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William Gaddis Collection

 Collection
Identifier: OCH-WGC

Scope and Contents

The William Gaddis Collection consists of playbills, menus, business cards, maps, and travel documents from William Gaddis's travels in Shanghai, Nanking, Japan, and the Philipines during the late 1920s to the early 1930s. Also included in the collection is a scrapbook of photographs given to Gaddis by his father of various locations in Asia in the early 1930s, a scrapbook compiled by Gaddis of his life in the San Francisco area in the late 1930s, and two binders from Gaddis' time in middle school.

Dates

  • Creation: 1928-2006
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1928-1932

Language of Materials

English Chinese

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical Information:

William (Bill) Gaddis was born in Berkeley, California, in 1920. Gaddis was about twelve years old when his father, a Captain in the United States Navy, was posted to command a ship on the China Station. He spent two years in Shanghai with his mother and sister while his father was at sea. While in Shanghai, Gaddis attended the American School and participated in local theater. He assembled a collection of playbills, menus, business cards, and maps which he organized into two scrapbooks.

At the beginning of World War II, William Gaddis joined the U.S. Navy and rose to the rank of lieutenant before being discharged from the military because he was homosexual. This discharge occurred in late 1943 or early 1944. After his time in the military, he went on to become an electrician by trade and he traveled extensively around the globe from 1956-1958.

Full Extent

4.73 Linear Feet (6 boxes)

Abstract

William (Bill) Gaddis was born in Berkeley, California in 1920.  Gaddis was about ten years old when his father, a Captain in the United States Navy, was posted to command a ship on the China Station. He spent two years in Shanghai and Manila with his mother and sister while his father was at sea. While in Manila, Gaddis attended the American School and participated in local theater. During his travels he collected a number of playbills, menus, business cards, and maps which he organized into scrapbooks.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

William Gaddis.

Processing Information:

Tim Kaufler, 2012

Title
Guide to the William Gaddis Collection
Date
2014-07-10
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Revision Statements

  • 2013: Jessica Geiser

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge CA 91330-8326 USA
818-677-4594