J. Richard Houston Memorial Lecture

Houston Lecturer

John Richard (Dick) Houston was a lawyer, avid genealogist and an early member of the Ontario Genealogical Society. He was elected Director of the Society in 1971, and carried out a revision of the bylaws and constitution. Dick served as Chairman of Seminar ’75, “York and the Home District”. He contributed a number of genealogical articles to Families during the 1970s. Dick’s sudden death in 1976 while on service in Northern Ontario for the Porter Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning prompted members of the Houston family and OGS members to establish the J. Richard Houston Memorial Trust. The fund was used initially to publish a portion of Dick’s genealogical work, based on his years of meticulous research. The family history he had begun to write was completed and published as Numbering the Survivors, a History of the Standish Family of Ireland, Ontario and Alberta. It was one of the first to use a wealth of computerized comparative statistics to flesh out the narrative. A more general purpose of the Trust has been to encourage the development and publication of genealogical and biographical work in Canada. The Trust has funded the appearance of prominent genealogists and historians to deliver the keynote address at the annual OGS conference.

This year’s J. Richard Houston Memorial Lecture is titled “Reflections on Archivists and Genealogists”

Ian E. Wilson began his career at Queen’s University Archives in 1967 and retired in April 2009 as Librarian and Archivist of Canada after serving as provincial archivist in both Saskatchewan and Ontario.  He continues to hold the title of Librarian and Archivist of Canada Emeritus and remains president of the International Council on Archives.

To quote the website of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada,

Dr. Wilson’s career spans many areas, including archival and information management, university teaching and government service. He has worked diligently to make archives accessible and interesting to a wide range of audiences. While helping to safeguard the integrity of archival records and library services, he has encouraged public involvement and outreach. He has published extensively on history, archives, heritage and information management and has lectured nationally and internationally. He holds three honorary doctorates (York, Queen’s, Saskatchewan), is a Member of the Order of Canada, and was appointed Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France. In May 2002, he was appointed to the Order of Canada. He is a fellow of the Association of Canadian Archivists, the Society of American Archivists and the International Council on Archives.