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 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).
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 139 pages of handwritten research notes, correspondence, and newspaper clippings, H35 x W30 cm or smaller. File pertains to Dorothy's research on Banff and surrounding area, Parks Canada, Department of the Interior, and the history of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in general. Record…
2 cm of textual records (139 pages ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of 139 pages of handwritten research notes, correspondence, and newspaper clippings, H35 x W30 cm or smaller. File pertains to Dorothy's research on Banff and surrounding area, Parks Canada, Department of the Interior, and the history of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in general. Records were filed in an envelope that was titled "Book Notes."
Notable people include James Wardle, J.B. Harkin, Pat Brewster, Arthur Unwin, Dr. Brett, Norman Sanson, and Bill Peyto, among others. Notable places and topics include the organization of the Department of the Interior, the Banff-Windemere Highway, Rocky Mountain Park and Park Wardens, Kootenay National Park fires, coal and precious metal mines (e.g. Bankhead, Silver City), trail riding and hiking, research about James Wardle and his accomplishments, Ya-Ha-Tinda, and various parks (e.g. Glacier, Revelstoke, Elk Island, Kootenay, and Yoho).
Other records include a handwritten letter to the Auld family in Scotland (cousins of Sheila Ritchie) with a story about Glenbow and a highland cow from Oban, Scotland; personal reflections on the Banff area and mountains in general; notes that Dorothy took while doing research at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and the Banff Public Library; and a variety of newspaper clippings.
Notes
Includes request slips and stationary from the archives at the Whyte Museum.
Potentially includes a handwritten list of Dorothy's written works.
Newspaper clippings primarily from the Times Colonist, which is published in Victoria, British Columbia.
Some of the slips of paper are taped together. Was unable to remove them without damaging the materials. May present conservation issues in the future.
File consists of handwritten and typed drafts of works by Malcolm Geddes. Content pertains to the first ascent of Mount Geikie, mountaineering and mountain climbing, and life in Western Canada and Parry Sound, Ontario. Includes three typed drafts of "Beyond the Eagle's Nest" with edits and correcti…
File consists of handwritten and typed drafts of works by Malcolm Geddes. Content pertains to the first ascent of Mount Geikie, mountaineering and mountain climbing, and life in Western Canada and Parry Sound, Ontario. Includes three typed drafts of "Beyond the Eagle's Nest" with edits and corrections.
File consists of 34 photograph and postcard prints pertaining to friends of Norman Luxton and the Luxton family which were sent to Norman Luxton. Most photographs are annotated on the back with contextual information [dates, locations, names, etc] for photographs, some items include personal messag…
34 photographs : b&w prints ; 12.5 x 15 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 34 photograph and postcard prints pertaining to friends of Norman Luxton and the Luxton family which were sent to Norman Luxton. Most photographs are annotated on the back with contextual information [dates, locations, names, etc] for photographs, some items include personal messages written to Norman Luxton. Photograph images pertain to a fishing trip in Grande Prairie; men in military uniforms during World War II, including some taken during active duty in England; personal and group portraits; a war monument in Verdun, France; historic ships and boats; scenic views of Mistaya Canyon and Minnewanka; wildlife, including birds and a marten; and family pets.
Notes
Annotations on some photographs partly illegible or difficult to discern
File consists of 47 photographs which were collected by Eleanor Luxton as research material for the book Tilikum: Luxton's Pacific Crossing. Images pertain to Norman Luxton's 1901 voyage aboard the Tilikum dugout canoe, including views of the Tilikum on public display. File also includes two letter…
47 photographs : b&w and col. prints ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 47 photographs which were collected by Eleanor Luxton as research material for the book Tilikum: Luxton's Pacific Crossing. Images pertain to Norman Luxton's 1901 voyage aboard the Tilikum dugout canoe, including views of the Tilikum on public display. File also includes two letters: one sent to Norman Luxton in 1926 by James Hall[?] pertaining to the voyage, and one to Eleanor Luxton from J.W.D. Symons at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia pertaining to the use of the museum's images in her book.
File consists of 390 b&w negatives. The negatives pertain to Mount Chapman and Mount Custer; hunters checking slopes; hunters posed with a goat trophy; an unidentified man posed on slope of Belleview Hill; people on horses on Continental Divide North of Sage Pass; Cache Creek Falls; riders on a day…
Date Range
[ca.1904 to ca.1959]
Reference Code
V26 / IX / H / NA (H1-1) to V26 / IX / J / NA (J5-9)
File consists of 390 b&w negatives. The negatives pertain to Mount Chapman and Mount Custer; hunters checking slopes; hunters posed with a goat trophy; an unidentified man posed on slope of Belleview Hill; people on horses on Continental Divide North of Sage Pass; Cache Creek Falls; riders on a day trip; a camp scene of bedding being aired out; Mount Blackiston and Ruby Creek; the Beehive from Panorama Peak; various hunters; a red squirrel; fisherman, horses and tent at Crandell Lake; a mule deer on prairie part of Waterton Lakes National Park; two mule deer on slopes above Cameron Lake; woman on shore of Wall Lake; camp at Oyster Creek; Canadian two cent stamp; horses on ranch; hunters on vertical cliff; Summit Lake early in summer Mount Chapman; people and horses across from Beehive; two hunters in camp with deer trophy; packtrain below Broken Castle; Anderson Peak; mule deer buck; big horn ram on grassy slope; rams on a cliff; people on shore of Upper Kintla Lake, Long Knife Peak; rider at Oyster Creek camp; snow-covered camp scene; beaver dams and ponds on Dungarvin Creek; fisherman with large trout; McIntyre ranch buildings from Milk River Ridge; various camp scenes; Hawk's Nest cottage yard with trip supplies; packtrain wading up a river; packtrain in a meadow in the Oldman area; chicadee; gray-crowned rosy finches; downy woodpecker; columbia ground squirell; osprey nest near Oldman River; fisherman on Oldman River; A.O. Wheeler's mapping survey expeditions rock cairn; group on Tornado Pass; two people on Limestone Peak; Andy Russell and Jim Bennett on Tornado Mountain; andy Russell on top of cliff; Castle River rodeo; Sumner Crosby with a ram; lunch time on trip; Andy Russell field dressing a bull elk; guests on Mount Chimney; hunter on avalanche track; tents in snow; Lake Wurderman, Lake Nooney, and Mount Chapman; children eating on porch of Hawk's Nest; moving camp at Oyster Creek; limestone outcrop on corner of Lakeview Ridge; guest eatng at table in front of tent; Bert's car near Red Rock Canyon; saddle horses above South Kootenay Pass, Starvation Peak and King Edward; Mount Farquhar, Holcroft Mountain, Mount Scrimger; Jim Bennett with his movie camera near Beehive; Andy Russell and packtrain Oldman River valley; Lundbreck, Alberta; Pincher Creek and Castle Mountain; Upper Waterton Lake from Crandell; Andy and Kay Russell Wedding, 1938; Andy Russell snowshoeing; F.H.R's tipi; fishing at Wall Lake; Riggall's second Cottonwood Canyon house; Twin Lakes Camp; Kintla Lookout; Harwood Wedding.
File consists of 37 photographs depicting friends and extended members of the Luxton family. Includes professional portraits, postcard prints and candid photographs. Individuals include members of the Nolan and Boswell families, Mary Watson, Will Kidner, John and Ada Wilson, Sam Kellock, W.W. Kemp,…
37 photographs : b&w prints ; 15 x 21 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 37 photographs depicting friends and extended members of the Luxton family. Includes professional portraits, postcard prints and candid photographs. Individuals include members of the Nolan and Boswell families, Mary Watson, Will Kidner, John and Ada Wilson, Sam Kellock, W.W. Kemp, Arnold and Charles Douglas, Sam Howe, and George and Bob Findlay. Items LUX/III/C3/PA-192 to 204 pertain to trips to Marble Canyon and Sibbald Ranch with Norman Luxton and members of the Sibbald and Fisher families [ca.1904].
File consists of postcards sent to Malcolm Geddes and his wife, Jennie, between 1909 and 1918, as well as 15 letters which Malcolm sent to Jennie between 1924 and 1927, a letter from Malcolm to his son Alvin Geddes in 1927, a letter to Alvin from Gwen [possibly Gwendolyn Geddes Hubbell] dated 1931,…
File consists of postcards sent to Malcolm Geddes and his wife, Jennie, between 1909 and 1918, as well as 15 letters which Malcolm sent to Jennie between 1924 and 1927, a letter from Malcolm to his son Alvin Geddes in 1927, a letter to Alvin from Gwen [possibly Gwendolyn Geddes Hubbell] dated 1931, a letter of condolence sent to Mrs. Geddes from Hester D Peach [1931], and a letter to "Olive" from M. Geddes [possibly Muriel Geddes Grant] dated 1936. Some letters sent from Malcolm to Jennie [between 1924-1925] pertain to his first ascent of Mount Geikie.
Minor wrinkling/creasing of most letters, otherwise good condition
First postcard in file [black and white image of storefront] appears to have once been glued on the back [possibly for use in a scrapbook or album] and later removed and annotated in blue pen; some paper/glue remnants still attached