Information for Chronology Taken From
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MS WALKER, Edmund Papers Coll. 00327A Information for chronology taken from: http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/walker_byron_edmund_15E.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Edmund_Walker http://library.utoronto.ca/champlain/his_walker.htm Keywords: Walker, banking, manager, philanthropist, counterfeit, money, Canadian Bank of Commerce, art, Canadian Institute, Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario 1848 October 14, born Byron Edmund on a farm in Seneca Township, Haldimand County, Ontario. Eldest son and second oldest of nine children to Alfred Edmund Walker and Fanny Murton. Preferred to be called by his middle name. 1861 Quit school, on doctor’s orders, to work for his uncle, John Walter Murton 1868 Began working at the Canadian Bank of Commerce in Hamilton as a discount clerk 1872 Appointed accountant at Canadian Bank of Commerce head office in Toronto 1873 Appointed junior agent at the Bank of Commerce in New York 1874 November 5, married Mary Alexander in Hamilton, had seven children together: sons Edmund M., Ewart B., Alfred A., and Harold C.; daughters Ethelwyn (Hunter), Gladys (Guest), and Dorothy (Buhler) 1875 Appointed manager of the Bank of Commerce branch in Windsor 1878 Appointed manager of the Bank of Commerce branch in London 1879 Appointed inspector of the Bank of Commerce 1880 Appointed manager of the Bank of Commerce branch in Hamilton 1881 Appointed joint agent at the Bank of Commerce in New York 1886 Appointed general manager of the Canadian Bank of Commerce 1891 Joined the Canadian Institute (now Royal Canadian Institute) as a member of council, remained on the council until 1908 and a member until death 1891-1892 Chairman of the bankers’ section of the Toronto Board of Trade 1892 Became a trustee of the University of Toronto 1893 Became a senator of the University of Toronto Vice-president of the Canadian Bankers’ Association and became second vice-president of the Canadian Institute 1894-1895 President of the Canadian Bankers’ Association and vice-president of the American Bankers’ Association 1897 Became first vice-president of the Canadian Institute and organized the British Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Toronto President of the Toronto Guild of Civic Art 1898-1900 President of the Canadian Institute 1899 Chairman of the Royal Commission on the financial position of the Province of Ontario 1900 Co-founded what is now the Art Gallery of Ontario, served as president of the Board of Trustees until his death Honorary president of the Mendelssohn Choir 1901 Director of the Royal Conservatory of Music 1904 Awarded an Honorary DCL from Trinity College Chairman, Section of Money and Credit, International Congress of Arts and Sciences, Universal Expedition, St. Louis Donated palaeontological collection and library to the University of Toronto 1 MS WALKER, Edmund Papers Coll. 00327A 1905 Founded the Champlain Society, president until his death Member of the Royal Commission on the reorganization of the new University of Toronto 1906 Elected director of the Canadian Bank of Commerce Made governor of the University of Toronto given an Honorary Doctorate of Laws 1907 Became member of the Dominion Government Advisory Arts Council 1907-1924 President of the Canadian Bank of Commerce 1908 Became a member of the National Battlefields Commission Created a commander of the Victorian Order by King Edward VII 1909-1924 Chairman of the Dominion Government Advisory Arts Council 1910 Became chairman of the Board of Governors of the University of Toronto Knighted by King George V Created Knight of Grace of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem 1911 Broke with Wilfrid Laurier’s Liberal Government over the Reciprocity Pact with the United States; subsequently served as a financial advisor to the Conservative Borden government, helping to create the Finance Act of 1914 and preserve Canada’s financial stability regarding World War I. Founded Appleby School for Boys (now Appleby College) in Oakville, Ontario 1912 Became chairman of the Canadian Peace Centenary 1912-1924 Chairman of the board of trustees that created the Royal Ontario Museum 1913 Testified before the United States House of Representatives committee on banking 1913-1924 Chairman of the board of trustees of the National Art Gallery of Canada 1916 Honorary treasurer of an Appeal in Aid of the War Work of the British Red Cross Society 1917 Chairman of the Toronto executive committee of the British Red Cross Appeal 1919 Travelled to Japan, Korea, and China on bank business 1920 Appointed Honorary Consul-General to Canada by the Emperor of Japan 1921 Travelled to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Peru on bank business 1923 Became chancellor of the University of Toronto Mary Alexander Walker dies 1924 March 27, died in Toronto SCOPE AND CONTENT: This collection includes X boxes and items. The documents consist of personal and business correspondence, articles and addresses, banking and legal documents, estate information, biography information, and other items. The correspondence relates to art and the National Gallery, De Grassi Point, geology, Japanese consul, The Champlain Society, the National Battlefields Commission, the Royal Colonial Institute, the Round Table, University College Alumnae Association Building Committee. There is a significant amount of correspondence from the Canadian Bank of Commerce, the University of Toronto, and the Royal Ontario Museum, and with many prominent individuals in Canada and worldwide as well as letters to Mary before and after they married and messages of condolence received by the family after the death of Sir Edmund Walker. Other documents in the collection relate to the Alexander, Buchan, and Morrow families; the Coronation of King George V and other special events; the Duke of Sutherland's Scheme (Imperial Colonization Corporation of Canada); the West Virginia Debt Settlement; and C. White Mortimer. The items are books, a lace handkerchief, a wooden drawer containing numerous calling cards, card index 2 MS WALKER, Edmund Papers Coll. 00327A of pictures and art objects, a framed drawing of the coat of arms, Sir Edmund Walker's certificates and medal upon being admitted as a Knight of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, pieces of the fireplace from Long Garth, a silver vase, a silver bowl, a china plate with Walker crest and logo, and a fishing rod and net. 3 MS WALKER, Edmund Papers Coll. 00327A Box/ # Description Date(s) Folder Boxes 1–6 CORRESPONDENCE FROM BYRON EDMUND WALKER TO MARY (ALEXANDER) WALKER, October 23, 1872 to October 1, 1881 The following boxes include 209 letters, 200 of which are from Byron Edmund Walker to Minnie (Mary) Alexander. All letters are ALS with corresponding envelope, unless otherwise noted. Boxes 1–3 The following letters (mostly love letters) were tied into bundles with string, wrapped in paper, and sealed. Written in ink on the paper wrapping: “To be opened only by B.E.W. Otherwise to be destroyed without being opened. Mary A. Walker.” Dates range from (See Box 3 for paper wrapping.) October 23, 1872 to October 23, 1874 Box 1 October 23, 1872 to September 28, 1873 Folder 1 October 23, 1872 1872, Oct. 2 October 30, 1872 3 November 5, 1872 1872, Nov. 4 November 12, 1872; The Canadian Bank of Commerce letterhead 5 November 18, 1872 6 November 26, 1872 7 December 3, 1872 1872, Dec. 8 December 10, 1872 9 December 17, 1872 10 December 29, 1872 11 January 5, 1873 1873, Jan. 12 January 14, 1873 13 January 21, 1873 14 January 26, 1873 15 January 29, 1873 16 February 4, 1873 1873, Feb. 17 February 11, 1873 18 February 16, 1873 19 February 25, 1873 20 March 4, 1873 1873, Mar. 21 March 11, 1873 (found in own envelope in March 18, 1873, envelope) 22 March 18, 1873 23 March 25, 1873 24 April 1, 1873 (found in own envelope in April 8, 1873, envelope) 1873, Apr. 25 April 8, 1873 26 April 13, 1873; with envelope addressed to B. E. Walker 27 April 22, 1873 28 April 29, 1873 29 May 6, 1873 1873, May 4 MS WALKER, Edmund Papers Coll. 00327A 30 May 13, 1873 31 May 20, 1873 (found with piece of envelope in June 1, 1873, envelope) 32 May 25, 1873 (found in own envelope in June 1, 1873, envelope) 33 May 27, 1873 (found in own envelope in June 1, 1873, envelope) 34 June 1, 1873 1873, Jun. 35 June 8, 1873 – Sydney Walker to Minnie (Mary) Alexander 36 [June 8], 1873 – Mary Murton to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in own envelope in June 8, 1873, envelope) 37 [June] 1873 – Mary Murton to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in own envelope in June 8, 1873, envelope, with manuscript note “For dear Minnie with Grandma’s love”) 38 [June] 1873 – Bella Walker to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in June 8, 1873, envelope) 39 [June] 1873 – J. Walker to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in own envelope in June 8, 1873, envelope) 40 June 10, 1873 41 June 17, 1873 42 June 24, 1873 43 July 1, 1873 1873, Jul. 44 [July] 1873 – S. Walker to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in own envelope in July 1, 1873, envelope) 45 July 2, 1873 – Clara [Walker] to Minnie (Mary) Alexander (found in envelope of July 1873 S. Walker letter, no envelope of its own) 46 July 10, 1873 47 July 30, 1873; “W” stamp on envelope 48 August 3, 1873 1873, Aug. 49 August 10, 1873 50 August 18, 1873 51 August 25, 1873 52 Flower and leaf found in August 25, 1873, letter 53 August 31, 1873 54 September 7, 1873 1873, Sept. 55 September 20, 1873 56 September 28, 1873 Box 2 October 5, 1873 to October 23, 1874 Folder 1 October 5, 1873 1873, Oct. 2 October 13, 1873 3 October 19, 1873 4 October 26, 1873 5 November 16, 1873 1873, Nov.