George Macbeath

1924-2013

George Boyd MacBeath was born 1 January 1924 in Moncton and was raised in Saint John. He was a graduate of the University of New Brunswick (1946) and earned his doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris before returning to Saint John as History Curator and eventually Director of the New Brunswick Museum. He was eventually made Deputy Minister of Historical Resources (1967).  He received the Order of Canada, and the Order of New Brunswick in 2008.  He was instrumental in the creation of Kings Landing Historic Settlement  and le Village Historique Acadien as well as the Provincial Archives of NB. In his retirement, he and his wife Marie were involved with the development of Science East housed in the former York County jail. Books he authored include The Story of Restigouche (1954); New Brunswick's Old Government House (1995) and Great Maritime Achievers in Science and Technology (2004). MacBeath passed away in Fredericton on 27 March 2013.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Moncton, Saint John

Archival Material

• George MacBeath fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  New Brunswick Museum Archives

  Retrieval Number

  CB DOC - MacBeath, George

  Scope and Content Note

  I. Letter to Dr. A.W. Trueman (Canada Council) from George MacBeath re financial assistance for Julia Crawford. 1957
  II. Medicine men
  III. Regional Museums
  IV. Navigation on the Upper St. John
  V. Lights of Yesterday
  VI. The Three Lamps [Three Sisters] - Reed's Point
  VII. Partridge Island
  VIII. The County Court House (2 items)
  IX. Notes re Benjamin Tibbets
  X. Re the Passamaquoddies
  XI. Unitarianism in Saint John (2 items)
  XII. Chubb's Corner
  XIII. Excavating Fort LaTour - A Reminiscence
  XIV. Porcelain - 18th century
  XV. Saint John' County Court House

• New Brunswick Historical Society fonds - Corresp
  ⌄
  Location

  New Brunswick Museum Archives

  Retrieval Number

  F37

  Date Range of Material

  1954-1965

  Scope and Content Note

  This series consists of the correspondence of the New Brunswick Historical Society and various individuals and groups relating to the Society, its activities and historical reseach and include the correspondece of George MacBeath, Curator, Department of Canadian History, the New Brunswick Museum, Saint John.

• George MacBeath Collection
  ⌄
  Location

  Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

  Retrieval Number

  MC1920

  Date Range of Material

  1960-2010

  Extent

  1.3 m of textual records and photographs

  Scope and Content Note

  Collection consists of various publications related to heritage in NB including topics such as legislative tradition, ships and ship building, and trees and forestry projects, studies on Mactaquac development leading to Kings Landing, certificates relating to George MacBeath including membership certificates and his birth certificate, correspondence re: employment, contracts, and memberships, as well as the Lord Beaverbrook Collection of Historic Negatives and regional museums, newspaper clippings, speeches, a copy of The Fighting 26th: A History of the 26th New Brunswick Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1919 by S. Douglas MacHowan et al., and items relating to Association Museums New Brunswick including newsletters, bulletins, and membership documentation, as well as various photographs. Also contains research notes, copies of sources, and correspondence about Government House, various Lieutenant-Governors, history of painting in NB, and other projects related to his duties as head of historical resources.