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 4 hardcover books (various subjects) and 1 softcover Kodak booklet. Includes the following works:
- "Handbook of Old Pottery and Porcelain Marks" (C. Jordan Thorn, 1947) with Nicholas Morant stamp inside and signed "Ivy May Morant Banff, Alta." on first page; contains bookmark with…
File consists of 4 hardcover books (various subjects) and 1 softcover Kodak booklet. Includes the following works:
- "Handbook of Old Pottery and Porcelain Marks" (C. Jordan Thorn, 1947) with Nicholas Morant stamp inside and signed "Ivy May Morant Banff, Alta." on first page; contains bookmark with blue tassel; also with envelope of handwritten notes by Ivy "Willie" Morant attached inside. Envelope labelled: "Willie Morant (Ivy May) Some notes and reference research bearing on her collection of early chinaware. These made some weeks before she passed away... Banff 1986 April 15th"
- "Slater's Telegraphic Code" 5th edition (London 1906). Various signatures and handwritten notes inside, not by Morant
- “Kodak Data Book on Formulas and Processing” (n.d.). Some handwritten notes inside, other pages/clippings inserted with adhesives, several loose pages inside (some annotated).
- “The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss” (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1955). With Nicholas Morant stamp and attached clippings inside.
- Tilikum: Luxton’s Pacific Crossing” (Eleanor Georgina Luxton, 1971). Contains Nicholas Morant stamp and 2 attached clippings: blurb of the book glued to inside of front cover, and biographical page about Eleanor Luxton glued to inside of back cover.
Notes
“Kodak Data Book on Formulas and Processing” was stored with other booklet, “Ansco Formulas for Black-and-White Photography” (1952), non-annotated; both items were in white CP Rail envelope with handwritten title “FORMULAE”.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 75 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 91
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 adhesives and other risky materials inside must be monitored or possibly have acid-free paper inserted to prevent damage to adjacent materials
Printed paper sign, reads "POSITIVELY NO ADMITTANCE HOTEL CLOSED" (no date, no author). Part of a collection of items previously mounted or hung up in Nicholas and Ivy "Willie" Morant's Banff home.
Printed paper sign, reads "POSITIVELY NO ADMITTANCE HOTEL CLOSED" (no date, no author). Part of a collection of items previously mounted or hung up in Nicholas and Ivy "Willie" Morant's Banff home.
File consists of 5 colour advertising posters, 2 calendar pages, and one hand-drawn illustration. Content pertains to 'The Banff Chairlift on Mt. Norquay'; a Laurie Signs Ltd. ad with a Nicholas Morant image and metal hanger (formerly a page from a calendar, date unknown); a 'Bourne Bros.' calendar…
File consists of 5 colour advertising posters, 2 calendar pages, and one hand-drawn illustration. Content pertains to 'The Banff Chairlift on Mt. Norquay'; a Laurie Signs Ltd. ad with a Nicholas Morant image and metal hanger (formerly a page from a calendar, date unknown); a 'Bourne Bros.' calendar dated '1913', featuring a large image of a woman named 'Berenice' on a metal hanger; 4 red and white Royal York Hotel advertising posters with cardboard attachments on back to stand upright; and an illustration addressed to Nicholas Morant (unknown artist), drawn in pencil, depicting a character covered in porcupine quills (?) with an easel, painting the message 'dere Marantz thanks 4 the encouragement'.
Notes
4 Royal York Hotel posters formerly stored in individual brown paper packaging with cardboard supports inside, labelled 'Royal York Hotel Poster' on the front of each in black marker. Original packaging has been removed for conservation reasons.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / II / C / 6 / 1 to M300 / II / C / 6 / 8 & M300 / II / C / 6 / 70 to 72
File consists of 2 printed poster advertisements (with photographs by Nicholas Morant) used by Canadian Pacific for tourism promotion. Content pertains to Lake Louise and Banff Springs Hotel, with a lone horse rider depicted in the foreground of each image. Both posters have large text at the botto…
File consists of 2 printed poster advertisements (with photographs by Nicholas Morant) used by Canadian Pacific for tourism promotion. Content pertains to Lake Louise and Banff Springs Hotel, with a lone horse rider depicted in the foreground of each image. Both posters have large text at the bottom which reads the place name depicted and 'Canadian Pacific'.
Notes
Posters were originally stored together, rolled, inside a tube labelled: "CPR POSTERS REPRO'S OLD ONES". Tube also has attached note: "Banff Springs Hotel - Rider / LAKE LOUISE with lone rider / oldtime CPR Poster Reproductions".
Tube also has separate mailing address label, with following text: "Canadian Pacific / Mr, Nicholas Morant, / Banff, Alberta. / O.C.S. / Public Relations and Advertising / Windsor Station, Montreal 101, Quebec".
File consists of 13 maps / map clippings of regions in Alberta (including map of Banff annotated to show location of former Morant home), B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba; 6 packing inventory lists and 3 other handwritten notes including shopping list; business card for Starlight Villa Motel in Nels…
File consists of 13 maps / map clippings of regions in Alberta (including map of Banff annotated to show location of former Morant home), B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba; 6 packing inventory lists and 3 other handwritten notes including shopping list; business card for Starlight Villa Motel in Nelson, B.C.; laminated card by Banff Lifts Ltd. allowing Nicholas Morant to ride Sulphur Mountain Gondola for free throughout 1992; and customs form with 2 other attached pages with inventory of camera equipment.
Notes
All contents originally stored in clipboard with black leather cover, untitled, with 6 b&w film negatives (now filed under V500 / III / A9 / NA - 1).
Some items previously stored in labelled envelopes; original envelopes kept in folders directly behind previous contents.
File consists of 5 maps, 3 stamps, ca.12 blank CP labels, 10 CP "value labels",1 notepad, 11 travel release forms (5 annotated) and 1 travel folder. Content pertains to travel documents and maps used by Nicholas Morant during work trips with Canadian Pacific and possibly some personal travel. Inclu…
Collected by Nicholas Morant; corporate records for Canadian Pacific owned by Canadian Pacific company
Date Range
1930
1946
1947
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1975]
1966
1977
1978
Physical Description
ca. 43 Textual records: maps, stamps, labels, notepad, small travel folder, release forms
Scope & Content
File consists of 5 maps, 3 stamps, ca.12 blank CP labels, 10 CP "value labels",1 notepad, 11 travel release forms (5 annotated) and 1 travel folder. Content pertains to travel documents and maps used by Nicholas Morant during work trips with Canadian Pacific and possibly some personal travel. Includes maps of Alberta, Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park; professional supplies (travel forms, shipping labels); 14-cent Canadian stamps (from XI Commonwealth Games in 1978); notepad with 2 pages of notes written by Nicholas Morant; and small blue travel-sized folder with pockets with CP Transport label on front.
Notes
CP Rail labels, stamps, value labels, blue folder and notepad originally stored in plastic wrapping labelled "ENVELOPES PAPER STAMPS VALUE LABELS"
Travel release forms were originally stored in blue/grey CP Rail mailing envelope labelled "RR Releases" (stored in separate folder in same box)
1966 map of Alberta (fold-out map) and 3 maps of national parks were originally stored in large blue/grey Canadian Pacific envelope labelled "MAPS - PARKS ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN ONTARIO"
Large map of Alberta formerly stored in unlabelled plastic yellow bag with red cloth border (removed for conservation purposes)
Items in this file were part of an original set of ca. 75 items; excess duplicates, blank pages and envelopes, non-annotated maps not relevant to the Canadian Rockies, etc. were discarded.
File consists of 17 cards and letters, 5 pages of handwritten notes and one newspaper clipping. Content pertains to collection of personal notes/correspondence kept by Willie Morant, including letters from friends and anniversary cards sent between herself and husband Nicholas Morant on their 46th …
File consists of 17 cards and letters, 5 pages of handwritten notes and one newspaper clipping. Content pertains to collection of personal notes/correspondence kept by Willie Morant, including letters from friends and anniversary cards sent between herself and husband Nicholas Morant on their 46th and 48th wedding anniversaries (1982 and 1984); inventory lists and notes in pen by Nicholas Morant, keeping track of photographs to be used in one of John Garden's books, "Nicholas Morant's Canadian Pacific" (1991) or "Nicholas Morant's Canada" (1998), with illustrations drawn by Morant on one of the pages; clipping of news article (December 1990) discussing Thomas Tyron's art book jacket, with message possibly written by Jon Whyte (?) at top.
Notes
Envelopes which originally held Willie's cards/notes collection and Nicholas Morant's handwritten notes are stored in folder behind their respective items. Items