Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey

1905-1997

Educator, poet, anthropologist, ethno-historian, and academic administrator Dr. Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey, O.C., M.A., PhD, LL.D., D. Litt, F.R.S.C., was born in Quebec on 18 March 1905. Dr. Bailey received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1927 from the University of New Brunswick and completed his Master of Arts (1929) and Doctorate (1934) degrees at the University of Toronto, with specialization in ethno-history and aboriginal culture. He was awarded a Royal Society of Canada Fellowship for Research in 1934 to study at the School of Economics and Political Science at the University of London. Dr. Bailey served as the first head of the UNB History Department from 1938-1969.  Dr. Bailey's literary interests led to the founding of the Bliss Carman Society in 1940 and to his co-founding of The Fiddlehead, Canada's oldest literary magazine, in 1945.  Dr. Bailey wrote several books of poetry and scholarly historical and anthropological works. His publications include Songs of the Saguenay and other poems (1927); Tao: A Ryerson Poetry Chap Book (1930); The Conflict of European and Eastern Algonkian Culture 1504-1700: A Study in Canadian Civilization (1937; 1969); Border River (1952); Culture and Nationality: Essays (1972); Thanks for a Drowned Island (1973); Miramichi Lightning (1981); and The Letters of James and Ellen Robb: Portrait of a Fredericton Family in Early Victorian Times (1983). He also served as an editor for the standard Canadian literary reference work, The Literary History of Canada.  Bailey died 21 April 1997.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Fredericton

Archival Material

• A. G. Bailey fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  UA RG 80

  Date Range of Material

  [18-?], 1906 - 1994, predominant 1940 - 1994

  Extent

  14.58 m textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  This fonds documents the pivotal role of Dr. Bailey in the history of the University of New Brunswick, and his contributions to the field of Canadian literature and Canadian history and ethno-history. Material relating to Dr. Bailey's extensive literary contributions forms a significant part of the collection, and includes many of his articles, published and unpublished books and manuscripts, and substantial documentation for his editorial role in the standard Canadian reference work The Literary History of Canada.  Series 3: Literary Works, contains a substantial amount of the published and unpublished works written by and about Dr. Bailey, including poems, scholarly articles and works, and review articles. The principal documentary forms found within this fonds are personal and business correspondence, telegrams, memoranda, minutes of meetings, poems and manuscripts of books and articles, periodicals, photographs, maps, blueprints, newspaper clippings, new releases, and reports relating to UNB activities and to the operations of the many historical, literary, cultural and academic organizations with which Dr. Bailey was affiliated.

• Bailey Family fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  MG H 1

  Date Range of Material

  1807-1995

  Extent

  4.25 m of textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  This fonds documents the personal and professional activities of members of the Bailey family. The bulk of the fonds, however, relates to Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey. The fonds includes correspondence, genealogical notes, literary notes, research notes, lecture notes, drafts of published and unpublished book manuscripts and poems, offprints, reviews, diaries, transcripts of interviews, diplomas and pamphlets.

• Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey
  ⌄
  Location

  Library and Archives Canada

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  LMS-0037

  Date Range of Material

  1975-1976

  Extent

  4 cm of textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  This item is comprised of a collection of essays by Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey and a bibliography of his works, up to August 1975. "Four Autobiographical Essays" includes "Literary Memories Part I," "Literary Memories Part II," "Lord Beaverbrook in New Brunswick: reminiscences," and "Origins of the Study of History in the University of New Brunswick." The bibliography, supplied by the Reference Department of the Harriet Irving Library, University of New Brunswick is titled "Alfred Goldsworthy Bailey: a preliminary checklist of his work and related criticism." This work was compiled by Patricia Ruthven and edited by Virginia Nielsen, and contains a supplementary list of additions and amendations by Alfred G. Bailey. These are photocopies of original typescript.