Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds

Custodial History: 

The records in accession 2014-0-16 were given to the Diocesan Heritage Centre at Bishophurst by Lillian Barrett, daughter of Canon Sims; they were transferred from Bishophurst to Algoma University January 23-24, 2014 by the Right Reverend Dr. Stephen Andrews.

Start Date: 
1904
GMD: 
multiple media
Geographic Access: 
Algoma (Ont. : District)
Access Restriction: 

May be restrictions on access based on the terms of the Deposit Agreement, the Diocese's Policy on Privacy and Archives. Subject to all applicable privacy legislation.

Description Level: 
Fonds
Subject Access: 
Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of Algoma
Name Access: 
Sims, Harry Alfred (1881-1974)
End Date: 
1974
Date Range: 
1904-1974
Repro Restriction: 

May be restrictions on use based on the terms of the Deposit Agreement, the Diocese's Policy on Privacy and Archives. Subject to all applicable privacy legislation.

Conservation: 

Minor conservation performed on fonds.

Physical Description: 

.17 m of textual records and graphic materials

24 photographs : b&w and col.

Arrangement: 
Chronologically by record types.
History Biographical: 

The Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims (b. 1881 February 8) was an Anglican priest who served in the Diocese of Algoma. He was born in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, the oldest of four sons of a Royal Navy shipwright. He lived briefly on Ascension Island as a child before apprenticing for seven years as a moulder in the UK. Sims joined the Anglican Church Army in 1903 and married Annie Herridge on 1907 August 26. At the invitation of Bishop Thorneloe, the Sims enlisted to work for the Anglican Church in Canada in 1908, where H. A. Sims was appointed Stipendiary Lay Reader on Manitoulin Island where he also worked partly with local First Nations people. From 1908 to 1911, Sims acted in this capacity, living in a log cabin while studying for examinations to qualify him as a clergyman. He was made Deacon in 1911 and ordained Priest in June 1912 by Thorneloe. Sims was made a Canon in 1941. He served in New Liskeard in 1914, Cobalt 1915-1921, St. Paul's (Thunder Bay) 1921-1926, St. John's (North Bay) 1927-1937, Kirkland Lake 1937-1947, and Chapleau 1947-1950. His postings in Cobalt and Kirkland Lake in particular corresponded to the periods of their largest populations due to mining. H. A. Sims retired in Chapleau in 1950. Mrs. Sims passed in 1944.

Sims was active throughout his ministry and retirement inside and outside of the Church. He was a Public School Trustee in Cobalt, Fort William (now Thunder Bay), and North Bay. He organized Boy Scout troops in New Liskeard, Fort William, North Bay, Kirkland Lake, and Chapleau. He received the first Gilwell Badge (a recognition for service in Scouting) recipient in Ontario. He became a member of the Sons of England in 1915, a mason in Cobalt in 1919, a Kiwanian in Fort William, and a Rotarian in North Bay.

He served for many years on the Executive of the Diocese of Algoma, and on many of the committees of the Anglican Church of Canada.

H. A. Sims passed away at New Liskeard on 1974 February 23.

Photograph: "Veteran Priest Still Serving", The Algoma Anglican 15, no. 1 (1971): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_007_001.

Scope Content: 

Fonds records that document the activities of the career of the Rev. Canon H. A. Sims. Includes photographs of the Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims, Archbishop George Thorneloe, Bishop Rocksborough R. Smith, Governor-General the Lord Willingdon, Archbishop George Frederick Kingston, Archbishop William Lockridge Wright, Gowan Gilmour, and Father Roland Palmer and the sites of Canon Sims' ministry: Silverwater, Kirkland Lake, New Liskeard and North Bay.  The last two photographs are of Canon Sims at his 90th birthday party in 1971.  Also includes note books and Sims' copies of the Book of Common Prayer, Book of Common Praise, and Old Testament History / retold and illustrated by William Hole, R.S.A, R.E.

Repository: 
aua

Typescript forms of service for baptisms

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1912
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[After 1912]
Physical Description: 

0.01 cm of textual material

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Typescript forms of service for burials

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1912
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[After 1912]
Physical Description: 

1 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Typescript forms of prayer and tipped in materials

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1924
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[After 1924]
Physical Description: 

1 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Typescript notebook on prayer, duties of a priest, relationship with God

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1928
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[After 1928]
Physical Description: 

1.5 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Notebook - notions wise and otherwise - original and picked up

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1933
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[After 1933]
Physical Description: 

2 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Hymn book: book of common praise

Publication: 
Toronto : Oxford
GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1938
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
1938
Physical Description: 

1.5 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Book of common prayer

Publication: 
Toronto : University Press
GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1927
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1937
Date Range: 
[Between 1927 and 1937]
Physical Description: 

3 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Old testament history: re-told and illustrated by William Hole, R.S.A., R.E.

Publication: 
London : Eyre & Spottiswoode, LTD.
GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1925
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1938
Date Range: 
[ca. 1925]
Physical Description: 

3.5 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2012-027-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photograph of general synod, Halifax 1937 and the archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher, Winnepeg 1946

Language: 
All material is in English.
GMD: 
graphic material
Start Date: 
1937
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1946
Date Range: 
1937 and 1946
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.5 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

2 photographs : B&W

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photograph of unknown altar and altar at St. John's Sheshewaning Indian Reserve

Language: 
All material is in English.
GMD: 
graphic material
Start Date: 
1930
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1939
Date Range: 
[193-?]
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

2 photographs : B&W

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photographs from Kirkland Lake including Lord Willingdon, Bishop Smith, and Archbishop Wright

Publication: 
Volume: 
Scan Resolution: 
Issue: 
Standard No: 
Scan Date: 
Scale: 
Language: 
All material is in English.
Master scans folder location: 
GMD: 
graphic material
Responsibility: 
Custodial History: 
Start Date: 
1930
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1939
Style or Pattern: 
Process: 
Date Range: 
[193-?]
Marks: 
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001
Conclusions: 
Storage Method: 

Altar at Kirkland Lake (?) and photograph of Canon Sims and Bishop Kingston

Language: 
All material is in English.
GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1940
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1944
Date Range: 
[1940 - 1944]
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

2 photographs : B&W and col.

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photographs from Silver Water and possibly North Bay including archbishop Thorneloe, Bishop Smith, and archbishop Wright

Language: 
All material is in English.
GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1911
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1944
Date Range: 
1911 - 1944
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

4 photographs : B&W

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photographs of Gowan Gilmour

Language: 
All material is in English.
GMD: 
graphic material
Start Date: 
1939
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1971
Date Range: 
1939 and 1971
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

4 photographs : B&W

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001

Governor general, the Lord Willingdon at North Bay and church army postcards (England)

Publication: 
Volume: 
Scan Resolution: 
Issue: 
Standard No: 
Scan Date: 
Scale: 
Language: 
All material is in English.
Master scans folder location: 
GMD: 
graphic material
Responsibility: 
Custodial History: 
Start Date: 
1904
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1929
Style or Pattern: 
Process: 
Date Range: 
1904 and 1929
Marks: 
Language: 
English
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of graphic materials

Notes: 

4 photographs : B&W

rec_shelfloc: 
2014-016-001
Repository: 
Algoma University Archive
Accession No: 
Rev. Canon H. A. (Harry) Sims fonds
Container Number: 
001
Conclusions: 
Storage Method: