Collection search - James Patrick Croal fonds [multiple media]

Record information – Brief
1
James Patrick Croal fonds [multiple media]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1917-1981.

Reference:

R5272-0-0-E, MG31-G34

Type of material:

Photographs, Textual material, Architectural and technical drawings, Moving images, Maps and cartographic material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

106931

Context of this record:

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James Patrick Croal fonds
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Record information – Details
Fonds includes:

7 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

1917-1981.

Place of creation:

Ontario

Extent:

2,478 photographs b&w and col.
1.61 m of textual records.
15 maps.
3 architectural drawings.
1 technical drawing.
2 film reels (38 min).

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Fonds consists of photographic materials, ca. 1945-1981, depicting events, activities, groups and individuals associated with the career of James Patrick Croal as an Arctic specialist serving with the Royal Canadian Navy and as an Arctic consultant with the Defence Research Board, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Department of the Environment, and the Arctic Institute of North America, ca. 1945-1981.

The fonds contains textual records, n.d., 1917, 1937-1980: correspondence and reports, personal and private papers and diaries, and published and unpublished scientific papers relating to the military and scientific exploration of the Arctic and to the career of James Patrick Croal.

The fonds also contains hydrographic charts, town plans, architectural drawings and a ship plan relating to the Canadian North, 1955-1974.

In addition, the fonds includes two films shot by Croal entitled Exercise fish, 1949 and Hay river to Aklavic via Mackenzie river, 1953.

Provenance:

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Croal, James Patrick, 1916-1985

Biography/Administrative history:

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Croal, James Patrick, 1916-1985 : James Patrick Croal, naval officer, Arctic specialist, was born in Galt, Ontario, 1916. He graduated from Melville College, Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1935. From 1935 to 1943 he was employed with the International Nickel Company of Canada Ltd., at Copper Cliff, Ontario, where he conducted research and worked in open pit mining. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1939 and was called to active service in 1943 as an Ordinary Seaman - Officer Candidate. He saw service in the North Atlantic in 1944 and 1945. In 1945, he was promoted to Lieutenant.

James Croal began his career as an Arctic specialist in 1945, when he was appointed Field Trials Officer for Exercise "Muskox", a 3170 mile military expedition through the Canadian Arctic in mid-winter. Croal was employed as a civilian in 1947 for the Defence Research Board's Northern Laboratory in Fort Churchill, where he was involved in the testing of vehicles, clothing and rations in an Arctic environment. In 1949, he gained a regular commission in the Royal Canadian Navy and was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in 1950. From 1950 through 1953, James Croal served on the staff of the Assistant Chief Naval Technical Services (Works), as Co-Ordinator Naval Construction, training the first group of Army instructors in Arctic survival while coordinating the construction of barracks in the Northwest Territories. In 1954, he served aboard HMCS LABRADOR during the ship's voyage through the Northwest Passage and subsequent circumnavigation of North America via the Panama Canal.

Working with the U.S. Navy in 1955, Croal helped establish advance camps during the creation of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. During 1957 and 1958, he served aboard USCGS EASTWIND as Logistics Coordinator for the Defence Research Board at Hazen Lake, North Ellesmere Island.

James Croal first retired from the RCN in 1961, but was returned to service as a naval consultant on various Arctic projects, in particular aboard CCGS JOHN A. MACDONALD, where he helped to establish a station at Tanquary Fiord in 1962. After his retirement from the RCN in 1965, Croal worked for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Defence Research Board, the Department of the Environment, the Arctic Institute of North America, and in private and corporate consultant work as an Arctic expert and oceanographer. James Croal died in Ottawa on 13 January 1985.

Finding aid:

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Textual records: (Paper) Finding Aid no. 1976 is a file list. MSS1976

Maps, architectural drawings, technical drawings: (Electronic) More detail is available in the accession record.

(Electronic) See MISACS for item level descriptions.

Additional information:

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General note:

Received in 1992 from the family of James Patrick Croal.
Subject heading:

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Arctic regions - Research

Arctic regions - Strategic aspects

Canada, Northern - Description and travel
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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120-020176-0
1992/0118
1995-0264 VSA
1996-025 DAP
1997-00059-8
95-013

Former archival reference no.:

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MG31-G34
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

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Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 1976] 144

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Architectural: technical drawings

[Consultation90 Open]

Moving images (film)

[Consultation90 Open]

Cartographic material

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

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Photographic materials: No donor restrictions. Various copyrights on items less than 50 years old. Copyright expired on items more than 50 years old. Credit: Name of photographer / National Archives of Canada / Copy negative no.
Maps, architectural drawings, technical drawings: No donor restrictions. Reproduction is possible, subject to the Canadian Copyright Act.
Moving images: No donor restrictions. Reproduction and use require the written permission of the copyright owner.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-09