Manuscript Collection MS COLL 00021 - David Thompson Papers

Identity area

Reference code

CA OTUTF MS COLL 00021

Title

David Thompson Papers

Date(s)

  • 1784-1914 (Creation)

Level of description

Manuscript Collection

Extent and medium

11 boxes and items

Context area

Name of creator

(1770-1857)

Biographical history

David Thompson, born in London, England, in 1770, was one of North America's greatest explorers, surveyors and mapmakers, as well as one of the finest travel writers of his era. In 1794, he was appointed as a surveyor for the Hudson's Bay Compay. He broke with the HBC and joined the North West Company as a surveyor in 1797. From 1792 to 1812, he mapped most of the country west of Hudson Bay and Lake Superior, across the Rocky Mountains to the source of the Columbia River, and the length of the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. He died in 1857.

Archival history

The holograph manuscripts of the Narrative remained in the possession of David Thompson's family after his death in 1857. One of his sons sold the manuscripts to Charles Lindsey of Toronto. J.B. Tyrrell purchased them from Lindsey in 1895 and donated them to the University of Toronto Library in 1939. The other holograph material was probably included with the manuscripts Tyrrell purchased from Charles Lindsey and was donated by him to the library at the same time.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated by J.B. Tyrrell, 1939, 1957.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The collection consists of holograph manuscripts and copies of manuscripts by Thompson, including two drafts for his projected book: a narrative account of his explorations in western America from 1784 to 1812. It also includes several sketches of mountain elevations, some of which were published in J.B. Tyrell's 1916 edition of the Narrative, and several other fragments of manuscripts by Thompson, typed transcripts of his journals, and photostats of other original Thompson material held elsewhere.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Material may be requested in person at the Fisher Library Reference Desk, or in advance using our online stack retrieval request form: https://fisher.library.utoronto.ca/stack-retrieval-request

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places