Fonds MG 4266 - Senior Family Fonds

• Textual record

4 m of textual records
400 photographs

This fond was donated to the McGill University Archives by Herward Senior on December 22, 2006. The records were all gathered from the family residence.

The bulk of this fonds concerns the teaching and research activities of Elinor Senior. Her professional activities are documented by files on her career as an academic at Acadia, including correspondence and reports, 1986-1989; professional correspondence, including publishers and book reviews,1978-1988; correspondence and research notes concerning the Rebellions in Lower Canada, 1986-1987, undated, the Montreal garrison, 1969-1978 including criticisms of thesis, and the history of Cornwall project, 1978-1982. Also included loyalist research notes including papers by Hereward and Elinor Senior, 1977-1983 as well as editor’s files and issues of the Cannon’s Mouth, 1984-1986; course lectures and materials chiefly for Canadian history courses, at Acadia, St. Francois Xavier and McGill, 1977-1987 and Marianopolis College on police institutions, 1976, 1979. Her writings include manuscripts for her history publications including the Rebellions in Lower Canada, 1837-38, undated, and the history of Cornwall, 1981-1987. The manuscripts also include her literary writings, poetry, 1944, short stories and articles including publisher’s correspondence, 1951,1953, undated, and a draft of Nellie’s Irish Novel, n.d. Her community activities are reflected by membership files in pro-life groups, 1966-1978 and subject files on abortion, 1973 and sex education, 1974. Her student and family life is reflected by life is reflected through Girl Guide training notebooks, 1943-1947, McGill Daily handbook, approximately 1948, scrapbook on British royalty, 1935-1937, McGill term papers, approximately 1950 and diplomas; correspondence, 1940-1948, 1966-1973 and 1979-1987 and photographs chiefly concerning family events such as weddings and vacations, approximately 1950’s to approximately 1980’s with some professional portraits for her publications, approximately 1980’s.

Hereward Senior’s records, chiefly reflect his research and writing activities, with lesser amounts devoted to community, teaching and family life. There are PhD research notebooks and notes, approximately 1952 as well as later notes on Canadian Orangeism, notes on Loyalist history, 1982-1983; notes and partial drafts on Fenianism: the Canadian phase, 1975. There are drafts for Orangeism in Ireland and Britain, Fenianism and Canadian Orangeism, undated ,1959. There are also drafts of many shorter works such as the Foundation of Canadian Conservatism and In Defense of Tradition and Authority. He also gave speeches to various organizations on the Russian monarchy, the permissive society, Orthodox Christianity and Charles I Martyr.

His professional life is reflected by correspondence, 1950-1992, some with publishers and concerning books reviews but the bulk is made up of correspondence with McGill University, 1966-1973, 1985-1987 and his brother John Senior,1962-1978. He also kept a diary at Memorial University, approximately 1957-1959 and one dated August 24, 1961.

His teaching activities consist of a few lectures, including his first lecture on the history of armies at Royal Roads, 1961 and the historiography course at McGill in 1966. There are other course materials for McGill, 1965-2002 including a course pack on police institutions, 1998.

The bulk of his community activities revolved around the Monarchist League, the records include correspondence, newsletters, clippings, 1974-1987 including a compilation of articles written for Monarchy Canada by Hereward and Elinor Senior, 1974-1993. He also has correspondence with the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, 1987-1988.

His family life is reflected by correspondence, 1945-1969, chiefly with his mother and aunt, 1976, 1978, 1983-1988, inheritance issues, 1973-74, 1985 and his Russian language training, 1978.

Hereward White’s papers are almost all related to his Red Cross career and include correspondence, 1922-1929, notebooks, undated, diary, 1919 and photographs of Red Cross workers and soldiers in Russia, approximately 1920.