New Search
Photo Search
Audiovisual Search
Mel Shields
- Accession Number
- 2006-6-3
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2006-6-3
- Material Format
- graphic material
- textual record
- moving images
- Physical Description
- 301 photographs : b&w (1 oversized, 2 albums)
- 16 film reels : 16 mm and 8 mm
- 7 cm of textual records
- Date
- [ca. 1900]-1970
- Scope and Content
- The accession consists of material documenting the Shedlowsky (later Shields) and Iseman families. The records consist of items such as: telegrams, invitations, photographs, and home movies.
- Custodial History
- The records were donated by Mel Shields, who had them in his apartment. He is planning to donate the business records to the OJA as well.
- Administrative History
- Melvin Shields was born in 1940 and was raised in Toronto. He was the son of Harry Shields and Esther Shields (née Iseman). Harry came to Canada after the First World War with his parents and attended school in Toronto. His family name was Sheldlowsky, which was changed to Shields before he married Esther in 1937. They had another son, Lorne, who was born in 1943.
- During their early years of marriage, the couple lived with Esther's parents, Rose and Harry. During the war, the Iseman's helped bring to Canada two Jewish boys, the Furmans, from England. The boys stayed with friends of the family when they arrived in Canada. The boys' parents wrote to the Isemans and were very appreciative of the sacrifices they made for their children.
- The family took many trips together to Niagara Falls, Pontypool, and other camping resorts. The couple also took trips with friends and adult family members to Acapulco and Miami. When they were older, the boys were sent to summer camps such as Camp Tamarack and Camp Rockwood, where Mel was a counsellor.
- Harry owned a sportswear business called Shields Sportswear Ltd., which was located at 349 Queen Street West. Esther served on the board of the Mozirer Society for many years.
- Source
- Archival Accessions