Ray Williston fonds (1914-1999) - 2000.13

Ray Williston (1914-2006) was principal of the Prince George Junior-Secondary School and a school inspector for the Prince George/Peace River area from 1945-1953. In 1953 he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Prince George and served as Minister of Education from 1954-1956 and Minister of Lands and Forests from 1956-1972 in the B.C. Social Credit government under Premier W.A.C. Bennett. In the latter role he encouraged the development of a pulp economy from unused forest resources in the interior of B.C. in conjunction with government hydro-electric projects. After leaving government he became Chair and President of the British Columbia Cellulose Company and held a number of directorships in B.C. and New Brunswick. In addition he did consulting for the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Physical Description: 90 cm textual and other materials (c.1914-1999).

The records include photographs, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and memorabilia, correspondence, reports and other textual material. The photographs relate to Mr. Williston’s life from childhood to the late 1990s, the scrapbooks document Mr. Williston’s years in political office, and the textual materials relate to both Mr. Williston’s public life and private interests. See also an accrual of photographic materials related to his years in provincial government.