Fonds F2859 - Robert A. O'Brien fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

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Robert A. O'Brien fonds

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Fonds

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1878-1998 (Creation)
    Creator
    O'Brien, Robert Anthony

Physical description area

Physical description

2 m of textual records, 38 audio cassettes, 318 photographs

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1915-2000)

Biographical history

Robert Anthony O'Brien was born on 19 May 1915 to Dora (nee Anthony) & Alva Duggan O'Brien of Winnipeg. The family moved to Moose Jaw around 1918 and lived there until 1926 at which time they moved to Brandon and then returned to Winnipeg in early 1930s. Following high school, O'Brien took a one year secretarial course and worked numerous part-time jobs before becoming an Insurance Investigator for Retail Credit Company in London, Ontario, a position he held for four years. At this time he began taking extra-mural courses in English and Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario.

In 1941, he enlisted in the Canadian Army, training at the University of Western Ontario Canadian Officer Training Corp, receiving the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and served as Platoon Officer, Infantry Training Officer, and Administration Officer, as well as being seconded for a period as an Intelligence Officer. He became a records officer at National Defence Headquarters (1943-1944) and then became Army Examiner at #1 District Depot (London, ON) and #12 and #13 CA(B)TC [Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, Chatham and Listowel, ON, also called CI(B)TC] from 1944-1946, attaining rank of Captain 22 May 1945. O'Brien demobilized and became a reservist in February of 1946, serving as the call-out officer at the R.C.E.M.E. School in Barriefield (ca. 1949-until Sept 1950) and a member of the General List at Central Command Personnel Selection Unit at Kingston (Reserve Force) to May 1951 when became a Librarian at the Royal Military College as a civil servant. He remained a reservist until 1953.

While serving in the Army, O'Brien received a Bachelor of Arts degree at University of Western Ontario (1947-1949) and then attended the Library School at McGill University, obtaining a Bachelor of Library Science degree (1949-1951). While working at the RMC Library, he attended Queen’s University, obtaining Honours standing and undertaking graduate work in the English department from 1953-1956. He did not, however, complete his degree.

From 1955 to 14 January 1975 O'Brien worked for the Kingston Whig-Standard as an Associate Editor and then Editor of Editorial page, as well as Editor of the Book page, writing book reviewers as well as art and music reviews for the paper.

After leaving the Whig, O'Brien became a partner, with Neil Patterson, in the advertising firm Frontenac Advertising Limited (1974-before Feb 1978) and then ran his own small copywriting/editing and advertising business, Copy of Distinction (1977-1982).

O'Brien authored numerous articles, particularly book reviews, for numerous publications from 1939 onward, as well as writing radio scripts and other material. He was wrote a series of semi-autobiographical short stories which he intended would be published together but they were ultimately rejected by editors. From 1975 to 1980 he produced a series of radio programmes on Big Band music which aired locally on CKLC-FM and were syndicated. He was also the author of "Frontenac at Cataraqui, 1673-1973" (1975).

He was an amateur musician who built himself a harpsichord. He also played piano and was a collector of Classical and Jazz records.

O'Brien was married in the 1940s to Lois Blanche Siemon. They separated 27 September 1971 and divorced 20 May 1975. They had a son, Courtis Charles O'Brien, who was born on 9 March 1959 and died 13 November 1977.

O'Brien died in Kingston in April 2000.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The fonds consists of the personal records of the Kingston-based journalist and author Robert A. O'Brien (1915-2000). It contains his published and unpublished writings in various genres including journalism, criticism, scholarly work, fiction. In addition to his reviews, articles, and stories - and the notes and other research he compiled in the writing of these works - the fonds also includes speeches and radio scripts which he wrote. In addition to his writings, the fonds contains records of his personal life, including documents relating to his family life and finances, his service in the Canadian Army (1941-1953), and his post-secondary education. This fonds contains the following series: Personal documents (1878-1998), L.H. Irving correspondence and other material (1885-1951), Notebooks (1952-1997), Army (1930-1960), University records (1934-1956), Thesis - Literary Dandyism (1952-1971), Writing and research (1939-1994), and Radio (1974-1980).

Notes area

Physical condition

A large portion of the records in this fonds consist of newsprint or other poor quality paper. They were evidently stored in humid conditions for a significant period of time. There is a great deal of rust stains from paperclips, staples and other fasteners. The paperclips have been replaced but most of the staples still remain in the documents. A small number of documents have been damaged by water and the donor removed and destroyed a series of papers that had become mouldy.

Immediate source of acquisition

Benoit Cameron

Arrangement

The creator's order, where discernable, was recreated to the best of the archivist's ability. Where no order was apparent the files were grouped by subject.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

1001.70
2319.4
SR1187.1-SR1187.38
F3 F2

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Open

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

None

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No further accruals are expected

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Location (use this to request the file)

  • Shelf: 2319.4
  • Shelf: SR1187.1-SR1187.38
  • Shelf: F3 F2
  • Shelf: 1001.70