Dorothy Livesay:
An Inventory of her papers & diaries at the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections
Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Detailed Description of the Collection
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION 1928-1997
DIARIES, JOURNALS & VISITATION BOOK 1983-1996
LETTERS OF PERMISSION 1991-1996
Repository:
University of Manitoba Archives & Special
Collections
Fort Garry Campus331 Elizabeth Dafoe LibraryWinnipeg, ManitobaR3T 2N2
Fort Garry Campus331 Elizabeth Dafoe LibraryWinnipeg, ManitobaR3T 2N2
Creator:
Dorothy Livesay
Title:
Dorothy Livesay
fonds
Dates:
1928-1997
Quantity:
1.66 m. of textual
material and 2 folders of graphic material including 4 scans & 34
photographs
Dorothy Livesay was born in Winnipeg on October 12, 1909 to J.F.B. and Florence Randal Livesay. She was already a published poet with the publication of Green Pitcher in 1928, when she graduated with a B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1931. In 1937 she married Duncan Macnair, the couple would have two children Peter and Marcia. Livesay won the Governor General's Award for her book of poetry Day and Night in 1944. In 1947 her most critically acclaimed work Poems for People, captured a second Governor General's Award along with Lorne Pierce Gold Medal for Literature. That same year she was elected to the Royal Society of Canada. Following the death of her husband in 1959, Livesay worked for UNESCO for four years. She spent 1959-1960 in Paris while living in Northern Rhodesia from 1960-1963. She returned to Canada and received a Master's of Education from the University of British Columbia in 1966. Between 1965-1983 she was Writer-in-Residence at Universities all across Canada. In a literary career that spanneed seventy years, she wrote over two dozen books, received eight honorary degrees as well as a Person's Award in 1984, the Order of Canada in 1987 and the Order of British Columbia in 1992. Livesay died onDecember 29, 1996.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The fonds is divided into eight series. They include: biographical information, ideas and diary notes, correspondence, literary material with sub-series on contracts and letters of permission to publish Livesay material, UNESCO, published materials, rare material designated by Livesay and oversizematerial including honorary degrees & sketches by Livesay.
The fonds contains 1.66 m. of textual records, two folders of graphic material were added to PC 43 including 4 scans & 34 photographs. Books donated by Livesay have been kept with the collection or separated anddispersed throughout the library.
Livesay's daughter and her family have asked that their correspondencebe restricted as well as some of Livesay's financial material.
Livesay's daughter and her family have asked that their correspondencebe restricted as well as some Livesay's financial records.
Detailed Description of the Collection
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION 1928-1997
BoxFolder
11Livesay funeral, including eulogy 1997
2Memorial service program 1997
3Obituaries & literary tributes 1997
4Academic records 1928-1966
5Articles containing information about Livesay 1972-1995
6Transcript of interview with Jane Shen 1985
7"Moving West A Memoir", This Magazine 1989
8"Symposium on the New Decade", Canadian Forum 1990
8aPublished interviews of Livesay 1990-1991
IDEAS & DIARY NOTES1966-1990
BoxFolder
19Ideas & diary notes 1966-1985
10Diary notes 1969-1990
11Diary notes & dreams 1974-1984
BoxFolder
21Diary notes & dreams 1979-1981
2Diary notes & dreams 1980-1984
3Diary notes 1990
CORRESPONDENCE1937-1995
BoxFolder
24Xeroxes of correspondence with William "Lon" Lawson 1937-1981
5CCorrespondence with daughter Marcia Hays & family 1959-1990
6C Re: Will & Deed of Gift with University of Manitoba Archives 1975-1989
7Correspondence with son Peter Macnair 1978-1981
8Correspondence 1977-1996
9Correspondence mainly B.C. Writer's Association and Nanoose Conversion Campaign 1987-1989
10Correspondence with son Peter 1987-1990
DIARIES, JOURNALS & VISITATION BOOK1983-1996
BoxFolder
31Diary & dreams 1983-1990
2Daily journal 1990-1991
3Handwritten notes for poems & ideas ca. 1985
4Diary notes 1991
5Peter's duty book 1992-1993
6Livesay daybooks 1992-1993
7Visitation books 1993-1996
CORRESPONDENCE1965-1995
BoxFolder
41Correspondence with son Peter ca. 1965-1989
2CCorrespondence with Hay family 1975-1995
3Erma & Ingham Suttcliffe 1976-1987
4Re: holdings at University of Manitoba Archives ca. 1985
5CNational Appraisal Board value of University of Manitoba Livesay holdings 1978
6CAnnuity with Zurich Life 1979-1988
7Memorial Society of British Columbia 1981-1991
8CMarian Hebb lawyer representing Livesay in dealings with University of Manitoba ca. 1985
9Correspondence 1983
10Inventory of material in the University of Manitoba Archives ca.1983
11Re: Livesay papers 1984-1991
12James Deahl 1984-1986
13Correspondence 1989
14Correspondence Re: Copyright of material at University of Manitoba Archives 1989-1990
15Canadian Copyright Institute 1989-1991
16Wayne Tefs & notes for speech at University of Manitoba 1990
17University of North Dakota Writer's Conference 1990-1991
18George Woodcock includes articles about 1990-1992
19Canada Council Writer's A grant 1990-1991
20CCorrespondence maily with Dr. Clayton Robinson 1990-1992
BoxFolder
51Correspondence 1988-1993
2Correspondence with University of Manitoba Archives 1989-1992
3Dispute with Earl Birney 1989-1990
4Correspondence & booklet on libel 1990-1992
5Letters from Wayne Tefs grade 11 class at St. John's Ravenscourt in Winnipeg 1992
6Correspondence to Livesay through her executrix Jay Stewart 1992
7Correspondence to and about Livesay answered by Jay Stewart 1992-1994
8Correspondence with Joan Givner includes tribute to Liveasy in B.C. Bookworld 1994-1997
BoxFolder
61CCorrespondence re: burial & dispersement of estate 1990-1991
2Voice of Women 1990-1992
3Ontario Arts Council 1990
4CI.O.U. from grandson Randal Macnair 1991
5Can lit 1991
6 Douglas Manor rent 1991
7Leon Edel 1991
8Public lending rights 1991-1992
9C.B.C. 1991-1992
10Canada Council 1991-1992
11Correspondence with niece Jill Re: Livesay's sister Sophie's death 1991-1992
12Family correspondence 12
13CHealth file 1992
14Declined invitations 1992
15Kim Lulashynk 1992
16League of Canadian Poets 1992
17Livesay Heritage Tour, genealogy of family 1992
18Order of British Columbia 1992
19North & Pacific Women's Writing Society 1992
20Order of Canada 1992
BoxFolder
71Correspondence 1992
2Unitarian Church 1992
2aPeter Stevens 1992
3University of Manitoba Archives 1992-1993
4Commemorative Medal for 125th Anniversary of Canada 1992
5Fan mail, includes poems sent by children at York House School 1992
6Correspondence with various Universities 1992
7Christmas & birthday cards 1992-1995
8Hutchison family 1993-1994
9Poem about Livesay by Chris Nancarrow 1993
10Correspondence 1993-1995
11Ann Kerr 1993-1994
12Anne Gee 1993-1997
13Jimmie & Annie Campbell 1994-1996
BoxFolder
81CDaughter Marcia & family 1993-1994
2Christmas & birthday cards 1993
3Correspondence through Jay Stewart 1994-1995
4Correspondence through Jay Stewart 1996
5Letters of condolence to Livesay's son Peter & daughter-in-law Jay 1996-1997
6Condolence cards 1997
LITERARY MATERIAL 1977-1992
BoxFolder
87Book reviews 1977-1992
8Reviews\publicity 1987-1992
9Reviews & articles about Livesay following publication of The Husband 1990
10Early drafts of poems in Awakenings 1991
11Manuscript copy of Awakenings 1991
12Draft of article "The Writing Game" ca.1991
13New poems 1991
Correspondence 1994-1997
BoxFolder
91CMarcia & family 1994-1996
2Erica Ransom 1995-1996
3Get well cards ca. 1995
4Correspondence 1995-1996
5CMarcia 1995-1996
6Correspondence & poetry from Laura Anne Birthwhistle 1996
7The Canadian Writers' Foundation Inc. - Dorothy Livesay Memorial Fund 1997
LETTERS OF PERMISSION 1991-1996
BoxFolder
98Money received from letters of permission to utilize Livesay material 1991-1992
9Letters of permission 1992
10Letters of permission 1992-1993
11Letters of permission to publish in various Anthologies 1994-1996
12Letters of permission 1995-1996
13CRoyalty statements 1992-1996
CONTRACT INFORMATION 1987-1997
BoxFolder
101Contemporary Authors Autobiography Series 1988
2Contract issues arising from Journey with Myselves 1987-1991
3Copy of contract with Marc Cote 1988
4Douglas & McIntyre Re: Journey 1989
5Douglas & McIntyre correspondence includes reviews 1992
6Ragweed Press correspondence 1991-1992
7Proposal from Arsenal Press Re: Unpublished Livesay material 1997
LITERARY MATERIAL 1980-1994
BoxFolder
108Short story - "A Beetle Story" ca. 1980
9"Not in Our Stars" memoir of growing up in Toronto ca. 1984
10"The Writing Game" ca. 1987
11"On Birthing" 1984
12 Contemporary Authors Autobiography Series
Volume 8 1987
13Program of THe Elmer Isler Singers putting Livesay poems to music, St. Boniface R.C. Church, Scarborough, Ontario ca.1990
14Xeroxed copies of poems ca.1990
15Transcript of Livesay discussing new book venture 1991
16Readings of work 1992
17Material used in reading 1992
18University of Ottawa M.A. thesis by Nadine McInnis Dorothy Livesay Poetics of Desire 1992
BoxFolder
111CRoyalty statements 1991-1992
2CRoyalty statements 1994
3CWill & Life Insurance Policy 1980-1981
4COld wills 1980-1991
5COld wills & prepared obituary for Globe & Mail 1989-1992
6CPower of Attorney 1991
7CCanada Council application 1991
8Commemorative material from Livesay's Honorary Degree from the University of Victoria 1990
9Events calendar 1993-1994
UNESCO material 1958-1967
BoxFolder
1110UNESCO publications 1958-1963
11Rhodesian material collected during Livesay's stay in Africa 1960-1963
12Zambian material 1964
13Anti-apartheid Group, Canada 1967
PUBLISHED MATERIAL 1927-1994
BoxFolder
121Three Poems, Poetry of Today, A Quarterly "Extra" of the Poetry Review 1927
2"A Cup of Coffee" The Canadian Bookman 1939
3Lorne Prize Medal award The Canadian Author & Bookman 1948
4Three Poems Voices A Quarterly of Poetry 1948
5"The Travellers" Queen's Quarterly 1953
6"Ceremonial Journey" Copperfield 1969
7Three Poems Athanor 1981
8Dorothy Livesay Issue Room of One's Own 1979
9Five Poems West Coast Review 1986
10"A Prairie Sampler" Mosaic 1970
11Three Poems Raven 1981
12"Sunny Day" Beneath the Surface 1988
13Two Poems Canadian Women Studies 1992
14Eight poems, translated to hindu ca. 1990
15"Parrot of Night" Canadian Forum 1990
16(m)other Tongues issue dedicated to Livesay 1994
RARE MATERIAL 1820-1941
BoxFolder
1217Letter written by Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) contemporary of John Keats ca.1820
18The Dry Salvage, T.S.Eliot, Faber & Faber: London 1941
MISCELLANEOUS 1945-1989
BoxFolder
1219"The Genius and the Injustice Collector" A Memoir of James Joyce, Leon Edel in American Scholar 1980
20A Magazine for Young Canadian Writers First Statement ca. 1945
21"Witness to History" Mississauga Magazine 1989
22Two articles about Peter Macnair in Comox Free Pres 1980-1982
OVERSIZE MATERIAL 1983-1990
BoxFolder
131Athabasca College, Honorary Degree 1983
2Person's Award, Ottawa 1984
3University of Toronto, Honorary Degree 1987
4Simon Fraser University, Honorary Degree 1987
BoxFolder
141University of Victoria, Honorary Degree 1990
2University of British Columbia, Honorary Degree 1990
3Livesay sketches from Galiano Island ca.1985
4Phases of Love, poster for Livesay reading at University of Toronto Bookroom 1983
PHOTOGRAPHS (PC) 43 1945-1995
BoxFolder
11Scans: 1. Livesay at Literary Storefront with Mona Fertog & Tom Wayman 1979 2. Writers' Review Playhouse, Vancouver (names on back) 1980 3. Livesay at Literary Storefront, 1982 , 4. Livesay & her sister Sophie at their father's grave at Erindale, Ontario, 1989 1979-1989
2Photographs: 1. Photo of tomb 2-6 Livesay bust at Victoria College, Toronto ca.1994, 7. Family home in Toronto ca. 1994, 8. Eugenia Lawson ca. 1945, 9. William Lon Lawson ca.1945 10. Phil Mesmer, Wilson & Edith Hunsberger & Lynn Seaborn 11-13. Hays home & garden?, ca.1992 14. Anne & Charles Gee wedding, 1994 15. Cheryl Hutchison & Richard Hollinger wedding, 1995 16-17. Sophia Livesay Stewart gravesite, Ireland 1991. 18-25. Livesay receiving Honorary Degree from University of Victoria, 1990. 26. Livesay on Cornwall St. in Victoria, 1990. 27. Livesay with Leslie Hanson, reading & book signing at Camousan College, 1992. 28. Grandson Johnathon Hays, ca. 1990. 29-30. Granddaughter Martha Hays, 1994 . 31-32. Daughter Marcia Hays, granddaughter Martha Hays and Daughter-in-law Jay Stewart, 1994 33. Marcia, Martha & son Peter Macnair, 1994. 34. Marcia Hays