Collection search - Donald Nelson Baird fonds [textual record, graphic material]

Record information – Brief
1
Donald Nelson Baird fonds [textual record, graphic material]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

[1936]-1992, predominant 1946-1964.

Reference:

R16086-0-0-E

Type of material:

Art, Textual material, Photographs

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

5082224

Context of this record:

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Donald Nelson Baird fonds
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Record information – Details

Fonds includes:

6 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

[1936]-1992, predominant 1946-1964.

Bilingual equivalent:

Click here

Place of creation:

Nova Scotia

Extent:

1 painting : watercolour on paper; 19 x 14 cm.
8 photographs : black and white.
1 photograph : colour.
5 cm of textual records.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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This fonds contains records related to Donald Nelson Baird and his design of a flag for the 1946 parliamentary flag design committee.

Included is the original submission to the committee, painted in watercolours, with added entry number. The fonds also includes correspondence from members of the committee, most notably from R. W. Gladstone confirming that Baird's design was chosen as being the best representation of the committee's overall preference. Other correspondence relates to the design, its selection and the Baird family's interest in the design through to the 1960s. As Donald Nelson Baird suffered from the effects of polio and was unable to write, the correspondence received is often directed to his sister Dorothy who wrote on Donald's behalf. Additional textual records in the fonds consist of a scrapbook of news articles on Baird's design as well as a copy of a Who's Who biographical guide supplement that makes mention of Baird.

The fonds also contains photographs of Donald Nelson Baird, some of which were taken for publicity purposes, as well as other family photos.

Provenance:

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Baird, Donald Nelson (1920-2001)

Biography/Administrative history:

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Baird, Donald Nelson (1920-2001) : Donald Nelson Baird (1920-2001) was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. From a young age he suffered the effects of polio on his hands, arms and legs. Despite this, he became skilled at watercolour painting and submitted a design to the 1945-1946 parliamentary flag design committee struck by Prime Minister Mackenzie King to select a new distinctive Canadian flag. Baird's design was chosen by, or inspired, the committee in its final recommendation to parliament. However, due to the potential political repercussions of the design, King's government never brought the recommendations to a vote in parliament and aside from prototypes made by the Secretary of State, the flag design was never used.

Baird died in Truro, Nova Scotia in May 2001.

Additional information:

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Custodial history:

Records were kept in the Baird family and were donated by signed deed of gift with Kenneth Baird.

Accruals:

Additional accruals are not expected.

Related material:

Related government textual records and retained examples of flag designs for the 1945-1946 flag design committee are held in the House of Commons fonds (R1021) within accessions BAN 2000-01375, BAN 2015-01484 and former RG14 accession 1987-88/146 container 43.

Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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2018-00288-0
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Conditions of access:

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Graphic (art)

[Consultation90 Open]

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

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Credit Library and Archives Canada. Copyright assigned to Library and Archives Canada for all material for which the Baird family previously owned copyright.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-09