Fonds consists of copies of textual records from the Thorington Archives at Princeton University and photographs in both original and copy form. Textual records include: I. Thompson-Little Collection and supplement 1895- 1907; letters chiefly addressed to Charles Sproule Thompson collected by Georg…
ca.1.8 m of textual records. -- 64 photographs : prints, transparencies, copy negatives
History / Biographical
J. Monroe "Roy" Thorington, 1894-1989, was an ophthalmologist, mountaineer and mountain historian at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Thorington was a pre-eminent climber and explorer in the Canadian Rockies starting in 1922. He studied the Freshfield and Lyell Glaciers for 22 years and explored and mapped the Purcell Range, British Columbia. Thorington wrote approximately 300 publications on mountaineering, mountain history and the Canadian Rockies. He was active in numerous organizations, particularly the American Alpine Club.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of copies of textual records from the Thorington Archives at Princeton University and photographs in both original and copy form.
Textual records include: I. Thompson-Little Collection and supplement 1895- 1907; letters chiefly addressed to Charles Sproule Thompson collected by George T. Little, Appalachian Mountain Club and supplemented by material mainly from the estate of Charles E. Fay. II. American Alpine Club, 1903- 1967; correspondence with American Alpine Club members elected to 1918. III. Alps and Canada mountaineering correspondence. IV. Guide books and writings; pertains to writings on the Canadian Rockies and Conrad Kain. V. Dr. W. S. Ladd and Allen Carpe papers 1908-1935.
VI. Photographs, 1871-1970, pertain mainly to Thorington's climbing associates, mountain guides, friends and climbs; also, tombstones of friends at Banff Cemetery.
Fonds also includes miscellaneous original summit notes, articles, etc. concerning landmark mountaineering activities in the Canadian Rockies.