Manuscript Collection MS COLL 00261 - Head Collection of Watercolours and Drawings

Identity area

Reference code

CA OTUTF MS COLL 00261

Title

Head Collection of Watercolours and Drawings

Date(s)

  • [ca. 1849]-1859 (Creation)

Level of description

Manuscript Collection

Extent and medium

23.4 metres

Context area

Name of creator

(1805-1868)

Biographical history

Sir Edmund Walker Head was born in 1805. He was an Oxford scholar and tutor, and published several books. His success as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick between 1848 and 1854 led to his appointment as Governor-General of Canada in 1854, a position he held until 1961. He faced difficult problems during his administration, primarily caused by the antagonism between French and British inhabitants, but he retired from office before the political issues that led to confederation in 1867 reached a peak. He died in 1868.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The collection was presented by Sir Edmund’s heirs, Madame Yvonne Mahuzies and her daughter, Marguerite Mahuzies, to the University of Toronto in 1977 and placed on deposit in the Thomas Fisher Rare book Library in 1988.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

A collection of fifty-one watercolours and drawings of Canadian scenes by Sir Edmund Walker Head and Lady Head. They were made when Sir Edmund was Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick (1848-1854) and Governor-General of Canada (1854-1861). A fragment in Lady Head's hand from the cover of the portfolio in which many of the sketches were kept is also included.

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://aeon.library.utoronto.ca

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

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    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

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    Alternative identifier(s)

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    Description control area

    Description identifier

    CA OTUTF MS COLL00261

    Institution identifier

    Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Dates of creation revision deletion

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        Accession area