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Ray Stephens fonds
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Fonds
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Physical description area
Physical description
6 cm of textual records. - 5 photographs. - 1 album (24 photographs)
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
P 22191 William Raymond Stephens, 1916- , was born in Caerphilly, Wales. He came from a musical family and undertook studies in several instruments and in voice. He developed particular interest in the tuba. He joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1936 as a bandsman and became a drummer for the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Dance Band formed ca.1937. When war broke out he was stationed with the Regiment in England was later promoted to Sergeant. He transferred to the 1st Canadian Division Band in March 1941, then to the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, then Allied Broadcast Network in London. During the final year of the war he served in Italy and Northwestern Europe. Following the war he worked for the music retailers Boosey and Hawkes (Canada) and Frederick Harris Music Company. He is the author of The Harps of War (1986), Memories and Melodies of World War II (1987), and The Canadian Entertainers of World War II (1991). He married Eunice Davies, and they had two sons, David and Glyn. In 1991 he was living at Oakville, Ontario.
Custodial history
The photograph of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Dance Band was deposited with the Regimental Archives by George Forsyth, half brother of Murray Robert Church.
Scope and content
The fonds contains an annotated album documenting Stephens' PPCLI experiences (1936-1978); "Studies for the E flat Tuba", a scrapbook compiled by bandsmen Harry Armstrong and W. Ray Stephens (1928-1939); photographs of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regimental Band ( ca. 1936-ca. 1939). a letter from Stephens reminiscing on the Band (1990); a copy of a program for the band concert "Anniversary Antics" (1939); collected messages from commanding officers (ca. 1919-1944); and collected safe conduct passes issued during World War II and the Korean War.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Gifts of George Forsyth, 1999 and W. Ray Stephens, 1978-2001.
Arrangement
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There are no restrictions on the records.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
The Scrapbooks and Albums inventory includes an item-level inventory of the album, which is located at C100.1.1
Associated materials
Accruals
General note
Further documentation of W. Ray Stephens' military career can be found in the John A. Jackson fonds and in Collection 1, files 17(141)-1, 51(16)-1, and 71(74)-4.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
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Name access points
- Stephens, Ray (Subject)
- Armstrong, Harry (Subject)
- Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Band (Subject)
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Language of description
- English