Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and S…
6 m of textual records and printed material. -- ca.6100 photographs : prints, negatives, transparencies. -- 1 photograph album (49 prints). -- 29 motion pictures. -- 5 sound recordings
History / Biographical
Andy Russell, 1915-2005, was a trapper, guide and outfitter, writer, photographer, cinematographer, lecturer and environmental advocate in the Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada.
Russell was born in Lethbridge, Alberta and spent his childhood on a ranch in the foothills near Pincher Creek. He became a skilled horseman, hunter, fisherman and trapper, and, in 1936, was employed by Bert Riggall, a pioneer guide and outfitter of wilderness pack trips in the southern Rockies since 1907. He became Riggall's partner in 1939 and took over the business when Riggall retired in 1946. Andy Russell and Kathleen (Kay) Riggall married in 1938 and raised five children at their ranch bordering Waterton Lakes National Park, where family businesses included guiding, saddlehorses and ranching. Children are: Richard "Dick" H. (b.1938); Andrew Charles "Charlie" (b.1941); Harold John "John" (b.1944); Hugh Gordon Riggall "Gordon" (b.1947); Lorenda Anne "Anne" (b.1952).
Russell continued as a renowned guide and outfitter with a wealthy repeat clientele until he was forced out of guiding by 1960 with the advance of the oil industry concerns upon wilderness areas in southern Alberta and British Columbia. Russell began to write nature articles in 1945 and after 1960 concentrated upon writing, photography, film making, lecturing and ranching. He wrote for numerous magazines and newspapers, produced radio broadcasts, and, using colour motion picture photography, developed programs on wildlife and wilderness habitat research for live public performances. Russell's films launched his career as an author of popular wildlife and mountain culture books, which included Grizzly Country. In later years, he was an active writer, consultant and advocate of wilderness and environmental management and received numerous awards and honours, including Member of the Order of Canada.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and Sons, royalties and lecturing); III. Writing, broadcasting and public appearances series, 1908-1990 (papers and photographs pertaining to writing, book projects, columns, broadcasts, reviews, advertising, promotion and other); IV. Photography and cinematography series, 1909-1990 (details below); V. Wildlife study and conservation activities series, 1945-[198-]; VI. Other activities series, 1931-[199-] (politics, interviews, information files); VII. Russell family series, [1867]-1983.
Photography and cinematography series consists of: Riggall/Russell guiding activity photographs, 1909-1962, ca.280 items; Andy Russell and Sons Production Ltd / Andy Russell professional photographs and films, ca.1940- ca.1990, ca.4200 photographs (mainly transparencies), 28 motion pictures, accompanied by some textual and printed items; personal and family photographs, 1916-1989, ca.1550 items; collected photographs, ca.1940-197-, ca.75 items. Professional photography and cinematography primarily arose from field work by Andy, Dick and Charlie Russell and pertains mainly to flora, fauna and landscape of the Canadian Rockies in continental divide region, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska.
Motion pictures, ca.1950-1974, include original film "Grizzly Country" by Dick, Charlie and Andy Russell, produced by Evan J. Anton, ca.1969, copy print of same; also unedited wildlife and landscape footage of Waterton area, Yukon and British Columbia.
Sound recordings are interviews with Andy Russell, [ca.1970]-1988.
Fonds consists of three series: A. Kay Russell personal series, 1922-1984; B. Russell family correspondence series, 1921-1984; C. Russell family papers and photographs series, 1909-1983. Kay Russell personal series contains diaries, notes and other papers. Diaries pertain to hunting and pack tri…
2.4 m of textual records. -- ca.620 photographs (ca.570 prints, ca.45 negatives, 6 transparencies)
History / Biographical
Anna Kathleen (Kay) Russell, 1909-1984, was a camp cook, homemaker and naturalist who lived and worked near Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta, Canada. Kay Riggall was the daughter of guide and outfitter Bert Riggall, and Dora Riggall, and the sister of Doris (Babe) Riggall (Burton). Kay worked with her father as a camp cook until her marriage in 1938 to Andy Russell, who later took over Riggall's businesses. Kay Russell was an avid diarist who faithfully documented her personal and family life while working in the Riggall and Russell family businesses and raising five children on the family ranch. Children are: Richard "Dick" H. (b.1938); Andrew Charles "Charlie" (b.1941); Harold John "John" (b.1944); Hugh Gordon Riggall "Gordon" (b.1947); Lorenda Anne "Anne" (b.1952).
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of three series: A. Kay Russell personal series, 1922-1984; B. Russell family correspondence series, 1921-1984; C. Russell family papers and photographs series, 1909-1983.
Kay Russell personal series contains diaries, notes and other papers. Diaries pertain to hunting and pack trips, vacations, daily life of the Russell family, and the natural environment in which they lived.
Russell family correspondence series contains family correspondence and general correspondence. Family correspondence consists of letters sent and received within the family by Kay, Andy, Dick, Charlie, John, Gordon and Anne Russell; also Babe Burton, Harold and Lorenda Russell, Fannie Riggall and others. General correspondence consists of letter and cards to the Russell family from numerous friends and acquaintances.
Russell family papers and photographs series consists of financial papers, 1952-1983, Bert Riggall estate papers, 1955-1962, photographs, 1909-1980, and other material. Photographs pertain mainly to the Riggall and Russell families, including: Kay Riggall and Riggall family; Riggall home, hunting, activities, Twin Butte and Waterton areas; wedding and honeymoon photographs of Kay and Andy Russell, 1938; Kay and Andy Russell and children; Russell home, Hawk's Nest, ranch, pets, horses; friends and relatives; hunting and fishing; wildlife and natural history.
Notes
One large b&w print (approx. 28x35cm) of a giraffe was moved from unprocessed box to V63 / O.S. for proper storage.