Fonds consists of textual records and photographs by and about Aileen Harmon, as well as collected items. Textual records include: letter from Harmon to the Director of Alberta's provincial parks re addition of Yamnuska area to Bow Valley Provincial Park, 1973; brief, from Harvie Heights and Bow Va…
26.5 cm of textual records. -- 33 photographs (26 prints : b&w and col. ; 20.5 x 30 cm or smaller -- 6 negatives : b&w nitrate negatives ; 12.5 x 10 cm -- 1 transparency : col. slide ; 35 mm)
History / Biographical
Aileen Harmon (1912 - 2015), daughter of Byron Harmon, worked as a government naturalist at Banff, Alberta, Canada and was involved in local natural history groups and activities. Aileen was a founding member, alongside Bruce Gordon, of the Bow Valley Naturalists, and was also on the Board of The Canadian Wildlife Federation and The Society of Alberta Naturalists. Aileen moved to Mill Bay on Vancouver Island, B.C. in 1981 following the end of a lengthy career with Parks Canada. During her retirement years, Aileen travelled extensively, reaching all seven continents. She also authored an autobiographical book, titled "Tales of My Mountain Life", in 2004. Aileen passed away on January 9, 2015 at the age of 102.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual records and photographs by and about Aileen Harmon, as well as collected items. Textual records include: letter from Harmon to the Director of Alberta's provincial parks re addition of Yamnuska area to Bow Valley Provincial Park, 1973; brief, from Harvie Heights and Bow Valley subdivision residents to public hearings on land use and resource development in the eastern slopes, 1973; letter re James Hector, 1979; notes on career, 2003; notes on Catharine Whyte for CBC recording, 2004; Christmas cards and collected articles, ca.1960. Photographs, made by and collected by Aileen Harmon, pertain to Aileen Harmon and friends, skiing, Skoki area, Mount Yamnuska, Banff Indian Days. Includes photographs by Byron Harmon.
Added content from accession 2016.8596 : ca. 25 cm of textual records including personal correspondence, guest book, original writing and notes by Aileen Harmon, personal travel journals from a 1931 packing trip and 1933 ski trip to Skoki, drafts of autobiographical book "Tales of My Mountain Life", articles pertaining to or written by Aileen Harmon, Christmas cards, and letters of condolence to Carole Harmon following Aileen's passing. Also 26 print photographs, 6 negative photographs from a 1937 hiking trip, and one transparency.
Fonds consists of one series :
Series I - Personal records
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, …
ca. 7.9 metres of textual records -- ca. 274 maps -- 29 VHS tapes -- ca.15 discs with digital files -- 21 cassettes -- photographs -- oversized materials -- USB stick with 15 sldeshows
History / Biographical
Ben Gadd (1946-) is a retired naturalist, guide, geologist, instructor, freelance writer and award-winning author based in the Canadian Rockies.
Ben was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1946. He met his wife, Cia (Langdon) Gadd at Colorado College in 1965, and the couple married four weeks later. Ben and Cia had two sons, Will and Toby. Ben and his family relocated to Jasper in the late 1960s. Ben later attended the University of Lethbridge and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science in 1972.
Between 1976 and 1980, Ben taught classes at Mount Royal College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology; he later taught additional classes at Grant MacEwan College and Lakeland College. From 1981, Ben also worked as a seasonal naturalist/guide for Parks Canada. Ben left Parks Canada in 1985 to start an independent naturalist guiding business with Cia based in Jasper and other parts of the Canadian Rockies, which the couple continued to operate for over two decades.
Ben published his best-known work, "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies", through his publishing company Corax Press in 1986. The second edition of "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies" received multiple awards after its release in 1995. Ben's fiction book, "Raven's End" won the title of Best Canadian Rockies Book at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2001 and became a Canadian bestseller. Overall, Ben has authored or co-authored 11 books and received nearly one dozen awards for his achievements as a writer, researcher and guide.
Ben continued to lead guided hikes and school programs until his retirement in 2016.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, video and sound recordings, and other related material. Materials donated in 2024 include one USB stick containing
Notes
Ben Gadd fonds arrangement:
Series I : Personal records
- Subseries A : Travel guides and maps
- Subseries B : Education and early writings
- Subseries C : Personal interest files
- Subseries D : Other personal and collected
Series II : Research and publication records
- Subseries A : Handbook of the Canadian Rockies
- Subseries B : Other publications
Series III : Professional records
- Subseries A : Parks Canada Records
- Subseries B : Interpretive guiding
- Subseries C : Teaching records
- Subseries D : Other contracts and projects
Series IV : Legal and financial records
- Subseries A : Legal records
- Subseries B : Financial records
Fonds consists of personal photographs, biographical notes, memoir drafts and other collected materials pertaining to Robert Neville (Bob) Smith. Fonds also includes plans and maps pertaining to the development of land near Lake Minnewanka and the Cascade Power Plant project (1943).
ca.300 photographs : b&w and col. prints ; 12 x 18 cm or smaller -- 7 cm of textual records -- 7 topographical maps/plans -- 8 postcards
History / Biographical
Robert Neville (Bob) Smith (1926-2021) was born in Banff. He was the only child of parents Enoch Smith and Laurene Smith (nee Munson). Bob grew up near Lake Minnewanka until 1941, when a hydro dam was installed resulting in the intentional flooding of the area. The family moved to Banff, where Bob met his future wife, Mary Parkinson. The couple were married in 1953 and moved to Seebe, where they raised two daughters, Marjory and Shirley.
Bob worked for Calgary Power Co. (later renamed TransAlta Utilities) from 1953 until his retirement in 1986. In his spare time, Bob founded the Bow Valley Camera Club and the Bow Valley Naturalists organization. In 1999, Bob was part of a successful project with the Bow Valley Naturalists to designate the Mount Yamnuska area as a Bow Valley Protected Area, following 25 years of lobbying with the Government of Alberta. Bob also formed the Meanderthals seniors hiking club in 1993 and led various local hiking trips in his later years.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal photographs, biographical notes, memoir drafts and other collected materials pertaining to Robert Neville (Bob) Smith. Fonds also includes plans and maps pertaining to the development of land near Lake Minnewanka and the Cascade Power Plant project (1943).
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Dr. Bruce Hatfield's excursions with the Trail Riders between 1963-1995 and his role as Trail Doctor. Fonds includes ca.441 transparency slides with images primarily taken by Bruce during trail rides, 1963-1994, depicting fellow ride participants, camp life…
ca.441 col. transparency slides : 35 mm -- 14 col. neg. film strips (49 images) : 35 mm -- ca.1.5 cm textual records
History / Biographical
Clinton Bruce Hatfield (1926-2009) was born in Calgary, Alberta. After graduating from Western Canada High School in 1945, Bruce attended the University of Alberta, where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, a Master of Science degree in 1951, and a Medical Degree in 1953. Bruce interned at the University of Alberta Hospital before moving to Minneapolis in 1957, where he worked as an Instructor in Medicine at the University of Minnesota Hospital (1958-1959). Bruce moved back to Calgary and opened a private medical practice with his brother, Bob Hatfield. While operating his private practice, Bruce also served on several committees at the Calgary Hospital, including the Intern Committee, Library Committee, Medical Education Committee, Pharmacy Committee (of which he was Chair in 1966), and the Department of Medicine Committee. Bruce was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary in 1970, and was Clinical Professor of Medicine when he retired in 1994.
Bruce was active as an educator and volunteer in his community, and supported numerous charitable initiatives through the United Church of Canada. He gave public presentations on the topics of Family Life and Sex Education throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Bruce also served as a Trail Doctor for the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies on numerous trips between 1963 and 1995. Bruce was also a talented photographer; his photographs were featured in multiple publications including Macleans magazine, Canadian Doctor, and Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Bruce was the recipient of many awards including Calgary’s Citizen of the Year (1970), the Premier’s Cup (1983), an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Calgary (1995) and most recently was chosen as one of Alberta’s 100 Physicians of the Century (2005). Bruce and his brother, Bob, were co-recipients of the Alberta Achievement Award and the Premier's Cup for Excellence in Medicine and the Community.
Bruce was married to his wife, Kathleen, for 55 years and the couple raised four daughters together: Linda, Barbara, Sue and Kate.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Dr. Bruce Hatfield's excursions with the Trail Riders between 1963-1995 and his role as Trail Doctor. Fonds includes ca.441 transparency slides with images primarily taken by Bruce during trail rides, 1963-1994, depicting fellow ride participants, camp life, wildlife, and landscapes; 14 colour negative film strips (49 images) depicting scenes from a trail ride in 1995; collected correspondence pertaining to trail rides and administrative work; medical reports from trail rides; and collected riders' lists and related material.
Fonds consists of 30 cm of textual and visual records previously held in 3 manuscript boxes, and 1 briefcase belonging to Bruno Engler. Contents have since been rehoused and processed in 3 manuscript boxes under M559, and one manuscript box each under V783/PA and V783/NA. Fonds consists of two seri…
24 cm of textual records -- 320 photographs (139 b&w and col. prints, 21 b&w negatives, 160 digital files)
History / Biographical
Bruno Engler's Veteran's Race was initially hosted by Bruno Engler at the Sunshine Village ski resort in Banff in 1967. In its earlier years, Bruno Engler would complete the downhill track first, and would use his recorded time as a benchmark for participants to beat. Engler participated in the race for many years. The race was typically divided into several competition categories by age range and men's and women's races. Following a day of races, there is an awards ceremony held each year for participants.
Bruno's ski race, renamed the Bruno Engler Memorial Ski Race after Bruno's passing in 2001, is currently "the longest consecutively running annual ski race in Canadian history". 2019 marked the 53rd annual race, which was held at Cascade Mountain. In recent years, the "Bruno Engler Family Fun Race", an additional race for parents and children, has been added as part of the original event.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of 30 cm of textual and visual records previously held in 3 manuscript boxes, and 1 briefcase belonging to Bruno Engler. Contents have since been rehoused and processed in 3 manuscript boxes under M559, and one manuscript box each under V783/PA and V783/NA. Fonds consists of two series:
Series I : 1952 - 1990
Series II : 1991 - 2016
Bruno Engler Memorial race committee information, race results and Bruno Engler's personal papers originally held in his personal briefcase. Also included are photos of the races and awards - these photos were held in Bruno's briefcase along with his own files.
Briefcase from accession has been transferred to Heritage.
Textual records (M559) range from 1952 to 2016 [includes documents from every year excluding 1953 - 1966] and pertain to annual ski races. Include meetings/agenda notes, ephemera, handwritten notes, registration forms, mailing lists, race results, and other relevant notes. [As 1967 was the ski race's first official year, items from 1952 are believed to be from a different ski event].
Visual records (V783) include 180 print photographs and 21 negative photographs/film strips depicting races, participants and award ceremonies [arranged by year].
Fonds also includes 3 CDs from 2004, 2005 and 2011 (V783), 1 USB stick from 2012 (M559), and 1 racing jersey (2016) which has been transferred to Heritage.
Notes
Folder with items V783 / I / PA - 1 to 41 contains photograph of Catharine Whyte in 1967 ski race
One folder with contact sheets from processed photographs dated 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1979 also stored within V783 file box
Fonds consists of records pertaining to the Calgary Mountain Club. Fonds includes two volumes of club meeting minutes, 1960-1987; one financial ledger book, 1964-1980; bound volume containing the club's constitution, route descriptions, photographs, and related content from various expeditions; one…
7 bound volumes -- two mounted b&w prints : 28 x 35 cm -- 3 cm textual records
History / Biographical
The Calgary Mountain Club (CMC) is Calgary's oldest mountaineering organization that is dedicated specifically to the furtherance of hard climbing objectives on significant peaks. These peaks are predominantly in the Canadian Rockies, but in many cases extend to significant mountain ranges throughout North America and Europe.
The CMC was founded in 1960 and is still an active club as of 2023. Chic Scott's publication, "History of the Calgary Mountain Club" (1988) provides a detailed summary of the club's early history.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of records pertaining to the Calgary Mountain Club. Fonds includes two volumes of club meeting minutes, 1960-1987; one financial ledger book, 1964-1980; bound volume containing the club's constitution, route descriptions, photographs, and related content from various expeditions; one copy of Chic Scott's publication, "History of the Calgary Mountain Club" (1988); registers for Archie Simpson Hut (1972-1974) and Castle Mountain Hut (1967-1984); two mounted black & white prints depicting the Graham Cooper Hut and Black Rock Needle; memorial booklet for Archie Simpson; and one folder of loose textual records including correspondence, pamphlets, administrative documents, and related materials.
Fonds consists of 2 cm of textual records consisting of correspondence from Catharine Robb Whyte [1967-1973] and Murray Adaskin to David Zweifel; 9 colour transparencies pertaining to a 1977 ski trip in Lucerne, Switzerland and David and Marilyn Zweifel's wedding in 1975; 6 colour prints from a 197…
Corresponence written by David Zweifel and Catharine Robb Whyte
Date Range
1967
1972
1975
1989
Physical Description
2 cm of textual records -- 15 photographs (9 col. transparencies, 6 col. prints) -- 1 sound recording
History / Biographical
David Zweifel (1950 -) is a professional violinist who met Catharine Robb Whyte in December 1966 at the age of 16, shortly following the death of her husband Peter Whyte. Catharine helped to fund Zweifel's musical education and concert trips over the following years, and arranged with her friend Murray Adaskin for Zweifel to obtain a violin that had been previously owned by David White, who was the father of Peter Whyte. Zweifel attended Master classes in music at the Banff Centre as a young adult and stayed in Catharine's home with her during the summer months. David and Catharine were both active in outdoor activities and sports, and the pair went on multiple skiing trips and hikes together including Mount Rundle. Upon completing his education, Zweifel moved to Switzerland to join the Lausanne Orchestra. Catharine visited David and his wife Marilyn in Switzerland at least twice, in 1972 and 1977.
Zweifel later became a concert violinist for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra upon returning to Canada. David performed at Catharine Robb Whyte's memorial service at the Banff Centre on March 15, 1979 alongside Ken Stromberg [violin], and Tom Rolston [viola]. Marilyn Zweifel also performed a vocal solo. David Zweifel made a brief appearance in the 2016 film "Drawing Home", which tells the story of Peter and Catharine Whyte, in which he plays an unnamed violinist on a train ride to Banff.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of 2 cm of textual records consisting of correspondence from Catharine Robb Whyte [1967-1973] and Murray Adaskin to David Zweifel; 9 colour transparencies pertaining to a 1977 ski trip in Lucerne, Switzerland and David and Marilyn Zweifel's wedding in 1975; 6 colour prints from a 1972 ski trip in Austria with Catharine Robb Whyte, David Zweifel, and Marilyn Zweifel; and 1 sound recording of Catharine Robb Whyte's memorial service in 1979
Fonds consists of one series which currently includes all listed content in the fonds:
Series I : Catharine Robb Whyte
"Romance in the Rockies: The Life and Adventures of Catharine and Peter Whyte" by Kim Mayberry (Canmore: Altitude Publishing Canada Ltd., 2003), p. 98-99.
Copy of "Romance in the Rockies" located in the Whyte Museum's library under code [06 W62ma c.1]
Drawing Home Production Notes, M.Y.R.A. Entertainment, LLC. p. 34 [PDF]
Title Source
Title based on contents of fonds
Content Details
Cassette tape in accession 2019.02 is Loan for Copy, rest of items in fonds are part of a gift donation
Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including cor…
154 cm of textual records. -- 1304 photographs (1190 prints, 95 negatives, 19 transparencies). -- 6 photograph albums.
History / Biographical
The Wardle family was comprised of husband and wife, James Morey Wardle (June 26,1888 - May 18,1971) and Maud Leette (Roney) Wardle (May 24,1889 - December 1,1969), and their one child, Dorothy Hope Wardle (May 23,1919 - July 20,2003).
James Wardle, born in Chiliwack, British Columbia, was a civil engineer and public servant. He was the Superintendent of Banff National Park from 1918-1921, Chief Engineer for Parks Canada from 1921-1935, and Deputy Minister of the Interior from 1935-1936. He is primarily known as a highway design engineer, particularly for building the Banff-Windermere, Banff-Lake Louise, and Banff-Jasper highways. He was a councillor for the Municipality of Rockcliffe Park in Ontario and he was the President of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in Banff from 1925-1929. Mount Wardle in Vermillion was named after him in 1921. James married Leette on November 4, 1913, with whom he had one child, Dorothy.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Dorothy (also known as Dot and Dorie) grew up in Banff, Alberta and Ottawa, Ontario, due to her father's position with the federal government. She was educated at the Mountain School in Banff and at the Elmwood School in Ottawa. All three family members were graduates of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. James graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Leette graduated with a Bachelor's degree, and in 1942, Dorothy also earned a Bachelor's degree. Dorothy was prominent in student life and active in athletics. In 1941, Dorothy became the first woman elected as President of the Alma Mater Society and during her academic career, Dorothy was a member of the Levana Intercollegiate Debative, University Centenary Committee, and Queen’s War Aid Commission.
Dorothy spent her career as a freelance writer however, upon graduation she served as the first Secretary-In-Charge of Records at Carleton College (now Carleton University) from 1942-1944 in Ottawa and in the mid-1950s worked as a secretary for the Glenbow Foundation in Calgary. Dorothy pursued a lifelong interest in traveling, art, and antiques. Although she was fiercely proud and protective of Banff and the Park, and remained a volunteer and patron of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Dorothy eventually settled in Sidney, British Columbia and shared an apartment with Sheila Iris Ritchie, with whom Dorothy travelled extensively. After her death in 2003, Dorothy, "Dorie," was laid to rest alongside her parents in the Old Banff Cemetery.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including correspondence with Carl Rungius and Mrs. Helen Brett, and Christmas and other greeting cards from Peter and Catharine Whyte). Series III: Queen's University, 7.5 cm, 1911-1980 (including graduation certificates for each family member and records pertaining to Dorothy's participation on the Alma Mater Society). Series IV: Travel, 44.5 cm, ca.1950-1988 (includes hand-written notebooks meticulously detailing their travels).
V75 consists of two series, 79.5 cm, ca. 1912-2001. Series I: Wardle Family, ca. 1912-1971, 6 albums, 31 cm of photograph prints and negatives (including family trips, trail rides in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and family gatherings). Series II: Dorothy Wardle, 1972-2001, 34 cm of photograph prints, negatives, and transparencies (including Dorothy's travels in Alberta and British Columbia, overseas, and various outings with friends).
Fonds consists of records pertaining to Elmer and Grace Charlton's business, social and recreational activities in Banff. Photographic records include ca.400 35mm slides re animals, mountain scenics, trail-riding parades, golf, winter activities, Mount Royal Hotel fire; 40 prints re Banff personal…
ca.841 photographs: ca.800 transparencies; 35mm, 40 prints + 1 framed. -- textual records -- 9 framed certificates and letters -- 1 plaque
History / Biographical
Grace Charlton (née Wheatley) was born 1912 in Bankhead, Alberta to Alice and Frank Wheatley. The family moved to Banff in the early 1920s when the Bankhead mine closed. Following graduation from school in Banff, Grace attended Henderson Business School in Calgary completing secretarial courses. She returned to Banff to work for J.D. Hansen.
Elmer Charlton was born in Spokane, Washington, U.S.A. in 1911. Elmer completed his schooling in Calgary when his family moved there from Spokane. Elmer worked for his brother Malcolm before moving to Banff in the 1930s to work for his brother in-law George Brewster, who owned Brewster Skyline Tours. Elmer worked for George Brewster driving the daily bus from Banff to Calgary. On his return trips from Calgary, Elmer delivered the Calgary Herald newspaper to homes and businesses along the way. Elmer met Grace while he was working for Brewster and they married in 1935. Grace and Elmer had two children, Ken (b.1939) and Gary (b.1942).
Growing up in Banff, Grace was an active skier and she and Elmer became involved with the Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies and helped build the first lodge and rope tow. Both Grace and Elmer held executive positions with the Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies and Elmer was a judge at the ski-jump event for the North American Ski championships, 1948-1950. Grace and Elmer were also active golfers. Grace served on the ladies' executive of the Banff Springs Golf Club and won many club tournaments. Elmer was also an active member of the Banff Springs Golf Club, holding executive positions with the men's club at various times. Elmer was a member of the Banff Curling Club and both he and Grace were involved with the Banff Winter Carnival in the early years. Elmer worked on the construction of the Highway between the park gates and Banff and also found work on the sets of a number of movies filmed in Banff. Elmer worked on the soundstages, appeared as an extra and was a driver for the casts of the films "Lassie Come Home", "North West Stampede", "Saskatchewan", and "River of No Return." In 1949 Elmer and Grace built Charlton's Cedar Court, the first year round motel. It opened with four units and expanded to twenty units before their son Gary took over management of the motel in 1969. Grace and Elmer became members of the Banff Chamber of Commerce and Elmer served as president. Elmer was a life member of the Banff Kinsmen Club and Banff Rotary Club. Grace was a life member of the IODE and the Eastern Star Lodge. Grace died in 1998 and Elmer in 2000.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of records pertaining to Elmer and Grace Charlton's business, social and recreational activities in Banff. Photographic records include ca.400 35mm slides re animals, mountain scenics, trail-riding parades, golf, winter activities, Mount Royal Hotel fire; 40 prints re Banff personalities, skiing, golfing, social gatherings; 1 framed photograph of actor Jack Oakie.
Textual records consist of Banff Springs Golf Club papers, 1923-1960s (largely collected by Dr. E. Kennedy) including Canadian Golfer May 1925 with article on donation of Prince of Wales trophy; bylaws and constitution, 1923 & 1931; correspondence re Prince of Wales trophy, 1924; scorecards & advertising brochures re BSGC; competition recordbook, 1950s & 1960s.
Also included in textual records are Grace Charlton's organizations including 2 National Parks School District scribblers re fashion show, 1940; history of IODE; IODE provincial reports, 1989; Star cookbook, 1947; Exercises in Grammar, 1928.
Textual records also include Dominion Ski Championships materials including programs, 1938; screenplay "Saskatchewan", Universal-International Pictures, July 8, 1953; miscellaneous programs & brochures, 1935-1980s; miscellaneous newspaper clippings, 1930s-1980s; Rangeman's Dinner programs and menus, 1968-1992; golf file containing brochures, scorecards, Ladies' Division Rule Book, 1985; History of Events and Competitions of the BSGC - Ladies Division, 1985; correspondence re death of Patricia Christensen at Marble Canyon, 1954; and miscellaneous leaseholder/land use documents.
Fonds also includes 9 framed certificates and letters and one plaque, pertaining to Elmer Charlton's involvement in the Banff Kinsmen's Club, the Rotary Club of Banff, Banff Springs Golf Course, and Grace and Elmer's golden wedding anniversary.
Fonds consists of three sous-fonds: M573 / V797 / S60.
M573 consists of three series, 26 cm of textual records, 1924-2005. Series I: Personal Papers, 19 cm, ca.1930-2005 (including notebooks and drafts of various talks that Jean delivered and records related to her participation in the Trail Rider…
26 cm of textual records.-- 109 photographs (42 prints, 67 lantern slides). -- 2 sound recordings.
History / Biographical
Jean Alexandra Hembroff was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on April 5, 1908 to Walter B. Hembroff (d. 1945) and Sarah Jane Hembroff (d.1952). Jean was accepted to the MacPhail School of Music and Dramatic Art at the University of Minnesota, from which she graduated in 1927. She returned to Winnipeg to begin teaching courses in speech arts and drama. To establish herself, she first volunteered as the "story lady" at the Williams Avenue Public Library and quickly became known as an excellent speaker sought by many different organizations. She taught at St. Mary's Academy and the Evening Institute at the University of Manitoba, as well as offered private sessions. Many of her students used the skills they learned from Jean as they entered radio, television, politics, and business. Jean was also very active in organizing and adjucating Speech Arts festivals in Manitoba, often going to inaccessible places to give workshops. Her teaching, broadcasting, adjucating, coaching, and speaking career spanned more than 50 years.
Jean was hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway's promotions manager to give presentations and broadcast interviews across Canada and the United States. In 1937, Jean joined the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and participated in their summer trail ride in the same year. For that year's issue of the Trail Rider's Bulletin Jean wrote an article - and became the first woman to ever do so. In 1938, during her lecture titled "Trail Riding in the Rockies" on January 18, 1938 at the Royal Alexandra Hotel, Jean met John David (Jack) MacDonald. Jack and Jean were married on June 18, 1938, and the couple had one son, Bruce Walter James MacDonald (August 28, 1946-August 25, 2016).
Jean participated in several trail rides with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and the Sky Line Trail, and produced articles reflecting her experiences. Jean loved to travel and visited places all around Canada and the United States, Borneo, Tangier, Montevideo, Stockholm, New Delhi, and Tonga. At the age of 102, Jean passed away on February 2, 2011 and is buried in Winnipeg.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of three sous-fonds: M573 / V797 / S60.
M573 consists of three series, 26 cm of textual records, 1924-2005. Series I: Personal Papers, 19 cm, ca.1930-2005 (including notebooks and drafts of various talks that Jean delivered and records related to her participation in the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and the Sky Line Hikers of the Canadian Rockies, particularly 1937-1939). Series II: Correspondence and Newspaper Clippings, 4 cm, 1924-2000 (including correspondence with John Murray Gibbon, former students, and attendees at various talks, as well as newspaper articles that Jean wrote about various subjects and articles of her achievements). Series III: Collected Materials and Ephemera, 3 cm, ca.1930-1950 (including a variety of collected poems and ephemera, as well as a copy of The Beaver Magazine from 1940, for which Jean wrote an article titled "On the Trail of Sir George").
V797 consists of two series, 24.5 cm of visual records, ca.1928-1939. Series I: Photograph Prints, 3 cm, ca.1928-1939 (includes personal photographs of Jean and her family and friends as well as photographs of Jean and Jack's visit to Lake Louise in 1939). Series II: Lantern Slides, 21.5 cm, ca.1937-1939 (Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies official ride of 1937 to Mt. Assiniboine; Sky Line Hikers of the Canadian Rockies official ride of 1939 to Ptarmigan Valley and Skoki; collection of trail ride songs).
S60 consists of two sound recordings, 1 cm, 2004 and 2007 (Winnipeg at Christmas, narrated by Jean, broadcasted on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).