The Ray Culos Vancouver Society of Italians Collection

This collection features meeting minutes, annual budgets, constitutions, bylaws, correspondence, handbooks, programs, and publicity materials, specifically related to the activities of the Sons of Italy from 1926-1966. The Sons of Italy was one of Vancouver's main Italian mutual aid societies in the early 20th century. This content offers insight into its governance structure and activities in support of both recent and established Italian immigrants in Canada.

This collection features meeting minutes, annual budgets, constitutions, bylaws, correspondence, handbooks, programs, and publicity materials, specifically related to the activities of the Sons of Italy from 1926-1966.  The Sons of Italy was one of Vancouver's main Italian mutual aid societies in the early 20th century.  This content offers insight into its governance structure and activities in support of both recent and established Italian immigrants in Canada.

Highlights

The Ray Culos Vancouver Society of Italians Collection details the social and cultural life of the Italian immigrant community in Vancouver.  The archive also includes documents from its sister organization, the Lega femminile, enabling researchers to better understand the way that family, gender, and the public and private sphere functioned in the early twentieth-century for Italian immigrants to Vancouver.  This collection offers an extensive record of the successes and challenges experienced by the Sons of Italy and its sister organization.  Researchers will be able to trace the expanding Italian community in Vancouver and the strategies they deployed to maintain and deepen their sense of identify and community through banquets, recreation, and religion.

Copyright and Terms of use

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  • You may use this work as permitted by applicable licenses, fair dealing and other exceptions under copyright legislation in your jurisdiction. For guidance on seeking further permissions, contact SFU Special Collections and Rare Books (scrb@sfu.ca).

Acknowledgements

The Italian Cultural Centre Museum (Il Museo) and SFU Library gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre's B.C. History Digitization Program.

Search within Collection

Displaying 1 - 15 of 384

[ Snowball Frolic and Dance program]

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Date: 1931-12-16
Description: Event program of dance held at Majestic Hall and organized by The Sons of Italy Athletic Club.

["New Year's Eve" Dance - admission ticket]

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Date: Unknown year in the century of the 1900s
Description: An admission ticket to the New Year Eve dance organized by the Sons of Italy and Italian Ladies' League.

[25th anniversary dinner and social program]

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Date: 1930-01-08
Description: Event program of dance and social held at Majestic Hall organized to celebrate 25th anniversary of foundation of the Sons of Italy.

[35 mo. Anniversario della fondazione della Societa de M. S. "Figlli D'Italia" flyer]

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Date: 1940-01-01
Name(s): Culos, Marino
Description: A program of celebration of the 35th anniversary of founding of the Sons of Italy association.

[50th Anniversary Poster]

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Date: 1955-02-03
Description: Poster / Flyer advertising dinner and dance at the Commodore Cabaret celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Sons of Italy.

[A Grand Finale to Italian Centennial Festivities Christopher Columbus Banquet and Dance - flyer]

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Date: 1958-10-11
Description: An invitation to dinner and dance as part of Italian Centennial Festivities.

[A Triumph of the Italian Colony in Vancouver, B.C., for the Concession of a Parish of Their Own - an article]

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Date: Unknown year in the century of the 1900s
Description: An excerpt article from the Voice of Italy, New York.

[Account book]

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Date: 1922-01-08 to 1932-12-04
Description: Accounting book, including deposit records, balance sheet, and annual report. Deposits are made to the Royal Bank of Canada.

[Administrative and financial documents]

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Date: 1950-02-27
Description: These documents include list of executive officers, income and expense statements, balance sheet and message to members

[Ambulance service receipt]

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Date: 1920-06
Description: Handwritten note outlining ambulance service.

[An invitation to garden party hosted The Lieutenant-Governor General of British Columbia and Mrs. Nicholson]

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Date: 1969-07-16
Name(s): Culos, Marino
Description: An invitation to garden party hosted by Lieutenant-Governor of BC at the Government House in Victoria.

[Annual dinner - admission ticket]

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Date: 1950-01-08
Description: An admission ticket to dinner organized by the Sons of Italy and Italian Ladies' League in Swedish Community Hall.

[Applicazione Di Nuovi Membr - forms]

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Date: Unknown year in the century of the 1900s
Description: Application for The Sons of the Italy membership.

[Applicazione Di Nuovi Membri - filled forms]

MsC-244-172-001-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1919-01-27
Description: Application for The Sons of the Italy membership.