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).
Fonds consists of papers and photographs resulting from Sanson's life and work. Textual records consist of: I. Correspondence, 1901-1944, 2 cm.; II. Research and professional papers, 1890-1947, 45 cm., includes notebooks and notes pertaining to nature study, meteorological research, Sulphur Mounta…
ca.55 cm and 21 v. of textual records. -- 46 photograph albums (ca.7500 prints). -- 1 postcard set (37 prints)
History / Biographical
Norman Bethune Sanson, 1862-1949, was a naturalist, meteorologist and museum curator at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of a prominent clergyman, he developed a life-long interest in natural history as a boy. Sanson came west in 1885 to fight in the Riel Rebellion as a member of the Queen's Own Rifles.
In 1892, Sanson came to Banff as an accountant for the Sanitarium Hotel. He also did book-keeping for other local businesses and handled the town's weather reports. In 1896 he was appointed curator of the Park Museum and also worked as zookeeper for the Banff Zoo. From 1896 until 1931, Sanson was meteorological officer and curator of the Park Museum. In 1903 an observatory was built on Sulphur Mountain on a site chosen by Sanson. During the period 1903-1931, Sanson made one thousand ascents of Sulphur Mountain to collect weather records. In 1948, the Dominion Government acknowledged his many years of service by naming a peak on the mountain for him.
As a nature enthusiast, Sanson was well-known both in Banff and beyond. He was an avid collector of flora and fauna, both privately and through his job as museum curator. Sanson was an active member of the Alpine Club of Canada, the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and the Banff Rotary Club. He was a warden of St. George's Anglican Church and a supporter of the Canadian Bible Society. He was active in community events such as the Banff Winter Carnival, for which he organized and led the snowshoeing events. An ardent mountain traveller, he enjoyed both hiking and snowshoeing. Following retirement, Sanson toured extensively on foot throughout Britain and Europe.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers and photographs resulting from Sanson's life and work.
Textual records consist of: I. Correspondence, 1901-1944, 2 cm.; II. Research and professional papers, 1890-1947, 45 cm., includes notebooks and notes pertaining to nature study, meteorological research, Sulphur Mountain and maps; III. Travel diary, 1900-1933, 1 cm.; IV. Register books, 1931, 1941, n.d. 2 cm.; IV. Scrapbooks, 1909-1931, n.d., 21 vol, many containing postcards from Great Britain and around the world; VI. Miscellaneous, 1855-1895, n.d., 4 cm.
Photographs consist of: I. Albums, 1880s-1949, 46 v., pertain to Norman Sanson's life and work; document Banff Park Museum, Sulphur Mountain and Sulphur Mountain Observatory; natural history, including mountain flora, collecting trips, weather surveys and snow surveys; Banff events, including Banff Winter Carnival, Banff Indian Days, Highland Gatherings and Banff Regatta; mountain travels and travels throughout Canada, United States, England and Europe; friends, associates and Banff personalities. Detailed identifications provided by Norman Sanson. II. Postcard set, ca.1930.
Fonds consists of four series: I. Personal, II. Professional, III. Activities, IV. Brewster family. I. Personal series, 1905-1982, 18 cm of textual records, 160 photographs, 2 sound recordings. Includes correspondence, interview and recorded conversation, address/notebook, artwork, other textua…
ca.80 cm of textual material. -- ca.900 photographs : prints, postcards, transparencies, negatives, copy negatives. -- 1 photograph album (50 prints). -- 3 sound recordings : audio tape cassettes
History / Biographical
Forrest Oliver "Pat" Brewster, 1896-1982, was a trail guide, outfitter and businessman in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Pat was a native and life-long resident of Banff. As a boy, he was an active Boy Scout and, by age seventeen, was a big game guide. After serving in World War I, Brewster established the first permanent camp at Lake O'Hara for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1926, he took over the Brewster Transport Company outfitting business from his brothers, Bill and Jim. In the 1930s, he became involved in skiing explorations in the Assiniboine, Skoki and Sunshine areas. Pat Brewster was active in community affairs and, in his later years, was an avid historian of the region. He published three books of reminiscences between 1975 and 1982.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of four series: I. Personal, II. Professional, III. Activities, IV. Brewster family.
I. Personal series, 1905-1982, 18 cm of textual records, 160 photographs, 2 sound recordings. Includes correspondence, interview and recorded conversation, address/notebook, artwork, other textual records, photographs.
II. Professional series, 1892-1982, 47.5 cm of textual records, 266 photographs, 1 sound recording. Includes papers pertaining to various Brewster family and other businesses, writing papers and sound recording, and photographs pertaining to guiding and outfitting, tourism promotion and other.
III. Activities series, 1841-1983, 6.5 cm of textual records, 262 photographs. Pertains to genealogical research, other activities and collected material.
IV. Brewster family series, 1841-1981, 2.5 cm of textual records, 132 photographs. Pertains to Brewster family, Jack Brewster, John Brewster, Pearl Brewster Moore and the Moore family.
File pertains to 116 b&w photographs of O. Kathleen Wilson, her friends and coworkers at the Chateau Lake Louise, celebrities and royalty, hiking, climbing, prisoners of war, and scenery around the Lake Louise and Glacier B.C. areas, including tea houses, hotels, trains, and alpine huts.
O. Kathleen Wilson was employed at the Chateau Lake Louise at Lake Louise, Alberta in the 1920s.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 116 b&w photographs of O. Kathleen Wilson, her friends and coworkers at the Chateau Lake Louise, celebrities and royalty, hiking, climbing, prisoners of war, and scenery around the Lake Louise and Glacier B.C. areas, including tea houses, hotels, trains, and alpine huts.