Fonds 05-012 - Thomas H.B. Symons. Meta Incognita fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Thomas H.B. Symons. Meta Incognita fonds

General material designation

    Parallel title

    Other title information

    Title statements of responsibility

    Title notes

    • Source of title proper: Title based on the creator and contents of the fonds

    Level of description

    Fonds

    Reference code

    05-012

    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)

    • 1990-2000 (Creation)
      Creator
      Symons, Thomas H.B.

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    60 cm of textual records
    30 photographs
    1 audio cassette

    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

    (1929-2021)

    Biographical history

    Thomas H.B. Symons was born at Toronto, Ontario 30 May 1929, son of Harry Lutz Symons and Dorothy Sarah Bull. He was educated at Upper Canada College, University of Toronto (B.A. 1951), and Oxford University (B.A. 1953, M.A. 1957). He married Christine Ryerson 17 August 1963 and with her had three children: Mary, Ryerson and Jeffery. Professor Symons held many posts as an educator, including Assistant Dean of Men, Trinity College and Instructor of History, University of Toronto 1953-1955; and Dean, Devonshire House, University of Toronto 1955-63. His most notable post, however, was as the founding President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University, 1961-1972. Symons also held many presidencies, chairmanships and memberships in various organizations, mainly dealing with the topics of education, Canadian studies, Indigenous rights and human rights. From 1971 to 1973, Symons was the President of the Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples. He was the author of several reports and articles and contributed chapters to many books including: "Political Education in Canada" 1988; "Archives Libraries and the Canadian Heritage" 1983; "A Century of Canada's Arctic Islands, 1880-1980" 1981; "A History of Peel County" 1967; and "Native Rights in Canada" 1970. Professor Symons resided in Peterborough, Ontario until his death on January 1, 2021.

    Name of creator

    Administrative history

    Meta Incognita was a project initiated to bring new light to the Arctic voyages of Martin Frobisher and to show the significance of these voyages for the histories of North America and Britain. With the guidance of the Meta Incognita Project Steering Committee, an Archival Research Task Force (ARTAF) researched archival documents in Britain and Europe and compiled their research into a two volume publication Meta Incognita: A Discourse of Discovery: Martin Frobisher's Arctic Expeditions, 1576-1578. The publication was edited by the chair of the Steering Committee, Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, and was published in 1999. (Taken from Meta Incognita: A Discourse of Discovery: Martin Frobisher's Arctic Expeditions, 1576-1578. Vol. 1. Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1999).

    Custodial history

    This fonds was created by and in the custody of Thomas H.B. Symons before it was forwarded to Trent University Archives in 2000.

    Scope and content

    Fonds consists of correspondence, reports, notes, papers, and research material relating to the Meta Incognita project.

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Fonds acquired from Thomas H.B. Symons in 2000

    Arrangement

    Language of material

      Script of material

        Location of originals

        Availability of other formats

        Restrictions on access

        None

        Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

        Finding aids

        Associated materials

        For related records see: 03-012

        Related materials

        Accruals

        General note

        Box 1

        Meta Incognita Symposium, held at Trent University May 1-4, 1997: papers, correspondence, notes, publicity. Also included in Box 1 Folder 3 are two photographs of the Meta Incognita Steering Committee, taken at Trent University and including Professor Symons

        Box 2

        Meta Incognita: correspondence, research material, reports, notes 1990-1991

        Box 3

        Meta Incognita: correspondence, research material, reports, notes, 1991-1992

        Box 4

        Meta Incognita: correspondence, research material, reports, notes, 1991-2000

        Note: Folder 15 includes 28 photographs taken at Meta Incognita meetings in Iqualuit, November 1997 (photographs include Professor Symons)
        Note: Folder 15 includes one audio cassette entitled "Re: Frobisher Voyages, Trent University, 7 May 1997, CBC-R, Peter Gzowski" (Copyright restrictions apply)

        Alternative identifier(s)

        Standard number

        Standard number

        Access points

        Place access points

        Name access points

        Description record identifier

        Institution identifier

        Rules or conventions

        Language of description

          Script of description

            Sources

            Accession area