Fonds 1052 - Clara Cynthia Benson fonds

Identity area

Reference code

UTA 1052

Title

Clara Cynthia Benson fonds

Date(s)

  • [186-] - 1964 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

4.7 m of records (18 boxes)

Context area

Name of creator

(1875-1964)

Biographical history

Clara Cynthia Benson was born June 5, 1875 at the family home, Terralta in Port Hope, the daughter of Judge Thomas Moore Benson (1833-1915) and his second wife, Laura Fuller Benson (1847-1928). Judge Benson’s first wife, Mary Edith (d. 1870) was the eldest daughter of Rev. John McCaul, President of University College. In addition to Clara, the Benson family consisted of two half sisters, Ethel Mary (b1867) and Emily Constance (b. 1869), her sister Jessie (b1880) and a brother, Thomas Bingley Fuller Benson (1876-1941).

Clara Benson received her early education at Port Hope High School and following graduation enrolled in University College at the University of Toronto. From 1895 to 1899 she studied math, chemistry and physics in the Faculty of Arts and was the first women to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry in 1899. She continued her studies as a graduate student in biochemistry and was one of only two women to be awarded a PhD in 1903. Her thesis “The rates of reactions in solutions containing ferrous and sulphate, potassium iodine and chromic acid” was published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry in May, 1903. She was appointed to the faculty of the Lillian Massey School of Domestic Science and spent 1905-1906 as lecturer in physiological chemistry at the University. In 1906 she was appointed Associate Professor in the newly created Faculty of Household Science .and proceeded to develop the programme of study in food chemistry. In 1926 she was promoted to full professor and head of the Department of Food Chemistry, a position she held until her retirement. With Professor Annie Laird, principal and professor of Household Science, she left a lasting impact on this field of study. She retired as Professor Emeritus in 1945.

During her forty year career with the University of Toronto, Dr. Benson was involved in many aspects of university life in particular and the community in general. Among her academic achievements was recognition for her work in food chemistry during the World War I. She discovered that explosives could be analyzed in the same manner as the chemistry of foods. “Her methods established the accepted technique for analysis in munitions laboratories.” In 1921 she became the first president of the Women’s Athletic Association at the University of Toronto, position she held until her retirement in 1945. One of the main goals of the WAA was the construction of a women’s athletic centre, a goal that wasn’t achieved for 38 years. In 1959 she returned to the University to unveil a plaque commemorating the opening of the Benson Building, named in her honour. Other honours bestowed on her included the establishment of a scholarship in her name in 1950 sponsored by the Household Science alumnae, and the presentation of a portrait by Yousef Karsh, which was hung in the Household Science building. In 1992, the Canadian Society for Chemistry established the Clara Benson Award, awarded annually to a woman who has made a distinguished contribution to chemistry while working in Canada.

She was also very involved in the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) serving on its national board. After her retirement in 1945, her work on the YWCA led to her interest in sponsoring two young French girls, Madeleine Killian and Maryse Deslandes, orphaned during World War II. One of her major interests was the making of films such as the visit of the King and Queen and the University campus. She was also involved in her local church in Port Hope, and an avid stamp collector. She died in Port Hope on March 24, 1964

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

These personal records consist mainly of records documenting Clara Benson’s non-professional activities such as work with the Women’s Athletic Association of the University of Toronto, the YWCA and her relationship with family members and friends. The personal correspondence in Series 2 provides the most detailed information about her relationship with family, friends and activities. Letters from her parents and siblings provide an insight into her activities and progress at the University of Toronto during her undergraduate years. A few letters, however, will be found from colleagues at the university such as Prof. A.B. Macallum, Prof. Annie Laird and others.

Unfortunately documentation relating to her academic activities is limited to some correspondence and notes found in Series 5 relating to her efforts from 1920s onwards to have the Women’s Athletic Building built. Her early education in Port Hope is documented in the school books, essays and other records in Series 4. Series 4 also contains her framed diplomas for B.A. and Ph.D. No manuscripts of her publications, including her Ph D. thesis appear to have survived. The lecture notes in Series 7 do provide some indication of the content of her courses in food chemistry, and were probably used repeatedly, year after year.

Dr. Benson also recorded her travel and sightseeing activities both abroad and in Canada on film. Series 10 contains 50 rolls of 16mm film documenting her trips to Egypt (1926), England (1937 and late 1940’s and early 1950’s), South America (1939) and the United States (1939, 1948). Some of her leisure time, both while at the University of Toronto and after her retirement, was spent filming events and scenery in Toronto in general, and the University in particular, as well as her family at home in Port Hope.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. B2003-0008/007 restricted for conservation reasons. For access to film in B2003-0008/001M to B2003-0008/040M, contact Special Media Archivist.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

File list for Series 9 and 10 only

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

-Film B2003-0008/030M has been digitized and is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS6CNkivTs8

Related units of description

Related Accessions: B1973-1099, B1984-1096

Associated Accessions: A1975-0008, A1986-0008, B1992-0039

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Accession

B2003-0008

Accession

B2004-0016

Accession

B2004-0013

Accession

B2005-0002

Accession

B2010-0008

Accession

B2018-0019

Accession

B2018-0020

Accession

B2022-0021

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

-Original finding aid by Garron Wells and Marnee Gamble, January 2004, revised Sept 2004, Jan. 2005, revised Oct. 2010, revised Jun 2018, revised Jun. 2022
-Added to AtoM by Karen Suurtamm, May 2016

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area