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Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions36
Part Of
Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse …
Date Range
1856-1980
Reference Code
M36 / S37 / V683
Description Level
1 / Fonds
GMD
Drawing
Motion picture
Film
Photograph
Album
Ambrotype
Cased photograph
Daguerreotype
Negative
Photograph print
Postcard
Tintype
Transparency
Sound recording
Cassette
Reel to reel
Textual record
Plan
Poster
Private record
Published record
More detail
  1 Electronic Resource  
Part Of
Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds
Description Level
1 / Fonds
Fonds Number
M36 / V683 / S37
Sous-Fonds
TBD
Accession Number
3069 and various
Reference Code
M36 / S37 / V683
GMD
Drawing
Motion picture
Film
Photograph
Album
Ambrotype
Cased photograph
Daguerreotype
Negative
Photograph print
Postcard
Tintype
Transparency
Sound recording
Cassette
Reel to reel
Textual record
Plan
Poster
Private record
Published record
Other Title Info
Also known as the Whyte family fonds
Date Range
1856-1980
Physical Description
25 m of textual records. -- ca.46,000 photographs : prints, albums, postcards, cased photographs, transparencies, negatives. -- 178 sound recordings : audio tape reels, audio tape cassettes. -- 6 motion pictures (and film strips)
History / Biographical
Peter and Catharine Whyte were artists, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, philanthropists and cultural workers at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Peter Whyte, 1905-1966, was born at Banff in 1905 to pioneer merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first native-born painters with an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer from ca.1920 until the 1950s. Peter Whyte studied art at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925, where he met Catharine Robb. Catharine Robb Whyte, 1906-1979, was born in 1906 at Concord, Massachusetts and grew up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929.
Following their marriage in 1930, the Whytes pursued a life of painting, photography, hiking, skiing and travelling. Their log home and studio in Banff became a focal point for their artist friends, Stoney Indians and local pioneers. Catharine shared Pete's involvement in skiing and hiking organizations and together they managed Skoki Lodge from 1932-1934. In following years, the Whytes travelled extensively. During the Second World War, Peter served in the reserve army, with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a photographer and, briefly, as an official war artist. Catharine continued to paint and maintain their home and, when possible, accompanied Pete to his military postings. In civilian life, Pete resumed his art career, explored new photographic techniques and sculpted.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Whytes formulated plans for a foundation to preserve the art and history of the Canadian Rockies. Plans for a building to house an archives, public library and gallery were in preparation when Pete died in 1966. The Peter Whyte Foundation was named in his honour. Catharine immersed herself in the development of what is now the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, in the cultural community, painting, outdoor activity, travel and work with the Stoney First Nations. She became a more active photographer, recording her travels and outdoor pursuits. She served in an official capacity with numerous cultural and charitable organizations, was a patron to individuals studying art and music, and supported numerous causes relating to the Stoney First Nations. Catharine also supported causes related to multiculturalism, regional culture and recreation, and cancer research. Despite her modesty and often anonymous patronage of causes, Catharine was recognized with numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada in 1978. She died in Banff in 1979.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse families, Series III: White and Curren families. Within Series I, there are four Sub-series: Series: A. Catharine Robb Whyte papers; B. Peter Whyte papers; C. Peter and Catharine Whyte papers accessioned after 2017; D. Peter and Catharine Whyte sound recordings.
Name Access
Whyte, Peter
Whyte, Catharine
Subject Access
Arts
Communications
Environment
Exploration, discovery and travel
Family and personal life
First nations
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
sous-fonds, series and file description for textual
sub-series and group description for photographs
item description, subject/proper name index, and summaries for sound recordings
reference copies for sound recordings
Creator
Whyte, Peter
Whyte, Catharine
Category
Arts
Communications
Environment
Exploration, discovery and travel
Family and personal life
First nations
Sports, recreation and leisure
Title Source
Title based on contents of fonds
Processing Status
Processed
Electronic Resources
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Peter Whyte papers and photographs

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions828
Part Of
Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds
Scope & Content
Series consists of the following sub-series: 1. Personal papers, 1905-1956; 2. Correspondence, 1909-1962; 3. Financial, legal and business papers, 1914-1964; 4. Professional activities and interests, 1920-1961; 5. Photographs, ca.1900-1930. Textual records pertain to Whyte's interests, influences a…
Date Range
1905-1964
Reference Code
M36 / S37 / V683 / I / B
Description Level
3 / Series
More detail
Part Of
Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds
Description Level
3 / Series
Fonds Number
M36 / V683 / S37
Series
I.B. Peter Whyte papers and photographs series
Accession Number
3069
Reference Code
M36 / S37 / V683 / I / B
Date Range
1905-1964
Physical Description
73 cm of textual records. -- ca.3400 photographs (ca.2000 prints, ca.1400 negatives, 3 albums of ca.300 prints).
History / Biographical
Peter Whyte, 1905-1966, was an artist, photographer, outdoor enthusiast, traveller and philanthropist at Banff, Alberta. Born in Banff, Alberta to pioneer Banff merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White, Peter Whyte took advantage of the many opportunities for winter sports afforded by the mountains, becoming an accomplished skier and ski jumper. He was one of the region's first native-born painters with an intimate knowledge of the mountains. Whyte studied cartooning by correspondence and was encouraged by resident and visiting artists to pursue an art career, first at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and in 1925 at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where he met Catharine Robb.
Peter Whyte's varied activities included driving Hollywood stars to mountain motion picture locations, escorting groups of Chinese workers for the Canadian Pacific Railway, painting with Belmore Browne and J. E. H. MacDonald and travelling around the world by steamer. Following his marriage to Catharine, their painting flourished and their involvement in early ski development at Skoki occupied their winters. The accidental death of one of their ski guests had a profound effect on Pete and they left the ski business to travel.
During the war, Whyte seved in the reserve army, Banff Company of the Calgary Highlanders and later with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a photographer. He served briefly as an official war artist. In civilian life he resumed his art career, explored new photographic technologies and sculpted. Cataracts interupted his work during the 1950's. Declining health plagued Whyte and after a protracted illness he died in 1966. The Peter Whyte Foundation (later the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation) was named in his honor.
Scope & Content
Series consists of the following sub-series: 1. Personal papers, 1905-1956; 2. Correspondence, 1909-1962; 3. Financial, legal and business papers, 1914-1964; 4. Professional activities and interests, 1920-1961; 5. Photographs, ca.1900-1930.
Textual records pertain to Whyte's interests, influences and friendships prior to his marriage; also to Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte's travels, artwork, photography and skiing. Includes material arising from Whyte's Army and Air Force career and his involvement in the Sky Line Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Correspondents include Belmore Browne, John Murray Gibbon, Lawren Harris, J. E. H. McDonald, Aldro Hibbard, Carl Rungius.
Photographs consist of 1390 negatives and ca.500 corresponding prints by Peter Whyte dating from the time he began photography, ca.1920, until his marriage to Catharine Robb in 1930. Negative formats include vest pocket (4 x 6 cm) and Ica roll film (8.3 x 11 cm). Material pre-dating 1920 may have been taken by another family member. Photographs pertain to scenic views in the Banff-Lake Louise area, Banff and area events, friends and activities, mountain trips and world travels. Also includes prints of friends, relatives and promotional views of national parks collected by Peter Whyte and photograph albums assembled by Whyte pertaining to family and friends, winter sports, Banff Winter Carnival and motor trips.
Subject Access
Banff
Banff National Park
Films and film making M
Photography M
Royal Canadian Air Force M
Skiing
Whyte, Catharine Robb M
World War II, 1939-1945 M
Access Restrictions
Access to photographs requires permission in advance from the Head Archivist.
Finding Aid
Sub-series-level outline available. Inventory available in printed form and through this database. Photographs are described at the sub-series level only. Printed inventory provides more detail than the database for photographs.
Related Material
Constitutes Sous-fonds I, Series B of the Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds. Other photographs by Peter Whyte are found in Sous-fonds I, Series C.
Title Source
Title based on contents of series
Content Details
Forms part of Sous-fonds I, Series B of the Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds. With the acquisition of a vest pocket camera around 1920, at approximately 15 years of age, Peter Whyte's very prolific photographic career began. (While vest pocket images -- 4 x 6 cm. negatives -- appear in the White family collection as early as 1917, none of these can be positively identified as being taken by Peter; it seems more likely that the camera was utilized by Annie, Clifford, or even Lila, and then handed down to Peter.) The earliest photograph of Peter handling a camera was taken on a family trip to the western U.S. in 1921. Indeed, many of his early photographs were taken on these family motor camping trips. In late 1922 or early 1923, Peter acquired an Ica roll film camera (3 x 4 inch negative) which he used throughout his marriage to Catharine Robb and into the early 1930s. A large number of photographs were made with this camera, particularly in the 1923-1924 period. During his trip around the world in 1929, he returned briefly to the vest pocket format, probably for the sake of convenience.
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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