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).
File pertains to 127 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to December 29, 1948. Topics include New Years activities, day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, weather, matters pertaining to the store on Banff Ave, hockey games [on the radi…
2.5 cm of textual records (157 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 127 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 3 to December 29, 1948. Topics include New Years activities, day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, weather, matters pertaining to the store on Banff Ave, hockey games [on the radio and live], events and people in Concord, world news, radio programs, photography, painting, the new Greyhound Station being built behind the Mount Royal Hotel, the Winter Carnival, errand trips to Calgary, the annual Ski Championships at Norquay [February], putting together sketches to send to Ontario for an exhibition [the pictures were later sent to Concord to be shown], concerts, the death and funeral of Mark Poucette, cleaning and household chores, business and issues pertaining to the store on Banff Ave, installing a new electric stove in the kitchen, flooding during the spring [mostly in BC], Elizabeth Rummel leaving Skoki Lodge, Banff Indian Days [which included a ceremony to induct Pearl and Phillip Moore as honourary Princess and Chief], the Calgary Stampede, concerns over Pete's health, a day trip to Lake O'Hara with George Noble in September [they were given permission to drive themselves up], the opening of the White Groceteria on October 1, making the annual Christmas card, and various Christmas/holiday activities and parties. Also includes a pressed flower and the annual Christmas card, mounted on cardstock.
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 have small notes written in pencil, possibly by Edith or Pete.
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.
123-09 has four small sketches of pictures made by Jon Whyte on the second page.
123-36 is a carbon copy of 123-35.
123-47 contains a sketch of the new electric stove.
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 63 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 27 to December 31, 1941. Topics include details of things immediately following Edith and Mildred Owen's visit to Banff, day to day life, weather, visits from friends, Pete and Catharine sorting ou…
1.4 cm of textual records (78 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 63 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 27 to December 31, 1941. Topics include details of things immediately following Edith and Mildred Owen's visit to Banff, day to day life, weather, visits from friends, Pete and Catharine sorting out their plot in the cemetery, trips to Bow Lake [Num-Ti-Jah Lodge] and Lake O'Hara for sketching/painting and hiking throughout August, events and people in Concord [including Russell's activities in the US Army], updates on war-time rations [mostly on food items and gasoline/coal], books Catharine and Edith are reading, wildlife, painting/sketching, photography, errand trips to Calgary and Lake Louise [the latter mostly to help Jack with matters pertaining to the Mount Temple Lodge], radio programs [mostly operas and the news], matters pertaining to the the store and apartments on Banff Ave [mostly consisting of settling the affairs and estate following Dave's death], the sudden death of Margaret Simpson in September, installing a partition screen/wall in the front room to make it smaller and easier to heat, cleaning and household chores, Pete participating in drills as a reservist in the RCAF, various holidays [both Canadian and American], news pertaining to the war, installing a stoker for the furnace, construction of the new dam at Lake Minnewanka, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7 and America's subsequent entry into the war [also included Canadian reserve forces being placed on 2-hour call to mobilize], putting together slides, and Christmas activities and parties.
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 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.
111 - 25 contains a sketch of the new partion in the front room.
File pertains to 65 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from May 29 to December 29, 1940. Topics include travelling back to Banff from a visit to Concord by car, day to day life, weather, visits from friends and visitors, radio programs [mostly operas and the new…
1.9 cm of textual records (116 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 65 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from May 29 to December 29, 1940. Topics include travelling back to Banff from a visit to Concord by car, day to day life, weather, visits from friends and visitors, radio programs [mostly operas and the news], news pertaining to the war [including Italy entering the war in June, British children being brought to Canada, the Blitz], the Lake Louise-Jasper highway officially opening [Pete and Catharine drive up for the weekend, their first visit to Jasper National Park], the deaths of Louise Rungius in May and Dave White in late June [also includes details of Dave's funeral], errand trips to Calgary [mostly to meet with Clifford about Dave's estate], Catharine and Pete's 10th wedding anniversary, visits to Bow Lake to paint throughout July and August [a large forest fire was burning about 30 miles north of Bow for most of July], Banff Indian Days, Pete joining the militia ["Non-Permanent Active Service" force part of the 2nd Battalion of the Calgary Highlanders], going on the annual Skyline Trail Hikers trip in August, painting/sketching [including a short visit to Lake O'Hara in mid-August for this purpose], Catharine going to Concord for a few weeks in early September, Pete and Catharine going to Victoria at the end of September [Annie was having health issues and was advised to go to Victoria - they went to help], cleaning and household chores [including installing new blue linoleum in the kitchen], minor repairs to the roof and other outdoor work to the property, wildlife, books Catharine and Edith are reading, trips to Mount Temple Lodge to help Cliff with various chores, descriptions of meals, updates on the construction of the new Lake Minnewanka dam, photography and cameras [including colour photography], Pete helping construct the basement of the Mount Royal Hotel, events and people in Concord, various holidays [both Canadian and American], going to the movies, working on the annual Christmas card, and various other Christmas activities, presents, and parties.
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 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.
109 - 17 contains a sketch of the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge's main building, recently completed.
109 - 56 contains a sketch of the ground floor of Pete and Catharine's home, including the new partition wall in the living room.