Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
Level of description
Extent and medium
90cm of textual records (8 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Repository
Archival history
Records were given to the Library by Lily Gibson without official documentation in 2014. She had inherited them from her sister, Helen Tokiwa who had lived with her parents her whole life. An attempt to arrange and describe the records had begun by an exchange student who had the necessary language skills to read the many letters, but it was never completed. The records were officially transferred to the East Asian Library in April 2023.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated April, 2023 by Lily Gibson.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The majority of the records are handwritten letters (written in kuzushiji) received by Tokiwa from Japan and friends across Canada. They are assumed to be from pre-WWII to after the war and his time in Toronto. Some photographs of the people of Ocean Falls, B.C. are also included. Due to the language skills needed to read these letters, no further or detailed descriptions have been created.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
Any original order there may have been has been lost. It is unknown the classification and arrangement the previous person working on the records used. Any notations, and notes made by this person have been left in with the records. Their arrangement and description was never completed. To make these records available, the archivist has placed the records in unmarked folders in no discernable order. Future arrangement and description will be needed to best make these records accessible.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- Japanese
Script of material
- Japanese
Language and script notes
Almost all the records are in handwritten Japanese. The Library is unable to provide help in translating or deciphering the records.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Researchers may access all 7 boxes at once, contrary to Reading Room policy. Please contact the Archivist for further information.
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
The creation of this finding aid was made possible with generous funding from the Frank H. Hori Charitable Foundation, as well as other grants and donations.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created April 12, 2023 by E Carroll.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Conversation held with donor Lily Gibson, April 5, 2023.