Fonds 1070 - Michael Bliss fonds

Identity area

Reference code

UTA 1070

Title

Michael Bliss fonds

Date(s)

  • 1856-2018 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

20.53 m of records (99 boxes)
4160 digital files (8 GB)

Context area

Name of creator

(1941-2017)

Biographical history

Michael Bliss was born in Kingsville, Ontario, in 1941. He is a professor of Canadian history at the University of Toronto and a prolific writer on a wide range of Canadian topics. He has received national prizes for both his literary journalism and his scholarship. His book, 'A Canadian Millionaire: The Life and Business Times of Sir Joseph Flavelle' (Macmillan of Canada: 1978), established his reputation as a distinguished historian and biographer. His next two books on the insulin discovery and on Banting are recognized as definitive works and have received much acclaim since their publication. Both have utilized extensively the collection of Banting's papers in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of 7 accessions

  • B1986-0032: Personal records of J. W. Michael Bliss, Professor in the Department of History. (9 boxes, 1958-1975)
  • B1987-0043: Personal records of J. W. Michael Bliss, Professor in the Department of History. (11 boxes, 1962-1982)
  • B1988-0076: Correspondence regarding and drafts, with comments, of manuscript for J. W. Michael Bliss's book, "Northern Enterprise: five centuries of Canadian Business" published by McClelland and Stewart, 1987. (5 boxes, 1985-1986)
  • B2006-0015: Personal records of Michael Bliss, professor of history, consisting of correspondence, consulting and editorial work, manuscripts and publications, lecture notes and associated teaching files, addresses, references; 1,216 slides illustrating a wide variety of subjects in Canadian history; 93 slides illustrating the Montreal smallpox epidemic of 1885; photographs relating to themes in Canadian business and general history. (31 boxes, 1881-2005)
  • B2017-0007: Further personal records of Michael Bliss, Professor Emeritus of History, consisting of personal and family correspondence, and photographs; other correspondence; scrapbooks; interviews; files relating to the University of Toronto, including memorabilia from his years as a senior fellow on the Massey College; addresses; drafts of articles, a play, books (including biographies of Sir William Osler and Harvey Cushing, and Bliss’ memoirs), short stories and book reviews; files on consulting and editing projects; files on professional organizations, especially the American Osler Society. (38 boxes and 4104 digital files, 1856-2017)
  • B2017-0008: Handwritten, typed, and word-processed journals, along with digital versions covering Bliss’ life and career from 1967 to 2017. (3 boxes and 56 digital files, 1967-2017)
  • B2021-0023: Records surrounding his health and subsequent death. Includes his medical records, diary and notes he made about his health, and email correspondence from friends who reviewed his medical records after his death, on behalf of the Bliss family. Also includes items following his death including obituaries and tributes, letters of condolence, and the guest book from the Memorial Service at Massey College.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

See accession-level description for details.

Accession B2006-0015 and B2017-0008 is stored off-site. Please allow 2-3 business days for retrieval. Contact University Archives for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction

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Finding aids

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Records related to the writing of Bliss' books 'The Discovery of Insulin' (McClelland & Stewart: 1982) and 'Banting: a Biography' (McClelland & Stewart: 1984) are held by the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. See link below.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Accession

B1986-0032

Accession

B1987-0043

Accession

B1988-0076

Accession

B2006-0015

Accession

B2017-0007

Accession

B2017-0008

Accession

B2021-0023

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