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Bill Gibbons fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions582
Part Of
Bill Gibbons fonds
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of photographic business records of professional photographer Bill Gibbons in three series: I. Commercial black and white series, ca.1945-ca.1958, ca.5400 photographs; II. Canadian Rockies colour series, ca.1945-ca.1990, predominant ca.1966-ca.1972, ca.8000 photographs; III. Other …
Date Range
[ca.1945-ca.1990]
Reference Code
M532 / V227
Description Level
1 / Fonds
GMD
Photograph
Negative
Photograph print
Postcard
Transparency
Textual record
Private record
Part Of
Bill Gibbons fonds
Description Level
1 / Fonds
Fonds Number
M 532
V 227
Sous-Fonds
M 532
V 227
Accession Number
194, 275, 1991, 2020, 5753, 5756, 6760, 7936, 7237
Reference Code
M532 / V227
GMD
Photograph
Negative
Photograph print
Postcard
Transparency
Textual record
Private record
Responsibility
Fonds consists of the private business records of Bill Gibbons. Some photographs may have been made by employees.
Date Range
[ca.1945-ca.1990]
Physical Description
ca.13,404 photographs: negatives, prints, transparencies, albums, postcards. -- 2.5 cm textual records
History / Biographical
W. J. L. "Bill" Gibbons, 1914-1994 , was a professional photographer at Banff, Alberta, Canada from 1945 until 1959. Gibbons came to Canada in 1941 and settled in Banff after the war with his wife, Ella Mae (Becker), a Banff native. He established British Photographic Laboratories, with partners Lou Crosby and Jack Anderson, in the basement of the Mount Royal Hotel, moving later to street-level. Bill and Ella Mae Gibbons travelled throughout the mountain parks photographing views for sale in the Banff shop. These were offered as hand-coloured prints, with much of the colouring done or supervised by Ella Mae.
Later the business expanded to include colour postcards and slide sets. Gibbons employed other photographers, such as Bruno Engler, for specialty work, such as ski photography, and the Banff studio also did portraiture. Gibbons himself did most of the 4 x 5 format landscape work and made extensive use of models, many of who were young women employed by his Banff store. In 1959, Gibbons sold his business to a group of Banff businessmen and moved to Vancouver. In subsequent years, he continued to be active as a photographer and in publishing, working in different areas of the world. He made several photographic trips through the mountain parks, ca.1966-1972.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of photographic business records of professional photographer Bill Gibbons in three series: I. Commercial black and white series, ca.1945-ca.1958, ca.5400 photographs; II. Canadian Rockies colour series, ca.1945-ca.1990, predominant ca.1966-ca.1972, ca.8000 photographs; III. Other black and white series, ca. 1947, 4 photographs.
I. Commercial black and white series consists of six sub-series: A. Portraits and documentary views, 1945-1950, 2437 negatives (individual and group portraits, weddings, conferences, events, buildings, facilities and places; Banff and area); B. Banff School of Fine Arts, ca.1949, 277 negatives (privately produced views of classes, group portraits, activities, buildings and facilities); C. "S" sub-series, ca.1950, 1220 negatives (scenic views in the vicinity of Banff, Lake Louise, Banff-Jasper Highway, Jasper National Park, Radium and Columbia Valley, British Columbia and Pacific Coast, First Nations views); D. "T" sub-series, ca.1950, 482 negatives (scenic and commercial views, mainly Jasper, Banff-Jasper Highway and Lake Louise areas); E. Rolliflex and panorama negatives, 1949-1958, 584 negatives (Banff Winter Carnival, Banff School of Fine Arts, and Banff and area); F. Other, ca.1945-1951, 364 items (material similar to that in other series, some unidentified). Accompanied by small number of prints and postcards; also, publication: "Photographing the Canadian Rockies" by Bill J. L. Gibbons, 1948.
II. Canadian Rockies colour series consists of four sub-series: A. CR1 to CR84, ca.1966-ca.1972, ca.260 prints; B. CR1 to CR443, ca.1966-ca.1972, ca.5130 photographs; C. CR35-2 to CR35-81, ca.1966-ca.1972, ca.2310 photographs; D. Other photographs, ca.1945-ca.1990. Series consists primarily of commercial colour negatives and corresponding proof prints pertaining to Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Parks, also some transparencies and oversize display prints.
III. Other black and white series. Series consists of 2 black and white prints of crash landing at Sunshine with Al Gaetz and Dick Pike, 1947 and two copy negatives with prints of Bruno Engler and Ella Mae Gibbons, ca.1947.
Textual records are record book, 1945-1953, 62 p; and book layout.
Name Access
Gibbons, Bill
Subject Access
Arts
Buildings and facilities
Commerce and industry
Education
Environment
Family and personal life
Sports, recreation and leisure
Access Restrictions
Some restriction/s on access
Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply
Language
Language is English
Finding Aid
Finding aids and reference tools: arrangement outline
series and file description
electronic finding aid
selected modern reference prints
Creator
Gibbons, Bill
Category
Arts
Commerce and industry
Education
Environment
Family and personal life
Sports, recreation and leisure
Title Source
Title based on accession records and contents of fonds
Processing Status
Processed
Less detail
This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.
Part Of
Bob Smith fonds
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal photographs, biographical notes, memoir drafts and other collected materials pertaining to Robert Neville (Bob) Smith. Fonds also includes plans and maps pertaining to the development of land near Lake Minnewanka and the Cascade Power Plant project (1943).
Date Range
1925-1995
Reference Code
M589 / V809
Description Level
1 / Fonds
GMD
Map
Newspaper clipping
Photograph
Plan
Postcard
Print
Published record
Textual record
Part Of
Bob Smith fonds
Description Level
1 / Fonds
Fonds Number
M589
V809
Sous-Fonds
M589
V809
Accession Number
2021.36
Reference Code
M589 / V809
GMD
Map
Newspaper clipping
Photograph
Plan
Postcard
Print
Published record
Textual record
Date Range
1925-1995
Physical Description
ca.300 photographs : b&w and col. prints ; 12 x 18 cm or smaller -- 7 cm of textual records -- 7 topographical maps/plans -- 8 postcards
History / Biographical
Robert Neville (Bob) Smith (1926-2021) was born in Banff. He was the only child of parents Enoch Smith and Laurene Smith (nee Munson). Bob grew up near Lake Minnewanka until 1941, when a hydro dam was installed resulting in the intentional flooding of the area. The family moved to Banff, where Bob met his future wife, Mary Parkinson. The couple were married in 1953 and moved to Seebe, where they raised two daughters, Marjory and Shirley. Bob worked for Calgary Power Co. (later renamed TransAlta Utilities) from 1953 until his retirement in 1986. In his spare time, Bob founded the Bow Valley Camera Club and the Bow Valley Naturalists organization. In 1999, Bob was part of a successful project with the Bow Valley Naturalists to designate the Mount Yamnuska area as a Bow Valley Protected Area, following 25 years of lobbying with the Government of Alberta. Bob also formed the Meanderthals seniors hiking club in 1993 and led various local hiking trips in his later years.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal photographs, biographical notes, memoir drafts and other collected materials pertaining to Robert Neville (Bob) Smith. Fonds also includes plans and maps pertaining to the development of land near Lake Minnewanka and the Cascade Power Plant project (1943).
Name Access
Smith, Enoch
Smith, Robert Neville (Bob)
Subject Access
Family and personal life
Labour
Environment
Natural resources
Geographic Access
Canada
Alberta
Banff
Canmore
Seebe
Lake Minnewanka
Language
English
Category
Environment
Family and personal life
Labour
Natural resources
Biographical Source Notes
https://www.albertaprimetimes.com/obituaries/robert-neville-bob-smith-3238925
Title Source
Title based on contents of fonds
Processing Status
Processed
Less detail
This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.
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