Fonds 1797 - Robert Allan Spencer fonds

Identity area

Reference code

UTA 1797

Title

Robert Allan Spencer fonds

Date(s)

  • 1919-2020 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

12.43 m of records
(53 boxes + 3 oversized folders)

Context area

Name of creator

(1920-)

Biographical history

Robert Allan Spencer, historian, educator and administrator, was born in Montreal on 9 November 1920. Following his undergraduate degree from McGill (BA 1941), he served with the Canadian Forces in Britain and Northwest Europe (1942-1946). After obtaining his MA in 1947 (University of Toronto) and his DPhil (St John's College, Oxford) in 1950, he joined the Department of History at the University of Toronto as a Lecturer. By 1964, he had achieved the position of full professor and in 1986, Professor Emeritus.

During his early years at McGill, Spencer joined the McGill University Canadian Officers Training Corps as a Cadet in 1941. By 1944, he had been promoted to Captain. After World War II, from 1958 to 1966, he served in the University of Toronto Contingent, Canadian Officers Training Corps as a Major, then as a Lieutenant Colonel and commanding officer (1962-1966). He then served on the COTC’s Board of Trustees to 2001.

In addition to serving as Associate Chairman of the Department of History from 1964 to 1967, Professor Spencer also served as Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Division I (Humanities) from 1973 to 1976, and Director of the Centre for International Studies, which was established under his initiative in 1976. He was also instrumental in formulating the International Studies Programme from 1967 to 1972. During his tenure, he has taught courses on European history, with emphasis on German history during the 19th and 20th centuries. Related fields of interest include international relations, Canadian foreign policy and East-West relations in Europe, and he has researched, spoken and written extensively on these subjects both internationally and in Toronto.

Fluent in English, French and German with some knowledge of Italian, Spencer has served as a visiting professor at Historische Kommission zu Berlin, Friedrich Meinecke Institute, Free University of Berlin (1970), Facolta di Giurisprudenza, University of Siena (1985), St. Anthony’s College at Oxford (1986) and as a visiting fellow at the Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University (1987). Over the years, he as has been co-editor of the International Journal, and been an active member of several organizations and institutions including: the Canadian Historical Society, the Canadian Institute of International Affairs (CIIA), the Canadian German Conference, Atlantik-Brücke, the Atlantic Council of Canada, the Committee on Atlantic Studies and the Canadian Council for European Affairs. He also produced radio talks and documentaries for CBC.

During his sixty-year career as both an academic and a military commander, Professor Spencer has received numerous awards and recognition for his achievements. Most notably, he was awarded the Canadian Decoration (1964), the Jubilee Medal (1978), the Goethe Medal (1983) and the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany (1986). He has also received numerous research grants, including managing a major research grant of $275,000 from the Donner Canadian Foundation from 1978 to 1986. In 1998 he was given an Honorary Fellowship by Trinity College.

In 1948 Professor Spencer married Ruth Margaret Church. The couple had three children, Charles, Valerie Spencer Keyes and Katherine Spencer-Ross. Professor Spencer lives in Ottawa.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This fonds documents the administrative and teaching duties of Robert Spencer, as a Professor Emeritus of History and a specialist in European history, especially German history in the 19th and 20th centuries. They also document his education and his participation in World War II; his extensive international research, publications and speaking engagements; as well as his involvement with professional associations and organizations such as the University of Toronto Contingent, Canadian Officers Training Corps (COTC), the International Studies Programme and the Graduate Centre for International Studies, Altantik-Brücke, and the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). Included is personal correspondence, correspondence with international organizations, government departments, embassies and consulates; lecture notes; manuscripts and addresses.

Also present are two sous-fonds. The first is the personal papers of his wife, Ruth Margaret Church Spencer, who served with the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRENS) during World War II as a base librarian and afterwards as the first professional librarian at Canada House in London. The second consists of files compiled by Ralph Flenley, a specialist in German history and sometime chair of the Department of History: examination questions, student mark books, and drafts of an unpublished manuscript on Anglo-German relations.

This fonds consists of five accessions, described below:

B1972-0020

Correspondence, minutes, memoranda, notes, reports, and press clippings documenting the activities of the Faculty of Arts and Science Constituency of the President's Council of the University of Toronto, as assembled by Professor Robert Spencer while a member of the Council. In addition to Council minutes and related material, there are files on several presidential advisory committees, the Advisory Planning Committee of the Board of Govemors, the University's Master Plan, the School of Hygiene, tenure (Haist Committee), and the Council's Sub-committee on Resource Planning. Included is material documenting the participation of professors C. B. Macpherson and J. B. Conacher.

B1977-0010

Correspondence, memoranda, briefs, minutes, posters, architectural plans, maps, and press clippings documenting Spencer's role in various University administrative bodies including: the Board of Governors Property Committee, 1969 – 1972; the Program Committee of the Commission on University Government, 1969 – 1970; the President's Council, 1969 – 1970; the Committee on Accommodations and Facilities, 1969 – 1972; the Capital Planning Committee, 1971; the Sigmund Samuel Renovation Committee, 1972; Faculty of Arts and Science Library Committee 1967 – 1969; and the Library Council Executive Committee 1965 – 1969. Also includes records of committees relating to stack access issue to the new Robarts Library (the Heyworth Committee), 1971 – 1972, and to the use of the Sigmund Samuel Library 1970 – 1972.

B2010-0024

Personal records of Robert Spencer, Professor Emeritus of History and a specialist in European history (19th and 20th centuries) that document his administrative and teaching duties at the University of Toronto, his research, writings and editing, and addresses, and his involvement with professional associations and organizations such as the COTC (University of Toronto), and the U of T International Studies Programmes, Atlantik-Bruecke, the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), the federal government, and German diplomatic bodies and institutions.

B2013-0005

Further personal records of Robert Spencer, Professor Emeritus of History, documenting his education, his military service during World War II; his post-war studies at Trinity College and the University of Oxford; his administrative duties at the University of Toronto, his editorial work, his extensive travels as a researcher and speaker, and his writings, including the history of U of T Contingent, Canadian Officers’ Training Corps (COTC) project.

Also present are two sous-fonds. The first is the personal papers of his wife, Ruth Margaret Church Spencer who served with the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRENS) during World War II as a base librarian and afterwards as the first professional librarian at Canada House in London. Includes correspondence, certificates, addresses, diaries, photographs, reports, maps, interviews, and memorabilia. The second consists of files compiled by Ralph Flenley, Professor Emeritus of History: examination questions, student mark books, and drafts of an unpublished manuscript on Anglo-German relations.

The arrangement of this accession closely follows the file listing provided by Professor Spencer, with some rearrangement and addition of information, as deemed necessary.

B2022-0014

This accession includes a Challenge Coin created for Robert Spencer’s 100th birthday and a note that describes its iconography.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

All files are open, with the exception of the following files:

  • File B2010-024/001(04) is restricted for 30 years from last date of file activity.
  • The student mark books in B2013-0005/021(46) and (47) are subject to review under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

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

  • Canadian Officers’ Training Corps:

    • B1978-1302
    • B1977-0029
    • B1993-0045
  • Centre for International Studies:

    • B1988-0007
    • A1987-0034
    • A1995-0007
    • A1999-0001
    • A1999-0008
    • A2011-0013 (contains files pertaining to the Centre for International Studies; originally included with donation by Robert Spencer as part of B2010-0024)
  • University of Toronto. Department of History: A1990-0023

  • University of Toronto. International Studies Programme: A2009-0006

Notes area

Note

Note: There are no boxes 4, 5 and 6 in B2010-0024; these have been removed and accessioned as A2011-0013.

Alternative identifier(s)

Accession

B1972-0020

Accession

B1977-0010

Accession

B2010-0024

Accession

B2013-0005

Accession

B2023-0014

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

  • Finding aid for B2010-0024 created by Marilyn Nazar, August 2011
  • Finding aid for B2013-0024 created by Harold Averill, July 2015 and revised January 2018
  • Added to AtoM by E. Sommers, February 2018
  • Finding aid for B2023-0014 incorporated by Ashley Buttineau, May 2023

Language(s)

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Sources

Accession area