Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
J. Wreford Watson fonds
General material designation
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
RC0101
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1800-1969 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
3.1 m of textual records and graphic material
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
James Wreford Watson, geographer and poet, was born on 8 February 1915 in Shensi, China, and educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Toronto. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1953. He joined the McMaster University faculty as the first regular appointment in geography in 1939. He left for Ottawa in 1949, becoming chief geographer for the Government of Canada and holding a concurrent appointment at Carleton University, 1951-1954. He returned to Scotland and the University of Edinburgh in 1954 and held a number of appointments there, including Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Director of the Centre of Canadian Studies. He returned to Canada over the years, serving as a Visiting Professor at Queen's University, University of Manitoba, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Calgary.
Elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1954 and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1957, he received the Canadian Association of Geographers’ award for service to the profession in 1978. In addition to writing books about geography, he was also a published poet, beginning with Of Time and the Lover (1952). Watson died in September 1990 in Scotland.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The first accrual was acquired in November 1992 via Margaret H. Black from Watson's children, Margaret and Jamie Watson, on deposit with McMaster University until their deaths when ownership will transfer to McMaster. The second accrual (18-1993) was acquired from Muriel Aldwinckle in November 1993. The third accrual (25-1995) was acquired from Muriel Aldwinkle in June 1995. The fourth accrual (06-2001) was acquired from Muriel Aldwinckle in June 2001.
Arrangement
There have been four accruals which have been combined. The fonds has been arranged into the following series: Novel Manuscripts, Poetry, Geographic Writings, Academic Awards and Honours, Miscellanea and Correspondence.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
No access restrictions.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
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Control area
Description record identifier
RC0101