Title and statement of responsibility area
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John Girvan fonds
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- Graphic material
- Photograph
- Textual record
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Fonds
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Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
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Date(s)
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Physical description
4.2 m of textual records and other material
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Girvan was born on May 3, 1876 to Catherine Cameron and Robert Girvan in Campbeltown, Scotland. He began his career as an apprentice painter under G. Hutchinson in Glasgow, Scotland from 1891 to 1897. John emigrated to Edmonton, Alberta in 1912 and shortly thereafter became a member of the Royal North West Mounted Police (R.N.W.M.P). In 1917, he joined the Canadian Armed forces and went overseas. From the time he moved to Edmonton, he worked in his profession as a painter/decorator. In 1924, John and his family moved to Vancouver where he continued to operate Girvan Studios until his retirement in 1956. John briefly taught sign painting at the Edmonton Technical School in 1922 and interior decorating at the Vancouver School of Art from around 1937 to 1940. He was a member of the Royal Scottish Society of the Arts, the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators, the Vancouver Rotary Club, and the Legion of Frontiersmen.
John Girvan was married to Grace Robb McGill and had two sons, Robert and James. He died on January 21, 1957 at 80 years of age.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds reflects John Girvan's career as a painter and decorator, as well as records relating to his family and background. Girvan's design project records include: renderings, photographs, invoices, correspondence, stencils, and sketchbooks. His personal records include: correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, certificates, awards, drawings, books, publications, and other material. Records are arranged in series by format; except in the case of textual records, which are divided into two series: business records and personal records.