Fonds consists of textual, visual and sound materials pertaining to Norman Luxton, Eleanor Luxton and their family members and friends (including Georgina Luxton, Norman's parents and siblings, and members of the Ross, Graham and McDougall families). Includes correspondence, personal and profession…
ca.32.1 m of textual records (29.3 m textual records, 47 scrapbooks) -- ca.7290 photographs (ca.5300 b&w and col. prints, ca.1915 negatives, 75 transparencies, 2 tintypes) -- 17 albums -- ca.74 cm sound recordings (29 CDs, 45 audio cassettes, 17 R120 DAT tapes, 1 VHS, 8 voicewriter discs)
History / Biographical
The Norman Luxton family was a prominent family in Banff, Alberta, Canada from 1904 until 1962. Daughter Eleanor Luxton maintained the family's position in the town until her death in 1995.
Publisher and businessman Norman K. Luxton, 1876-1962, was the son of Winnipeg Free Press co-founder William Luxton. After working for the Winnipeg Free Press, Norman Luxton travelled, then joined the Calgary Herald for eight years. In 1901, he journeyed 10,000 miles on the Pacific in the dug-out canoe Tilikum. After becoming ill, Luxton abandoned the trip in Fiji and came to Banff to recuperate. The around-the-world trip was subsequently completed by his sailing partner, Capt. John Voss.
Luxton bought Banff's Crag and Canyon newspaper in 1902 and remained as publisher until 1951. Also in 1902, he established the Sign of the Goat Curio store which specialized in Stoney Indian handicrafts and taxidermy specimens. Other significant Luxton businesses were the King Edward Hotel and Livery, Luxton Bros. insurance (with brother Louis Luxton) and the Lux Block, which included a hotel, the Lux Theatre and retail stores.
In 1904, Norman Luxton married Georgina (Georgie) Elizabeth McDougall, 1870-1965, of the pioneer missionary McDougall family of Morley, Alberta. In addition to her McDougall connections, Georgie Luxton was related by marriage to Senator George Ross. Norman and Georgie Luxton had one child, Eleanor Georgina, born in Banff in 1908.
The Luxtons were important Banff "boosters" with involvement in numerous local organizations and events. Norman Luxton managed the Banff Indian Days from 1909 to 1950, was a founder of Banff Winter Carnival and was involved with native events at the Calgary Stampede for 25 years. In 1953, Norman established a museum to house his native artifacts. The Luxton Museum was built in co-operation with Eric Harvie of the Glenbow Foundation of Calgary. After Luxton's death, the museum continued to be managed by the Glenbow until 1992.
Eleanor Luxton, 1908-1995, was a writer, historian, researcher, engineer, teacher and business woman. After graduating from high school in Banff in 1926, she attended the University of Alberta from 1926 until 1939, receiving degrees in history (BA '30, MA'33), a Diploma in Education (1931) and subsequent education, biology and natural history courses during the summers.
Between 1937 and 1956, Eleanor received further degrees and certificates from studies at Garbutt Business College (Calgary), St. Stephen's College (Edmonton), Ottawa Technical High School, Havergal Ladies College (Ontario), St. George Williams College (Montreal), McGill University (Montreal) and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Subjects studied included office practices, shorthand, machine draughting, English, civil engineering (BSc '46), German, broadcast writing, management, commerce, accounting and commercial law.
Eleanor Luxton's extensive education overlapped and preceded a long and varied professional career. Her teaching career extended from high school teacher in Alberta (Banff and Sexsmith), 1933-1940, to university lecturer in Montreal in the 1950s. During the 1940s, she worked in locomotive design for the CPR in Montreal. Beginning in 1956 and continuing until 1965, when she returned to Banff to care for her mother, Eleanor worked throughout southern Alberta as a field researcher for Calgary's Glenbow Foundation. From 1965 until her death in 1995, Eleanor remained in Banff in her family home and pursued an active career in writing and research.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual, visual and sound materials pertaining to Norman Luxton, Eleanor Luxton and their family members and friends (including Georgina Luxton, Norman's parents and siblings, and members of the Ross, Graham and McDougall families). Includes correspondence, personal and professional records, financial documents, organization and volunteer records, business and property records, scrapbooks and albums, research materials, candid and professional portraits, various collected materials, and other related content.
Notes
Fonds consists of three sous-fonds:
I. Norman Luxton sous-fonds, [ca.1880]-1962, ca. 7.5 m. of textual records and photographs in four series: A. Correspondence, B. Business, financial and legal, C. Personal, D. Personal and professional, E. Collected materials.
II. Eleanor Luxton sous-fonds, [ca.1890]-1995, ca. 15 m. of textual records, sound recordings and photographs in six series: A. Correspondence, B. Professional, C. Personal, D. Business, financial and legal, E. Travel and events, F. Collected materials.
III. Luxton family sous-fonds, 1836-1972, ca.6.5 m. of textual records and photographs in four series: A. Norman Luxton family series, [ca.1900-ca.1970]; B. Georgina Luxton series, [ca.1890]-1967; C. Related family series, [ca.1890]-1972; D. Other material series, 1836-1970; E. Luxton family home records [1996].
File consists of Eleanor Luxton's personal album which contains 195 black and white prints pasted in, most spreads are captioned. Content pertains to family and school photographs, events and travels between 1921 and 1925, in addition to potentional childhood photographs as well. Locations include …
Photograph Album: 1 image from album (195 b&w prints)
Scope & Content
File consists of Eleanor Luxton's personal album which contains 195 black and white prints pasted in, most spreads are captioned. Content pertains to family and school photographs, events and travels between 1921 and 1925, in addition to potentional childhood photographs as well. Locations include Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho, Marble Canyon, Takakkaw Falls, Lake Minnewanka, Summit Lake, Victoria, Vancouver, Yoho Valley Bungalow Camp and Radium Hot Springs. Events include the opening of the Banff-Wintermere Highway at Kootenay Crossing in 1921, a dog derby on frozen Lake Minnewanka, Banff Indian Days, Banff Winter Carnival. Subjects include unidentified and identified people including Norman Luxton, Georgina Luxton, Enos Hunter, Ben Kaquitts, Hector Crawler, John Englishman, Mrs. Wood, Edmée, Mrs Mitt and Miss Maemillan. Album cover is leather with burned annotation "Snap Shots" with paint and cloth leaf detailing. The album i sbound by a cord with leather tassels.
Notes
File consists of several loose photographs. Some photographs are detaching from the paper.
File consists of 14 b&w photograph prints [loose and on matboard]. Content pertains to local views near Banff, including Georgina Luxton riding in a carriage along Tunnel Mountain Trail, a hunting trip north of Banff with guide George Harrison[?], the King Edward Hotel building exterior and surroun…
Items LUX/I/D6c/PA-232 and 233 produced by Norman Luxton
Date Range
1904-1905
1910
[ca.1910-1920]
Physical Description
10 photographs : b&w ; 29.5 x 18 cm or smaller -- 4 photographs : b&w prints on matboard ; 35.5 x 14 cm and 25 x 21 cm
Scope & Content
File consists of 14 b&w photograph prints [loose and on matboard]. Content pertains to local views near Banff, including Georgina Luxton riding in a carriage along Tunnel Mountain Trail, a hunting trip north of Banff with guide George Harrison[?], the King Edward Hotel building exterior and surrounding property [1904-1910] and an event hosted in the hotel, and panoramic views of Banff and a waterfront area [Lake Minnewanka?] taken by Norman Luxton.
Items stored in three file folders: PA-220 to 222 [Tunnel Mountain Trail and hunting trip]; PA-223 to 231 [King Edward Hotel]; and PA-232 to 233 [Banff & area panoramas]
Files consists of panorama photographs of Banff Indian Days, largely portraits of identified and unidentified Indigenous people, and camp at the base of Cascade Mountain. Some photographs have copy prints of varying paper textures. One negative, NA - 27, has three black and white prints, one print …
Files consists of panorama photographs of Banff Indian Days, largely portraits of identified and unidentified Indigenous people, and camp at the base of Cascade Mountain. Some photographs have copy prints of varying paper textures. One negative, NA - 27, has three black and white prints, one print has been hand-coloured.
All show some shift towards a yellowing film base, in particular NA - 33
NA - 28 shows notable nitrate detrioartion of the emulsion with amber discolouration and mirroring.
File consists of 58 photographs pertaining to trips taken by Eleanor Luxton and her family and friends between 1910 and ca.1940, and animals and plants seen in the Banff area. Includes trips to Quebec and Marble Canyon.
58 photographs : b&w prints ; 23.5 x 18 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 58 photographs pertaining to trips taken by Eleanor Luxton and her family and friends between 1910 and ca.1940, and animals and plants seen in the Banff area. Includes trips to Quebec and Marble Canyon.
File consists of assorted tags from gifts sent to members of the Luxton family. Includes Christmas, birthday, and "thank you" gift tags, as well as tags which accompanied bouquets of flowers delivered to Eleanor Luxton. Some items are stored in small envelopes [possibly organized by Eleanor Luxton].
File consists of assorted tags from gifts sent to members of the Luxton family. Includes Christmas, birthday, and "thank you" gift tags, as well as tags which accompanied bouquets of flowers delivered to Eleanor Luxton. Some items are stored in small envelopes [possibly organized by Eleanor Luxton].
File consists of photographs sent to Georgina Luxton from friends and family, as well as portraits of Georgina. Includes images of Georgina Luxton on a float at a Calgary Stampede parade; Georgina and her brother, David Hardisty McDougall, at the wedding of David's daughter (Virginia); an image of …
Item LUX/III/B2/PA-13 produced by Calgary Herald photographer
Date Range
[ca.1890-1960]
Physical Description
16 photographs : b&w and col. prints ; 21 x 27.5 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of photographs sent to Georgina Luxton from friends and family, as well as portraits of Georgina. Includes images of Georgina Luxton on a float at a Calgary Stampede parade; Georgina and her brother, David Hardisty McDougall, at the wedding of David's daughter (Virginia); an image of purple flowers in a vase, annotated with a letter to Georgina from Mary (Schaffer) Warren; portraits of Georgina and various friends and family members; and other related material.
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File a…
ca. 250 prints : b&w and col. postcards ; 16 x 12 cm or smaller -- 1 b&w photograph : print ; 16 x 10.5 cm
Scope & Content
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File also includes one b&w photograph depicting a group of unidentified children.
Notes
Items in this file have been organized by geographical location. See "Content Details" entry field for contents of individual folders.
File consists of one personal photograph album [likely created by Eleanor Luxton]. Content pertains to staff members of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation Aircraft Division and related events including a dinner party in New York, as well as friends and relatives of the Luxton family. Includes images of…
Some photographs produced by Associated Screen News Ltd., Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Byron Harmon
Date Range
[ca. 1910]
[ca. 1920 - ca. 1930]
[ca. 1940 - ca. 1945]
1941 - 1944
1950
1954
1956
[ca. 1960 - ca. 1970]
1967 - 1969
Physical Description
1 album (193 b&w photographs ; 20 x 25.5 cm or smaller -- 2 textual records)
Scope & Content
File consists of one personal photograph album [likely created by Eleanor Luxton]. Content pertains to staff members of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation Aircraft Division and related events including a dinner party in New York, as well as friends and relatives of the Luxton family. Includes images of Eleanor Luxton as a child and as an adult, group and individual portraits of mostly unidentified individuals [likely immediate and extended family and friends of Eleanor, including Norman and Georgina Luxton], unidentified children playing, images from the Calgary Stampede parade [ca. 1940s], unidentified Indigenous groups and individuals [possibly Stoney Nakoda community members during Banff Indian Days], Dr. Casey's Ranch [1944], and a family picnic. File also includes one small textual record describing a 1943 Curtiss-Wright Corporation staff event, as well as an annotated Christmas card from Ruth and Frank Neustadt [n.d.].
Notes
Some items are annotated on back
Items not in chronological or other clear order
Material Details
Album has clear plastic layer on surface of front and back covers
Green plastic stitched around border of both covers and side bindings
File consists of Christmas/holiday greeting cards sent by various friends and family to members of the Luxton family [primarily Norman and Georgina] between ca.1905 and 1940. Includes several unsent holiday cards made by Norman and Georgina Luxton.
File consists of Christmas/holiday greeting cards sent by various friends and family to members of the Luxton family [primarily Norman and Georgina] between ca.1905 and 1940. Includes several unsent holiday cards made by Norman and Georgina Luxton.
Notes
File may contain duplicates
Items are not arranged by date within file; some items not dated
Material Details
Some items have attached string and/or decorative ribbons