Fonds F2100 - Derwyn R.G. Owen fonds

Identity area

Reference code

CA OTTCA F2100

Title

Derwyn R.G. Owen fonds

Date(s)

  • 1938 - 1996 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

156 cm of textual records
35 photographs
3 etchings
5 scrapbook
1 diary

Context area

Name of creator

(1914-1997)

Biographical history

Derwyn Randolph Grier Owen, Anglican clergyman and administrator, was born on 16 May 1914, the son of Derwyn Owen and Nora Grier Jellet. He attended Ridley College in St. Catharine's from 1928 to 1932 and then Trinity College, where he took honours in Classics, graduating with a BA and the Governor General's Medal in 1936. He studied next at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 1936-1938, and the Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1940-1941. He was ordained deacon in 1941 and priest in 1942 and completed his PhD in philosophy at the University of Toronto the same year, while teaching at Trinity College. In 1942 he enlisted in the Canadian army and served as chaplain in the Westminster Regiment, 5th Division, on campaigns in Italy and Holland. He returned to Canada in 1946 and resumed his post as lecturer and head of the Department of Religious Knowledge at Trinity. In 1957 he was elected Provost of Trinity College and served in that capacity until 1971 when he resigned to continue teaching. He served as Professor of Religious Studies until his retirement in 1979. Owen published several books, including Scientism, Man and Religion (1952), Body and Soul (1956), Social Thought and Anglican Theology (1980), and Trinity College: Past, Present and Future (1964).

Derwyn Owen married Anne Kathleen Armour in 1942 and they had three children: Laurie, David, and Timothy. He died on 23 April 1997 in Toronto, Ontario.

Archival history

The fonds was received in five accessions.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Some material was given by Dr. Owen during his lifetime; the rest was given by his estate and family after his death.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds contains records of Derwyn Owen’s career as a scholar, including subject notes, lecture notes, thesis materials, manuscripts, reading lists, and class lists from Owen’s time as a fellow and lecturer at Trinity College as well as correspondence and reviews relating to his published works. Files also include personal correspondence, primarily with Anne Armour (later Mrs Owen), diaries, passports, and personal and professional certificates. Also included are pamphlets, programmes, letters, official papers, newspaper clippings, speeches, and other documents from his tenure as Provost of Trinity College (1957-1971).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

None expected

System of arrangement

Materials have been arranged by the archivist in chronological order within each series

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open

Conditions governing reproduction

Various copyright holders. It is the researcher's responsibility to obtain permission to publish any part of the fonds.

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

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    OTTCA-F2100

    Institution identifier

    Trinity College Archives

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    2016

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

        Sources

        Accession area