Research Collections

Walter Ashdown fonds

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Part Of
Walter Ashdown fonds
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal and professional correspondence, 1954-1971; personal papers, 1919-1972; professional papers, 1930-1971; newsclippings and ephemera, n.d. 1952-1972; photographs and motion pictures, ca.1930-ca.1975. Photographs were created and collected by Walter Ashdown and pertain to As…
Date Range
1919-[ca.1975]
Reference Code
M126 / V28
Description Level
1 / Fonds
GMD
Motion picture
Film
Photograph
Album
Photograph print
Part Of
Walter Ashdown fonds
Description Level
1 / Fonds
Fonds Number
M 126
V 28
Sous-Fonds
M 126
V 28
Accession Number
819, 894, 1023, 1054, 1318, 1631, 2237
Reference Code
M126 / V28
GMD
Motion picture
Film
Photograph
Album
Photograph print
Date Range
1919-[ca.1975]
Physical Description
26 cm of textual records. -- 54 photographs : prints. -- 2 photograph albums (309 prints). -- 13 motion pictures
History / Biographical
Walter Ashdown, 1890-1975, was a chauffeur at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Ashdown emigrated to Canada in 1904 and farmed for several years before becoming a private chauffeur, ca.1913, to prominent Calgarians prior to the First World War. He served as a dispatch rider and driver in France, returning to Canada in 1919. The following year he commenced employment with Brewster Transport Co., retiring ca.1970. During his long career, Ashdown was Brewster's chauffeur to celebrities, including royalty, politicians and actors. His 1930 drive of 81 miles in 82 minutes to deliver life-saving equipment to the Monarch Mine near Field, B.C. was widely publicized. In 1970, Ashdown received an award for one million accident-free miles.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal and professional correspondence, 1954-1971; personal papers, 1919-1972; professional papers, 1930-1971; newsclippings and ephemera, n.d. 1952-1972; photographs and motion pictures, ca.1930-ca.1975. Photographs were created and collected by Walter Ashdown and pertain to Ashdown, family, friends and associates; travels and activities; Brewster Transport Company; buses and touring cars; Banff people, places and events. Motion pictures, ca.1959-ca.1970, n.d., are home movies with several subjects on each reel, including Walter Ashdown, family and friends, activities, mountain views and wildlife.
Name Access
Ashdown, Walter
Subject Access
Commerce and industry
Family and personal life
Films and film making
Transportation
Access Restrictions
Some restriction/s on access
Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply
Language
Language is English
Finding Aid
Finding aids and reference tools: basic description
motion picture summaries
microfilm copies of albums
Creator
Ashdown, Walter
Category
Commerce and industry
Family and personal life
Transportation
Title Source
Title based on contents of fonds
Processing Status
Processed
Less detail
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