Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
William Orson Banfield fonds
General material designation
- Textual record
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on the provenance of the fonds.
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
- 2.3 m of textual records
- ca. 2,900 photographs
- 7 architectural drawings
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Banfield was born in Vancouver, the son of John J. Banfield. John J. Banfield arrived in Vancouver in 1891 and operated a real estate and insurance office. He also served on many civic bodies, including the School Board, the Hospital Board, the Exhibition Association and the Board of Trade. William Orson Banfield graduated from the University of British Columbia with a master's degree in 1923. He worked briefly as a chemical engineer before joining his father's business. In 1934, Banfield formed his own firm, Norwich Agencies, Limited. He sold the firm in 1956 and retired in 1960. Banfield was active in civic affairs: he was elected president of the Vancouver branch of the Red Cross in 1946, president of the Vancouver Rotary Club in 1947, president of the Civic Non Partisan Association in 1956, and Chairman of the Board of Vancouver General Hospital in 1957. In 1961, he was elected to Vancouver City Council as an alderman.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The fonds consists of business records of the Banfield family's insurance companies, papers from Banfield's university days, and papers relating to his volunteer activities, especially with the Vancouver General Hospital. There are also scrapbooks, photographs and clippings. Photographs depict family life, travels and Banfield's public life as a Rotarian, a civic official and a trustee at Vancouver General Hospital.
The fonds is arranged into 8 series: Business records, Certificates and company posters, Civic and personal matters, Photographs, Publications relating to Vancouver General Hospital, Scrapbooks and news clippings, University papers, and Vancouver General Hospital Records.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Donated by William Orson Banfield in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1980.
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Series descriptions and file lists available.