Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse …
25 m of textual records. -- ca.46,000 photographs : prints, albums, postcards, cased photographs, transparencies, negatives. -- 178 sound recordings : audio tape reels, audio tape cassettes. -- 6 motion pictures (and film strips)
History / Biographical
Peter and Catharine Whyte were artists, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, philanthropists and cultural workers at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Peter Whyte, 1905-1966, was born at Banff in 1905 to pioneer merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first native-born painters with an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer from ca.1920 until the 1950s. Peter Whyte studied art at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925, where he met Catharine Robb. Catharine Robb Whyte, 1906-1979, was born in 1906 at Concord, Massachusetts and grew up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929.
Following their marriage in 1930, the Whytes pursued a life of painting, photography, hiking, skiing and travelling. Their log home and studio in Banff became a focal point for their artist friends, Stoney Indians and local pioneers. Catharine shared Pete's involvement in skiing and hiking organizations and together they managed Skoki Lodge from 1932-1934. In following years, the Whytes travelled extensively. During the Second World War, Peter served in the reserve army, with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a photographer and, briefly, as an official war artist. Catharine continued to paint and maintain their home and, when possible, accompanied Pete to his military postings. In civilian life, Pete resumed his art career, explored new photographic techniques and sculpted.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Whytes formulated plans for a foundation to preserve the art and history of the Canadian Rockies. Plans for a building to house an archives, public library and gallery were in preparation when Pete died in 1966. The Peter Whyte Foundation was named in his honour. Catharine immersed herself in the development of what is now the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, in the cultural community, painting, outdoor activity, travel and work with the Stoney First Nations. She became a more active photographer, recording her travels and outdoor pursuits. She served in an official capacity with numerous cultural and charitable organizations, was a patron to individuals studying art and music, and supported numerous causes relating to the Stoney First Nations. Catharine also supported causes related to multiculturalism, regional culture and recreation, and cancer research. Despite her modesty and often anonymous patronage of causes, Catharine was recognized with numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada in 1978. She died in Banff in 1979.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse families, Series III: White and Curren families. Within Series I, there are four Sub-series: Series: A. Catharine Robb Whyte papers; B. Peter Whyte papers; C. Peter and Catharine Whyte papers accessioned after 2017; D. Peter and Catharine Whyte sound recordings.
File consists of one postcard album with ca.65 images pertaining to members of the Brewster family; extended family and friends, some unidentified; buildings and landscapes from in and around Banff; winter sporting events; portraits of Indigenous men in regalia, including Hector Crawler [image by p…
1 album (ca.65 postcards and postcard prints): 23 x 39 cm
Scope & Content
File consists of one postcard album with ca.65 images pertaining to members of the Brewster family; extended family and friends, some unidentified; buildings and landscapes from in and around Banff; winter sporting events; portraits of Indigenous men in regalia, including Hector Crawler [image by photographer Byron Harmon]; members of the British royal family; men in military uniforms [World War I]; political satire and cartoon illustrations; and Australian wildlife.
Notes
Some postcard prints are annotated on the back
NOTE: some materials in this album contain offensive subject matter, including racist content. These materials reflect views from their original time period and have not been censored.
File pertains to a photograph album depicting snapshots of prisoners of war and surroundings taken by Seargent William D. Buck of the Banff, Castle Mountain, and Kapuskasing, ON, internment camps during World War I.
Photograph album includes Banff and Kapuskasing River views; Castle and Banff inter…
William D. Buck, 1859-1922, was born in England and is thought to have served during the First World War with the 103 Calgary Rifles. Buck was a Sergeant at the Banff and Castle Mountain internment camps, ca.1915-1917, and appears to have accompanied prisoners to a camp at Kapuskasing, Ontario after closure of the Castle Mountain camp in 1917.
Scope & Content
File pertains to a photograph album depicting snapshots of prisoners of war and surroundings taken by Seargent William D. Buck of the Banff, Castle Mountain, and Kapuskasing, ON, internment camps during World War I.
Photograph album includes Banff and Kapuskasing River views; Castle and Banff internment camps views of prisoners, guards, facilities, activities, incidents and visit of Duke of Connaught and Princess Patricia; gathering of prisoners at Winnipeg and life at Kapuskasing internment camp; prisoners and Cave and Basin bathing, more Banff camp views and funeral photographs; family portraits, Banff and possible Calgary; and Sergeant Buck.
Consists of 199 numbered and captioned images, one un-numbered portrait on first page, as follows : Banff and area and Kapuskasing River views, 1 - 16 ; Castle and Banff Internment Camp views of prisoners, guards, activities, incidents and facilities, visit of Duke of Connaught and Princess Patricia, 17-88 ; gathering . . . in prisoners at Winnipeg and life at Kapuskasing, Ontario Internment Camp, 89-100 ; prisoners and Cave and Basin bathing, more Banff Camp views and funeral photographs, 101-118 ; family portraits, Banff and possibly Calgary, 119-148 ; published postcards of : Calgary Stampede, Banff and Calgary views, [Indigenous] portraits, 148-195 ; Sergeant Buck with dogs, 1919, 196-197. Span dates : ca.1915-1920 (actual date). Note: Two images are labelled #148.
Notes
Album also contains 47 published postcards of the Calgary Stampede, Banff and Calgary views, and Indigenous portraits that were not copied.
Attached individual images pertain solely to the Cave & Basin internment camp.
Fonds is a commercial negative collection from more than 4000 professional jobs. Includes family, personal and school portraits, weddings, conventions and passport photographs; Banff School of Fine Arts classes, activities, productions, business and convention programs; photographs of government a…
Fonds includes primarily the private business records of Ron Duke, including the work of some predecessors. Images attributed to Bill Jamieson, working in the employ of George Noble, are V180 / II.A.i. through V180 / II.A.vi., and V180 / III.A.- 1 to 51.
Date Range
[ca.1900, ca.1930-ca.1975]
Physical Description
ca.40,000 photographs (ca.38,400 negatives, ca.800 prints, ca.800 transparencies). -- 1 photograph album. -- 3 cm of textual records
History / Biographical
Ronald Leslie Duke, 1912-1978, was a professional photographer at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Duke was educated at Calgary, Banff and the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. After wartime service with the National Film Board of Canada, Ron Duke returned to Banff, where he worked in the photography business for the next thirty years. Here he formed a link in a business lineage of photographers, including George Noble, and was for a time an employee of Noble's corporate successors. After 1958, Duke worked closely with the Banff School of Fine Arts, photographing productions and providing documentary services. After sustaining considerable damage in a fire which destroyed Banff's Mount Royal Hotel in 1967, Ron Duke's business resumed and, in partnership with George Baracos, continued until retirement in 1975.
Scope & Content
Fonds is a commercial negative collection from more than 4000 professional jobs. Includes family, personal and school portraits, weddings, conventions and passport photographs; Banff School of Fine Arts classes, activities, productions, business and convention programs; photographs of government and private construction, commercial and industrial projects, Banff National Park; Banff community life, including Banff Winter Carnival, sports and recreation, Banff High School, Banff activities, places and events; personal and occupational photographs arising from Duke's interest in aeronautics, work with the Canadian Army, World War II, and involvement in the oil industry, 1930s; scenic and landscape photographs. Most pertain to Banff National Park; also Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle, United States; Turner Valley, Alberta and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Textual records include job registers, 2 v.; samples of works orders, price lists, letters, equipment lists, invoices, receipts and technical information, mainly pertaining to business, some personal items; brochures, publications and postcards containing credited or attributed Ron Duke photographs.
File pertains to a photograph album depicting three seperate trips taken by Lillian Gest: Summer in the Canadian Rockies 1928 ; Hunting Trip September 1928 ; Summer of 1929 The Tyrol and the Alps.
The Summer 1928 trip was undertaken primarily by horseback, but included some hiking/climbing trips. I…
1 album (385 photographs : b&w ; 25.5 x 15.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description
Scope & Content
File pertains to a photograph album depicting three seperate trips taken by Lillian Gest: Summer in the Canadian Rockies 1928 ; Hunting Trip September 1928 ; Summer of 1929 The Tyrol and the Alps.
The Summer 1928 trip was undertaken primarily by horseback, but included some hiking/climbing trips. It began at Grant Brook and the Moose River in Mt. Robson Provincial Park, worked southeast through the Tonquin Valley, and then further to the Saskatchewan River. This trip was organized by Caroline Hinman and corresponds with Insert 1.
The Septemeber 1928 Hunting Trip may have been organized by a guide named Wilson and began around Sheep River, AB before working into the Pipestone Pass on horseback. Includes photographs of stag and ram heads at what is possibly Gest's home. Also includes enlargements and greeting cards from "fellow-campers."
The Summer 1929 trip begins with arriving by boat before heading inland to Verona and Cortina before reaching Austria. From there the party heads into the Alps, includes many photographs of climbers on glaciers. Also includes views of the Matterhorn, Lake Geneva, the Castle of Chiffon, greeting cards, and a newspaper clipping detailing Caroline Hinman's group of ladies crossing the Saskatchewan Glacier [date unknown]. Photographs from this trip are a mix of personal photographs and souvineer photographs.
Inserts pertain to overviews/advertisements for the Summer 1928 trip and the Summer 1929 trip that would have been sent out by Caroline Hinman in advance detailing routes, expectations, and prices.
Notes
Please note: some pictures depict close-ups of dead animals.
Blank pages not scanned - 54 and 55 have captions written at the bottom of the page, but no photograph and were scanned