Desmond Pacey

1917-1975

William Cyril Desmond Pacey was born 1 May 1917 in Dundedin, New Zealand and died in Fredericton in 1975.  In 1944 he joined the faculty of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He served as head of the English Department until 1969 and taught courses until his death. He was chair of the editorial board of the literary publication The Fiddlehead for several years.  He published a number of scholarly works including Frederick Philip Grove (1945), Creative Writing in Canada: A Short History of English-Canadian Literature (1952, 1961, 1966), and Ten Canadian Poets: A Group of Biographical and Critical Essays (1958, 1966). Later scholarly publications include Ethel Wilson (1968) and Essays in Canadian Criticism (1969). He also edited several anthologies including The Selected Poems of Sir Charles G. D. Roberts (1974) as well as the earlier version and co-edited the standard work Literary History of Canada (1965).  Pacey also wrote articles for publication in scholarly journals and encyclopedias as well as book, film, and play reviews. In addition to his academic writing, he published three children's book and a collection of short stories.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Fredericton

Archival Material

• Desmond Pacey fonds (LAC)
  ⌄
  Location

  Library and Archives Canada

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  R3324-0-3-E, MG30-D339

  Date Range of Material

  1886-1986

  Extent

  10.97 m of textual records
  179 photographs chiefly b&w
  37 postal covers
  1 audio reel (1 h, 30 min)
  1 audio cassette (ca. 20 min)

  Scope and Content Note

  Includes Desmond Pacey's research, correspondence, manuscripts and photographs. Includes files of the University of New Brunswick English Department.

• Desmond Pacey fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  MG L 1

  Date Range of Material

  1915-1976, predominant 1934-1974

  Extent

  5 m textual records,
  17 photographs ; b&w and col.

  Scope and Content Note

  This fonds documents the academic and literary career of W. C. Desmond Pacey as well as his work as a university administrator. It also documents aspects of his personal life. The fonds contains personal, family, and general correspondence; literary manuscripts and typescripts; copies of journal articles; newspaper clippings; lecture notes; programmes; photographs; reports and scrapbooks. It also includes financial records, genealogical and biographical information, speeches, and notes. It includes photocopies of correspondence with literary figures, including Elizabeth Brewster, Irving Layton, Dorothy Livesay, and Miriam Waddington and between Lorne Pierce and Frederick Philip Grove.