This fonds documents aspects of the personal and professional life – and particularly the First World War experiences – of Captain Arthur Flowers, a British military careerist and mid-20th c. immigrant to Essex County. Series I contains records and images relating to his personal life and political views; Series II contains records relating to his military career, including correspondence and health records from the First World War; Series III contains official First World War correspondence and publications circulated by the British military to boost morale. Series IV contains records relating to Flowers’ wife Annie, including correspondence, a 1914 travel diary, and souvenirs of the British Royal Family.

This collection contains an eclectic assortment of material – primarily images –relating to the history of Southwestern Ontario and its surrounding areas. The collection has been arranged into series that reflect the types of material received for digitization by SWODA. Series I contains photographs, including a number depicting the work and premises of a Windsor-area construction company, ca. 1920s-1970s; a 1943 group photo from a Windsor factory doing war production; and a Windsor elementary school class photo, ca. 1918; and mausoleums in Windsor Grove Cemetery, 1987-2021. Series II contains several hundred historic postcards in various styles (ca. 1900-2001) depicting landscapes, buildings, attractions, infrastructure, and modes of transportation primarily in Southwestern Ontario (especially Windsor and Essex County) and Detroit, Michigan. Five 1946 postcards depicting other places are all addressed to Miss F. “Rose” Perjul of Windsor, Ontario, mostly from newly demobilized soldier “Frank.” One postcard commemorates a 1959 royal visit. Further series will be added as applicable. Any known details about a specific item are included in the finding aid.