Fonds No.

20201048

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of photographs and documents related to the Niven Family of Lethbridge, in particular to Robert Niven, his son Alexander, and descendants. Robert Niven was born in Scotland in 1837 and married Ann Hopkin in 1859. He came to Canada in 1866 and settled in Nova Scotia, where he worked for the Acadia Coal Company. His wife and family followed him later that year. After being recruited by William Stafford, Robert and his oldest son Robert Junior came to Lethbridge in 1885 to work for the Northwest Coal and Navigation Company. As a master mechanic, his first task was to install the mining machinery for the Galt #1 Mine. His family followed by train (the first "through" train across Canada since the completion of the CPR in 1886). From Dunmore, east of Medicine Hat, the family travelled on the narrow gauge railway to Lethbridge. Robert was active in Knox Presbyterian Church affairs and was elected a trustee of the school board in 1887. He ran as a candidate for town council in 1891. Robert passed away in 1897. All of Robert and Ann Niven's sons found employment with the Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company, and later the Alberta Railway and Coal Company. In 1912, three of Robert's sons, Thomas, Alexander (Sandy), and John opened their own machine shop at 216-1St Avenue South where the downtown Arby’s Restaurant is located today. Around 1922, John Niven left the company and moved to Kimberley where he found work with Cominco at the Sullivan Mine. Through the years at Niven Brothers, the Machinists, Welders and Motor Rebuildings business was expanded and modernized to meet the needs of the present day. In the early 1960s, Alexander's son Robert Niven bought the business from his two cousins and expanded the operation to include truck equipment. The business continued on into the 1990s with the second and third generations in charge. File list: 20201048001 Robert Niven Senior and Family. Photographs. 1888-1930. 20201048002 Niven Family. Papers and Newspaper Clippings. 1903-1952. 20201048003 Niven Family. Lethbridge and area photographs. 1890-1946. 20201048004 Niven Family. Reverend Charles McKillop and Mrs. E. McKillop. Knox Presbyterian Church. 1887-1905. 20201048005 Niven Family. Alexander and Lillian Niven. 1900-1950. 20201048006 Niven Family. Photographs. 1950-1960. 20201048007 Niven Family. A. Robert Niven. Music and musical groups. 1925-1950. 20201048008 Niven Family. Music scores for barbershop quartets. 1912-1951. 20201048009 Niven Family. A. Robert (Bob) Niven and Family. Photographs. 1950-1-58.

Accession No.

20201048

Collection

Archive

Less detail