Fonds AM973 - Bloomfield family fonds

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Title proper

Bloomfield family fonds

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  • Textual record

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds.

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Fonds

Reference code

AM973

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Physical description

  • 1.7 m of textual records
  • 25 photographs
  • 20 paintings

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1867-1986)

Biographical history

Henry and Emily Bloomfield emigrated to Canada from England in 1887 with their children, Edgar, James, Charles, and Ellen. In 1891, Henry Bloomfield and his sons, Charles and James founded British Columbia's first art and stained glass business, Bloomfield and Sons Limited. The family designed, fabricated and installed numerous notable stained glass projects, including windows for the new Parliament Buildings, Government House and Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. They moved their office to Vancouver following the great fire of 1898.

Name of creator

(1868-1937)

Biographical history

Edgar Bloomfield was a barrister in Vancouver at Wilson, Senkler and Bloomfield. In 1896, he married Maria Melrose Dockrill. They had two daughters, Marjorie Wilhelmina and Joan. Edgar was also an artist. He died in 1937 at the age of 69.

Name of creator

(1872-1951)

Biographical history

James Blomfield, born James Alfred Bloomfield, was born in 1872 in Maidenhead, England. He studied architecture and worked as a junior draftsman before emigrating to Canada with his family in 1887 where they owned and operated the first stained glass business in British Columbia. Around 1900, James changed his surname from Bloomfield to Blomfield. He married Mary Diamond in 1902. They moved to Toronto in 1920 where he sketched and painted local scenes. James dies in 1951 at the age of 79.

Name of creator

(1901-1982)

Biographical history

Joan Bloomfield, daughter of Edgar and Maria Melrose Bloomfield, was born in Vancouver in 1901. She spent 9 years working and living abroad in China, and then France, before relocating to England around 1933. During World War II she was employed as a civilian to lead housing and feeding of construction crews building wartime projects such as factories. She returned to Canada after the war, in July 1943. Her employment during this time included a position at the Kemano project, where she suffered an injury. She eventually settled on Gabriola Island until her death in 1982.

Name of creator

(1905-1986)

Biographical history

Emily Caroline "Cara" Tompson was the daughter of Margaret Ellen "Nelly" Bloomfield and Henry Metcalfe Tompson. Cara worked as a nurse in Vancouver. She died in 1986 at 80 years of age.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The fonds consists of the papers and artworks of James Blomfield, as well as extensive research notes and other papers relating to him; the papers and artworks of Edgar Bloomfield, which include some information relating to the Interior Land Syndicate and the Canada Power Generating Machine Co. Ltd.; records of Joan Bloomfield, including her recollections of her childhood and family life, as well as extensive papers on her work during World War II, and files relating to her postwar search for employment and career, including work on the Kemano project. The fonds also contains extensive research records on James Blomfield compiled by Doris Munroe. The fonds also contains lantern slides depicting family events, Bloomfield at work, and examples of stained glass. The fonds is arranged in 6 series: James Blomfield papers; Emily Caroline "Cara" Tompson collection; Books; Doris Munroe research files; Joan Bloomfield collection and Artworks.

Notes area

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Arrangement

Photographs in this fonds have been assigned catalogue numbers with the prefix CVA 681.

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General note

Add. MSS. 798 has been amalgamated with Add. MSS. 973; citations for these records should therefore refer only to Add. MSS. 973.

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