Fonds - Stevens Family

Original Digital object not accessible

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Stevens Family

General material designation

    Parallel title

    Other title information

    Title statements of responsibility

    Title notes

    • Source of title proper: Title based on the content of the fonds.

    Level of description

    Fonds

    Reference code

    Edition area

    Edition statement

    Edition statement of responsibility

    Class of material specific details area

    Statement of scale (cartographic)

    Statement of projection (cartographic)

    Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

    Statement of scale (architectural)

    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1926 (Creation)
      Creator
      Stevens Family

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    1 DVD

    Publisher's series area

    Title proper of publisher's series

    Parallel titles of publisher's series

    Other title information of publisher's series

    Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

    Numbering within publisher's series

    Note on publisher's series

    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    (1902 - present (in Canada))

    Biographical history

    Robert Thomas Stevens [Roberto Tomaso Stefanizzi] was born in Cellara, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy on February 23, 1896 to Gaetano Stefanizzi and Gaetana Caliguiri. At the age of 6, he immigrated to Canada with his uncle Francesco Steffanzzi (aka Frank Stevens d. 1941 age 70) in 1902 while the rest of his family remained in Italy.

    As a teenager during the first world war, Stevens operated a commissary at Nobel for the explosives plant employees. Stevens enjoyed being an entrepreneur and in 1918, he decided to venture into the film industry by opening his first theatre in Sudbury on Elm Street East. His theatre business thrived and over the years, Stevens expanded his business with the acquisition of additional theatres in Sturgeon Falls, Creighton Mine and Sault Ste. Marie. For a few years, Stevens also owned a theatre in Espanola. In August 1939, Stevens opened the large Regent Theatre on Elm Street in Sudbury. This theatre was well known for its size in Northeastern Ontario.

    On December 4, 1923, Robert Stevens married Florence Boucher, a nurse originally from Whitefish, Ontario. The ceremony was held in Little Current, Ontario. They had six children; Joseph 'Robert' Guy (1924-1968), 'William' Alfred (1926-1988), 'Thomas' Joseph (1928-), Anne Marie (1930-2004, married name Ripley), John (1931?-), and Margaret Theressa (1934-).

    During the second world war, Robert Stevens, along with many other Italian-born Canadians, was closely monitored by authorities. On August 24, 1940, Stevens was a patient at St. Joseph’s Hospital, suffering from a slight ailment. At 10 a.m. he was arrested on charges, under the Defence of Canada Regulations, for during August 14 to 20, 1940 “making statements intended to, or likely to, prejudice recruiting, training, discipline and administration of His Majesty’s forces,” and “making statements intended to, or likely to, cause disaffection to His Majesty.” He was escorted from his hospital room to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters for questioning. Afterwards, he was taken to the courthouse. Stevens was denied bail by the Magistrate and placed in a prison cell at the Sudbury District Jail until his trial three days later. Stevens plead guilty to the first charge and was fined $25. The second charge was dropped.

    Robert Thomas Stevens became ill in January 1943 and passed away at St. Joseph's Hospital in Sudbury on February 13, 1943 at the age of 46.

    Custodial history

    Cambrian College provided a DVD copy of the VHS copy they created from a 16mm film (this was also a copy) in the 1970's, which was donated to them by the Stevens' family. Thomas Stevens then donated the 16mm film to the City of Greater Sudbury Archives for duplication purposes (the 16mm film was then returned to Stevens.) The original 1926 16mm film was destroyed in the 1970's immediately after a 16mm copy was created (this was due to erosion of the film). Due to this damage, parts of the film, have been lost.

    Scope and content

    This fonds consists of one DVD copy of a VHS copy of a film, originally on 16mm.

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    Immediate source of acquisition

    ACC2009-021, Thomas Stevens

    Arrangement

    Language of material

      Script of material

        Location of originals

        Availability of other formats

        Restrictions on access

        Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

        Finding aids

        Item list available.

        Associated materials

        Related materials

        Accruals

        Accompanying material

        To learn more about Italian-Canadians during World War II, visit http://www.italiancanadianww2.ca/.

        Alternative identifier(s)

        Standard number

        Standard number

        Access points

        Subject access points

        Place access points

        Name access points

        Genre access points

        Control area

        Description record identifier

        Institution identifier

        Rules or conventions

        Status

        Level of detail

        Dates of creation, revision and deletion

        Language of description

          Script of description

            Sources

            Digital object (Master) rights area

            Digital object (Reference) rights area

            Digital object (Thumbnail) rights area

            Accession area