Stuart Hodgson Fonds
The Stuart Hodgson Fonds is a collection of historical records held by the BC Labour Heritage Centre consisting of union newspapers and labour pamphlets dating from 1948 to 1952.
Hodgson was born in Vancouver BC, completing Grade 11 while working in plywood mills to support his family during the Depression.
After serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, he returned to BC to work in the plywood mills of MacMillan Bloedel and soon became involved in labour politics. He rose to the position of Financial Secretary at Local 1-217, the IWA’s largest local in one of Canada’s biggest and most militant unions.
Later in life he became Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. Afterwards he held positions with the BC Ferry Corporation and BC Transit.
The collection primarily focuses on the early years of the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) in British Columbia.
The fonds includes:
● specific issues of “BC Lumber Worker” from 1948 to 1952 and “The Voice of the IWA” from 1948
● Undated pamphlets on topics related to labour and social issues, including
○ “Meet the Woodworkers”
○ “Beware! Racial and Religious Hatred Seeks to Destroy Trade Unionism!”
○ “You Belong to a Minority”
○ “Discrimination Costs You Money”
○ “To New Employees”
○ “When You Have Grievance”
○ “Prejudice Must be Fought”
○ “Tolerance is Not Enough”