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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
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.
Part Of
Alpine Club of Canada fonds
Scope & Content
Series of summit records from various summits produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1916 and 2020. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the summit, wil…
Date Range
1916
1930-1931
1959-1968
1970-1989
1992 -2020
Reference Code
M200 / V
Description Level
3 / Series
GMD
Textual record
Organization record
Part Of
Alpine Club of Canada fonds
Description Level
3 / Series
Fonds Number
M200
V14
S6
Series
M200 / V: Summit Records
Sous-Fonds
M200
Accession Number
accn. 2023.20
accn. 7779
accn. 2023.10
accn. 2014.8347
accn. 6465
accn. 8002
accn. 2020.05
accn. 2023.19
accn. 2014.8293
accn. 8119
accn. 2023.32
accn. 2023.41
accn. 6623
accn. 6062
accn. 2014.8318
accn. 6767
accn. 2014.8315
accn. 2014.8317
accn. 5680
accn. 2023.16
accn. 2018.9010
accn. 5396
accn. 6459
accn. 2014.8316
accn. 2023.18
accn. 5631
accn. 2013.8245
accn. 2014.8275
accn. 2023.06
accn. 2023.14
accn. 2023.17
accn. 5569
accn. 8113
accn. 6396
Reference Code
M200 / V
GMD
Textual record
Organization record
Responsibility
Registers produced by the Alpine Club of Canada
Date Range
1916
1930-1931
1959-1968
1970-1989
1992 -2020
Physical Description
110 cm of textual records ca. 235 volumes
Scope & Content
Series of summit records from various summits produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1916 and 2020. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the summit, wildlife sightings, trail updates, and related topics.
Notes
See file-level entries for inventories of summit registers and notes.
Name Access
Alpine Club of Canada
Subject Access
Abbot Pass Hut
Activities
Alberta
Alpine Club of Canada
Backcountry skiing
Backpacking
Banff National Park
Bow Valley
British Columbia
Castle Mountain
Centennial
Climbing
Club
Environment
Environment and Nature
Fay Hut
Fortress Mountain
Glaciers
Hiking
Ice climbing
Kananaskis Country
Mount Assiniboine
Mountain
Mountaineering
Mountaineers
Mountains
National parks and reserves
Parks Canada
Porcupine
Provincial parks and reserves
Rundle Mountain
Ski area
Ski mountaineering
Skiing
Sports and recreation
Summit
Temple Mountain
Trail making
Trails
Travel and Exploration
Winter sports
Yamnuska Mountain
Geographic Access
Canada
Alberta
British Columbia
Abbot Pass
Assiniboine
Banff National Park
Banff, Alberta
Bugaboos
Canadian Rocky Mountains
Canmore
Cascade Mountain
Castle Mountain, AB
Cathedral Mountain
Glacier
Jasper National Park
Kananaskis Country
Little Yoho Valley
Mount Assiniboine
Mount Baldy
Mount Baker
Mount Cory
Mount Edith
Mount Lefroy
Mount Norquay
Mount Rundle
Mount Temple
Mount Victoria
Mount Yamnuska
Rocky Mountains
Rundle Mountain
Selkirks
Yoho National Park
Access Restrictions
Restrictions may apply
Language
English
Conservation
Some records have been placed in mylar. Some record have mold, rust or water damage.
Related Material
M235
Category
Environment
Exploration and travel
Sports, recreation and leisure
Title Source
Title based on contents of series
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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