Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
King, William Lyon Mackenzie to Arthur King.
General material designation
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
File
Reference code
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)
Physical description area
Physical description
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
"William Lyon Mackenzie King had a long political career. He was leader of the Liberal Party for 29 eventful years through the buoyant expansion of the 1920s, the depression of the 1930s, the shock of World War II, and then the post-war reconstruction, and for 21 of these years he was Canada’s prime minister. His decisions during this time contributed significantly to the shaping of Canada and to its development as an influential middle power in world affairs. During his lifetime his achievements were sometimes obscured by a style notable for its compromises. After his death his political career was sometimes overshadowed by the revelation of his unsuspected personal idiosyncrasies."
Custodial history
Scope and content
Typewritten letter from William Lyon Mackenzie King to his nephew Arthur on January 6, 1950, containing belated thanks for their Christmas letters and gift of the book Cry The Beloved Country. King finds it "extraordinary" that three books recommended to him by Violet Markham were given to him by three separate family members that Christmas. The other two were Schweitzer's Out of My Life and Thought and Lead, Kindly Light. [1] King describes his poor health, commiserates with Arthur's disappointment at not seeing his mother at Christmas, and approves of Arthur and Kathleen's plans to use his Christmas cheque to buy a set of nesting tables. King reiterates his pleasure at receiving letters from Arthur and Kathleen, and ends with concern that Kathleen's vitamins might have run out and that he is sending more.
Salutation: "My dear Arthur" [handwritten]; Signature: "With fondest love and all good wishes to Kathleen and yourself. [Illegible, possibly Again as?] always, Yours affectionately, Uncle Willie" [handwritten].
Includes handwritten corrections.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Donated by John English in 2019.
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
Physical description
Letter: 4 p. (of 8, folded leaves); 20 x 16 cm.
Printed Letterhead: Laurier House, Ottawa.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- King, Arthur Macdougall (Subject)
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Described May 2019 by JSB.
Language of description
- English
Script of description
Sources
[1] Lead, kindly light, Gandhi and the way to peace, by Vincent Sheean (1949): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Sheean