Series 1 - Professional correspondence

0.97 m of textual records

This voluminous series documents all aspects of Conacher’s career including such mattters as appointments, salary, editorial projects, research, sabbaticals, professional activities within associations and participation in University administrative units. While there are series devoted entirely to most of these activities quite a lot of correspondence related to them is found filed chronologically in this series. Researchers will also find personal correspondence with friends and at times family members in these files despite the fact that most of this latter type of correspondence was filed separately and makes up Series 2.

The early correspondence from the late 1930s relates to his studies at Queen’s and his move to Harvard. There are several files of World War II correspondence documenting his employment in the Privy Council and in the Canadian Army signal division and historical section. There is a substantial amount of correspondence specifically with C.P. Stacey. At the end of this decade correspondence reflects Conacher’s attempts to establish his career as an historian. It discusses progress on his thesis, administrative issues regarding his employment and the teaching of courses.

Correspondence during the 1950s and 1960s is the most extensive and varied. It documents editorial projects such as a translation of Francois Du Creux’s History of Canada and projects related to the Canadian Historical Review. There is correspondence relating to organizations including: Canadian Historical Association, Atlantic Treaty Association, Frontier College and many others. Correspondents with other historians include (not exclusively): Kitson Clark of the University of Pennsylvania; Gordon O. Rotney of Memorial University (Nfld); C.L. Mowat of the University of Chicago; as well as U of T colleagues Donald Creighton, Archie Thornton and John Buchanan and close friend Kenneth McNaught. Of particular note is extensive correspondence regarding the dismissal of Professor Harry Crowe in 1958 from the United College of Winnipeg. Prof. Crowe was dismissed after the contents of his private letter were read by the Principal of the College and members of the University of Toronto History Department came to his defence.

There is a gap in the chronological correspondence files from 1971-1977. During most of this time (1972-1976) he was chair of the history department so it is assumed that much of this correspondence was filed with the office correspondence. Beginning in the late 1960s and continuing in the late 1970s and early 1980s is correspondence relating to issues of university governance as well as changes in curriculum and structure of the Faculty of Arts. There is also correspondence relating to various sabbaticals – London 1977 and Australia 1983. Correspondence nearing the end of his career until the time of his death relate to reviews, requests for recommendations as well as some correspondence relating to editorial and research projects.

1937-1956: B2005-0011/001
1956-1962: B2005-0011/002
1961-1964: B2005-0011/003
1965-1969: B2005-0011/004
1969-1979: B2005-0011/005
1980-1983: B2005-0011/006
1984-1989: B2005-0011/007
1990-1992: B2005-0011/008(01)-(03)

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