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 pertains to the 1936 & 1937 personal diaires/daytimers of A. O. Wheeler.
M546 / 43 : Includes early January notations of correspondence with Don Munday. January 18 to 21st notations of King George’s illness and death. Driving trip through US throughout mid to late January. Fishing throughout t…
4.7 cm of textual records (1 volumes ; 11.3 x 14.6 or smaller cm)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description
Scope & Content
File pertains to the 1936 & 1937 personal diaires/daytimers of A. O. Wheeler.
M546 / 43 : Includes early January notations of correspondence with Don Munday. January 18 to 21st notations of King George’s illness and death. Driving trip through US throughout mid to late January. Fishing throughout trips during August. Correspondence with Hector Allan. Daily notations of activities, leisure, correspondence, weather, travel.
M546 / 44 : Includes daily notations of bathing habits, leisure, correspondence, household chores, travel, office work.
File pertains to 73 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to June 29, 1945. Topics include New Years Eve activities and parties, Pete being officially released from the Air Force [January 5], day to day life, photography and slide-making, weather, Ca…
1.3 cm of textual records (82 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 73 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to June 29, 1945. Topics include New Years Eve activities and parties, Pete being officially released from the Air Force [January 5], day to day life, photography and slide-making, weather, Catharine's involvement with the Red Cross, going to the movies, watching hockey games, radio programs [including operas, news, and sports], visits from friends, digging a cellar beneath the kitchen and moving the furnace underneath it, cleaning and household chores, Cam and Lila moving to Vancouver, errand trips to Calgary, wildlife, Banff events, painting, extending the second floor to create a new master bedroom above the living room, events and people in Concord, news pertaining to the war, birthdays, various holidays [both Canadian and American], deaths and funerals [Hermann Gadnew, President Roosevelt], the end of the war in Europe [also includes special radio broadcasts and community celebrations], gardening and yardwork, and short drives [usually to Lake Louise and the Lake Minnewanka area].
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand Japanese people used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are mostly typed, some hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout. Some letters written on RCAF letterhead.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
File pertains to 67 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to June 26, 1949. Topics include holiday activities, day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, bonspiels, watching local hockey games, the Banff Winter Carnival, weather, events and …
1.7 cm of textual records (101 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 67 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to June 26, 1949. Topics include holiday activities, day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, bonspiels, watching local hockey games, the Banff Winter Carnival, weather, events and people in Concord, a train crash east of Banff in late February [no one was injured, Syd Vallance was on the train], new household appliances like a washing machine [Bendix] and electric sewing machine, world news, radio programs, photography, painting, Catharine going to Concord in May [she was called back to Banff early due to concerns for Pete's mental health], the death and funeral of Norman Sanson, and Pete and Catharine going to Victoria and Vancouver for the month of June [they stayed at the Empress in Victoria and the Hotel Georgia in Vancouver before moving to an apartment at the Ritz Vancouver].
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are mostly typed, some hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
124-21 contains a note written after Catharine's post script, possibly by Pete.
File pertains to 35 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2 to March 20, 1942. Topics include Christmas and New Year's Eve activities and parties, day to day life, weather, the wedding of Edmee More and Charles Reid in January [also includes details on…
0.8 cm of textual records (34 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 35 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2 to March 20, 1942. Topics include Christmas and New Year's Eve activities and parties, day to day life, weather, the wedding of Edmee More and Charles Reid in January [also includes details on various showers and parties], visits from friends, matters pertaining to the the store and apartments on Banff Ave, events and people in Concord [including Russel's activities in the US Army], Catharine's involvement with the Red Cross, updates on war-time rations [mostly on food items and gasoline/coal], watching hockey games, books Catharine and Edith are reading, cleaning and household chores, news pertaining to the war [including black-out drills in Banff], the Banff Winter Carnival [including helping with the set-up, the parade and Carnival Queen, and events like races, ski jumping at Norquay, curling, and skijoring on the river], going to the movies, radio programs [mostly operas and the news], wildlife, various holidays [both Canadian and American], and various other Banff community activities.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand Japanese people used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are mostly typed, some hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
112 - 16 contains sketches of a quilt pattern made by the Red Cross.
File pertains to 66 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 1 to May 31, 1944. Topics include New Years Eve activities in Banff, travelling back to Tofino, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, Pete's work as part of the RCAF, weather, painting/sk…
2 cm of textual records (104 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 66 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 1 to May 31, 1944. Topics include New Years Eve activities in Banff, travelling back to Tofino, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, Pete's work as part of the RCAF, weather, painting/sketching, radio programs [including operas, news, and sports], visits from friends, cleaning and household chores, visiting the beach, wildlife, Tofino events and life in the apartment building, events and people in Concord, various holidays [both Canadian and American], matters pertaining to the store/Banff Ave property, trips to Victoria for Pete's monthly 48 hours leave, preparations for an Airforce exhibiting in Ottawa in April [including Pete recieving an honourary mention], Pete being reassigned to Vancouver and them leaving Tofino [Catharine travelled from Tofino to Banff breifly before coming to Vancouver], Pete working on films for the Photo Section of the Air Force, moving into a room at the Hotel Devonshire in downtown Vancouver, going to plays/shows, military parades, shopping and fashion, Pete being promoted to Seargant and getting temporarily relocated to Ottawa where he is appointed War Artist and sent back to Calgary to paint, and Catharine returns to live in Banff.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand Japanese people used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are typed and hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout. Some letters written on hotel letterhead.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
File pertains to 46 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 7 to December 29, 1938. Topics include returning from a trip to Concord and details about the route taken, cleaning and household chores, visits from friends and visitors, weather, a…
2.5 cm of textual records (97 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 46 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 7 to December 29, 1938. Topics include returning from a trip to Concord and details about the route taken, cleaning and household chores, visits from friends and visitors, weather, a day trip on the new stretch of road between Bow Lake and the Saskatchewan River Crossing, trips to Lake O'Hara to paint and hike [also includes hiking the new trail Tom Link and Jimmy Simpson blazed to Linda Lake, named for Linda Castle of Honolulu], events and people in Concord, photography and cameras, day to day life, maintenance and upkeep of the house and property [mostly landscaping], descriptions of meals, painting/sketching, day trips to Lake Louise [mostly in September to paint], mentions of the threat of war in Europe, radio programs [mostly operas and the news, but also plays], slide-making, the start of construction on the Mount Temple Chalet, films and film making, Jack and Barbara starting construction on their new house, various holidays [both Canadian and American], errand trips to Calgary, wildlife [often in the yard], going to Victoria in early November to see Annie and Dave, day trips with Cliff to see the progress on Mount Temple Chalet, Christmas, and various other holiday-related activities, parties, and gifts.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Some letters are written on hotel/lodge letterhead.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
File pertains to 61 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 2 to December 27, 1943. Topics include Catharine's activities while Pete is posted in Vancouver, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, Pete's work as part of the RCAF, weather, military pa…
1.9 cm of textual records (102 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 61 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 2 to December 27, 1943. Topics include Catharine's activities while Pete is posted in Vancouver, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, Pete's work as part of the RCAF, weather, military parades and concerts, going to the movies and live shows [mostly operas and the ballet], radio programs [including operas, news, sports, and a program called Quiz Kids], visits from friends, cleaning and household chores, moving back to Victoria in mid-August, painting/sketching, visiting various parks around Victoria, events and people in Concord, various holidays [both Canadian and American], Pete getting posted to Tofino in late August, details pertaining to the various modes of travel around Vancouver Island [5 hours by sailboat from Vancouver to Victoria; 2 days by train and boat from Victoria to Tofino], details on the different kinds of rations, Catharine spending September in Banff while Pete looks for a house in Tofino [time in Banff includes upkeep on the house, visiting Mount Temple Chalet, sketching, visits with friends, and Pete arriving for his 2-week leave], wildlife, moving to Tofino and getting settled [Pete worked at an Air Force base outside of town, but spent his nights at home with Catharine], walks on the beaches near town, new routines and friends, Christmas in Tofino, and travelleing to Banff for New Years Eve.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Japanese people used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout. Some letters written on hotel letterhead.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
A few letters have red numbers written at the top of the page from an unknown project.
116-40 includes a sketch of the Tofino apartment floorplan.
File pertains to 47 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2 to April 29, 1940. Topics include New Year's Eve celebrations and activities, day to day life, weather, visits from friends and visitors, radio programs [mostly operas and the news], print-mak…
1.4 cm of textual records (71 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 47 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2 to April 29, 1940. Topics include New Year's Eve celebrations and activities, day to day life, weather, visits from friends and visitors, radio programs [mostly operas and the news], print-making, photography and cameras, events and people in Concord, day trips to Lake Louise, wildlife, cleaning and household chores [including the instillation of storm doors/windows and a veneer partition in the front room], the opening of the new base ski lodge at Norquay, discussions and opinions about modern art and artists [including Picasso], trips to Mount Temple Lodge to ski [Pete and Catharine also helped with chores and general repairs to the Lodge and facilities], skiing, the Winter Carnival, updates on Dave White's health, watching hockey games and curling matches, errand trips to Calgary, painting/sketching, books Catharine and Edith are reading, descriptions of meals, the death and funeral of Pete's maternal grandfather in mid-March, a trip to Vancouver and Victoria in late March, news pertaining to the war, various holidays [both Canadian and American], another long visit to Temple in April, and leaving for a trip to Concord at the end of April.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are typed and hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout. Some are written on hotel/lodge letterhead. Most typed letters are written on a single side of paper, hand-written letters are mostly double-sided.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
File pertains to 82 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 1 to July 30, 1943. Topics include New Years activities and parties, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, errand trips to Calgary, cameras and photography, slide making and presentations…
1.7 cm of textual records (121 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 82 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 1 to July 30, 1943. Topics include New Years activities and parties, day to day life, news pertaining to the war, errand trips to Calgary, cameras and photography, slide making and presentations, winter sports, weather, wildlife, radio programs [including operas, news, sports, and a program called Quiz Kids], visits from friends, cleaning and household chores, painting/sketching, books Catharine and Edith are reading, installing a new permanent staircase in the house [also installed was a door at the bottom of the stairs], painting/sketching, events and people in Concord, various holidays [both Canadian and American], matters pertaining to the store and apartments on Banff Ave, Pete being enlisted as a "skilled tradesman" in the Royal Canadian Air Force in March and then going to Edmonton for training [occasionally Catharine would join him there for weekends], relocating to Vancouver and then getting posted to Patricia Bay (Victoria) in May [Catharine goes at the same time], Catharine going to Concord for a month early June-early July, moving between Victoria and Vancouver as Pete's responsibilities change, Catharine's involvement with the Red Cross, and life/activities in both cities [including visiting parks/beaches, eating out with and without friends, shopping, sketching/painting, watching military training exercises, and going to shows/movies].
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand Japanese people used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Letters are typed and hand-written. Many typed letters have hand-written notes and post scripts added throughout. Some letters written on hotel letterhead.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
115 - 26 contains a sketch of the top of the new staircase as it is situated in the second-floor studio.
115 - 78 contains a sketch of their apartment at the Hotel Devonshire in Vancouver.