The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photograp…
Nicholas Everard Morant, 1910-1999, was a professional photographer based at Banff, Alberta, Canada. He was a Canadian commercial photographer of international repute and Canada's premier railway photographer of the 20th century.
Morant was born at Kamloops, British Columbia, the son of Francis and Mollie Morant. After attending the University School at Victoria, Morant served as Special Photographer to the CPR from 1929 to 1935 and again from 1944 to 1981. From 1935 to 1939, he was a cameraman for the Winnipeg Free Press, and from 1940 to 1944 worked with the Wartime Information Branch of the federal government (later to be known as the National Film Board Stills Division).
Morant had a prolific career as a freelance commercial, portrait, magazine, landscape and documentary photographer. His work appeared in numerous books and magazines, including Time, Life, Liberty, Saturday Evening Post, (Toronto) Star Weekly, Northern Sportsman, Reader's Digest, Country Guide, The Standard, National Home Monthly, Canadian Photography, Outdoor Canada, National Geographic, the Globe & Mail, Winnipeg Tribune, New York Daily News, and the two Canadian Pacific Railway magazines, The Spanner and Rail News.
Two wartime images were featured on postage stamps, while three landscape views appeared on Canadian $10, $50 and $100 bills. His images were also used for corporate annual reports, postcards, brochures, calendars and advertisements. From the 1950s to 1980s Morant gave public slide shows of his work, two of the most popular being "A Talk Without Words" and "The World At Your Feet".
Morant married Ivy May "Willie" Young in 1936 when he was a photographer with the Winnipeg Free Press. Beginning in 1929, and until the end of her life, Morant's travelling and working companion was his wife, "Willie," 1910-1986.
Scope & Content
The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photography; II. Professional records; III. Personal and family records.
I. Photography series consists of: A. Negatives and transparencies, B. Transparencies, C. Prints, D. Other photographs. II. Professional records series consists of: A. Working records, B. Career records, C. Topical files. III. Personal and family records series consists of: A. Nick and Willie Morant, B. Nick Morant funeral and memorial, C. Francis and Mollie Morant, D. Collected material
Notes
Full summary of sub-sub-series levels:
I / A : 1) Darkroom Files [ a) Negative Albums b) Black/White Series I and II c) Colour Series I and II
d) Leica Negs ]
2) GD Files
I / B : 1) Presentations [ a) Topical Files b) Thematic Files ]
2) General Files
3) Other
I / C : 1) Print Files
I / D : 1) Exhibition and Display Prints
2) Photographs used by John Garden
3) Other Photographs
II / A : 1) Log Books
2) Notebooks
II / B : 1) Career Binders [ a) Postcards b) Brochures and Advertising c) clippings and articles
d) Calendar Photographs ]
2) Scrapbooks [ a) Content 1933 - 1946 b) Content 1940 - 1980 ]
II / C : 1) Numbered / Titled Files [ a) Group A b) Group B c) Group C d) Group D e) Group H
f) Group P g) Group R ]
2) Other Topical Files [ a) Railway; i) Timetables ii) Publications iii) Other
b) Photography; i) Textual Records ii) Print Material
c) Travel d) Exhibitions and Galleries e)Personal f) Other ]
3) Postcards, Greeting Cards and Ephemera Collection
4) Published Images and Text
5) Professional Photography
6) Promotional Items, Awards and Correspondence
7) Presentation and Interview Materials
III / A : 1) Correspondence
2) Personal Papers [ a) Personal Records b) Notes and Notebooks c) Lists and Card Files
d) Awards and Retirement ]
3) Personal Photographs
4) House Records [ a) Construction b) Household Records ]
5) Business, Financial and Legal Papers
6) Interviews, Reminiscences Personal Recordings
7) Other Records (Signs, Cartoons, Drawings, etc.)
8) Personal Correspondence and Notes
9) Travel Documents and Maps
III / B : 1) Nick Morant Funeral, Memorial and Estate
III / C : 1) Mollie Morant Papers
2) Other Family Papers
III / D : 1) Sound Recordings
2) Biographical Material
3) Other Papers and Photographs [ a) Burton Wheatley Family b) Other ]
4) Personal and Family Photography
5) Personal Interest and Gifts
File consists of 2 books; one 18th century, one 20th century stamp book. Includes 1723 copy of ‘A Life of Mahomet’ by Humphrey Prideaux; missing front/back covers, replaced with plain brown paper covers. Handwritten title ‘Mahomet’ written on front cover and side binding in different handwritings; …
Humphrey Prideaux (1648-1724) was born in Cornwall and eventually became a Doctor of Divinity. Prideaux was an author of multiple textual works pertaining to faith and particularly Christianity. He was the Dean of Norwich from 1702 until his death in 1724.
Scope & Content
File consists of 2 books; one 18th century, one 20th century stamp book. Includes 1723 copy of ‘A Life of Mahomet’ by Humphrey Prideaux; missing front/back covers, replaced with plain brown paper covers. Handwritten title ‘Mahomet’ written on front cover and side binding in different handwritings; front believed to be by Nicholas Morant (?), side unknown. Also includes book of Japanese stamps collected by Nicholas Morant; many not dated, various designs and sizes, annotated on covers with Nicholas Morant's personal ink stamp.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 75 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 91
File consists of 13 antique maps, 6 of which depict regions in India and 7 which depict regions in Germany. Content pertains to a small map collection originally issued to Tim Ffrench (?) during WWII which were later owned by Nicholas Morant. Some maps of reserves contain personal annotations and h…
Date Range
1868
1892
1894
1903
1904
1917
1921
1950
Reference Code
M300 / III / D / 5 / 54 to 66 O.S. & V500 / III / D / 5 / PA - 96 O.S.
13 Maps: print; b&w, and set of 4 rag paper mounts
Scope & Content
File consists of 13 antique maps, 6 of which depict regions in India and 7 which depict regions in Germany. Content pertains to a small map collection originally issued to Tim Ffrench (?) during WWII which were later owned by Nicholas Morant. Some maps of reserves contain personal annotations and highlighted/coloured routes; none of German maps are annotated.
File also contains set of 4 rag paper mounts, annotated. 3 naming artist Walter Wilcox (likely formerly held his works but are now blank). One labelled 'Model'.
Notes
Maps were originally stored together in one poster tube labelled:
"MAPS OF GERMANY INDIA See notes inside"
Shipping label: PLS HOLD Armand To Nicholas Morant 222 Melville Ave Westmount Montreal" (with two 3 - cent stamps attached)
Note inside, written by Nicholas Morant:
"These maps were among those issued to Capt. Tim Ffrench (?) preparatory to intelligence work done during W. War II"
Signed "Nick M."
Wilcox mounts were stored in brown paper packaging with several other blank mounts (disposed of). Labelled section of original paper packaging has been stored with mounts in oversize box for reference.
File consists of 4 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'New World Ballads' by John Murray Gibbons (1939) with a note to Nicholas Morant from the author inside; 1 copy of 'Tom Brown's School Days' (1894) with a certificate attached labelling the book as a prize for Mollie Wylde (Morant) dated 'Xmas …
John Murray Gibbons , Mollie Morant , R.C. MacBeth , Stephen Coleridge
Date Range
1894
1896
1921
1923
1931
1939
Physical Description
4 Textual Records: books
Scope & Content
File consists of 4 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'New World Ballads' by John Murray Gibbons (1939) with a note to Nicholas Morant from the author inside; 1 copy of 'Tom Brown's School Days' (1894) with a certificate attached labelling the book as a prize for Mollie Wylde (Morant) dated 'Xmas 1896'; 1 copy of 'The Romance of the Canadian Pacific Railway' by R.C. MacBeth (1931) signed by author and annotated by Nicholas Morant; 1 copy of 'Letters to My Grandson' by Stephen Coleridge (1921) with writing prize certificate for Nicholas Morant from the Victoria University Boys' School, dated 1923.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 26 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 29
File pertains mainly to Canadian Pacific Railway engineer, Burton Wheatley, and his death in a railway accident on the Field Hill, 1894. Includes CPR Solicitor’s Office Release re death of Burton Wheatley, 1895, 3 p. The Wheatley family was related to Willie Morant. File also contains notes and o…
III.D. Personal and family records : collected material
Reference Code
M300 / D / 74 to 77
V500 / E / 5 (PA)
Date Range
1884-1903
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records. -- 2 photographs : prints
Scope & Content
File pertains mainly to Canadian Pacific Railway engineer, Burton Wheatley, and his death in a railway accident on the Field Hill, 1894. Includes CPR Solicitor’s Office Release re death of Burton Wheatley, 1895, 3 p. The Wheatley family was related to Willie Morant. File also contains notes and other material pertaining to railway history, tunnels, other
File consists of 3 seperate series of coloured, machine printed lantern slides: PS-1 to PS-12 is a collection made by Gebruder Bing, Nurnberg (GBN Bavaria), Decalcomania, Germany.
[1] How to kill an annoying mosquito
[2] An awful accident in the snow
[3] A naughty boy deserves to be punished...
…
19 photographs : col. slides ; 22.5cm x 6.5 cm or smaller
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File consists of 3 seperate series of coloured, machine printed lantern slides:
PS-1 to PS-12 is a collection made by Gebruder Bing, Nurnberg (GBN Bavaria), Decalcomania, Germany.
[1] How to kill an annoying mosquito
[2] An awful accident in the snow
[3] A naughty boy deserves to be punished...
[4] Father Christmas brings you sweets
[5] Open your mouth please
[6] A Nosey parker
[7] A day in the life of a girl
[8] Children's games
[9] Where do the little children come from?
[10] The daily routine of the foxes
[11] The frog family takes a bath
[12] Animalworld
PS-13 to PS-18 is a collection called Artistic Series No. 1 made by Gebruder Bing, Nurnberg (GBN Bavaria), Declcomania, Germany.
[13] Caricature (slide 2 in original order)
[14] Pig and Dwarf (slide 5 in original order)
[15] The Rider's Misfortune (slide 6 in original order)
[16] Children's Quarrel (slide 7 in original order)
[17] The Clowns and the Bottle (slide 11 in original order)
[18] The Long Nose (slide 12 in original order)
PS-19 decpicts 5 caricature faces with the maker's mark obscured by a large crack.
Notes
Accompanying the slides was a slide box; white with a green removable lid. The box is made of thin cardboard and has wooden supports inside that hold the slides apart from one another. The box is in poor condition, with much of the top layer of white and green paper scratched, stained, and peeled off, especially around the corners. There are no distinguishing marks on or in the box.
File consists of two hardcover books. Contains 1 copy of 'The Glittering Mountains of Canada' (1925), with inserted notes typed by Nicholas Morant pertaining to Jimmy Simpson, book signed by Edward Feuz; 1 copy of 'The Queen's Highway' (1887), annotated by Nicholas Morant and containing a travel ag…
Produced by J. Monroe Thorington & Stuart Cumberland
Date Range
1887
1925
Physical Description
2 Textual records: books
Scope & Content
File consists of two hardcover books. Contains 1 copy of 'The Glittering Mountains of Canada' (1925), with inserted notes typed by Nicholas Morant pertaining to Jimmy Simpson, book signed by Edward Feuz; 1 copy of 'The Queen's Highway' (1887), annotated by Nicholas Morant and containing a travel agent's business card, ca. 1900.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 50 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 51.
Items in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Items in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Items with risky materials, such as adhesives, must be covered with an acid-free paper barrier to protect adjacent items. Damaged bindings on these items may need additional packaging to prevent further damage while being moved.
Item is a three-page typed document on yellow tissue paper released by the Canadian Pacific Railway's Solicitor Office in 1895. Pertains to the death of Burton Wheatley, CPR Engineer, in 1894 at Field Hill, B.C. and provides a statement waiving CPR's liability in Wheatley's death. spaces on last pa…
1 Textual Record (3 pages): tissue paper; non-annotated
History / Biographical
Burton Wheatley was an engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway company, who died during a railway accident in 1894 which occurred at Field Hill, B.C. The Wheatley family were related to Ivy "Willie" Morant (1910-1986), wife of photographer Nicholas Morant.
Scope & Content
Item is a three-page typed document on yellow tissue paper released by the Canadian Pacific Railway's Solicitor Office in 1895. Pertains to the death of Burton Wheatley, CPR Engineer, in 1894 at Field Hill, B.C. and provides a statement waiving CPR's liability in Wheatley's death. spaces on last page of the document to write the date and witness signatures have not been filled in (likely a copy of a completed form).
Notes
Item was previously numbered as M27/3/O.S./"H" and is entered into database twice; more recently updated as item in Nicholas Morant fonds
1 later copy of a [ca. 1890 - ca. 1900] (?) photograph depicting historic 'Locomotive #314', with attached page of historic information on back of the frame. Image shows woman in a white dress and hat posing inside the train with 2 men standing in front.
1 later copy of a [ca. 1890 - ca. 1900] (?) photograph depicting historic 'Locomotive #314', with attached page of historic information on back of the frame. Image shows woman in a white dress and hat posing inside the train with 2 men standing in front.
Notes
'Locomotive #314' print believed to be a later reprint of a turn-of-the-century original photograph; given dates are estimations based on characteristics of photograph's frame and its attached information.
File consists of 4 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'The Curiosities of Natural History' by Frank Buckland (1891) with handwritten message inside, 'From C. French [?] to R. French [?]' ; 1 copy of 'Birds of Canada's Mountain Parks' by Edmond Cloutier (1950), with handwritten note cards between p…
File consists of 4 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'The Curiosities of Natural History' by Frank Buckland (1891) with handwritten message inside, 'From C. French [?] to R. French [?]' ; 1 copy of 'Birds of Canada's Mountain Parks' by Edmond Cloutier (1950), with handwritten note cards between pages 70 and 71; 1 copy of 'The Geological Story of Jasper National Park Canada' by E.M. Kindle (n.d., originally published 1929) with charts attached inside; and 1 copy of 'Book of Knots' with attached mail order book, with redone cover annotated by Nicholas Morant.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 38 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 45
File consists of photographs pertaining to the Connaught Tunnel, mountain scenery, Banff area people and buildings. Includes views along the Canadian Pacific Railway by R. H. Trueman, Trueman and Caple and A. B. Thom. Also includes some photographs by Nick Morant
III.D. Personal and family records : collected material
Reference Code
V500 / E / 6, 7 (PA, NA)
Date Range
[ca.1890-ca.1972]
Physical Description
36 photographs : prints, negatives
Scope & Content
File consists of photographs pertaining to the Connaught Tunnel, mountain scenery, Banff area people and buildings. Includes views along the Canadian Pacific Railway by R. H. Trueman, Trueman and Caple and A. B. Thom. Also includes some photographs by Nick Morant
Related Material
Portions of this file are related by provenance to the A. B. Thom fonds (V13) and the R. H. Trueman fonds (V528)