Prairie Immigration Experience: G.W. Simpson fonds

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Institution: University of Saskatchewan Archives

Collection Identifier: MG 7

Title: G.W. Simpson fonds

Dates: 1930-1960 [1938-1957 (predominant)]

Extent: 38 cm of textual records

Biographical Sketch: Born in Chatsworth, Ontario on 24 March 1893, George Wilfred Simpson received his early education in Owen Sound before taking up a homestead in southern Saskatchewan. In 1915 he entered the University of Saskatchewan and received a BA (1919) in English and History. In 1920 he received an MA from the University of Toronto. Simpson was able to attend the University of London for postgraduate studies. He also did postgraduate work at the University of Berlin (1931-1932), and in 1947 received an honourary doctorate from the Free Ukrainian University in Munich, Germany. In 1959, Simpson was given an LLD from the University of Saskatchewan. His teaching career at the University of Saskatchewan started in 1922, with an appointment as instructor in History. By 1928 he had been promoted to full professor, and, in 1940, Simpson was appointed head of the History Department, a position he held until his retirement in 1958. Upon retirement, Simpson was named Professor Emeritus. During his career at the University of Saskatchewan, Simpson helped initiate the department of Slavic studies, was the first Canadian historian to learn Ukrainian, and edited the first history of the Ukraine published in English. He helped shape the policy of the Saskatchewan Archives Act and was the first Provincial Archivist (1945-1948). Simpson died in Saskatoon on 6 March 1969 at the age of 75.

Digitized Material: The digitized material from the G.W. Simpson fonds consists of files entitled “Ukrainian files” regarding the Ukrainian community in Saskatoon and University of Saskatchewan, 1930-1957; and material relating to Simpson’s association with the Advisory Committee on Co-operation in Canadian Citizenship  (Nationalities Branch), 1941-1960.

For a full description of the G.W. Simpson fonds search the databases of  Archives Canada and the Saskatchewan Archival Information Network (SAIN).

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