The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photograp…
Nicholas Everard Morant, 1910-1999, was a professional photographer based at Banff, Alberta, Canada. He was a Canadian commercial photographer of international repute and Canada's premier railway photographer of the 20th century.
Morant was born at Kamloops, British Columbia, the son of Francis and Mollie Morant. After attending the University School at Victoria, Morant served as Special Photographer to the CPR from 1929 to 1935 and again from 1944 to 1981. From 1935 to 1939, he was a cameraman for the Winnipeg Free Press, and from 1940 to 1944 worked with the Wartime Information Branch of the federal government (later to be known as the National Film Board Stills Division).
Morant had a prolific career as a freelance commercial, portrait, magazine, landscape and documentary photographer. His work appeared in numerous books and magazines, including Time, Life, Liberty, Saturday Evening Post, (Toronto) Star Weekly, Northern Sportsman, Reader's Digest, Country Guide, The Standard, National Home Monthly, Canadian Photography, Outdoor Canada, National Geographic, the Globe & Mail, Winnipeg Tribune, New York Daily News, and the two Canadian Pacific Railway magazines, The Spanner and Rail News.
Two wartime images were featured on postage stamps, while three landscape views appeared on Canadian $10, $50 and $100 bills. His images were also used for corporate annual reports, postcards, brochures, calendars and advertisements. From the 1950s to 1980s Morant gave public slide shows of his work, two of the most popular being "A Talk Without Words" and "The World At Your Feet".
Morant married Ivy May "Willie" Young in 1936 when he was a photographer with the Winnipeg Free Press. Beginning in 1929, and until the end of her life, Morant's travelling and working companion was his wife, "Willie," 1910-1986.
Scope & Content
The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photography; II. Professional records; III. Personal and family records.
I. Photography series consists of: A. Negatives and transparencies, B. Transparencies, C. Prints, D. Other photographs. II. Professional records series consists of: A. Working records, B. Career records, C. Topical files. III. Personal and family records series consists of: A. Nick and Willie Morant, B. Nick Morant funeral and memorial, C. Francis and Mollie Morant, D. Collected material
Notes
Full summary of sub-sub-series levels:
I / A : 1) Darkroom Files [ a) Negative Albums b) Black/White Series I and II c) Colour Series I and II
d) Leica Negs ]
2) GD Files
I / B : 1) Presentations [ a) Topical Files b) Thematic Files ]
2) General Files
3) Other
I / C : 1) Print Files
I / D : 1) Exhibition and Display Prints
2) Photographs used by John Garden
3) Other Photographs
II / A : 1) Log Books
2) Notebooks
II / B : 1) Career Binders [ a) Postcards b) Brochures and Advertising c) clippings and articles
d) Calendar Photographs ]
2) Scrapbooks [ a) Content 1933 - 1946 b) Content 1940 - 1980 ]
II / C : 1) Numbered / Titled Files [ a) Group A b) Group B c) Group C d) Group D e) Group H
f) Group P g) Group R ]
2) Other Topical Files [ a) Railway; i) Timetables ii) Publications iii) Other
b) Photography; i) Textual Records ii) Print Material
c) Travel d) Exhibitions and Galleries e)Personal f) Other ]
3) Postcards, Greeting Cards and Ephemera Collection
4) Published Images and Text
5) Professional Photography
6) Promotional Items, Awards and Correspondence
7) Presentation and Interview Materials
III / A : 1) Correspondence
2) Personal Papers [ a) Personal Records b) Notes and Notebooks c) Lists and Card Files
d) Awards and Retirement ]
3) Personal Photographs
4) House Records [ a) Construction b) Household Records ]
5) Business, Financial and Legal Papers
6) Interviews, Reminiscences Personal Recordings
7) Other Records (Signs, Cartoons, Drawings, etc.)
8) Personal Correspondence and Notes
9) Travel Documents and Maps
III / B : 1) Nick Morant Funeral, Memorial and Estate
III / C : 1) Mollie Morant Papers
2) Other Family Papers
III / D : 1) Sound Recordings
2) Biographical Material
3) Other Papers and Photographs [ a) Burton Wheatley Family b) Other ]
4) Personal and Family Photography
5) Personal Interest and Gifts
File consists of 13 antique maps, 6 of which depict regions in India and 7 which depict regions in Germany. Content pertains to a small map collection originally issued to Tim Ffrench (?) during WWII which were later owned by Nicholas Morant. Some maps of reserves contain personal annotations and h…
Date Range
1868
1892
1894
1903
1904
1917
1921
1950
Reference Code
M300 / III / D / 5 / 54 to 66 O.S. & V500 / III / D / 5 / PA - 96 O.S.
13 Maps: print; b&w, and set of 4 rag paper mounts
Scope & Content
File consists of 13 antique maps, 6 of which depict regions in India and 7 which depict regions in Germany. Content pertains to a small map collection originally issued to Tim Ffrench (?) during WWII which were later owned by Nicholas Morant. Some maps of reserves contain personal annotations and highlighted/coloured routes; none of German maps are annotated.
File also contains set of 4 rag paper mounts, annotated. 3 naming artist Walter Wilcox (likely formerly held his works but are now blank). One labelled 'Model'.
Notes
Maps were originally stored together in one poster tube labelled:
"MAPS OF GERMANY INDIA See notes inside"
Shipping label: PLS HOLD Armand To Nicholas Morant 222 Melville Ave Westmount Montreal" (with two 3 - cent stamps attached)
Note inside, written by Nicholas Morant:
"These maps were among those issued to Capt. Tim Ffrench (?) preparatory to intelligence work done during W. War II"
Signed "Nick M."
Wilcox mounts were stored in brown paper packaging with several other blank mounts (disposed of). Labelled section of original paper packaging has been stored with mounts in oversize box for reference.
File consists of 2 printed paper copies of older hand-illustrated works. Pertains to a copied 1947 blueprint of Connaught Tunnel depicting burn damage on tracks from an accident that year; and a copied hand-drawn map of Deutchman Cave from 1902, with annotations bottom right (copied from the origin…
File consists of 2 printed paper copies of older hand-illustrated works. Pertains to a copied 1947 blueprint of Connaught Tunnel depicting burn damage on tracks from an accident that year; and a copied hand-drawn map of Deutchman Cave from 1902, with annotations bottom right (copied from the original).
Notes
Items were stored together in a poster tube labelled:
"Canadian Pacific
Blueprints - CPR Passenger Train in Connaught Tunnel
- Nakimu Caves at Glacier"
File consists of 2 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'Canada's Great Highway: from the First Stake to the Last Spike' by J.H.E. Secretan (1924), annotated by Nicholas Morant; and 1 copy of 'The Rockies of Canada' by Walter D. Wilcox (1909) with topographical map of the Rocky Mountain region in ba…
File consists of 2 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'Canada's Great Highway: from the First Stake to the Last Spike' by J.H.E. Secretan (1924), annotated by Nicholas Morant; and 1 copy of 'The Rockies of Canada' by Walter D. Wilcox (1909) with topographical map of the Rocky Mountain region in back pocket.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 46 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 47.
File consists of 1 map and 3 published books. Contains 'Ordnance Survey: Contoured Road Map of Exmoor' (1930), annotated by Mollie Morant; 1 copy of 'Tidewater to Timberline' by Dan McCowan (1951) with handwritten note by the author to Nicholas and Ivy 'Willie' Morant; 1 copy of 'Indians in the Roc…
Textual Records & Cartographic Record: 3 books, 1 map
Scope & Content
File consists of 1 map and 3 published books. Contains 'Ordnance Survey: Contoured Road Map of Exmoor' (1930), annotated by Mollie Morant; 1 copy of 'Tidewater to Timberline' by Dan McCowan (1951) with handwritten note by the author to Nicholas and Ivy 'Willie' Morant; 1 copy of 'Indians in the Rockies' by Jon Whyte (1985), with personal note from Jon to Nicholas and Willie; 1 copy of 'Ornamente der Volksunst' with note by Nicholas Morant inside - annotation identifies it as a 1937 Christmas gift to Willie, but copy was printed in 1953.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 38 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 45
File consists of 2 volumes, 1 textual and 1 cartographic, from 'The Selkirk Range British Columbia'. Volume 1 pertains to a textual account of the Selkirk region; volume 2 pertains to a collection of various topographical maps of the Selkirk region. Volume 1 is signed by Emmeline Wheeler.
File consists of 2 volumes, 1 textual and 1 cartographic, from 'The Selkirk Range British Columbia'. Volume 1 pertains to a textual account of the Selkirk region; volume 2 pertains to a collection of various topographical maps of the Selkirk region. Volume 1 is signed by Emmeline Wheeler.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 52 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 53.
File consists of 13 maps / map clippings of regions in Alberta (including map of Banff annotated to show location of former Morant home), B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba; 6 packing inventory lists and 3 other handwritten notes including shopping list; business card for Starlight Villa Motel in Nels…
File consists of 13 maps / map clippings of regions in Alberta (including map of Banff annotated to show location of former Morant home), B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba; 6 packing inventory lists and 3 other handwritten notes including shopping list; business card for Starlight Villa Motel in Nelson, B.C.; laminated card by Banff Lifts Ltd. allowing Nicholas Morant to ride Sulphur Mountain Gondola for free throughout 1992; and customs form with 2 other attached pages with inventory of camera equipment.
Notes
All contents originally stored in clipboard with black leather cover, untitled, with 6 b&w film negatives (now filed under V500 / III / A9 / NA - 1).
Some items previously stored in labelled envelopes; original envelopes kept in folders directly behind previous contents.
File consists of 5 maps, 3 stamps, ca.12 blank CP labels, 10 CP "value labels",1 notepad, 11 travel release forms (5 annotated) and 1 travel folder. Content pertains to travel documents and maps used by Nicholas Morant during work trips with Canadian Pacific and possibly some personal travel. Inclu…
Collected by Nicholas Morant; corporate records for Canadian Pacific owned by Canadian Pacific company
Date Range
1930
1946
1947
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1975]
1966
1977
1978
Physical Description
ca. 43 Textual records: maps, stamps, labels, notepad, small travel folder, release forms
Scope & Content
File consists of 5 maps, 3 stamps, ca.12 blank CP labels, 10 CP "value labels",1 notepad, 11 travel release forms (5 annotated) and 1 travel folder. Content pertains to travel documents and maps used by Nicholas Morant during work trips with Canadian Pacific and possibly some personal travel. Includes maps of Alberta, Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park; professional supplies (travel forms, shipping labels); 14-cent Canadian stamps (from XI Commonwealth Games in 1978); notepad with 2 pages of notes written by Nicholas Morant; and small blue travel-sized folder with pockets with CP Transport label on front.
Notes
CP Rail labels, stamps, value labels, blue folder and notepad originally stored in plastic wrapping labelled "ENVELOPES PAPER STAMPS VALUE LABELS"
Travel release forms were originally stored in blue/grey CP Rail mailing envelope labelled "RR Releases" (stored in separate folder in same box)
1966 map of Alberta (fold-out map) and 3 maps of national parks were originally stored in large blue/grey Canadian Pacific envelope labelled "MAPS - PARKS ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN ONTARIO"
Large map of Alberta formerly stored in unlabelled plastic yellow bag with red cloth border (removed for conservation purposes)
Items in this file were part of an original set of ca. 75 items; excess duplicates, blank pages and envelopes, non-annotated maps not relevant to the Canadian Rockies, etc. were discarded.