papers comprise invoices and receipts for domestic and private expenses.
Originals and Copies