Call Number: Mss 232 (A.05-26)

Title: Joseph Higham fonds.

Dates: 1910-1919, predominant 1914-1919.

Extent: 0.01 m of textual records. -- 1 photograph. -- 1 compact disc.

Biographical sketch: Pte. Joseph F. Higham was born in Tingewich, England on May 5, 1893. He immigrated to Canada on May 10, 1910 with the intention of becoming a farmer. He settled in the Cartwright Neelin district of Manitoba. He first worked as a farm hand for the Mowbry family in Cartwright and the Copper family in Neelin. In 1912, he took out an option on a quarter-section of land in the Cartwright district, however, in 1913, he enrolled at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Agriculture. In April 1915, his whole university class join the Canadian Expeditionary Force and formed the University of Manitoba Machine Gun Battalion. Joseph served in France with the Canadian Mounted Rifles until December 1918. He decided to go into business with a university friend after war and never returned to farming or completed his university degree.

In the 1920s, Higham invented a product called "water sprite", a water softener that made soap work in hard water. After World War II, Higham advised and assisted a number of returning servicemen wishing to be self employed. He died on September 13, 1954, and is buried at Field of Honor Brookside Cemetery of Winnipeg.

Custodial history: The letters sent by Joseph Higham to his parents were kept by them until donated to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections in 2005 by Higham's granddaughter, Katie Higham.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of letters by Joseph Higham to his parents from 1914 to 1919 while he was in France as a member of the University of Manitoba Machine Gun Battalion, and later the Canadian Mounted Rifles.

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this material.

Accruals: No further accruals to this fonds are expected.

Finding aid: A finding aid for this fonds does not currently exist.