Sir Arthur G. (Arthur George) Doughty

Born in Lewisham, England, on March 22, 1860, he later settled in Canada and built a career in libraries, museums, and public records. He worked in Quebec before becoming Dominion Archivist of Canada in 1904, a post he held until 1935.

During his long tenure, he greatly expanded the collections under his care and encouraged the publication of historical documents, helping scholars and the public gain wider access to Canada’s past. He was known not just as an administrator, but as an energetic promoter of historical research and preservation.

He was knighted for his public service and remained closely associated with the growth of Canada’s national archives until his death on December 1, 1936. His work left a lasting mark on how Canadian history was collected, organized, and studied.