Richard Robertson photograph collection [graphic materials, textual records]
Collection number
VMM81
Physical description
1 mm of textual records; 28 b&w prints
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
Richard (Robbie/Dick) Dale Robertson was born in Liverpool, England in 1909. In 1928 he came to Canada as a farm worker. Four years later he followed the lead of his brother and joined the RCMP. His training took place at “N” Division in Rockcliffe (Ottawa), followed by several years as a local constable in New Brunswick. In 1940, he was transferred to “HQ” to work in the Intelligence Section. He retired from the RCMP in 1957. In extensive notes he wrote about his career in the RCMP, Robertson described himself this way: "I don’t think that I was a good 'Policeman' from the point of view of the Force but I think I did do a lot of good as a policeman by always viewing the other side of the story and always having the betterment rather than the punishment of any individual at heart."
Robertson had a strong interest in the Arctic, as well as all of Canada, but never got the chance to be posted to the Arctic due to health issues. While undergoing his training at Rockcliffe’s “N” Division, Robertson met RCMP Sergeant-Major Henry Webb Stallworthy, who was stationed in the Arctic and was briefly assigned to the division to train the recruits in dog team handling. Robertson asked Stallworthy for some pictures from his Arctic experiences and was given 17 photographs, which form part of this collection.
Information provided by the donor.
Scope & content
The collection consists of one file of photographs depicting RCMP operations in the Arctic sent to Richard Robertson by H.W. Stallworthy, and one file of photographs depicting sled dog training at the RCMP “N” Division complex in Ottawa.