Fonds AM361 - Sherwood and Evelyn Lett family fonds

Norman MacKenzie and Sherwood Lett examining Roll of Service Chancellor Sherwood Lett receiving a decoration from Lieutenant Governor Frank Ross Chancellor Lett, Lieutenant Governor Frank Ross, and President MacKenzie taking the salute University of British Columbia honorary degree recipients and officials President MacKenzie making a presentation to Princess Elizabeth at U.B.C. U.B.C. Registrar Wood being presented to Princess Elizabeth by President MacKenzie Princess Elizabeth and University of British Columbia officials at a U.B.C. football game Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip being greeted upon arrival at U.B.C. Stadium Sherwood Lett being sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia on the occasion of the swearing in of Justices Brown and Ruttan Justice J.G. Ruttan, Chief Justice Sherwood Lett, and Justice T.W. Brown Norman MacKenzie, Vincent Massey, and Sherwood Lett at University of British Columbia Governor General Vincent Massey inspecting Roll of Service at University of British Columbia Norman MacKenzie, Vincent Massey, and Sherwood Lett at University of British Columbia Salvation Army Advisory Board dinner at the Vancouver Club Sherwood Lett speaking at Faculty of Pharmacy dinner with Sir Hugh and Lady Linstead University of British Columbia honorary degree recipients and officials Sherwood Lett, Shirley Grauer, Evelyn Lett, and Dal Grauer at a dinner party Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Dal Grauer, Prince Philip, and Norman MacKenzie at U.B.C. Chief Justice Sherwood Lett making a speech at an official dinner University of British Columbia honorary degree recipients and officials Vancouver Board of Trade Dinner, Archie Cator at podium Vancouver Board of Trade Dinner, Sherwood Lett and R. G. Miller at podium Leon Koerner, Margaret MacKenzie, Thea Koerner, and President Norman MacKenzie at Faculty Club Sherwood Lett at a military dinner in Toronto Sherwood Lett at a military dinner in Toronto Chief Justice Sherwood Lett at a Barossa Day dinner, group photo Chief Justice Sherwood Lett and Justice Manson at a Barossa Day dinner Chief Justice Sherwood Lett and Justice Manson at a Barossa Day dinner Field Marshal Montgomery speaking at a Special Congregation at U.B.C. Chief Justice Sherwood Lett, reading a citation to Field Marshal Montgomery U.B.C. President  Mackenzie and Field Marshal Montgomery in uniform Barossa Day dinner, toast at head table Barossa Day dinner, Hon. Frank Ross speaks Barossa Day dinner, head table guest of honour, Lieut. Gov. Frank Ross Barossa Day dinner, Sherwood Lett holding Barossa Cup Barossa Day dinner, W. "Tom" Brown holding Barossa Cup Barossa Day dinner, head table guests facing Fusiliers' piper Barossa Day dinner, three Irish Fusiliers' pipers playing to head table Barossa Day dinner, head table guests Barossa Day dinner, guests conversing Barossa Day dinner, Gen. Sir Ouvry Roberts conversing Barossa Day dinner, Lt. Col. John  Avison of the Irish Fusiliers Barossa Day dinner, member of the regiment standing on chair to make a speech Barossa Day dinner, guests holding the Barossa Cup Barossa Day dinner, Cecil Merritt V.C. and others Barossa Day dinner, seated guests conversing Barossa Day dinner, two guests Barossa Day dinner, Hon. Frank Ross and Norman MacKenzie conversing Barossa Day dinner, four guests stand with Barossa Cup
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Sherwood and Evelyn Lett family fonds

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Fonds

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AM361

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1.84 m of textual records
ca. 300 photographs
1 map

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Name of creator

(1895-1964)

Biographical history

Sherwood Lett was born in Iroquois, Ontario in 1895. In 1912 he accompanied his family to Vancouver where he pursued university studies until 1916 when he enlisted for service in World War I. He served in France and was awarded the Military Cross. In 1919, as a Rhodes Scholar, he studied law in Oxford. After returning to Vancouver in 1922, he entered private practice, specializing in corporate and tax law until the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1942 he participated in the Dieppe Raid and was awarded the D.S.O. In 1947, as a member of an official three-man commission, he visited Japan. Following his return he was elected president of the Vancouver Bar Association and a bencher of the B.C. Law Society. In 1951, he was elected Chancellor of University of British Columbia. In 1954 he was appointed Commissioner to head the Canadian truce delegation in Vietnam. In 1955 he was appointed Chief Justice of the B.C. Supreme Court, and in 1963 Chief Justice of the B.C. Court of Appeal. He died in 1964.

Name of creator

(1896-1999)

Biographical history

Evelyn Sykes Lett (née Story) was born in Wawanesa, Manitoba and later grew up in Vancouver. Lett earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 1917 as one of the early women graduates of UBC. During her time as a student, she helped found the Alma Mater Society and establish female students’ right to vote in student elections. Lett went on to obtain a Master’s degree in 1926. Two years later, she married Sherwood Lett. Following the Second World War, Evelyn Lett served on government commissions regarding the state of women’s employment in Canada. UBC awarded Evelyn Lett with an honorary degree in 1958. During her lifetime she worked as a board member and volunteer for such local institutions as the YWCA, Vancouver General Hospital, Salvation Army and the Vancouver Art Gallery and also served as president of the University Women’s Club. In 1997, Evelyn Story Lett was awarded the Order of Canada.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of records of Sherwood Lett including personal papers, 1908-1964, including diaries and correspondence, military papers, 1845, 1914-1965, covering service in World Wars I and II as well as peace-time associations; diplomatic papers, 1947-1955, covering the 1947 Canadian Mission to Japan and the 1954-1955 Canadian participation in the International Commission in Vietnam; judicial papers, 1955-1964, concerning the appointment as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court of B.C. 1955, and as Chief Justice to the B.C. Court of Appeal, 1963; university papers, 1951-1964, including Lett’s election as Chancellor in 1951. In addition, there are scrapbooks, clippings, and a collection of publications, 1916-1965. The fonds also includes photographs depicting the personal, professional, military and academic life of Sherwood Lett.

Fonds also includes records of Evelyn Lett, consisting of a small amount of letters of support for her nomination of the Order of Canada, 1997, a service award, 1998, news clippings and articles, 1975-1976, and a file related to family member Charles Plant.

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Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Donated by Mrs. Evelyn Lett in 1974 and Dr. R. H. Roy in 1992 and 1999; and Mary Plant in 2015 and 2018.

Arrangement

Fonds was changed to the Sherwood and Evelyn Lett family fonds in 2018, previously known as the Sherwood Lett fonds.

Photographs in this fonds have been assigned item numbers with the prefix "CVA 78".

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Restricted access to 550-D-5 files 6-10.

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Associated materials

University of British Columbia Archives - Sherwood Lett Collection

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