Title: Olive Irvine fonds.

Dates: 1969.

Extent: 0.01 m of textual records.

Biographical sketch: Olive Irvine was born in Holland, Manitoba on June 21, 1895. She began her career as a teacher at Fannystelle and later taught at Cypress River, Treherne and Winnipeg. During the First World War, she ran the Cypress River Red Cross Society and, during the Second World War, she was an active Red Cross member and Chairman of the Rooms Registry. Irvine was a member of both the provincial and federal Progressive Conservative Party. In 1959, she became the Manitoba representative on the National Capital Commission. A year later she became the first woman appointed to the Senate by the Diefenbaker government and the first woman senator from the Prairies. In 1963, she represented Canada as a delegate to the United Nations. Irvine served on the Senate until her death in 1969. Her husband was James C. Irvine of Winnipeg.

Custodial history: James C. Irvine donated the fonds to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections in 1979.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of a photocopy of a letter of condolence from Governor-General Ronald Michener to James C. Irvine on the death of Senator Irvine, photocopies of three obituary notices, and a brochure on the Senate Chamber showing Senator Irvine's seat.

Source of supplied title: Title based on provenance of fonds.

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this material.

Finding aid: Finding aid is currently unavailable.