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 44 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 1 to November 20, 1935. Topics include day to day life, visits from friends and visitors, weather, a trip to Lake O'Hara in early August following the annual Skyline Trail Hikers tri…
1 cm of textual records (70 pages ; 21.2 x 26.3 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 44 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from August 1 to November 20, 1935. Topics include day to day life, visits from friends and visitors, weather, a trip to Lake O'Hara in early August following the annual Skyline Trail Hikers trip, photography and cameras, hiking/climbing, wildflowers, activities and people at camp, Pete's work on commission paintings/photography projects, events and people in Concord, trips to Bow Lake to paint, dinner and tea parties [both at home and around town], overnight camping trips to Lake Louise to paint, going to the movies and seeing friend's homemade films, going back to Lake O'Hara in early September to paint and hike, Russ and Kitty's travels and activities, day trips around the National Park [mostly to Lake Louise, Bow Lake and Moraine Lake] to paint/sketch, updates on what Pete and Catharine's friends are doing [mostly as it pertains to Skoki and Assiniboine Lodges], wildlife, an overnight trip to Calgary [and a visit to Morley on the way back] in early October, 3 young Doukhobor fugitives escaping police custody that resulted in a chase and shootout in Banff National Park [October 6 - 7] and the subsequent funerals, developing photos and print-making, politics [mostly pertaining to the provincial and federal elections], various holidays [both Canadian and American], skiing, matters pertaining to the Ski Club, and preparing to leave for a trip to Concord at the end of November.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
A few letters written on lodge letterhead.
Most 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.
Some letters have numbers written in pencil in the upper margin of the first pages from an unknown project.
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 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 45 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from June 11 to October 3, 1937. Topics include day to day life, visits from friends and visitors, world news [often pertaining to politics and the British Royal family], maintenance and upkeep …
1.7 cm of textual records (108 pages ; 21.4 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 45 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from June 11 to October 3, 1937. Topics include day to day life, visits from friends and visitors, world news [often pertaining to politics and the British Royal family], maintenance and upkeep of the house and property [mostly landscaping], cleaning and household chores, weather, gifting a stove to the Simpsons for use at Bow Lake [currently a camp], events and people in Concord, various holidays [both Canadian and American], day trips around the National Park [mostly to Lake Louise, Bow Lake and Moraine Lake], making frames and prepping canvas for painting, books Catharine and Edit are reading, dinner parties, rearranging the kitchen [including getting a new refrigerator and a new table with two bench seats], trips to Bow Lake to paint throughout the summer, hiking, wildlife [often in the yard], updates on the new trail being built from Moraine Lake to Taylor Lake, Banff Indian Days, photography and cameras, print-making, descriptions of meals, the birth of Russ and Kitty's first son in July [Russle Jr. aka Rusty], the annual Sky Line Trail Hikers trip in early August [Pete' s last year as President], trips to Lake O'Hara and Assiniboine to paint and hike throughout August and September [the trip to and from Assiniboine was carried out on horseback], painting/sketching, activities and people at various camps, descriptions of the weather and conditions riding in and out of Assiniboine, developing and colouring photographs, working on a portrait of Mark Poucette, and news of Margaret and Mary Simpson going to Boston to skate.
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.
102 - 07 contains a sketch of the main floor of the Whyte home illustrating the placement of the new dining table.