Fonds 571 John Sinclair fonds

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Summary information

Repository: South Peace Regional Archives
Title: John Sinclair fonds
Reference code: 0571
Date: 1930-2007 (date of creation)
Physical description: 19.5 cm textual records

41 photographs

6 negatives

5 maps

Dates of creation, revision and deletion: Processed by Patricia Greber May 2014
Added to new database January 2025 – TD

Administrative history / Biographical sketch

John Sinclair was born January 12, 1918 in Indian Head, Saskatchewan. He spent his school age years in Wolfe, Saskatchewan and later travelled to Berwyn, Alberta. In 1942 John joined the army Regimental #M-104831 as a part of the Canadian-Scottish Regiment and was on the first wave of soldiers on D-Day. After the Second World War, John made his way to Grande Prairie where he farmed on SW 10-72-7-6. John also had land near Wilkie, Saskatchewan (NE 26-38-18 W3) which he often went to visit. John stayed involved in the Canadian-Scots Regiment often receiving correspondence from them as well as attending their reunions. In 1994 John joined the Canadian-Scots Regiment for their D-Day Plus 50 Tour, which took them back to Normandy to the D-Day commemoration ceremonies. In Grande Prairie he was an active member of the Grande Prairie horseshoe club, and also enjoyed playing bridge. John passed away in Grande Prairie on June 8, 2008 and is buried in Landis, Saskatchewan.

Custodial history

The fonds consists of records from the estate of John Sinclair and were deposited by lawyer Cyril Gurevitch, executor of the estate.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of financial records 1960-2007, personal papers that contain correspondence from family and friends as well as photographs 1940-2007, military information including a copy of John’s Second World War service record, a 1930 edition of the Fortyniner, and a D-Day Reunion Tour book 1994. There are also photographs, negatives, and four maps of the communities of Wabasca, Falher, and West of the Sixth and Fourth Meridian.

Notes

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.

Access points

  • Textual record (documentary form)
  • Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
  • Graphic material (documentary form)
  • Cartographic material (documentary form)
  • Family and personal life (subject)
  • Agriculture (subject)

Table of contents

0571.01, Financial Records, 1960-2007

0571.02, Personal Records and Photographs, ca. 1940-2007

0571.03, Military Papers, 1930-2004

0571.04, Maps, 1978-1987

Series descriptions

Series 0571.01: Financial Records

Date: 1960-2007 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of notebooks of financial information, receipts, and personal and land tax records.

Physical description: 15 cm textual records

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

Publication status:

Published

Series 0571.02: Personal Records and Photographs

Date: ca. 1940-2007 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists mainly of correspondence from friends and family as well as funeral cards for Alice Sinclair (a relative), Gustav Alexander Grensman, Bert Berry, and Aubrey Edward Coates. There are also wedding invitations, a letter from J. B. Thompson to George Carter, and a booklet titled “Highlights of the Hinton Mill”. Many of the photographs include unidentified people.

Physical description: 2.5 cm textual records

29 photographs

6 negatives

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

•                Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)

Publication status:

Published

 

File / item list
Reference code Title Dates Physical description
2010.67.01 Item – Eight Young Men  ca. 1950 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 9 cm
Scope and content:

A group of eight young men outside with a building in the distance.

2010.67.02 Item – Bob  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 9 x 11.5 cm
Scope and content:

Portrait of a man identified as Bob on the reverse wearing university graduation robes.

2010.67.03 Item – A Car and a House  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 7.5 x 7.5 cm
Scope and content:

A red car parked in front of a house in the winter.

2010.67.04 Item – A Car by a Garage  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 7.5 x 7.5 cm
Scope and content:

A red car parked in front of a one-car garage in the summer.

2010.67.05 Item – John Sinclair  ca. 1980 1 photograph ; colour ; 7.5 x 7.5 cm
Scope and content:

John Sinclair wearing a Horseshoe Club hat.

2010.67.06 Item – John Sinclair With Trophy  1988 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

John Sinclair accepting a trophy awarded at the Grande Prairie Annual Horseshoe Tournament. There are horseshoe pitches and people in the background.

2010.67.07 Item – A Group Picture of Horseshoe Players  1988 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

A group picture of eight horseshoe players from the Grande Prairie tournament. John is kneeling on the right.

2010.67.08 Item – John Sinclair & Three Horseshoe Players  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

John Sinclair third from left with three other horseshoe players on a horseshow pitch.

2010.67.09 Item – A Group of Horseshoe Players  1988 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

A group of people on the horseshoe pitch.

2010.67.10 Item – Three People at A Horseshoe Event  1997 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Three people at a horseshoe event in front of a concession booth.

2010.67.11 Item – Trophies  1988 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Image shows two trophies positioned on a lawn chair. Two people standing behind the chair are visible from the waists down.

2010.67.12 Item – Marie Louehlin  1993 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Marie sitting in a living room.

2010.67.13 Item – Florence, Florance, and Marg  1993 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Three ladies identified on the reverse as Florence, Florance, and Marg standing in front of a fireplace.

2010.67.14 Item – Rena Hawley and Jean MacBeth  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Jean Hawley and Jean McBeth posing with an actor at Black Creek Village.

2010.67.15 Item – John Sinclair  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

John Sinclair running an open-air tractor pulling harvesting equipment.

2010.67.16 Item – Paul & Joycelene  1997 1 photograph : colour ; 6.5 x 9 cm
Scope and content:

A thank you card with a wedding portrait of Paul & Joycelene thanking their Uncle John for his wedding gift. The inside of the card reads “Dear Uncle John, Thank-you for thinking of us on our special day! The money will be put to good use. Hope to see you soon! Love, Paul & Joycelene ‘97”

2010.67.17 Item – Paul & Joycelene Wedding  1997 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Paul & Joycelene’s wedding photograph with their parents Joe & Diana Desouza and Rena & Ed. April 13, 1997 at the Old Mill in Toronto.

2010.67.18 Item – John Sinclair  1997 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

John Sinclair receiving a trophy for lawn bowling.

2010.67.19a & b Item – Farmstead  ca. 2000 2 photographs : colour ; 12.5 x 18 cm
Scope and content:

Two copies of an aerial photograph of a farmstead, possibly John Sinclair’s.

2010.67.20 Item – Ed & Rena  1999 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 18 cm
Scope and content:

Ed and Rena standing in front of a motorhome.

2010.67.21 Item – John’s Cat  1999 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 18 cm
Scope and content:

John’s cat Tommy lapping up some milk.

2010.67.22 Item – A Farm Yard  1999 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 25.5 cm
Scope and content:

A panoramic picture of a farm yard with old buildings and some more modern granaries.

2010.67.23 Item – A Building  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

An unidentified building.

2010.67.24 Item – Two Ducks  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

Two ducks in a farm yard with buildings in the background.

2010.67.25 Item – A Building  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

A building with the front open showing crates.

2010.67.26 Item – Two Horses Feeding  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

Two horses feeding on hay, with two farm buildings in the background.

2010.67.27 Item – Wood Cutting Machine  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

A wood cutting machine and a pile of dirt by a building.

2010.67.28 Item – A Horse Grazing  ca. 1964 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm1 negative : b&w
Scope and content:

A white horse grazing by a granary.

Series 0571.03: Military Papers

Date: 1930-2004 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of a February 1930 issue of The Fortyniner, a collection of humorous postcards showing Manneken-Pis, copy of a Second World War service record, information on various reunions of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, a French military magazine called Tam including an article on Canadian troops, a Registry of burials of All Battalions of The Canadian Scottish Regiment 1939-1945, a booklet called the The Brazier which has information on The Canadian Scottish Regiment, members list for the Canadian Scottish Regimental Association (1993, 1994, 2000), and a booklet from the D-Day Plus 50 Tour in 1994.

Physical description: 2 cm textual records

12 photographs

1 map

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

•                Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)

Publication status:

Published

File / item list
Reference code Title Dates Physical description
2010.67.29 Item – Four Canadian Soldiers  ca. 1940 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 12 cm
Scope and content:

Four soldiers in the winter time carrying all their military gear.

2010.67.30 Item – Retired Military Men  ca. 1970 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 25 cm
Scope and content:

A large group of men, possibly members of the Canadian-Scottish Regiment who fought in World War II.

2010.67.31 Item – Retired Soldiers Waiting at an Airport  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 9 x 12.5 cm
Scope and content:

Eight retired soldiers wearing their Canadian-Scottish Regiment hats posing in an airport.

2010.67.32 Item – Military Headstone of G. R. Braithwaite  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 7.5 x 8 cm
Scope and content:

A headstone for G. R. Braithwaite of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. He died on the 7th of June 1944 at the age of 24 years.

2010.67.33 Item – Military Headstone of M. Gartner  ca. 1980 1 photograph : colour ; 7.5 x 8 cm
Scope and content:

A headstone for M. Gartner of the Regina Rifle Regiment who died on the 15th of June 1944.

2010.67.34 Item – Railroad Tracks Through An Arch  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Railroad tracks leading through an arch. Probably taken on John’s trip for the D-Day Reunion.

2010.67.35 Item – A Canadian Regiment on Parade  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Photocopy of a photograph showing a Canadian Regiment on parade in England to commemorate D-Day.

2010.67.36 Item – Can-Scots Regimental Band 1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Photocopy of a photograph showing a Canadian-Scots Regimental Band on parade in England to commemorate D-Day.

2010.67.37a & b Item – A Drummer from the Can-Scots Regiment  1994 2 photographs : colour
Scope and content:

Two photocopies, one enlarged, of the same photograph showing a drummer from the Canadian-Scots Regiment Band in England to commemorate D-Day.

2010.67.38 Item – John Sinclair and Friend  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Photocopy of a photograph showing John Sinclair and another soldier standing in front of a memorial in commemoration of D-Day.

2010.67.39 Item – Four Soldiers  1994 1 photograph : colour ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and content:

Photocopy of a photograph showing four soldiers who attended the D-Day commemoration ceremonies in England.

2010.67.44 Item – D-Day Map  1987 1 map : 11 x 17 in.
Scope and content:

A map showing Canadian Assaults on D-Day that was drawn for the Canadian Scottish Regiment Reunion of D-Day.

Series 0571.04: Maps

Date: 1978-1987 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of four maps covering Wabasca-Desmarais, Falher, West of the Sixth Meridian, and West of the Fourth Meridian.

Physical description: 4 maps

Access points:

•                Cartographic material (documentary form)

Publication status:

Published

File / item list
Reference code Title Dates Physical description
0571.04.01 Item – Falher  1978 1 map
Material specific details [cartographic]:

1”=600’

Scope and content:

A map of Falher.

0571.04.02 Item – West of the Sixth Meridian  1979 1 map
Scope and content:

A map covering the area west of the sixth meridian. Sheet #83 E/D.

0571.04.03 Item – West of the Fourth Meridian 1979 1 map
Scope and content:

A map covering the area west of the fourth meridian. Sheet #83 P/I.

0571.04.04 Item – Wabasca  1987 1 map
Scope and content:

A map of Wabasca North and South covering Sec. 14, 22-29. 31-35 – 80-25-4 & Sec. 3-5, 8, 9 -81-25 -4.