Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Maurice Pivert fonds |
| Reference code: | 0527 |
| Date: | 1920-1956 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 3.5 cm of textual records
17 photographs 8 photo albums |
| Language: | English |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Export from AoR and added to new database Nov. 2022 – JL |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
Maurice Pivert was born in 1892 Paris, France. He served in the French army in World War I until an injury ended his wartime service. He returned to his home in Franconville, France and married Suzanne Seiller. After the war was over, the young couple emigrated to Big Valley, Alberta where Maurice’s uncle Jules and two of his brothers, Joseph and Andre, were farming. During the six years Maurice and Suzanne lived in Big Valley, Maurice took many photographs that showed life on the farmstead. In 1926, Joseph and Maurice loaded their stock, farm equipment, and household effects into box cars and made a move to Grande Prairie, where they rented the Scott farm five miles east of town. In 1927, they purchased the Frank Lukey farm (SE 32-71-6-W6) west of Grande Prairie, near the tiny airfield. Here they remained for more than 20 years, with Maurice documenting on camera the steady improvements on their farm, the good friends that visited, the events going on in the community, and the Grande Prairie Airport developing right on their doorstep. In February 1948, Suzanne became ill with cancer, and many trips were made by plane from Grande Prairie to Edmonton. She died January 23, 1949. Maurice continued to live on the farm with his brother Joseph until he died October 23, 1957.
Custodial history
Donated by Maurice Pivert’s niece, Paulette Hrychiw in two separate accessions in 2013 and in 2022. Any photograph copies that were included in the earlier accession have now been replaced by original photographs included in the later accession.
Scope and content
The fonds primarily consists of Maurice’s photo albums that depict life in Big Valley, Grande Prairie, and their surrounding areas. A 26 page biography of Maurice Pivert written by his niece, Paulette Pivert Hrychiw, 5 photographs of Christmas at the Andre Pivert home in 1955, and a series of correspondences between Maurice and his cousins in France from 1951 to 1956 are also included.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Access points
- Graphic material (documentary form)
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Buildings (subject)
- Family and personal life* (subject)
- Alberta (place)
Table of contents
0527.01, Correspondences with Cousins in France, 1951-1956
0527.02, Family Photograph Albums, 1920-1956
Series descriptions
| Series 0527.01: Correspondences with Cousins in France
Date: 1951-1956 (date of creation) Scope and content: This series collects the letters and photographs sent between Maurice Pivert and his cousins who lived in Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine), France, from 1951 until his death in 1956. Included with he photographs are explanatory notes in both English and French, with the correspondences also having English translations provided by the donor. Physical description: 2 cm textual records 138 photographs, b&w Language of the material: French English |
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| Series 0527.02: Family Photograph Albums
Date: 1920-1956 (date of creation) Scope and content: This series contains the collection of photographs taken by Maurice Pivert between 1920 and 1956. The photographs depict the Pivert family as well as the communities of Grande Prairie and Big Valley, including their surrounding areas. Physical description: 9 photo albums Language of the material: English French |
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| File / item list | |||
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0527.02.01 | Item – Andre Pivert’s Last Christmas | 1955 | 5 photographs; b & w; 3 x 3 in.0.5 cm of textual records. |
| Scope and content:
Booklet of five photographs, taken by Maurice Pivert, but labelled by Paulette Pivert, with hand-written note on the cover: “Uncle Joe came for Xmas 1955. Dad’s last Christmas he enjoyed at home”. Photographs show (1) Joe Pivert, Andre Pivert, Roland, Paulette, Jeanne, and Paul around the Christmas tree; (2) Joe, Paul, Roland, Paulette, Andre, and Jeanne having Christmas dinner; (3) Paulette, Joe and Paul setting up his new train set; (4) Paul playing with his new train set; (5) exterior of the Pivert home at Christmas, 1955. |
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