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
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 architectural and grounds plans and drawings for St. Mary's Parish in Banff, comprising 9 sheets, H58 x W89 cm to H43 x W58 cm. Plans are possibly diazotype (diazo) prints. Designed by Father Robert McGuinness. Donated by Stevenson Raines Barrett Christie Hutton Seton & Partners (l…
9 architectural drawings : annotations ; 89 x 58 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of architectural and grounds plans and drawings for St. Mary's Parish in Banff, comprising 9 sheets, H58 x W89 cm to H43 x W58 cm.
Plans are possibly diazotype (diazo) prints.
Designed by Father Robert McGuinness.
Donated by Stevenson Raines Barrett Christie Hutton Seton & Partners (later Raines Finlayson Barrett) to the Canadian Architectural Archives at the University of Calgary.
Notes
Father Robert McGuinness was an engineer with the Canadian federal government and the Canadian Pacific Railway before entering the priesthood. After becoming ordained in Rome, Father McGuinness traveled around Europe and his designs for St. Mary's Parish were influenced by the ancient stone churches he visited during his travels.
The church was known by different names, including: St. Mary of the Assumption and St. Mary's Catholic Church. It is currently called St. Mary's Parish.
File consists of 2 printed paper copies of older hand-illustrated works. Pertains to a copied 1947 blueprint of Connaught Tunnel depicting burn damage on tracks from an accident that year; and a copied hand-drawn map of Deutchman Cave from 1902, with annotations bottom right (copied from the origin…
File consists of 2 printed paper copies of older hand-illustrated works. Pertains to a copied 1947 blueprint of Connaught Tunnel depicting burn damage on tracks from an accident that year; and a copied hand-drawn map of Deutchman Cave from 1902, with annotations bottom right (copied from the original).
Notes
Items were stored together in a poster tube labelled:
"Canadian Pacific
Blueprints - CPR Passenger Train in Connaught Tunnel
- Nakimu Caves at Glacier"
File consists of 5 textual items, various authors. Content pertains to a copy of 'The Last of the Buffalo' given to Nicholas Morant in 1940 by Norman Luxton; an Illustrated booklet hand-drawn by Cyril Harris for Nicholas and Ivy Morant; a copy of 'Paintings from the Wild' by Clarence Pillenius; a 1…
File consists of 5 textual items, various authors. Content pertains to a copy of 'The Last of the Buffalo' given to Nicholas Morant in 1940 by Norman Luxton; an Illustrated booklet hand-drawn by Cyril Harris for Nicholas and Ivy Morant; a copy of 'Paintings from the Wild' by Clarence Pillenius; a 1946 journal publication containing a poem written by Mollie Morant; and a copy of 'Weathered Wood' by F.O. 'Pat' Brewster, signed.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 1 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 11
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 one illustration with attached b&w print cutout, and one wooden board with poster glued on either side. Content pertains to a hand-drawn illustration by cartoonist Sidney Smith of his famous character, Andy Gump (signed by artist and addressed to Nicholas Morant); and two portions …
1 Illustration (with print), 1 Poster; b&w and colour
History / Biographical
Sidney Smith was the illustrator of 'The Gumps' comic strip, which ran from 1917 to 1959 in the Chicago Tribune. Smith was killed in a car accident in October 1935, shortly after signing a 3-year contract worth $1 million to continue production of the comic strip. "The Gumps" illustrations were then produced by Gus Edson, who kept up the comic strip for another 24 years.
Scope & Content
File consists of one illustration with attached b&w print cutout, and one wooden board with poster glued on either side. Content pertains to a hand-drawn illustration by cartoonist Sidney Smith of his famous character, Andy Gump (signed by artist and addressed to Nicholas Morant); and two portions of an advertising poster for cruises in Asia (possibly Canadian Pacific Steamlines but unknown, n.d.)
Notes
Item V500 / III / D / 5 / PA - 94 O.S. has rough wooden edges (poster glued onto either side of wood base) and poses risk for other items in storage; has been scanned on both sides, and can be viewed under file in :
common > A&L internal > case_files > m300_v500_s20_morant
Poster board was originally stored inside large, dark brown picture frame which held V500 / III / D / 5 / PA - 93 O.S.
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
Item PA - 94 O.S. has been scanned and saved on computer drive as it poses a risk to other items if physically stored together.
Illustration must be stored with acid-free barrier to prevent further damage, and possibly mylar to protect attached b&w photographic print.
File consists of one scrapbook containing ca. 65 news article clippings, 24 track and field ribbons, 5 sports team patches and 2 hand-drawn pencil illustrations of hockey goalies [one captioned "Charlie Gardiner"]. Content pertains to Jack Kidney MacAulay's hockey career including awards, Banff hoc…
2 cm of textual records (1 scrapbook : 19 pages ; 26 x 30 cm)
Scope & Content
File consists of one scrapbook containing ca. 65 news article clippings, 24 track and field ribbons, 5 sports team patches and 2 hand-drawn pencil illustrations of hockey goalies [one captioned "Charlie Gardiner"]. Content pertains to Jack Kidney MacAulay's hockey career including awards, Banff hockey games and team members [late 1930's], and numerous news articles announcing updates on local military members and obituaries of individuals local to the Banff area. Includes articles announcing marriage and death of Margaret Simpson.
File consists of study notes and research material related to the fields of Haematology and Urinology, Mechanical Engineering, Commerce and English. File includes a letter responding to a repair request for a microscope sent by Eleanor Luxton in 1953, hand-drawn illustrations and diagrams, molecula…
File consists of study notes and research material related to the fields of Haematology and Urinology, Mechanical Engineering, Commerce and English. File includes a letter responding to a repair request for a microscope sent by Eleanor Luxton in 1953, hand-drawn illustrations and diagrams, molecular science notes, and an information package for first year English students at McGill University [1953-1954].
Notes
Notes and research material likely belonged to Eleanor Luxton during her studies at McGill University in Montreal, and Ottawa; some materials are from Sir George Williams College at Concordia University.
File consists of one scrapbook, mostly empty, containing ca. 48 newspaper clippings, a pamphlet re: the Banff Elementary School Spring Concert in May 1969, and a signed original sketch by Peter Whyte. Content pertains to the openings of the Whyte Museum Archives and the Harvie Theatre in Banff, Pet…
4 cm of textual records (1 scrapbook : 18 pages ; 30 x 37 cm)
Scope & Content
File consists of one scrapbook, mostly empty, containing ca. 48 newspaper clippings, a pamphlet re: the Banff Elementary School Spring Concert in May 1969, and a signed original sketch by Peter Whyte. Content pertains to the openings of the Whyte Museum Archives and the Harvie Theatre in Banff, Peter and Catharine Whyte, Senator Donald Cameron and Margaret Greenham.