Thunder Bay Museum
The Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society was created in 1908 to preserve and interpret the history of Northwestern Ontario through lectures, publications, the erection of monuments and plaques, and the preservation of documentsG.R. Duncan fonds
1896-1965
58 cm of textual recordsBiographical Sketch
Mr. G.R. Duncan was born in Ottawa on 7 Feb. 1878 and died around 1941 or 1942. He studied engineering at McGill University at the beginning of the twentieth century then moved to Fort William in order to direct the building of a plant for the Canada Iron Corporation. Duncan became involved with a real estate and insurance company and later purchased it calling it the G.R.Duncan and Company Limited. This company then went on to become an important business in Fort William and northern Ontario. Among its more famous business deals are the "Industrial Spur" a large block of land bounded by Mary, Sprague and Christine streets and Syndicate Avenue which developed into a large business area in Fort William and "Duncan's Union Centre", which is property bought from the Honorable Clifford Sifton. This property was between the two cities on May Street. His main interests in life were real estate developments, mining in northwestern Ontario and other parts of Canada, and industrial promotion in Fort William and Port Arthur.Scope and Content
The G.R. Duncan Papers are composed of nine series and include mostly records relating to Mr. Duncan's business interests in the fields of real estate and insurance. Also included are municipal records which related to Duncan's business interests, speeches which he gave at various venues and material relating to a number of organizations to which he belonged. The last series is a record from the G.R. Duncan Real Estate and Insurance Co. Ltd..
Series A 55/1/1-5 - Speeches - 1cm. - [1919]-1923
Five speeches delivered at various venues by G.R. Duncan on the subjects of 1) the vocation of real estate (1923), 2) a hunting trip in Northern Ontario (1919), 3) estates (nd.), 4) iron mining in the Northwest (1922), 5) properties and estates (1921)
Series A 55/2/1-6 - Municipal records - 13cm. - 1908-1923
Records created by or for the municipality of Fort William relating to matters of concern to G.R. Duncan, mostly assessments of real estate, industrial promotion, the disposal of lands, and the supplying of hydro-electric power. Includes
1) minutes of meetings of the special joint committee of the City Council, the Board of Trade and the Trades and Labour Council of Fort William (1921)
2) minutes and supporting material regarding special meetings of the City Council of Fort William and the Fort William Board of Trade regarding the Grand Trunk Pacific agreement (1921)
3) by-laws and agreements between the City of Port Arthur and Aimwell G. McIntyre (the Port Arthur Pulp and Paper Co.), 1916; the City of Fort William and the Mead Investment Co. (pulp and paper), 1920; and the City of Fort William and the C.P.R., 1908
4) memos regarding Fort William Street Railway by-laws (1909-1918); the contract between Great Lakes Paper Co. and the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario (1919)
5) reports of Fort William and Port Arthur city departments - public utilities (P.A.), 1921-1922; Public utilities (F.W.), 1917; Fort William street railway, 1920; Fort William works committee, 1920; Fort William utilities committee, 1920; Fort William assessment commissioner and tax collector, 1920, 22, 23 (with supporting documentation)
6) other documents: report to the chairman and members of the Fort William Industrial Bureau (1912), presentation of the Western Terminal Elevator Co. to Fort William City Council regarding the elevator assessment, 1919
Series A 55/3/1 - Financial statements and annual reports - 9 cm. - 1913-1965
Financial and annual reports of businesses in which G.R.Duncan was involved. Includes the Fort William Commercial Chambers (1917-1924, incomplete), Y.M.C.A. of Fort William (1922), the Montreal Welland Land Co. (1922-1923), Thunder Bay Country Club (1921), the Kaministquia Power Co. (1920-1923), the Fort William Building and Realty Co., financial statements (1913,1930), annual reports 1913-1965 (incomplete).
Series A 55/4/1-3 - Records of organizations - 3 cm. - 1915-1923
The records of three organizations in which G.R. Duncan was involved. Includes
1) the Board of Grain Commissioners in which there is a list of the elevator capacities at Lakehead (1923), and a letter which discusses joint terminals at Fort William (1916) and a proposal for a grain marketing plan (1923).
2) The Board of Trade in which there is there is a synopsis of a railway interswitching problem (1921),financial statements (1920-1921), Presidents report for 1920, a report on Fort William companies exempt from taxation (1915), a membership list (1920), and an annual report from the president of the Port Arthur Board of Trade (1920).
3) the Canadian Club of Fort William in which there is an address by W.A.Dowler on the subject of Trade and Commerce (1922).
Series A 55/5/1 - Legal records - 8 cm. - 1897-1941
Deeds, agreements, mortgages, abstracts, certificates and correspondence relating to real estate and properties in which G.R.Duncan held an interest. Includes Duncan's Union Centre (1914-1922), Schreiber Gold Mines Ltd. (1932), McKellar farm property (1897-1902), the Copp Stove Site (1941), and agreements between the Hydro Electric Power Company of Ontario and both Great Lakes paper Co. (1923), and Nipigon Fibre and Paper Mills Ltd.
Series A 55/6/1 - Prospectuses - 6 cm. - 1917-1943
The prospectuses of various companies collected by G.R. Duncan. Includes the Canadian Car & Foundry Co., Marigold Mining Co., Twin City and Albany River Railway, Great Lakes Transportation Co., Mortgage Bonds, The Watchman Mining and Milling Co. (Dryden), W.N. McEachern and Sons (Toronto), City of Edmonton bonds, Drummond Investment Apartments (Montreal), Fort William Paper Co., Bay Sulphite Co., Midwest Dev. Co.(Fort William and Port Arthur),and the Oakcoal Company.
Series A 55/7/1-3 - Mining reports - 6 cm. - 1896-1915, 1960-1971
Mining reports from Mining companies in which G.R.Duncan held an interest. Includes
1)reports on the prospects and work completed on various mines including several B.C. gold mines, Shining Tree District iron properties(including map and correspondence), and the White Lily Mining Co. near Kawene (n.d.).
2) report and file of correspondence and legal papers regarding the Empress Gold mining Co. near Jackfish. Includes maps and various reports 1897-1909,1966,1970.
3) Records of the Czarina Gold Mines Co. including stock certificate, letter, report and minute book 1901-1942,1960-1971.
Series A 55/8/1 - Miscellaneous papers - 8 cm. - 1910-[1925]
Various clippings, speeches, notes, pamphlets and advertisements relating to industrial promotion, taxation, assessment and real estate in Fort William and elsewhere. Includes speeches by R.J. Manion; a list of local industries exempt from taxation; a report of a meeting to discuss building depression (1921); a speech by Harry James; Fort William City Treasurer on the city's finances (1920); report on the feasibility of building a trunkroad to Winnipeg (1919), and promotional literature.
Series A 55/9/1 - Real Estate Holdings Account Book - 4 cm. - 1910-1935
A bound volume describing the value, changes of ownership, tax status, legal status and size of real estate holdings by G.R.Duncan Real Estate and Insurance Co. and its customers. It is arranged alphabetically by owner or location, contains some legal agreements and maps, and deals largely in industrial land and waterfront property.