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].
Fonds consists of textual and visual records pertaining to Malcolm Geddes, as well as his immediate family: wife Jennie (Waters) Geddes, and children Alvin and Enid Geddes; and extended family members. Fonds includes records related to Malcolm's work as a poet and author (including original drafts …
Some views are by Malcolm Geddes; many were obtained through other sources
Date Range
[1896-2013]
Physical Description
444 photographs: 385 b&w and col. transparencies, 59 b&w prints -- 1 album (28 b&w prints) -- 11 cm of textual records
History / Biographical
Malcolm Daniel Geddes, 1866-1927, was a journalist, publisher and mountaineer at Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Geddes was one of the founders of the "Farmers and Ranch Review" in 1904, and served as vice-president and editor until his death. He joined the Alpine Club of Canada in 1917, was active in ACC summer camps and served as Honorary Secretary from 1924 to 1926. Geddes was killed in a mountaineering accident on Mount Lefroy in 1927.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual and visual records pertaining to Malcolm Geddes, as well as his immediate family: wife Jennie (Waters) Geddes, and children Alvin and Enid Geddes; and extended family members. Fonds includes records related to Malcolm's work as a poet and author (including original drafts and publications), Malcolm's career in real estate, family letters, financial records, records of mountain ascents and hikes with the Alpine Club of Canada, family trees and genealogical research, and other related materials.
Notes
Fonds consists of three series:
Series I : Professional records
I / A : Published materials
I / B : Manuscripts and notes
I / C : Professional correspondence
Series II : Financial records
Series III : Personal and family records
III / A : Travel and mountain expeditions
III / B : Genealogy and research
III / C : Other personal and family records
Arrangement of fonds was redone by Processing Archivist Kate Skelton between December 2020 and March 2021 to accommodate unprocessed materials from accessions 7846, 2014.8306 and 2015.8558
File consists of two different presentations of the same manuscript. Longer volume (4 cm) includes photographs. Shorter volume (2 cm) contains annotations attributed to Eleanor Luxton, likely made during her preparation of Luxton's Pacific Crossing
File consists of two different presentations of the same manuscript. Longer volume (4 cm) includes photographs. Shorter volume (2 cm) contains annotations attributed to Eleanor Luxton, likely made during her preparation of Luxton's Pacific Crossing
Access Restrictions
Access to the original volume with photographs is restricted. Photocopy of pages with photographs is available for reference use
File consists of 5 b&w photographs pertaining to the 1924 ascent of Mount Geikie and a hike through Abbot Pass. Includes group images of Malcolm Geddes, Harry Pollard, T.B. Moffat, Alvin Geddes, and various unidentified members of the Alpine Club of Canada.
5 photographs : b&w prints ; 18 x 24 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 5 b&w photographs pertaining to the 1924 ascent of Mount Geikie and a hike through Abbot Pass. Includes group images of Malcolm Geddes, Harry Pollard, T.B. Moffat, Alvin Geddes, and various unidentified members of the Alpine Club of Canada.
Notes
Items are annotated on back
Material Details
One print is attached to a partial sheet of graph paper
Abbot Pass Hut was constructed by the Alpine Club of Canada in 1922 and is located at 2,926 metres elevation, between Mt. Lefroy and Mt. Victoria. The hut is positioned directly on top of the Great Divide [Alberta and British Columbia border].
Scope & Content
Lantern slide depicts a side view of Abbot Pass Hut.
Notes
Slide is hand-coloured.
Material Details
Individual labels: rectangular red label #12; remains of a white label "Alpine ---"
File consists of 37 photographs which were produced by George Luxton for publication in the Minneapolis Journal, ca.1910-1930. Content pertains to train and vehicle crashes, collapsed buildings, human remains and rescue missions.
37 photographs : b&w prints ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 37 photographs which were produced by George Luxton for publication in the Minneapolis Journal, ca.1910-1930. Content pertains to train and vehicle crashes, collapsed buildings, human remains and rescue missions.
Notes
WARNING: File contains violent and graphic content. Materials may be accessed at personal discretion.
Scratches on negative and edge tape is peeling off
Title Source
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
File consists of three textual publications and a subject index booklet for a separate publication [accompanying publication not present in fonds]. Content pertains to the history of the Calgary Herald [ca. 1905]; the Alberta Division Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association; the history of Calgary's…
2 cm of textual records (4 volumes ; 23 x 29.5 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of three textual publications and a subject index booklet for a separate publication [accompanying publication not present in fonds]. Content pertains to the history of the Calgary Herald [ca. 1905]; the Alberta Division Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association; the history of Calgary's business and financial development; and Alberta's economy.
File consists of 7 published paperback booklets. Contents include 3 copies of "Dr. A.W. Chase's Calendar Almanac" dated 1931, 1933 and 1934 respectively; 2 copies of "Dodd's Almanac and Household Hints" dated 1933 and 1934; one copy of "Things Worth Knowing: Reliable Recipes, Valuable Formulas and …
Published by Murray Printing Co. Ltd.; The Dodds Medicine Co. Ltd.; Dr. Williams Medical Co.; and The W.H. Comstock Co. Ltd
Date Range
[ca. 1895]
1908
1927
1931
1933
1934
Physical Description
2 cm of textual records
Scope & Content
File consists of 7 published paperback booklets. Contents include 3 copies of "Dr. A.W. Chase's Calendar Almanac" dated 1931, 1933 and 1934 respectively; 2 copies of "Dodd's Almanac and Household Hints" dated 1933 and 1934; one copy of "Things Worth Knowing: Reliable Recipes, Valuable Formulas and Methods of Home Treatment for Common Diseases", annotated on the back cover in blue/purple ink with recipe for a health drink.; and one copy of "Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills", stamped "D.C. McDougall Morley, AB" on the back cover.
File pertains to mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, canyons, waterfalls, Banff town, hotels and roads between Canmore and Lake Louise; also Mount Assiniboine. Most images have captions Individual labels: round red label 18; rectangular red label 16; title label Along townsite Auto road looking NE…
File pertains to mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, canyons, waterfalls, Banff town, hotels and roads between Canmore and Lake Louise; also Mount Assiniboine. Most images have captions
Individual labels: round red label 18; rectangular red label 16; title label Along townsite Auto road looking NE. Banff Nat. Park 26
Lantern slide depicts a large group of unidentified individuals gathered around a campfire with tents visible in the background. Possibly an Alpine Club of Canada group camp.
Lantern slide depicts a large group of unidentified individuals gathered around a campfire with tents visible in the background. Possibly an Alpine Club of Canada group camp.
Notes
Slide is hand-coloured.
Material Details
Individual labels: round red label 10; round red label 11
File consists of information pamphlets and a bound reference handbook. Content pertains to an exhibition at Heinz Ocean Pier in New Jersey featuring the painting "Custer's Last Rally" by artist John Mulvaney; the Kihn-Ten Eyck Art School in Stamford, Connecticut; the art collections of the Henry E.…
1 cm of textual records (5 items ; 15 x 30.5 cm and smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of information pamphlets and a bound reference handbook. Content pertains to an exhibition at Heinz Ocean Pier in New Jersey featuring the painting "Custer's Last Rally" by artist John Mulvaney; the Kihn-Ten Eyck Art School in Stamford, Connecticut; the art collections of the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery in California; "This is the Place Monument" in Salt Lake City; and various community events and a state fair in Minot, North Dakota.
Notes
Handbook is signed "N.K. Luxton" inside front cover
File consists of copy photographs illustrating native hunting practices and decline of bison in North America. Also includes portrait of Michel Pablo. Most images have captions.
File consists of copy photographs illustrating native hunting practices and decline of bison in North America. Also includes portrait of Michel Pablo. Most images have captions.
