W. Stewart MacNutt

1908-1976

William Stewart MacNutt was born on 4 July 1908 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. MacNutt attended both primary and secondary school in PEI and graduated from Prince of Wales College. He attended Dalhousie University, from which he obtained a Bachelor of Arts with honours. He was awarded the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire Scholarship to study abroad at King’s College, London where he did his masters degree. He returned to Canada after completing this degree to take a position at Rothesay Collegiate School, a private school in Rothesay, New Brunswick. He taught there for seven years, after which he joined the North Nova Scotia Highlanders to serve for the Allied forces in World War II. During his time in the military, he attained the rank of captain, and served in both North Africa and Italy. In 1945 he began teaching at Khaki College in Britain and after it shut down in 1946, MacNutt was invited by Dr. Alfred Bailey to take an assistant professor’s position at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). MacNutt would spend the remainder of his academic career at UNB, beginning as an assistant professor, attaining associate professor status in 1950, and becoming a full professor in 1952 and Dean of Arts from 1964 until his retirement in 1974. His first major publication was The Making of the Maritime Provinces, published in 1955. His best-known work, however, is New Brunswick: A History, 1784-1867. MacNutt was awarded several honorary degrees from universities in the Maritimes, including St. Thomas University, University of Prince Edward Island, Dalhousie University, and UNB. During his lifetime he was the President of the Humanities Association of Canada, the Chairman of the International Program for Loyalist Studies, and was appointed as a Fellow to both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Historical Society. MacNutt died on 10 February 1976 at the age of 67. The W. Stewart MacNutt Memorial Speech at UNB is given annually in his honour.

 

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Fredericton

Archival Material

• Select Loyalist Memorials by W.S. MacNutt
  ⌄
  Location

  Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

  Retrieval Number

  MC997

  Date Range of Material

  [ca. 1970-?]

  Extent

  10 cm of textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  This manuscript entitled, "Select Loyalist Memorials" was edited and introduced by W. Stewart MacNutt. It examines "appeals for compensation for losses and sacrifices to the British Parliamentary Commission of 1783 to1789 from Loyalists of the American Revolution who came to Canada". Included are chapters on the Loyalists of Massachusetts; the Penobscot traders; the loyal partisans of Connecticut; two Loyalists from New Hampshire; some Rhode Islanders, New York : the heart of loyalism, the city and the islands, Westchester - the cockpit, up and across the Hudson, Albany County, Tryon County - the new frontier, Charlotte County; New Jersey - the main road, Pennsylvania's hesitant role, and refugees from the South.  There are also an index of names and bibliographic notes. The manuscript was published (620 pp.) in 1975 as part of the Canadian Committee for Loyalist Studies and Publications (no. 1).  Part of the manuscript has been microfilmed (F9797).
   

• William Stewart MacNutt fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  UA RG 79

  Date Range of Material

  1933-1983

  Extent

  90 cm textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  Fonds consists of genealogical material; articles by W.S. MacNutt; research material; book manuscripts; book reviews, correspondence; photos; printed matter and research for Loyalist Memorials. Also contains some personal files.