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Edgar and Dorothy Davidson had a keen interest in the early history of Canada and in 1969 announced their decision to donate their private book collection on the subject to Mount Allison.

The Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Collection of Canadiana includes nearly 600 rare first-edition books and imprints, primarily from the 17th to 19th centuries. The collection documents European expansion in what is now Canada, from the founding of New France to the exploration of the Arctic. Written from a colonial perspective, contact with Indigenous peoples is recorded in such publications as the Jesuit Relations of the early 1600s. Well-preserved maps and vivid illustrations of landscapes are found throughout the collection including in a 1613 book by Samuel de Champlain and an 1823 book by John Franklin.

Over the decades, the Edward and Dorothy Davidson Collection has been used for hands-on learning opportunities for students in history, fine arts, and visual and material culture studies, among other topics. It has also been used by honours students researching their theses and accessed by visiting historians. Mount Allison published a catalogue of the collection in 1991 and in 2015 maps and books from the collection were featured in the Mapping North America exhibition at the Owens Art Gallery.

“This is a fantastic collection, one of the best in the country,” says Elizabeth Millar, Mount Allison’s special collections librarian. “The philanthropic impact that Edgar and Dorothy Davidson have had is incredible.”

When the couple established the collection in 1969, they also made a monetary donation to create the Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Chair in Canadian Studies. These acts of generosity helped Mount Allison become one of Canada’s first institutions to establish a formal Canadian Studies undergraduate program.

Edgar Davidson wrote to Mount Allison President Laurence Cragg on December 8, 1968, sharing why he and Dorothy chose the University.

“All of us who have even a rudimentary knowledge of Canadian history know how much this country owes to the men and women of the Maritimes who have contributed so much to our national life,” wrote Davidson. “…these considerations have prompted us to make our gift to a small university in the Maritimes, a university dedicated to the humanities and to the intellectual and cultural life of our nation.”

Edgar Davidson (1905-1995) was born in Germany and came to Canada as a young man in the 1920s. For his service in the intelligence branch of the Canadian Navy during the Second World War, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire. Edgar, or ‘Davy’ as he was affectionately called by family and friends, became an award-winning teacher, school principal, and educational consultant, working in Quebec.

“As a teacher, Davy was ahead of his time,” says niece Sandra Crabtree. “While teaching in the 40s he had students engaged in experiential learning — taking them to plays and local community and cultural sites, and even arranging a trip to New York.”

Dorothy (Crabtree) Davidson (1911-2010) was born in Joliette, QC. An accomplished musician, she studied in Montreal, New York, and London, and served as an executive with a number of charitable organizations.

“I was very close to my aunt and uncle,” says Crabtree. “They were generous, kind, always helping others. They taught me so much and from a young age gave me a deep appreciation for education. They would give me books, take me to museums, they were always trying to teach me something.”

Back on campus, Millar is excited for the future of the Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Collection.

“With the planned library renovation, we will be able to better showcase and preserve the collection,” she says. “I’m especially excited to have a reading room where students, faculty, and other researchers can better engage with the books.”

Banner photo caption: Edgar Davidson