Peter Kropotkin On Tour in Manitoba
2022 Anniversaries in the History of Canadian Science and Technology.
First posted Wednesday, September 21, 2022 / Yom rishon, 25 Elul, 5782.
By David Orenstein, Emeritus, Danforth CTI, Toronto
david.orenstein@alumni.utoronto.ca
On Tuesday, September 21, 1897, exactly 125 years ago – a century and a quarter – Prince Peter Kropotkin was in Winkler, Manitoba. From there he again wrote, to James Mavor in Toronto, a handwritten letter on both sides of a single sheet of paper:
“Winkler. Tuesday
“September 21, 1897
“Dear Friend
“Only just a few words to tell you how much I enjoy the Journey [.] With a Mr. Wrigley, ex-editor of the “Farmers’ Sun” at Toronto, we have gone this way, and stopped the night here, with the intention of driving tomorrow morning through the Mennonite Settlements to Gretna and thence to proceed to Winnipeg. In Winnipeg”
Verso:
“I shall stay for two days, and leave Friday to reach Toronto on Sunday at 4.25 P.M. I must give up the idea of going up the Dauphin line… Recent Science!! Will you permit me to stay with you to write that piece of useless literature?
Much love to you all and many kisses to the Children
“Yours affectionately
“P Kropotkin”
Kropotkin would write his next letter to Mavor over a month later, on October 24 , and from New York City.
But that’s another story!
Links
Previous Kropotkin-Mavor CSTHA Blog Posts:
Kropotkin back in Calgary from side trip to Edmonton. Posted September 18, 2022.
Kropotkin in Calgary en route to Edmonton. Posted September 12, 2022.
https://cstha-ahstc.ca/2022/09/12/peter-kropotkin-has-crossed-back-from-vancouver-to-calgary/
Kropotkin in Vancouver. Posted September 8, 2022
https://cstha-ahstc.ca/2022/09/08/peter-kropotkin-writes-from-vancouver-to-james-mavor/
Kropotkin arrives in Canada. Posted August 8, 2022.
https://cstha-ahstc.ca/2022/08/08/im-here-peter-kropotkin-arrives-in-montreal/
Kropotkin shares good news: “I’m coming to Toronto for the BAAS.” Posted July 21, 2022.
https://cstha-ahstc.ca/2022/07/21/prince-peter-kropotkin-anarchist-leader-and-geographer/
Other Links:
Kropotkin on p.474 of “Geography at the British Association, Toronto, 1897”
The Geographical Journal Vol. 10, No. 5 (Nov., 1897), pp. 471-476 (6 pages)
Bibliography
James Mavor Collection, MSS 119, Finding Aid
https://fisher.library.utoronto.ca/sites/default/public/finding_aids/mavor119.pdf
The Kropotkin-Mavor Correspondence is to be found at the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library at the University of Toronto. It’s in the manuscript collection MSS 119, where Box 10B is “Peter Kropotkin”. Our letters are in File #5.