Series 01 - UBC and anthropological research

Files in this series relate to the various roles Harry Hawthorn has fulfilled at the University of British Columbia as an anthropologist, a professor (and later head of the Anthropology department), and as the first Director of the Museum of Anthropology. This series consists of correspondence, slides, photographs, negatives and research notes.

The correspondence files primarily relate to the general administration of the Museum of Anthropology by Dr. Hawthorn, including correspondence related to the museum’s collections, potential acquisitions, museum funding, the official name of the museum and the establishment of a new site for the museum. Additionally, there is also correspondence regarding the proposed development of the Indian Historical-Cultural Village, correspondence with other museums, letters asking for Dr. Hawthorn’s expert advice regarding objects, and correspondence with Wilson Duff. Included is correspondence between H. Hawthorn and Bert Robson relating to Hawthorn’s trip in the northeastern region of B.C.

Slides, photographs, negatives and notes relate to the various research trips undertaken by Hawthorn in B.C. from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Some slides document a totem pole salvage expedition on Anthony Island, B.C. in 1957. Some of these slides were used in the production of George MacDonald’s book, Ninstints: A World Heritage Site. Other slides document miscellaneous events relating to Museum of Anthropology exhibitions and research, as well as other events such as Sports Day on the grounds of the Alberni Residential School and the carving of a 20’ long 2’ wide canoe, which took place at a regatta on May 24, 1948. Series includes negatives of totem poles, stories collected from Mungo Martin and notes, mostly written in an indigenous language.