Before she retired in August, we asked Rolph-Bell Archivist Sylvia Lassam to choose her favourites among Trinity’s vast archival collection. Her affection for Trinity and its treasures runs as deep as the community’s affection for her. Here’s her letter:
My Five Favourite Things in the Trinity Archives by Sylvia Lassam
#1: Architectural Drawings
Hands down my favourite records are the architectural drawings. I couldn’t possibly choose just one of the more than 2,000 drawings we have. A number of researchers have used these drawings over the years for various projects and it’s been a great experience assisting them.
#2: The Strachan epergne
The Strachan epergne is an over-the-top piece of Victorian silver that has won me over. I did quite a lot of research on it for the Silver Society of Canada several years ago and learned about the piece itself, and about John Strachan. It was commissioned by a group of Strachan’s former students at the schoolhouse in Cornwall, where he first taught when he first came to Canada. They presented it to him in 1833 and he left it to Trinity in his will. For me it’s a symbol of his commitment to education, which led to the founding of Trinity College. Following the instructions in the will, we bring it out every year for a place of honour at the holiday dinner.
#3: Painting by Franklin Carmichael
October Haze, by Franklin Carmichael, is in my opinion the greatest painting in the Trinity art collection. It was given to St. Hilda’s by the undergraduate students shortly after it was painted, almost certainly in honour of their Dean, Dr. Mossie Mae Kirkwood, who is my favourite Trinity personality.
#4: Archival Letters: From Prof. Patterson to N. Hamilton
Embedded within the personal papers of Prof. Graeme Patterson is a small file of letters that were sent to Norman Hamilton, an ancestor of Prof. Patterson’s in Paris, Ontario. The letters have to do with the importing of young boys from the reformatories and “ragged schools” of Victorian England to the farms and factories of Canada. They are powerful letters that remind me that archives rarely speak for the powerless.
#5: Alumna and Donor Hon. Donna J. Haley ’51
The current archives facility would not have been possible without the support, financial and otherwise, of the late Hon. Donna J. Haley ’51. She loved Trinity and she believed in the importance of the Archives. Here she is as Chloe, the lead role in the 1949 production of Saints Alive, by Ron Bryden and Keith MacMillan. Donna came back for the remounting of this excellent musical production, a spoof of life at Trinity/St. Hilda’s, in 2009 for the 30th anniversary of the George Ignatieff Theatre.
Honouring Sylvia Lassam: Sylvia has been an integral part of Trinity, making a difference for so many students and alumni. Through the generous donations of alumni and others, a student award has been established and named in recognition of her meaningful contributions to the Trinity community. To honour Sylvia and support this award, give through the website, or contact trinity.giving@utoronto.ca
