Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1885-1969 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.5 cm of textual records. -- 1 audio cassette. -- 9 photographs
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Peter Tomkins Jr., 1899-1970, was born on Poundmaker's Reserve in Saskatchewan, the son of Peter Tomkins Sr., 1865-1941, and his Cree wife, Marie Essawakapiw (Dent in the Grass Woman), ?-1944. His father had been imprisoned by Louis Riel in during the 1885 Northwest Rebellion, for repairing telegraph lines which had been cut the Metis. His mother had been Poundmaker's youngest wife. Pete Jr. was raised on several reserves where his father worked for the Indian Department, and was educatied in Winnipeg. He was fluent in Cree. He married Isabella Andrews and they settled in Grouard, Alberta where he worked as a blacksmith. He and Isabella had ten children. He was a founding member of the Metis Association of Alberta.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gift of Pete Tomkins, 1969.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The fonds consists of a recorded and transcribed interview with Peter Tomkins Jr., in which he discusses his father's experiences as Riel's prisoner in 1885 and as a Dominion land agent in the Grande Prairie area from 1907 to 1911. He also discusses his own life and activities. The interview was conducted by Glenbow staff members Doug Light and Georgeen Barrass in 1969. Includes photographs (1885-1962) of Tomkins family members, signatures of men held prisoner by Riel, and the executive of the Metis Association of Alberta.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions on access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
The material is in English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
No finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Digital content is available: https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/Package/2R3BF1S3EQLX6
Related units of description
Correspondence between Peter Tomkins and James Brady, regarding the Metis Association of Alberta, are in the Brady papers (call numbers M-125-(23, 24, and 30)) which are retained by the Glenbow Museum.
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of records.
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Description control area
Description identifier
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Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Thursday, October 11, 2018