Pulmallista monitieteisyyttä

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Psyyken ja persoonallisuuden synty : erään kokeen tuloksia

Myös esittely Iljenkovin elämästä ja tuotannosta.

Elämä työläisnaisten hyväksi. Fiina Pietikäisen yhteiskunnallinen toimijuus 1900–1930. Tutkimus työväenliikkeen sukupuolisidonnaisista käytännöistä

Tutkimuksessa perehdytään työväenliikkeessä vaikuttaneen naisaktiivi Fiina Pietikäisen (1870–1956) toimijuuden myötä työväenliikkeen sukupuolisidonnaisiin käytäntöihin vuosina 1900–1930. Tutkimus edustaa kollektiivista elämänkertatutkimusta. Tässä tutkimuksessa on keskeisesti esillä kysymys Fiina Pietikäisen ja työväenliikkeen suhteesta. Aikakauden työväenliike ei hyväksynyt individualistista toimintaa, vaan edellytti yksittäiseltä aktiivilta kurinalaisuutta ja sitoutuneisuutta yhteisesti sovittuihin pyrintöihin. Toisaalta työväenliike tarjosi niin työläismiehille kuin -naisillekin aivan uudenlaisia mahdollisuuksia vaikuttaa suomalaisessa yhteiskunnassa. Työläisnaiset saattoivat miesten tavoin vaikuttaa poliittisissa ja ammatillisissa järjestöissä, joskin monet naiset keskittyivät vapaaehtoisesti vain puolueen naisjärjestöjen toimintaan. Tutkimus osoittaa, että Fiina Pietikäinen oli pragmaattinen naisaktiivi, joka monien muiden työväenliikkeen naisaktiivien tavoin otti tehtäväkseen työläisnaisten ja -lasten elinolosuhteiden kehittämisen. Edes poikkeusolosuhteet kuten vuoden 1905 suurlakko tai vuoden 1918 sisällissota eivät muuttaneet työväenliikkeen sukupuolisidonnaista toimijuuskulttuuria. Työväenliikkeen naisaktiivit keskittyivät vapaaehtoisesti ruokahuoltoon ja perhepolitiikkaan jättäen muut yhteiskunnalliset kysymykset miestoimijoiden vastuulle. Useimmista työväenliikkeen naisaktiiveista poiketen Fiina Pietikäinen toimi myös miesvaltaisessa ammattiyhdistysliikkeessä niin paikallis- kuin liittotasolla. Pietikäinen otti tehtäväkseen varsinkin helsinkiläisten silittäjien ja erityisesti kylvettäjien ammatillisen edunvalvonnan. Kyseiset naispuoliset ammatinharjoittajat olivat erittäin heikosti järjestäytyneitä, joten Pietikäisen ammatillinen edunvalvonta perustui pitkälti yhteiskunnallisesti otollisten tilanteiden hyödyntämiseen ja työväenliikkeen kollektiivin tukeen. Fiina Pietikäinen kannatti monien muiden naisaktiivien tavoin naisten erillistoimijuutta niin poliittisessa kuin ammatillisessa työväenliikkeessä. Hän sitoutui työväenliikkeen arvoihin ja käytäntöihin, muttei kokenut työväenliikettä tasa-arvoiseksi kollektiiviksi. Hän uskoi naisten voivan parhaiten kehittää omaa asemaansa erillistoimijuuden kautta. Poliittisen työväenliikkeen saralla naiset vaikuttivatkin aina työväenliikkeen hajoamiseen asti pitkälti omissa järjestöissään. Ammatilliseen edunvalvontaan naisten erillistoimijuus ei vakiintunut, koska ammattiyhdistysliikkeen miesaktiivit eivät kokeneet naistyöläisten aseman kehittämisen edellyttävän segregaatiota liikkeen sisällä. Käytännössä monet ammattiosastot olivat kuitenkin joko mies- tai naisammattiosastoja, koska aikakauden Suomessa sukupuoli määräsi hyvin voimakkaasti sen, mitä ammattia yksilö saattoi harjoittaa.

Pennförare i periferin : österbottniska sockenskrivare 1721-1868

Modern research on literacy, the scriptualization of the administration and the interaction between the governing and the governed as part of the political culture, has brought to the fore the issue of different scripts and their terms. The present dissertation focuses on the parish scribes in the county of Ostrobothnia during the period 1721–1868. The peasantry had been given the right to pay parish scribes in 1624. The parish scribes who were to assist the peasants in connection with the collection of taxes simultaneously supervised the bailiffs who collected the taxes. Their writing skills made the scribes indispensable also in many other contexts. In Ostrobothnia, the peasantry had use for parish scribes, who worked as mediators between Swedish and Finnish, between the oral and the written and vice versa. The aim of this dissertation is on the one hand to explore the recruitment of parish scribes, and on the other to examine the parish scribes as a professional and social group. The parish scribes’ significance for the peasantry in everyday life, local decision-making and in connection with political processes will be analyzed by examining their work and professional activities. The recruitment of parish scribes and has been analyzed as a decision process where different actors were able to influence the election. The parish scribes’ competence requirements and terms of employment have been analyzed. The parish scribes as a professional body or a social group has not previously been explored. The examination of the 154 parish scribes as a professional and social group has been carried out in the form of a collective biography. Parish scribes’ tasks originally consisted of the collection of taxes, but the duties within the parish administration increased in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The private writing assignments consisted of many different documents: bills of sale, probate inventories and estate distributions, wills, land tenancy agreements, life annuity and crofter agreements, promissory notes, auction records and different survey documents. The interaction with state power has been analyzed by examining five political decision-making processes that the peasants actively participated in.

Punaisten naisten tiet. Valtiorikosoikeuteen vuonna 1918 joutuneiden Porin seudun naisten toiminta sota-aikana, tuomiot ja myöhemmät elämänvaiheet

Suomen sisällissotaan osallistui vuonna 1918 naisia molemmin puolin rintamaa erilaisissa tehtävissä. Taisteluiden jälkeen yli 5500 punaista naista joutui valtiorikosoikeuteen syytettynä valtiopetoksellisesta toiminnasta. Ne noin 2000 naista, jotka palvelivat punakaartissa aseistettuina, ovat pitkään hallinneet sitä kuvaa, joka suomalaisilla on ollut punaisista naisista. Sen sijaan on tiedetty hyvin vähän niistä naisista, joiden valkoiset katsoivat edistäneen valtiopetosta muilla keinoilla. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, millaisia olivat Porin seudulla ne kapinasta syytetyt naiset, jotka eivät olleet tarttuneet aseisiin ja mikä oli heidän myöhempi kohtalonsa. Työn ensimmäisessä osassa tutkitaan valtiorikosoikeuteen joutuneiden naisten taustaa, toimintaa sota-aikana ja tästä aiheutuneita välittömiä seuraamuksia. Millaisia henkilöitä päätyi valtiorikosoikeuden eteen tuomittavaksi? Millaisissa tehtävissä he olivat sota-aikana toimineet ja miksi? Mitkä seikat olivat oikeudessa raskauttavia, kun valtiorikostuomioita jaettiin? Työn jälkimmäisessä osassa tutkitaan, mitä punaisille naisille tapahtui sodan jälkeen ja miksi näin kävi. Sisällissodan jälkeistä maailmaa hahmotetaan etsimällä vastauksia seuraaviin kysymyksiin: Millainen oli se yhteiskunnassa vallinnut ajan henki, jonka vaikutuspiiriin naiset valtiorikosoikeudesta ja vankilasta palasivat? Miten yhteisö otti heidät vastaan? Miten heihin suhtauduttiin työmarkkinoilla? Miten käsiteltiin punaisia leskiä ja orpoja? Mitä punaisilta odotettiin kansalaisina ja miten heistä pyrittiin muokkaamaan yhteiskuntakelpoisia? Miten poliittisen elämän uudelleenvirittely onnistui ja kiinnostiko se enää näitä naisia? Miten suomalaisen yhteiskunnan muuttuessa myös sen suhtautuminen punaisiin muuttui? Millaisilla toimilla valtiovalta pyrki eri vaiheissa yhtenäistämään rikkirevennyttä kansaa ja miten se näkyi yksittäisten ihmisten elämässä? Ajan kuluessa asenteet muuttuivat ja naiset vanhenivat. Miten naiset kuvasivat kokemaansa myöhemmin omaisilleen? Kysymyksiä pohditaan paikallisesta, Porin seudun näkökulmasta, mutta niitä peilataan kuitenkin jatkuvasti valtakunnalliseen tilanteeseen. Kontekstualisoi- malla paikalliskokemukset laajempaan kokonaisuuteen on voitu paremmin selittää tapahtunutta, ja paikallistutkimuksen kautta on nähty myös koko maassa vallinneita yleisiä olosuhteita. Tutkimuksen kohteena on 267 Porista, Porin maalaiskunnasta ja Ulvilasta kotoisin olevaa naista, jotka joutuivat valtiorikosoikeuden tutkittaviksi. Keskeisimpänä lähdeaineistona ovat seurakuntien rippikirjat ja maistraattien henkikirjat sekä Kansallisarkiston, Kansan arkiston ja Työväen arkistojen sisällissotaa ja sen jälkeistä poliittista elämää valottavat kokoelmat. Tutkimuksen naisista enemmistö oli 18−37-vuotiaita työläisnaisia. Aiemmin rikoksista tuomittuja heidän joukossaan oli hyvin vähän. Suurin osa (n. 71 %) työskenteli punakaartin huollossa keittiö-, siivous- ja vaatetusosastoilla. Noin 21 % työskenteli sairaanhoidossa, ja loput kahdeksan prosenttia olivat punakaartin hallintoa avustavissa muissa tehtävissä. Naiset saivat pääosin lieviä, 2−3 vuoden ehdollisia tuomioita. Vain joka kymmenes nainen tuomittiin ehdottomaan rangaistukseen. Punakaartiin vasta pakomatkalla liittyneet ja kaartissa vähäisissä tehtävissä lyhytaikaisesti toimineet henkilöt vapautettiin syytteistä. Tutkimuksessani olen osoittanut, millaisia vaikeuksia paluu sodanjälkeiseen arkeen tuotti naisille. Varsinkin yksin lastensa kanssa jääneillä oli monenlaisia ongelmia. Sodan aikana levitetty propaganda oli osaltaan lisäämässä vaikeuksia. Toisaalta työtilanne parantui monen naisen osalta jo vuoden 1918 aikana, ja oman punaisen yhteisön tarjoama tuki helpotti arjesta selviytymistä. Elämä tasaantui, naiset perustivat perheitä ja osa palasi työelämään ja politiikkaan. Säilyneiden lähteiden valossa sisällissota näyttäisi radikalisoineen vain pienen osan naisista, kun taas enemmistö kannatti maltillisia sosialidemokraatteja tai jäi kokonaan pois politiikasta. Punaiseksi leimautuminen valtiorikosoikeudessa ei pakottanut naisia muuttamaan uudelle paikkakunnalle; Porin seudulla ja yleensä vielä omassa suvussakin oli riittävästi entisiä punaisia luomassa kollektiivista tukea. Myös valtiovalta pyrki rauhoittamaan poliittista tilannetta ja sopeuttamaan punaisia yhteiskuntaan monin uudistuksin. Naisten kannalta merkittävin myönnytys tapahtui jatkosodan aikana, kun punalesket lopulta oikeutettiin valtiollisen eläkkeen piiriin. Tämä tutkimus on ensimmäinen punaisista naisista laadittu eräänlainen kollektiivinen elämäkerta, jossa on tarkasteltu heidän sodanjälkeistä elämäänsä. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että Porin seudulta valtiorikosoikeuteen joutuneet naiset olivat tavallisia työläisnaisia. Sota ja osallisuus siihen ei tätä asiaa muuttanut. Naiset sopeutuivat yhteiskuntaan nopeasti ja elivät pääosin tavallista työläisperheen arkea sodan jälkeenkin.

Performance improvement in mediterranean operations using risk management analysis : Case study of Containerships Group Ltd

Emerging markets of Northern Africa and Turkey provide growth opportunities for logistics service companies in the middle of low growth environment of European Union. The purpose of this research is to explore and analyze the risk factors in container shipping industry and third party logistics (3PL) services. The research empirically examined the risk factors, which are related within the interaction between these two parties in emerging markets of Mediterranean area. The previous studies have provided a valuable insight into the operational risks faced by container shipping industries. However, most of these studies have focused on one or several operational risk factors from a single point of view, and no studies have inclusively examined the possible operational risks faced in the container shipping industry from dual perspective of 3PL provider and its customers. A questionnaire has been deployed to collect related data; and the impacts of the risks were then be assessed and ranked using the method of risk mapping. Respondents were located in Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Research presents the most important risk factors identified, and compares them between 3PL provider and its customers. The research also provide some risk mitigation strategies for the key risk factors, and tried to figure out a common risk picture, which guides the managers in both sides to have a better decisions and as a result, improve the performance of the container shipping operations. Challenge during project execution time was that customers identified vast amount of more risks than what was the case with logistics service operator.

Education, sport and myth in the community of Glengarry, Ontario : the athletic career of Roderick R. McLennan. 260 St. Catharines, Ont. : Faculty of Education, Brock University ;

This study examined how the athletic career of Roderick R. McLennan contributed to the popularization and subsequent development of Caledonian games in Ontario during the latter nineteenth century. Initially, the development of Caledonian games during the 1800s was examined to provide a contextual framework for McLennan's career. This investigation revealed that the games emerged from rural athletic events at pioneer working bees in the first quarter of the nineteenth century to regional sporting events by the mid-1800s, and finally into annual federated Caledonian games in 1870. Noteworthy primary source material for this chapter included the John MacGillivray Papers at the National Archives of Canada, the Scottish American Journal (NY) and the files retained by the Glengarry Sport Hall of Fame in Maxville, Ontario. Following the investigation of Caledonian games, McLennan's early athletic career was studied. Analysis of the Roderick and Farquhar McLennan Papers at the Archives of Ontario and the newspapers from the period revealed that McLennan rose to popularity in 1865 through a "Championship of the World" hammer throwing match in Cornwall and two "Starring Tours". The next chapter examined the height of McLennan's career through an investigation of the Roderick McLennan versus Donald Dinnie rivalry of the early .. n 1870s. It was detennined that the rivalry between McLennan and Dinnie, the champion athlete of Highland games in Scotland, was a popular attraction and had an impact on the Toronto and Montreal games of 1870 and the Toronto games of 1872. Finally, the athletic records established by McLennan during the 1860s and 1870s were investigated. These records were examined through the context of a media controversy over McLennan's feats that developed in the early 1880s between two newspapers. This controversy erupted between the Toronto Mail and the Spirit of the Times. Caledonian games in Canada have only been briefly examined and a thorough examination of prominent Canadian figures in this context has yet to be undertaken. This study unearths a prominent Canadian athlete of Scottish decent and details his involvement in the Caledonian games of nineteenth century Ontario.

Dr. A. Leon Hatzan letters,1926, 1932-1940, n.d.

Alexander Leon Hatzan (1864-1941), a native of Belgium, was a self-described medical doctor, missionary, academic and some time herbalist. In 1918 he moved to Niagara Falls, first living on Clifton Avenue (now Zimmerman Ave.), later moving to the River Road home he shared with his wife Ada Beatrice Rolston (1882-1975). He was the author of three books and at least four known music scores. He was heavily involved in the promotion of his books and his music. The correspondence is chiefly in reply to gifts of books and/or music sent by Hatzan to the recipients or in reply to requests for speaking engagements. Hatzan died on October 7, 1941 while visiting Vancouver, BC.

Gilbert McMicken document, n.d.

Gilbert McMicken emigrated to Upper Canada in 1832 and settled in Chippawa. In 1835 he was married to Ann Theresa Duff. In 1837 the family moved to Queenston where he was directly involved in the Kingston-Queenston trade endeavours begun by Robert Hamilton. He had a variety of interests, including a partnership with James Hamilton, son of Robert Hamilton. He was also a collector of customs in Queenston and operated the Niagara Suspension Bridge Bank for a time. He entered politics and represented Niagara as well as becoming mayor of Clifton, now part of Niagara Falls, Ont., in 1856. McMicken went on to have an illustrious career, serving as land agent and leader of Canada’s first undercover agency. McMicken moved to Manitoba and was active in business and politics. He died in Winnipeg in 1891. Source: Dictionary of Canadian Biography – Gilbert McMicken website (March 22, 2010)

Agnes Ethelwyn Wetherald fonds

An accomplished poet, writer and journalist, Ethelwyn Wetherald’s works were present in all Ontario readers for school children. Among her most notable works are; The Indigo Bird, The Red-Winged Blackbird, and The Pasture Field. The above poem Legacies is one of her most famous works and appears on her gravestone. Wetherald was born in 1857 as the sixth child out of an eventual eleven. Although born in Rockwood Ontario, she spent most of her life in Fenwick (Pelham Township), Ontario, where she died in 1940. Wetherald used her surroundings as her inspiration and focused on nature. She has been coined a nature poet and journalist. Wetherald received her education at both the Friends boarding school in Union Springs, N.Y. and at Pickering College in Pickering Ontario. After her schooling she wrote numerous articles for the Toronto Globe under the pen name Bel Thistelwaite, derived from her Grandmother’s name. These articles lead to a position as Women’s editor of the Globe and later she was part of the Advertiser’s editorial staff in London Ontario. Wetherald continued writing after she was finished with the papers and published six volumes of poetry between 1895 and 1931. Her work was not only known amongst school children, but also attracted the attention of Earl Grey, Governor-General of Canada in 1907 and Sir Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minster of Canada in 1911. In 1921 she published a book entitled Tree Top Morning, which she dedicated to her daughter Dorothy Rungeling who also became an author. Recently Rungeling published Life and works of Ethelwyn Wetherald 1857-1940 : with a selection of her poems and articles about her mother. Rungeling, Dorothy W., Life and works of Ethelwyn Wetherald

John Smith, M.P fonds, 1930, 1949-1950, 1954, 1957-1962, n.d.

John Smith (1894-1977), son of Daniel Smith and Annie Douglas was a native of Scotland, immigrating to Canada in 1913. He first worked as a coach builder, then as a carpenter, finally developing his own contracting business. During WWI he served overseas with the 10th Battery, RCA as a sergeant. In 1924 Smith married Jean Wood, and together they had a daughter Irene (Hugh Langley). Smith first entered politics in 1940 serving as an alderman for the next 11 years. In 1954 he was elected mayor of the city of St. Catharines, and was twice returned to office by acclamation, serving until 1957 when he successfully ran as the Progressive Conservative candidate representing Lincoln County in the federal election. He won the election by a 10 000 vote majority. He served his constituents in Ottawa until he was defeated in the 1962 election. After leaving politics Mr. Smith was active in his community. He spearheaded the establishment of the St. Catharines Museum, and then was appointed its first director in 1966, serving in that capacity until 1972. He was an active member of the board of governors of the St. Catharines General Hospital and a life member and former president of the Lincoln County Humane Society. In 1971 he was voted Citizen of the Year for the city of St. Catharines. John Smith died on February 8, 1977 and was buried at Victoria Lawn Cemetery. Source: The St. Catharines Standard, February 9, 1977, page 1

Robert George Malcomson Papers, 1790s-2009 (non-inclusive)

Materials related to military and naval operations of the 1812 era, research of the late Robert Malcomson, Canadian author and historian. Materials include photocopies of materials relating to the War of 1812, photographs and detailed research notes Malcomson made regarding his approach to research (mainly found in Series VIII). Materials were originally arranged in binders relating to an area of research or a certain publication. Articles were removed from the binders and placed in folders using original titles from the binders as series or sub-series titles. Articles within the binders were separated by tabs indicating what the article related to in the publication or topic of interest. In order to avoid repetition, the writing on the tab was used for folder titles, as each folder would be a part of the Series under which it was grouped. The tab names could be authors, events, accounts etc. of the War. Series and sub-series titles were derived from the original titles on the binders. Original intellectual order was retained, grouping similar subjects into Series and Sub-series. Dates recorded were the publication dates of the articles; however, if no publication date was present the date of retrieval was used if from an academic database (ex. JSTOR). The black and white photos from various repositories are reproductions of paintings, microfilm etc. on photographic paper. The colour photographs from various repositories are actual photographs. All books donated by Malcomson were integrated into the University’s Special Collections book collection. These volumes are noted at the end of the finding aid under separated materials.

The Welland Canals Foundation, Honourable William Hamilton Merritt and the St. Catharines Historical Society and Museum, 1971-1990, n.d.

‘The Father of Canadian Transportation’ is a term commonly associated with William Hamilton Merritt. Although he is most known for being one of the driving forces behind the building of the first Welland Canal, he was many things throughout his life; a soldier, merchant, promoter, entrepreneur and politician to name a few. Born on July 3, 1793 at Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y. to Thomas Merritt and Mary Hamilton, Merritt’s family relocated to Canada shortly after in 1796. The move came after Merritt’s father petitioned John Graves Simcoe for land in Upper Canada after serving under him in the Queen’s Rangers during the American Revolution. The family quickly settled into their life at Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines. Merritt’s father became sheriff of Lincoln County in 1803 while Merritt began his education in mathematics and surveying. After some brief travel and further education Merritt returned to Lincoln County, in 1809 to help farm his father’s land and open a general store. While a farmer and merchant, Merritt turned his attention to military endeavours. A short time after being commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Lincoln militia, the War of 1812 broke out. Fulfilling his duty, Merritt fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812, and numerous small battles until the Battle of Lundy’s Lane in July 1814. It was here that Merritt was captured and held in Cheshire, Massachusetts until the war ended. Arriving back in the St. Catharines area upon his release, Merritt returned to being a merchant, as well as becoming a surveyor and mill owner. Some historians hypothesize that the need to draw water to his mill was how the idea of the Welland Canals was born. Beginning with a plan to connect the Welland River with the Twelve mile creek quickly developed into a connection between the Lakes Erie and Ontario. Its main purpose was to improve the St. Lawrence transportation system and provide a convenient way to transport goods without having to go through the Niagara Falls portage. The plan was set in motion in 1818, but most living in Queenston and Niagara were not happy with it as it would drive business away from them. Along with the opposition came financial and political restraints. Despite these factors Merritt pushed on and the Welland Canal Company was chartered by the Upper Canadian Assembly on January 19, 1824. The first sod was turned on November 30, 1824 almost a year after the initial chartering. Many difficulties arose during the building of the canal including financial, physical, and geographic restrictions. Despite the difficulties two schooners passed through the canal on November 30, 1829. Throughout the next four years continual work was done on the canal as it expended and was modified to better accommodate large ships. After his canal was underway Merritt took a more active role in the political arena, where he served in various positions throughout Upper Canada. In 1851, Merritt withdrew from the Executive Council for numerous reasons, one of which being that pubic interest had diverted from the canals to railways. Merritt tried his hand at other public works outside transportation and trade. He looked into building a lunatic asylum, worked on behalf of War of 1812 veterans, aided in building Brock’s monument, established schools, aided refugee slaves from the U.S. and tried to establish a National Archives among many other feats. He was described by some as having “policy too liberal – conceptions too vast – views too comprehensive to be comprehensible by all”, but he still made a great difference in the society in which he lived. After his great contributions, Merritt died aboard a ship in the Cornwall canal on July 5, 1862. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=38719 retrieved October 2006 Today numerous groups carry on the legacy of Merritt and the canals both in the past and present. One such group is the Welland Canals Foundation. They describe themselves as: “. . . a volunteer organization which strives to promote the importance of the present and past Welland Canals, and to preserve their history and heritage. The Foundation began in 1980 and carries on events like William Hamilton Merritt Day. The group has strongly supported the Welland Canals Parkway initiative and numerous other activities”. The Welland Canals Foundation does not work alone. They have help from other local groups such as the St. Catharines Historical Society. The Society’s main objective is to increase knowledge and appreciation of the historical aspects of St. Catharines and vicinity, such as the Welland Canals. http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/dec2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006 http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/feb2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1874

A quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by Walter Hawkins, Minister, issued on August 16, 1874. This ticket was in the possession of the Richard Bell Family of St. Catharines.Minister Walter Hawkins was Superintendent of the Conference for the British Methodist Episcopal Church (Brant Co.) This excerpt from the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online describes his role in reestablishing the BMEC in Canada following a period of reunion with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, an initiative spearheaded by Richard Randolph Disney, a free-born black American Methodist preacher. "By the end of the 1870s the BMEC had 56 congregations with about 3,100 members, the bulk of the latter being in the Danish West Indies and British Guiana. Because mission work outside Canada had overtaxed the church's financial resources, in 1880 Disney began negotiations towards reunion with the AMEC. The reunion was effected that year, and it was overwhelmingly ratified at a BMEC convention held at Hamilton in June 1881. A referendum showed that although a majority in Ontario was opposed, 86 per cent of the membership was in favour. Disney was accepted as an AMEC bishop and was assigned to its Tenth Episcopal District, a region embracing his former territory as well as some of the AMEC churches in Canada which had not joined the BMEC. Reunification appeared to have been a triumph for Disney, but trouble soon occurred. A majority of the Ontario churches and preachers, led by the Reverend Walter Hawkins of Chatham, sought to re-establish the BMEC, fearing the loss of their distinctive identity and perhaps feeling that the Caribbean groups had exercised too much influence on the reunification question. In 1886 this group held an ecclesiastical council at Chatham, at which it was claimed that Disney had defected to the AMEC. At a subsequent general conference that year the BMEC was reconstituted. The conference deposed Disney, agreeing to "erase his name and ignore his authority, and cancel his official relationship as bishop." The conference minutes also refer to a court case instigated by Disney which reached the High Court of Chancery in Britain, but records of this case have not been located. The reconstituted BMEC elected Hawkins as its general superintendent, avoiding the title of bishop for several years." Source: Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Government of Canada.