The Problems Associated With Old Paper Recovery Can Affect Your Health

 

Photos of vintage New Year post cards by Suzanne Currie

THE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS OF BEING A PAPER SLEUTH AND BY THE WAY …..”HAPPY New Years”

 A PREAMBLE TO TODAY’S POST

BY TED CURRIE

     I had a number of conversations with my old archivist friend, Hugh Macmillan before he passed away some years back, and we debated, of all things, the health risks paper and old book wranglers face rescuing their bits and bobs from a wide variety of inadequate, often overly moist enclosures. He maintained and with considerable evidence, that the mold and other assorted contaminates we often encounter in paper rescues, can cause a varied number of health complaints, especially to the respiratory system as you might imagine. Even as far as infected the heart with these nasty airborne qualities and quantities that are released in our work space, when we mount what we believe to be an historic rescue well worth the risk. Hugh told me about one particular old paper find, that somehow connected to the late World War Flying ace, Billy Bishop, if memory serves; and of course having particular war time and aviation significance, it needed to be retrieved from inadequate storage where moisture had ravaged much of the collection in storage. I believe the materials had belonged to another military of Air Force veteran, but because of poor health and lack of proper storage, and a water leak in the roof of the unit, much had been damaged beyond rescue. But Hugh never gave up on anything made of paper, that had historical significance, if by any heroic effort of conservation, could be saved even in part, for the use of future generations of researchers on topics of Canadian history. Gosh, he was an important mentor. But he took risks that most of us, even in the history business, wouldn’t touch with, as they say, a barge pole.

     He told me about bringing box loads of wet paper into his vehicle, during a rain event, and sitting there for long periods, trying to separate the moldy paper-works from what had been protected by some layers of plastic, and that he had, on occasions, felt nauseated by what he had been handling, in yes, a closed vehicle. But he soldiered on with the mission of conservation, and we have many more pieces of paper heritage because of his Herculean efforts to save what was headed for the landfill site. He couldn’t handle that reality, without giving it his utmost attention, care and handling of an expert, and with the kind of on-the-fly recognition, that allowed him to whip through the many pounds of sodden documents, identifying key pieces quickly and efficiently. But it may have all come with a huge cost to his health. Not just on this occasion. It was years and years of being in situations where important archives had been uncovered, and sorted by Hugh Macmillan and others, who didn’t think too much of the contamination coming off the old paper, and musty books also found in the often hoarded collections across Canada and beyond. I have much less experience in this area, than Hugh had over many more years in the retrieval and conservation component of his archives missions, but I haven’t smelled much of anything for years now, having a nose that only works part time. I’ve been in roughly the same enterprise since the late 1970’s, when I first began buying and selling old books and some antiquated paper, including journals and legal documents. And yes, I’ve worked in similar environments for long periods of time, without a mask or proper ventilation. Suzanne has often chastised me for this reckless endangerment, and to keep her content I’m more safety conscious these days, I have indeed turned down opportunities to poke through piles of wet paperworks, even though the temptation has been huge.

     I have always wondered, for example, how many of our dark room technicians from our old newspaper days, had been contaminated by photographic chemicals, in a room that had very poor ventilation. Due to my near catastrophic conduct in the dark room, even with associate photographers trying to help me learn how to make prints, I was prohibited from entry on all but a few occasions. All those who I had worked with in those days, who had this daily access to the darkroom, have since passed away. Of course I have to wonder about this, because of what I came to understand about contamination sources, in the years that followed my newspaper tenure. It bothers me somewhat, because it was my job to keep the technicians in the dark room until all the prints were prepared, and last minute films were developed, usually to serve for advertising insertions and not breaking news. In the summer season these rooms were terribly hot, and so tiny that there was not air circulation except for the occasions when the door had to be opened. There couldn’t be a fan in the room because it would blow dust on the photographic paper, and thusly ruin the quality of potential front page images for that week’s edition. I can’t help thinking about this now, and wonder if I’m still around because they refused me entry to the dark room. But it did cross my mind many times after, whenever I was in a confined space, like a storage unit, looking through piles of old photographs and negatives, and catching a whiff of the chemicals I remember from the old dark room we used intensively back in my day as newspaper editor.

     We were all eager to do our jobs, and to use the word “driven” still isn’t powerful enough to explain why we often ignored what was most important about the environment of which we were exposed.

     This is my final post of 2021 obviously, for this newly created site, “The Birch Hollow Antique Press.” I thank everyone who has read along with me for these past months, dating back to the spring of the year, and want to wish one and all a Happy New Year, and safety from the fourth wave of this terrible pandemic. I will be offering something new for 2022, with a greater emphasis on nature, The Wild Woods, and the present tense, which is often badly neglected by us antiquarians obsessed by some other times in history. The present is just as important, and in my opinion, at its most vulnerable environmentally right now. I will probably write fewer and shorter pieces, (cheer with glee), and hope to still maintain my audience of good friends for the coming twelve months. Enjoy these last few hours of the old year. It just has to get better, right?

THE MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISREPRESENTED VALUES OF HISTORIC PAPER / DOCUMENTS

HUNTING, FINDING, RESCUING, CONSERVING AND BENEFITTING FROM HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

     FROM AN HISTORIAN'S PERSPECTIVE, NOT HAVING ENOUGH INFORMATION IS ALWAYS A DRAG ON A RESEARCH PROJECT. A "HAIR PULLER!" I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN A SINGLE HERITAGE PROJECT OR BIOGRAPHY, THAT I HAVEN'T, AT SOME NARROWING OF THE PIPELINE….THAT FEEDS INFORMATION, SCREAMED SILENTLY ABOUT THE SHORTFALL. COMPLAINING THAT WHAT COULD BE AN EXCEPTIONAL, HUGELY INSIGHTFUL RESEARCH MISSION, IS WHACKED DOWN IN ITS TRACKS, BECAUSE OF SOME UNFORTUNATE SHORTFALL OF INFORMATION……THAT MAY EXIST, OR WAS SOMEHOW DESTROYED OUT OF NEGLECT. AS I WORK ON ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES THESE DAYS, IT IS SUCH A DETRIMENT, TO GET SO CLOSE TO THE HEART OF THE STORY, BUT HAVE TO SLUFF IT OFF OR GENERALIZE, BECAUSE A HUGE WHACK OF THE SUBJECT'S LIFE IS UNDOCUMENTED. AS IS THE CASE, THE SUBJECTS OF THESE BIOGRAPHIES ARE DECEASED, ADMITTEDLY THE RESEARCHER COUNTS ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THE BULK OF THE RESEARCH MATERIAL. SOME TIMES THIS ISN'T THE CASE, AND SUZANNE AND I HAVE TO EMPLOY GREATER EFFORT AND EXPENSE OF TIME, TO SEEK OUT SHREDS OF BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL ALL OVER GOD'S HALF ACRE, WHICH IS NORMAL EXERCISE FOR HISTORICAL-TYPES, BUT ALSO IMPOSES A HIGH DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY THAT CAN SERIOUSLY DIMINISH THE FINAL STORY-LINE. THE MORE INFORMATION, THE MORE RESPONSIBLE THE END RESULT.

    I'VE NEVER RUN INTO A RESEARCH PROJECT, WHERE I COMPLAINED THERE WAS TOO MUCH INFORMATION. I MIGHT COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING UNDER-STAFFED TO SCAN THROUGH IT ALL, OR THAT I MIGHT BE UNDER THE GUN IN TERMS OF BUDGET OF TIME, BUT NEVER BECAUSE THERE'S A MOUNTAIN OF AVAILABLE RESEARCH MATERIAL. WELL, THANKS TO ARCHIVIST, PAPER SLEUTHS LIKE HUGH MACMILLAN, IN OUR COUNTRY, HUGE AMOUNTS OF ARCHIVAL MATERIAL, FOR RESEARCHERS, HAS BEEN RESCUED FROM ALL OVER THE CONTINENT, (AND SOMETIMES BEYOND), THAT HAS INFILLED OUR COUNTRY'S CITIZEN HISTORY; WHICH AT TIMES, WAS ACQUIRED ONE DOCUMENT, ONE JOURNAL, ONE LETTER AT A TIME. IT'S ALL ABOUT TIEING UP LOOSE ENDS OF THE STORY, WHICH LEFT UNDONE, AND INCOMPLETE, DRIVES HISTORIANS NUTS. WHERE THERE HAS BEEN AN OBVIOUS VOID OF INFORMATION IN A STORY, OTHERS THOUGHT WAS A FINAL CAPPING, HUGH MACMILLAN, TIME AND AGAIN, PROVED THEM WRONG, BY FINDING A STASH OF HISTORIC PAPER NO ONE ELSE KNEW ABOUT……OR COULD HAVE IMAGINED; ULTIMATELY AND EFFECTIVELY ADDING THOSE IMPORTANT NEW CHAPTERS ON STORIES THAT PRESUMABLY, AND PREMATURELY HAD BEEN CONCLUDED.

    HIS WAS A JOB, UNDER THE MOST TRYING OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT HARDLY EVER EARNED HIM GREAT PUBLIC ACCOLADES; EXCEPT OF COURSE FROM HIS PEERS, WHO REVERED HIS SENSE OF MISSION, AND MANTRA, "SUCCESS AT ALL COST." THE ARCHIVIST PROFESSION SELDOM STRETCHES BEYOND THE COMPLETION OVATION, "SUCCESSFUL, BUT STILL WORK TO BE DONE!"  THE WORD "UNSUNG," COMES TO MIND, AS WOULD BE EXPECTED OF THE GRUNT-WORK BEHIND THE SHOW LIGHTS…..BEYOND THE MAIN STAGE WHERE THE FINDS ARE THANKFULLY CELEBRATED. THE FOUNDER OF THE EVENT? WELL, HE'S GOT NO TIME NOW TO BASK IN ACCOMPLISHMENT. THAT WAS THE GOOD FEELING YESTERDAY. TODAY THERE'S ANOTHER MOUNTAIN OF PAPERWORK TO BE SORTED AND CATALOGUED. TO SAY HUGH MACMILLAN WAS INTREPID AND STALWART ABOUT HIS WORK, WAS OF COURSE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

      BEHIND THOSE MAJOR PAPER FINDS WERE REMARKABLE, NEVER-SAY-DIE HISTORICAL TYPES LIKE HUGH MACMILLAN, WHO BECAME A LEGEND AS THE COUNTRY'S FIRST FREELANCE ARCHIVIST. WAS HE DESERVING OF THE LIMELIGHT FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS? HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK HE NEEDED THIS KIND OF RECOGNITION, TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE HISTORY HE RELEASED FROM ATTICS, BASEMENTS, OLD SHEDS, BARNS AND OTHERWISE RUINS, TO BENEFIT THE ONGOING WORK OF CANADIAN HISTORIANS IN THOUSANDS OF DISCIPLINES. HE KNOWS THE GOOD HE'S DONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW IT BOTHERS HIM PROFOUNDLY, TO REALIZE THAT OUT THERE, SOMEWHERE, A LARGE PILE OF IMPORTANT HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION, IS BEING RUINED BY NEGLECT; OR TOSSED OUT BY AN UNCARING FAMILY MEMBER…….NOT RECOGNIZING WHAT EVERY ONE SHOULD. BEFORE HISTORY IS WRITTEN INTO A MANUSCRIPT, IT HAS TO BE SUPPORTED BY INFORMATION……LIKE THE MATERIALS BEING THROWN OUT FROM ESTATES, OR DESTROYED BY SHEER NEGLECT OF ITS HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE. I AM PROUD TO SAY, I HAVE HUNG-OFF HUGH MACMILLAN'S EVERY WORD, FOR MANY YEARS NOW, AND I FEEL THAT THE BEST EDUCATION I RECEIVED IN CANADIAN HISTORY, DIDN'T COST ME A DIME OF TUITION……..JUST A WEE BIT OF HOSPITALITY, AND AN EAGERNESS, ON MY PART, TO LEARN FROM SOMEONE WHO HAD EVERY CREDENTIAL AS A PROFESSOR, BUT DIDN'T LIKE BEING CONFINED TO ONE PLACE…..WHEN THERE WAS SO MUCH TO BE GAINED BY TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION. IF AT TIMES, I BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN HISTORIAN, WRITER, COLLECTOR AND ANTIQUE DEALER, PLEASE EXCUSE MY ENTHUSIASM TO DABBLE IN EVERYTHING THAT AMAZES AND ENTERTAINS ME. IN PART, I GOT THIS AS SOURCE INSPIRATION, FROM GOOD FOLKS LIKE HUGH MACMILLAN, WHO THANKFULLY INVITED ME INTO HIS WORLD, MANY YEARS AGO, TO SHARE THE TRUTHS OF WHAT MAKES HISTORIANS THE CENTER OF ATTRACTION. THE WORK OF ARCHIVISTS, THE HUNTER-GATHERERS OUT ON THE HUSTINGS, MAKE HISTORIANS LOOK GOOD. SO IF I OCCASIONALLY GET CREDIT FOR SOME HERITAGE PROJECT OR BIOGRAPHY, THE FIRST NAME I OFFER AS A FOUNDER OF MY SUCCESS, IS HUGH MACMILLAN. I WILL NEVER CHANGE THIS OPINION. HE HAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A MODEL IN MY PROFESSION. AS FAR AS COLLECTING GOES, I COULDN'T FIND A BETTER ROLE MODEL IF I LIVED ANOTHER FIFTY-SEVEN YEARS IN THIS OLD BODY. MOST OF US IN THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUE PROFESSION, HAVE FOND RECOLLECTIONS OF OUR RESPECTIVE MENTORS, OUR TUTORS AND INSTIGATORS……THOSE FOLKS WHO HELPED US MOVE FORWARD IN OCCUPATIONS AND PREOCCUPATIONS THAT PEAKED CURIOSITY IN OUR YOUTH. THAT'S OUR SPECIAL PROVENANCE. IT'S HOW WE GOT FROM THERE TO HERE, AND WE WON'T FORGET THE CONTRIBUTION THEY MADE……

NOR WESTER TALES POST ARCHIVIST YEARS

     "My job title of Ontario's official liaison officer was abolished in 1989, but my paper sleuthing didn't stop; in fact it just continued. As is obvious from all the foregoing chapters, treasure hunting for manuscripts, relics and ephemera is a vocation, avocation, occupation, preoccupation, and a game I will continue to enjoy as long as I live," wrote Hugh MacMillan, in his book, "Adventures of a Paper Sleuth," Penumbra Press, 2004 (hardcover). "From the moment I retired until today, I have continued this lifelong interest as a part-time dealer in antiquities."

     He writes, "Not simply a matter of having in my possession items of historical interest, the obsession also includes trying to solve historical mysteries, locating art treasures, and find the best destinations for certain valuable historic items. Shortly after my retirement party, when I related some of my misadventures to friends, and relatives gathered at the Arts and Letters Club, in Toronto, Muriel and I set to work on our own business called Nor'Wester Partners. With Muriel as editor, we have published four catalogues so far, listing items ranging in value from $25 to $85,000, and the chase continues in the 21st century. We chose the name Nor'Wester Partners because though we have branched out considerably, we originally intended to specialize in finding and selling reproduction trade silver, and publishing journals about the North West Company. We operated fur trade canoe brigades for pleasure, provided costumes for heritage movie footage, organized tours to historical pageants and fur trade canoe races, and personal slide shows and lectures on the history of the fur trade. We also conducted tours to Scotland, following our interest in Glengarry antecedents."

     "Through all these related activities, we built a network of history buffs and developed useful leads to manuscript collections. Similar to the original North West Company, our Nor'Wester Partners Company is a commercial venture. The original Nor' Westers explored much of Canada, as they conducted the fur trade; we explore the same territory while conducting our trade in papers and objects of historical value. Some museum archives and other public institutions, miss important collections because of poor rapport with intermediaries. I discovered early on that establishing good relations with dealers in antiquities benefits the public archives and all those who use them for research," writes Hugh MacMillan. "Every item that has appeared in our Nor'Wester Partners catalogues is a story in itself, from the very start up to yesterday's acquisition. Our first major coup was acquiring the Lambart Papers. Hyacinthe Lambart (1904-1988), a woman to be reckoned with, had a regal bearing and spoke her mind freely. In 1973, she took offense at something I said, didn't speak to me for ten years, then suddenly phoned to apologize and offered to sell me some manuscripts. These were letter books from the old Hamilton Brothers Mill, at Hawkesbury across the Ottawa River from where she lived in Cushing, Quebec. They had considerable historic value so I bought them for the Ontario Archives. In 1990, two years after Hyacinthe Lambart died, her executors got in touch with me to offer Miss Lambert's family, business and personal papers. They revealed much detail of this illustrious family, a real coup for our new antiquarian company. Hyacinthe's great-grandfather, the Earl of Cavan, had brought his son Octavius Lambert to Canada in 1874. Hyacinthe's father Frederick, son of Octavius, became a surveyor in Canada and built Vine Lynne at 7 Rideau Gate, across from the Governor General's residence in Ottawa, which is now used as a residence for visiting VIPs."

     "The letters in this collection define Hyacinthe Lambart as a fascinating Canadian. At McGill University, she studied under Hugh McLennan and Stephen Leacock. One of Canada's first female pilots, she corresponded with Amelia Earhart," notes historian, Hugh MacMillan. "In 1932, Hyacinthe Lambart, flew her Gipsy Moth aircraft to Quebec City, landing it on the Plains of Abraham. A striking photograph shows her wearing a stylish tweed suit, standing beside the plane en route to Holland to attend an international aviation conference. A photograph in the same collection shows her as the only female, still wearing her tweed suit, amidst a group of sober looking male aviators. During World War II she was secretary to the Association of Canadian Flying Clubs based in Montreal. Hyacinthe went on to historical research and writing. We eventually placed her family papers, some 2000 items spanning four generations, with the National Archives in Ottawa, where they can be read by interested researchers. Included in the collection were papers from her two brothers, Arthur and Edward Lambart. Arthur left the RCMP for special duties with the RAF and was killed early in WWII. Edward was with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, in Italy, when he was killed by a German sniper. An unusual item in the Lambart collection was a fine sleeping robe made of lynx paws. Her father had brought it back from the North where he took part in the Yukon / Alaska boundary survey. This item is now with the National Museum of Civilization in Gatineau."