Fonds consists of 53 diaries pertaining to personal life, travel, office work, and Alpine Club of Canada camps. Diaries range in date from 1885 to 1944. Also included are two volumes/scrapbooks compiled by A.O. Wheeler. Both volumes include numerous articles, newspaper clippings, letters, ACC broc…
62 vol. of textual material. -- 66 vol. of photograph albums
History / Biographical
Arthur Oliver Wheeler (1860-1945) DLS, ALS, BCLS, was born in Ireland, arriving in Canada in 1876. Wheeler was a mountaineer, co-founder of the Alpine Club of Canada (1906), and Dominion Land Surveyor. In 1913, Wheeler was appointed Boundary Commissioner and tasked with photo surveying the Alberta / British Columbia interprovincial boundary.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of 53 diaries pertaining to personal life, travel, office work, and Alpine Club of Canada camps. Diaries range in date from 1885 to 1944. Also included are two volumes/scrapbooks compiled by A.O. Wheeler. Both volumes include numerous articles, newspaper clippings, letters, ACC brochures and notices addressed to ACC members. Volume one covers the period 1902 to 1913; volume two includes materials from 1914 to 1940. A inventory of both volumes, compiled by ACC member Paul Geddes, is also included. Additionally there are 7 volumes of notes corresponding to the photographs A.O. Wheeler took.
Photographic material consists of 66 albums which contain approximately 5000 photographs, black and white positive prints from glass negatives, all 12 x 16 cm. The first album is dated 1915, the last 1924. Some of the albums contain a small map printed on linen. Each album contains an index to the photographs taken for the Alberta - British Columbia Interprovincial Boundary photo survey and are organized by Station, Bearing, and Subject.
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse …
25 m of textual records. -- ca.46,000 photographs : prints, albums, postcards, cased photographs, transparencies, negatives. -- 178 sound recordings : audio tape reels, audio tape cassettes. -- 6 motion pictures (and film strips)
History / Biographical
Peter and Catharine Whyte were artists, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, philanthropists and cultural workers at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Peter Whyte, 1905-1966, was born at Banff in 1905 to pioneer merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first native-born painters with an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer from ca.1920 until the 1950s. Peter Whyte studied art at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925, where he met Catharine Robb. Catharine Robb Whyte, 1906-1979, was born in 1906 at Concord, Massachusetts and grew up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929.
Following their marriage in 1930, the Whytes pursued a life of painting, photography, hiking, skiing and travelling. Their log home and studio in Banff became a focal point for their artist friends, Stoney Indians and local pioneers. Catharine shared Pete's involvement in skiing and hiking organizations and together they managed Skoki Lodge from 1932-1934. In following years, the Whytes travelled extensively. During the Second World War, Peter served in the reserve army, with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a photographer and, briefly, as an official war artist. Catharine continued to paint and maintain their home and, when possible, accompanied Pete to his military postings. In civilian life, Pete resumed his art career, explored new photographic techniques and sculpted.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Whytes formulated plans for a foundation to preserve the art and history of the Canadian Rockies. Plans for a building to house an archives, public library and gallery were in preparation when Pete died in 1966. The Peter Whyte Foundation was named in his honour. Catharine immersed herself in the development of what is now the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, in the cultural community, painting, outdoor activity, travel and work with the Stoney First Nations. She became a more active photographer, recording her travels and outdoor pursuits. She served in an official capacity with numerous cultural and charitable organizations, was a patron to individuals studying art and music, and supported numerous causes relating to the Stoney First Nations. Catharine also supported causes related to multiculturalism, regional culture and recreation, and cancer research. Despite her modesty and often anonymous patronage of causes, Catharine was recognized with numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada in 1978. She died in Banff in 1979.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse families, Series III: White and Curren families. Within Series I, there are four Sub-series: Series: A. Catharine Robb Whyte papers; B. Peter Whyte papers; C. Peter and Catharine Whyte papers accessioned after 2017; D. Peter and Catharine Whyte sound recordings.
[Girl's last name was Rider, she married into the Benjamin family]*
*Information provided by Stoney Elders during the Recognizing Relations project, and archives initiative undertaken in 2014 to identify First Nations people in photographs held in the Whyte Museum archives.
[Girl's last name was Rider, she married into the Benjamin family]*
*Information provided by Stoney Elders during the Recognizing Relations project, and archives initiative undertaken in 2014 to identify First Nations people in photographs held in the Whyte Museum archives.
Information provided by Stoney Elders during the Recognizing Relations project, and archives initiative undertaken in 2014 to identify First Nations people in photographs held in the Whyte Museum archives.
Source: Stoney Indians – various singers
Date: July 22, 1951
Taped by: Peter and Catharine Whyte
Speed: 7 ½
Remarks: Catharine has list enclosed with tape on various singers.
"Indigneous Camp Evening, 1951”
List enclosed with tape: Sun. evening 1951. 1. Joe Kaquitts, Bill McLean, Nat Hunter – Owl Dance Hansen Bearspaw; 2. Mrs. Joe Kaquitts T. Dance; 3. Owl Dance – Men and Women mixed, geo Mclean shouting?; 4. Sun Dance Song; 5. Owl Dance Hobema, 2 Crees – Pipestem; 6. “Catch you partner for Owl Dance” In middle days “Everybody Owl Dance”; 7. War Dance – Moses, Pipesteam; 8. Talking 3 boys – Stoney: Nat Hunter, Joe Kaquitts and Geo K. [Kaquitts]: I am already married, I don’t want anyone to mention me again – old boy friend’s – Lovely song from Sioux Indian people, Montana – heard years back – 3 children 100 teepees in circle and sundance; all day singing sundance songs and in evening riding horses round camp singing this song; 9. Owl Dance, Bighorns – Sam Crier, Hobema – Old fellow Crees; 10. Same man; 11. Alan Dixon – Mrs. Paul Dixon, Owl Dance, Eden Valley – Dance”; 12. “Natures Bagpipes” says George.
Source: Paul Francis
Date: [July] 1951
Interviewed by: Peter and Catharine Whyte
Speed: 7 ½
"Indian Camp, Paul Francis ‘51” Day Wildwar P.M. – Paul Francis talking and telling stories of old days in Hobbema.
Joe Kaquitts singing; Banff Indian Days Parade; Tom Simeon, Joe Kaquitts sings and tell stories. -- Reproduction must be approved by Head Archivist. - - Reference copy available. Summary available.
Joe Kaquitts singing; Banff Indian Days Parade; Tom Simeon, Joe Kaquitts sings and tell stories. -- Reproduction must be approved by Head Archivist. - - Reference copy available. Summary available.
Source: Joe Kaquitts; Tom Simeon
Date: July 21, 1951; June 1952
Taped by: Peter and Catharine Whyte
Speed: 7 ½
Remarks: At camp during Banff Indian Days – some songs, dances and stories.
“Indian, 1951, Hansen Bearspaw”
Joe Kaquitts, Owl Dance. Camp sounds. A.M. riding around. Parade – Banff Indian Days. Owl Dance #5. Song – “I love you once before but I quit you now” “June 1952” Tom Simeon and Joe Kaquitts (?) Old dugout Indian huts in Banff area, Peter remembers some on deer Street and on the Golf Course, asks Tom Simeon if he know of anymore; Tom only Knew of some in Morley, Tom Simeon talks about catching eagles.
Information provided by Stoney Elders during the Recognizing Relations project, and archives initiative undertaken in 2014 to identify First Nations people in photographs held in the Whyte Museum archives.
Source: Tom Kaquitts
Interviewed by: Peter and Catharine Whyte
Speed: 7 ½
Remarks: Includes a couple of Stoney Indian songs
“Tom Kaquitts, June 8, 1951”
Tom Kaquitts talking about how life is changing; Banff Indian Days; Tom speaking in Stoney and English; Tom singing Stoney songs including Sun Dance; gives interpretation of his songs.