Transcripts of letters written by Bill Garnett while working in Canada, as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford and serving in the Canadian Navy during World War II
Typed transcripts, with explanatory notes, by Will Garnett of his father Bill Garnett's letters written primarily to his parents from 1927 to 1948, with transcripts of some letters written to Bill and his family by others and related documents. Comprises:
- File 1: chronology of events in the lives of the Garnett family compiled by Will Garnett, c.2010; transcripts of letters from Bill on a visit to Switzerland, 1924, from Ontario and Guelph including correspondence relating to his application for a Rhodes Scholarship; diary of journey from Guelph to England, 1933; correspondence while at New College, Oxford, 1933-1936, including with Geoffrey Dawson and related documents.
- File 2: letters from Bill while working for the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada, 1936-1938, and while at Prince of Wales Fairbridge Farm School, Cowichan Station, Vancouver Island, before the war, 1938-1942, and after the war as Principal, 1945-1946. Includes some letters, 1945, from Bill's new wife, Jo Livingstone.
- File 3: letters from Bill while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, 1942-1945; letters from Michael and Diana Lubbock, 1937-1941; letters from and relating to John Buchan, 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir, 1938-1978.
Dates
- Creation: 1924-1978 and 2010
Extent
1 box
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. 24283, file 1].
Shelfmark:
MS. 24283
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 24283
Abstract
Transcripts of letters written by Bill Garnett between 1927 and 1948 while working in Canada, as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford and serving in the Canadian Navy during World War II.
Biographical / Historical
William Jeremiah (Bill) Garnett was born at Norcot, Holcombe near Bolton in 1909 and educated at Charterhouse before sailing to Canada in 1927 where he worked on a farm and studied at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph. He successfully applied for a Rhodes Scholarship and spent 1933-1936 at New College, Oxford, reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). While at Oxford he was President of the Ralegh Club and a member of the Union.
In 1936 Bill Garnett returned to Canada to work for the Hudson's Bay Company until 1938 when he became assisant to the Principal of the Prince of Wales Fairbridge Farm School on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In 1942 he joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and served on the North Atalantic convoys. After the war he returned to the Fairbridge Farm School as Principal until 1948 and then moved back to the United Kingdom where he was Principal of the Norfolk School of Agriculture from 1949 until 1973. He married Mary Josephine (Jo) Livingstone in 1945 and they had four sons.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Will Garnett, son of Bill Garnett, in 2010.
Existence and Location of Originals
The original letters and documents are held by Will Garnett.
Creator
- Title
- Catalogue of Transcripts of Letters Written by Bill Garnett while Working in Canada, as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford and Serving in the Canadian Navy during World War II
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Lucy McCann
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- First edition.
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk