Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1906-1999

Physical Description

12 cm of textual records

10 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek (1915–2008) was born on a farm in Whitchurch Township, York County, Ontario in 1915. He was the sixth of seven children born to Jacob and Jesse Vanek, Jewish-Russian immigrants from the Ukraine who immigrated to Canada in 1913. The family lived in the Newmarket-Oak Ridges area, where they owned a farm and the Vanek Grocery and Confectionary Store in Oak Ridges. The family also owned Cedarholm Park in Lake Wilcox, which had a bandstand and cottages and sold refreshments. They opened the park specifically for Jews who were being excluded from other nearby social venues. The family also lived in Toronto.

Vanek completed his elementary school education at Annette Street Public School and attended Richmond Hill High School and Harbord Collegiate. He was admitted to the honour law course at the University of Toronto. In 1936, he graduated with a bachelor of arts in honour law and went on to law school at Osgoode Hall. While in law school he worked for Carswell’s Canadian Law Abridgement and was editor of the Obiter Dicta student publication at Osgoode Hall. He received his bachelor of laws in 1939.

During the Second World War, Vanek served in the Canadian Intelligence Corps and Field Security in England from 1943 to 1945. Following his military service, he returned to Toronto where he tried private practice briefly before beginning a new career as a lecturer in the newly-created Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. He taught a variety of subjects, including legal bibliography, real property, and public international law.

A community activist, Vanek was the founder of the Lawrence Manor Ratepayers Association. In 1963, he ran for the Ontario Provincial Legislature as a Conservative candidate but failed to win the seat. He was the founder of the Credit Counselling Service of Metropolitan Toronto, which was established in 1965. Vanek was also actively involved in the new Reform congregation Temple Sinai and served as its third president.

In September 1968, Vanek was appointed to the magistrates' court. A few months later, the Provincial Courts Act came into being and he became a judge of the provincial court's criminal division. Vanek presided over and wrote judgements in many significant cases, including Weightman and Cunningham, involving the residual power of a trial judge to stop unfair prosecution, and Squires, involving the lawful exclusion of cameras from the courtroom. His best-known case was that of Susan Nelles, a nurse who was charged with the death of four babies at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children in the early 1980s. He also served as president of the Ontario Provincial Judges' Association. In 1989, after twenty-one years on the bench, David Vanek retired. A decade later, he published his autobiography, "Fulfilment : Memoirs of a Criminal Court Judge," which documents his life and career.

David Vanek married Joyce Lester in 1942, and the couple had three children. Vanek died in 2008.

Custodial History

The records were donated to the Ontario Jewish Archives by David Vanek in July 2000. The records were used to help with the researching of his autobiography.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records and graphic material that document Vanek's family history and career as a prominent lawyer and provincial court judge in Ontario. The fonds includes family records from Russia, newspaper articles, correspondence and documentation relating to his military service during the Second World War, and press clippings and photographs of his family and community activities. The fonds has been arranged into the following series: Personal records, Military service records, Occupational records, and Community organizations.

Name Access

Vanek, David, 1915-2008

Subjects

Judges

Lawyers

Creator

Vanek, David, 1915-2008

Accession Number

2000-7-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

Series

Fonds

1

Series

1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1906-1999

Physical Description

6 cm of textual records

4 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Scope and Content

Series includes correspondence and documents pertaining to the Vanek family in Russia and their early years in Ontario, recent letters from a cousin concerning family genealogy, and personal letters from Vanek to his wife, as well as correspondence concerning personal and professional matters from colleagues and friends. There is also an itinerary and notes from a judges' trip to China that took place in 1983 plus several photographs of the Vanek family.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1906-1914

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of promissory notes and legal papers served by and against Jacob Vanek in Russia, prior to the revolution of 1917.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1913-1954

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of mortgages, assignments of mortgage, chattel mortgage, and an abstract of title from the Newmarket land registry office pertaining to the family farm called Cedar Valley.

Physical Condition

Records are good condition.

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1945

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Jacob Vanek was the father of David Vanek. He was born in the province of Kiev, Russia in 1880. He married and had five children in Russia and decided to leave for Canada in 1913. He departed with his eldest son Thomas that year and sent for his wife and remaining children in 1914. The youngest two Vanek children, David and Mary, were born in Canada after that time.

The Vaneks first lived on a farm in Pine Orchard, a community north of Toronto. They moved to Toronto in 1916 and then relocated to Oak Ridges in 1918. Jacob Vanek operated a general store in that area that catered to locals as well as travellers from Toronto who were vacationing nearby or heading north.

Scope and Content

File consists of a certified copy of Jacob Vanek's naturalization certificate. The original copy was issued on December 13, 1921. In 1945 his son Thomas Vanek requested a certified copy of the certificate be made, so that his wife Anna could attain Canadian/British nationality by virtue of her husband's status as the son of a naturalized Canadian.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1917-1930

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

The Vanek family moved back and forth from the Newmarket/Oak Ridges area to Toronto many times until the 1930s. Jacob Vanek had business and personal interests in both country and city, as reflected in the contents of this file.

Scope and Content

File consists of statements, receipts,and correspondence concerning Jacob Vanek's business transactions. Included is a "subscription blank" from the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto.

Physical Condition

records are in fair condition.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1968-1999

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a copy of an 1878 map of Whitchurch and newspaper articles about the history of the Oak Ridges/Lake Wilcox/Richmond Hill areas.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

1946-1950

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File includes correspondence from David Vanek to his wife Joyce from New York and Washington, D.C.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

1983

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of notes relating to the Vanek's trip to China in 1983 with a group of American trial judges.

Places

China

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

8

Material Format

textual record

Date

1982 -1990

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

The Shackmans were relatives of the Vaneks, and a Canadian branch lived on a farm near the Cedar Valley farm. Nathan Shackman is a retired doctor in Los Angeles.

Scope and Content

File consists of personal letters from Shackman to Vanek relating to his family as well as the family genealogy.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

9

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1928-[194-]

Physical Description

4 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Scope and Content

File consists of four photographs of members of the Vanek family.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

9

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1928

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Ida Olidart was a second cousin of Vanek's mother. She was a member of the Winer family of Buffalo, New York and was married to Ben Olidart, who was a physician.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a photograph of Ida Olidart in front of a sign at "Cedarholm Camp Athletic and Picnic Grounds", which was located on Lake Wilcox.

Subjects

Camps

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

9

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca 1939]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Jacob and Jesse Vanek taken in front of the Vanek Grocery and Confectionary Store in Oak Ridges, close to Lake Wilcox, with Joyce Lester who was David Vanek's fiancee at the time.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

9

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[194-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 13 cm

Admin History/Bio

Aunt Sonya Clayman was the only sister of Jacob Vanek. She and her husband Nacham (Norman) had two children, Harry and Pearl.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sonya Clayman with an unidentified child, likely one of her grandchildren.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Personal records series

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

1

File

9

Item

4

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1946

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 11 cm

Admin History/Bio

Sam Lester, his father-in-law, was one of the first people in the motion picture business in Toronto. For many years he operated the Doric Theatre on Bloor Street near Gladstone Avenue. David married Sam's daughter Joyce in Toronto in 1942.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of David Vanek with his father-in-law Sam Lester. On the back of the photo David Vanek is described as "Lecturer in Law" as a humorous counterpart to Sam Lester, his father-in-law.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Military service records series

Level

Series

Fonds

1

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1945-1974

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek served in the Canadian Intelligence Corps and Field Security in England during the Second World War.

Scope and Content

Series includes a confirmation record of David Vanek's active war service, a certificate of attendance at Oxford University Leave course, and a request for financial assistance for study in England pending repatriation to Canada.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Military service records series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

2

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1943

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek served in the Wireless Wing Corps during the Second World War.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a photograph taken at Camp Borden, Ontario. It includes members of R30B-1 Loader Operators and A9 Wireless Wing Corps.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Military service records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

2

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1945-1974

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File includes documents such as a confirmation record of David Vanek's active war service from Public Archives of Canada as well as a certificate of attendance at Oxford University Leave Course in 1945.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

Series

Fonds

1

Series

3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1946-1990

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

2 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm and 9 x 12 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek attended the University of Toronto School of Law and subsequently was a lecturer in that school for one academic year. Twenty years later, he was appointed provincial court judge, criminal division, and served on the bench for twenty-one years.

Scope and Content

The material includes articles and correspondence pertaining to his education and career at the University of Toronto School of Law and his career as a provincial court judge. The address David Vanek delivered at his retirement dinner and several photographs taken during the period of his time on the bench are included.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

3

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca 1978]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek was appointed Judge for the Ontario Provincial Court, Criminal Division, on September 2, 1968 , and served on the bench for 21 years.

Scope and Content

Item is a group photograph of the Ontario Judges of the Provincial Court, Criminal Division.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

3

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1980

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of one photograph of David and Joyce Vanek conversing with Bora Laskin, Chief Justice of Canada, and his wife Peggy, at the closing dinner of the "Annual Conference".

Notes

Bora Laskin became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1975, a position he held until his death in 1984.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

3

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1946-1982

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of articles and correspondence relating to his education and career at the University of Toronto School of Law. Some of the documents include a copy of a story with photo of the University of Toronto Moot Court 1935-36, and a letter confirming David Vanek's appointment as lecturer in the School of Law for the academic year 1946-1947.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

3

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1968 -1989

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of press clippings documenting Judge Vanek's court cases and his philosophy on specific judicial issues.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

3

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1974-1990

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

Letters pertaining to professional matters of Judge Vanek. Included is correspondence from W. G. C. Howland, chief justice of Ontario; musician Louis Applebaum; and Professor Martin Friedland.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Occupational records series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

3

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1990

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

Address delivered by David Vanek at his retirement dinner on 12 January 1990.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

Series

Fonds

1

Series

4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1957-1996

Physical Description

2 folders of textual records

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm and 15 x 18 cm and 10 x 14 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek was involved in a number of community organizations, several of which he helped to establish. These included Temple Sinai in the 1950s. In 1963, he ran for the Ontario Provincial Legislature but failed to win his seat. He was a founder of the Lawrence Manor Ratepayers Association and of the Credit Counselling Service of Metropolitan Toronto.

Scope and Content

The material consists of publicity brochures, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and photographs documenting Vanek's association with various organizations.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

4

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1963

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek ran for the Conservative Party in the Downsview riding in the 1963 Ontario election. He lost the seat to Vern Singer.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a publicity portrait of David Vanek for the provincial legislature campaign in 1963.

Subjects

Portraits

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

4

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1969

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 18 cm

Admin History/Bio

David Vanek founded Credit Counselling Service of Metropolitan Toronto on September 28, 1965, and served as it's first president.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a photo of P.J. Maher, a subsequent president of Credit Counselling Service, presenting David Vanek with a painting on January 22, 1969.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

Item

Fonds

1

Series

4

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1998

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 14 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph taken at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new headquarters of the Credit Counselling Service at 45 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto. Ed Helder, President of the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services is to the right of David Vanek.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

4

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1957

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of publicity brochure for the Temple Sinai building program.

Name Access

Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Vanek fonds

Community organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

1

Series

4

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1966-1996

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of newspaper articles, correspondence, and newsletters documenting David Vanek's role as the "Father of Credit Counselling."

Source

Archival Descriptions