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Singer family
- Accession Number
- 2019-1-6
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-1-6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 2 folders
- Date
- 1911-1987
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of material documenting two generations of the Singer family. Included are: a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario certificate for Bessie Thelma Pullan (1911), a Law Society of Upper Canada certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1937), a Department of National Defense (Army) certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1946), a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons (RAM) of Canada constitution (1952), a Mount Sinai Chapter RAM by-law booklet (1952), a Mount Sinai Chapter RAM invitation to its sixty-first convocation (1954), and a Law Society of Upper Canada certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1987).
- Custodial History
- Records were donated by Burrel and Carolyn Singer's son Tom.
- Administrative History
- Louis Michael Singer, K.C. was born in Austria in 1885. When he was three, Louis and his family immigrated to Canada. In Toronto, he attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute. He went on to study law at Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating in 1908. Afterwards, he set up the Singer and Singer law office. In 1914, Louis ran for Toronto City Council, representing Ward 4, and became Toronto's second Jewish alderman. He was re-elected in 1915, 1916, and 1917 only to be defeated in the 1918 election. Thereafter, he returned to his law practice full-time. Louis died on September 23, 1959.
- Dr. Bessie Thelma Singer (née Pullan) was born in Russia on June 5, 1888. On July 6, 1911, she married Louis Singer. Two days later, on July 8, 1911, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario admitted her as a member, entitling her to practice physic, surgery, and midwifery in the province. Bessie never practiced medicine; instead, she became a homemaker. She died on January 4, 1947, surived by her husband, Louis, and two sons, Burrell and Ralph.
- Burrell Milton Singer, Q.C. was born in Toronto on November 1, 1912. On September 7, 1937, the Law Society of Upper Canada called him to the bar. Burell and his wife Carolyn had two sons: Jeff and Tom. Burrell died on September 26, 1989.
- Descriptive Notes
- Conservation: Certificates deframed.
- General: An annotated copy of Burrell M. Singer's Handbook of Canadian Military Law, which the former co-authored with Lieutenant-Colonel R. J. S. Langford, is available in the OJA's library.
- History/Bio note: Bessie Singer's tombstone lists her birth date as July 28, 1890, however, JewishGen has her birth registration as June 5, 1888 and the 1901 Census lists it as July 14, 1888. Bessie's youngest brother Sydney, Harry Pullan was born on Aug. 11, 1890 and therefore the July 28, 1890 date is likely erroneous.
- Subjects
- Lawyers
- Physicians
- Politicians
- Name Access
- Singer (family)
- Singer, Bessie Thelma, 1890-1947
- Singer, Burrell M., 1912-1989
- Singer, Louis, 1885-1959
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions