A.R. Kaufman fonds

Kaufman, A. R.
A.R. Kaufman fonds. - 1929-1979.

26 cm of textual records. - 4 photographs.

Alvin Ratz Kaufman, 1885-1979, was an industrialist and philanthropist based in Kitchener, Ont.

Following the example set by his parents, Jacob and Mary Kaufman, A.R. Kaufman supported, both personally and financially, many community organizations in the Kitchener area as well as endeavours to which he was philosophically committed, such as birth control.

He was Chairman of the Kitchener Planning Board for 36 years, served on the Kitchener Parks Board for more than 40 years, was a member of the Kitchener Hospital Board, was president of the YMCA for 13 years, was a member of the founding Board of Governors of the University of Waterloo, and served in various capacities for Zion Church in Kitchener.

A.R. Kaufman founded the Parents' Information Bureau in 1935 to distribute birth control information. One of the field-workers he hired, Dorothea Palmer, was arrested in 1936 in Ottawa under the obscenity provisions of the Criminal Code. She was acquitted in a landmark verdict that declared her work to be 'for the public good."

Mr. Kaufman was honoured in 1976 by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Ontario for his work in birth control and family planning. (Source: company publications, contents of the fonds)

Contents: fonds consists of material relating to the personal life and interests of A.R. Kaufman, as well as information about his parents and family, preserved by him.

The fonds contains biographical information such as clippings, interviews and awards, scrapbooks maintained by A.R. Kaufman relating to birth control, photographs, and autobiographical accounts by A.R. Kaufman of trips taken to England and France in 1929, around the world in 1958, and to Russia in 1963. It also includes material about Jacob and Mary Kaufman in the form of clippings, biographical accounts written by A.R. Kaufman, correspondence and other material relating to their estates and photographs.

Arranged in six series: 1. Biographical; 2. Personal Files; 3. Photographs; 4. Scrapbooks: Birth Control; 5. Trips; 6. Jacob and Mary Kaufman.

Title from content of the fonds.

Donated in 2005 by the Kaufman family.

Finding aid available: file level. (90 KB, 6 pages)

Material relating to the Parents' Information Bureau can be found in Parents' Information Bureau fonds and Parents' Information Bureau Ltd. fonds : accrual 2005.

Material relating to the Dorothea Palmer trial can be found in Dorothea Palmer collection.

Material relating to the Kaufman Rubber Co. can be found in Kaufman Footwear fonds and Kaufman Footwear fonds : accrual 2005.

Call number: GA173

Special Collections

A.R. Kaufman fonds