- UTA 1528
- Fonds
- ca. 1880-1969; predominant 1920-1959
The Massey Family records consist primarily of official and personal documents created by Vincent Massey. They reflect his distinguished diplomatic career, including his terms as Canadian ambassador to the United States during the 1920s and as High Commissioner to London during the 1930s and 1940s, along with his lengthy affiliation with the Liberal Party of Canada. Also represented are his years as Governor-General of Canada and as the leader of the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Sciences and Letters. The moral and financial support given by Vincent and Alice Massey to cultural development in Canada, both individually and through the Massey Foundation, is evident in a wealth of documents relating to the fields of education, music, drama and fine arts (including such institutions and organizations as the National Council of Education, Hart House Quartet, Hart House Theatre, the Dominion Drama Festival, and the National Art Gallery). Their support of the University of Toronto is also well documented. In addition to the records of Vincent Massey, some papers of Alice Massey and correspondence of many members of the Grant, Massey and Parkin families are present.
The bulk of the records are found in B1987-0082. There are two other related accessions:
- B1998-0008: Correspondence between Vincent Massey and Sir Henry Newbolt, including a copy of memo on the Constitutional Crisis in 1926.
- B1998-0032: Files of the Board of Syndics (G.F. McFarland, Honorary Treasurer) relating to Hart House Theatre (1929-1945), and Hart House String Quartet (1931-1942); one file on Hart House 50th anniversary (1968-1969).
Massey Family