Fonds consists of textual, visual and sound materials pertaining to Norman Luxton, Eleanor Luxton and their family members and friends (including Georgina Luxton, Norman's parents and siblings, and members of the Ross, Graham and McDougall families). Includes correspondence, personal and profession…
ca.32.1 m of textual records (29.3 m textual records, 47 scrapbooks) -- ca.7290 photographs (ca.5300 b&w and col. prints, ca.1915 negatives, 75 transparencies, 2 tintypes) -- 17 albums -- ca.74 cm sound recordings (29 CDs, 45 audio cassettes, 17 R120 DAT tapes, 1 VHS, 8 voicewriter discs)
History / Biographical
The Norman Luxton family was a prominent family in Banff, Alberta, Canada from 1904 until 1962. Daughter Eleanor Luxton maintained the family's position in the town until her death in 1995.
Publisher and businessman Norman K. Luxton, 1876-1962, was the son of Winnipeg Free Press co-founder William Luxton. After working for the Winnipeg Free Press, Norman Luxton travelled, then joined the Calgary Herald for eight years. In 1901, he journeyed 10,000 miles on the Pacific in the dug-out canoe Tilikum. After becoming ill, Luxton abandoned the trip in Fiji and came to Banff to recuperate. The around-the-world trip was subsequently completed by his sailing partner, Capt. John Voss.
Luxton bought Banff's Crag and Canyon newspaper in 1902 and remained as publisher until 1951. Also in 1902, he established the Sign of the Goat Curio store which specialized in Stoney Indian handicrafts and taxidermy specimens. Other significant Luxton businesses were the King Edward Hotel and Livery, Luxton Bros. insurance (with brother Louis Luxton) and the Lux Block, which included a hotel, the Lux Theatre and retail stores.
In 1904, Norman Luxton married Georgina (Georgie) Elizabeth McDougall, 1870-1965, of the pioneer missionary McDougall family of Morley, Alberta. In addition to her McDougall connections, Georgie Luxton was related by marriage to Senator George Ross. Norman and Georgie Luxton had one child, Eleanor Georgina, born in Banff in 1908.
The Luxtons were important Banff "boosters" with involvement in numerous local organizations and events. Norman Luxton managed the Banff Indian Days from 1909 to 1950, was a founder of Banff Winter Carnival and was involved with native events at the Calgary Stampede for 25 years. In 1953, Norman established a museum to house his native artifacts. The Luxton Museum was built in co-operation with Eric Harvie of the Glenbow Foundation of Calgary. After Luxton's death, the museum continued to be managed by the Glenbow until 1992.
Eleanor Luxton, 1908-1995, was a writer, historian, researcher, engineer, teacher and business woman. After graduating from high school in Banff in 1926, she attended the University of Alberta from 1926 until 1939, receiving degrees in history (BA '30, MA'33), a Diploma in Education (1931) and subsequent education, biology and natural history courses during the summers.
Between 1937 and 1956, Eleanor received further degrees and certificates from studies at Garbutt Business College (Calgary), St. Stephen's College (Edmonton), Ottawa Technical High School, Havergal Ladies College (Ontario), St. George Williams College (Montreal), McGill University (Montreal) and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Subjects studied included office practices, shorthand, machine draughting, English, civil engineering (BSc '46), German, broadcast writing, management, commerce, accounting and commercial law.
Eleanor Luxton's extensive education overlapped and preceded a long and varied professional career. Her teaching career extended from high school teacher in Alberta (Banff and Sexsmith), 1933-1940, to university lecturer in Montreal in the 1950s. During the 1940s, she worked in locomotive design for the CPR in Montreal. Beginning in 1956 and continuing until 1965, when she returned to Banff to care for her mother, Eleanor worked throughout southern Alberta as a field researcher for Calgary's Glenbow Foundation. From 1965 until her death in 1995, Eleanor remained in Banff in her family home and pursued an active career in writing and research.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual, visual and sound materials pertaining to Norman Luxton, Eleanor Luxton and their family members and friends (including Georgina Luxton, Norman's parents and siblings, and members of the Ross, Graham and McDougall families). Includes correspondence, personal and professional records, financial documents, organization and volunteer records, business and property records, scrapbooks and albums, research materials, candid and professional portraits, various collected materials, and other related content.
Notes
Fonds consists of three sous-fonds:
I. Norman Luxton sous-fonds, [ca.1880]-1962, ca. 7.5 m. of textual records and photographs in four series: A. Correspondence, B. Business, financial and legal, C. Personal, D. Personal and professional, E. Collected materials.
II. Eleanor Luxton sous-fonds, [ca.1890]-1995, ca. 15 m. of textual records, sound recordings and photographs in six series: A. Correspondence, B. Professional, C. Personal, D. Business, financial and legal, E. Travel and events, F. Collected materials.
III. Luxton family sous-fonds, 1836-1972, ca.6.5 m. of textual records and photographs in four series: A. Norman Luxton family series, [ca.1900-ca.1970]; B. Georgina Luxton series, [ca.1890]-1967; C. Related family series, [ca.1890]-1972; D. Other material series, 1836-1970; E. Luxton family home records [1996].
Sub-series consists of business and personal letters, written mainly to Norman Luxton by family, friends, acquaintances and business contacts. First portion, 1900-1902, 12 cm, consists of letters written to Luxton by family, friends, acquaintances and business contacts before, during and after Til…
Sub-series consists of business and personal letters, written mainly to Norman Luxton by family, friends, acquaintances and business contacts. First portion, 1900-1902, 12 cm, consists of letters written to Luxton by family, friends, acquaintances and business contacts before, during and after Tilikum voyage. Includes letters of news and concern from Luxton's parents, siblings and family friends; letters from individuals met during preparations in British Columbia and post-voyage stay at Sydney and Port Manly, Australia; letter from Norman Luxton to George Perry in Vancouver, Canada, describing the voyage, November 1901; and a sample of envelopes, 1901-1902.
FILES #1-359 ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. See Scope Note 2B for file number matched to the date
LETTERS FROM: A-Al
A. and M. Hurtig Furs 1935
A. C. Baker Registered 1952-1956, 1958, 1959 a.k.a.: A. C. Baker Company Limited
A. J. Williamson 1942 a.k.a. "A. J. Williamson and Son"
Abbott, Clifton 1946, 1947
Abbott, Margaret L. 1953
Abercrombie, Mabel 1953
Abraham, (Mrs) Silas 1930
Abraham, Silas 1930, 1950
Acheson, Barclay 1952
Acheson, Thomas S. 1952
[Ackie?] 1941
Acme Glass Cement Company 1937
Acme Printing Company 1946, 1947
Acousticon Dictagraph Company of Canada
Limited 1948
Acousticon International 1946, 1947
[?], Ada 1955
Adam, Dinnit 1939
Adams, A. C. L. A. 1927
Adams, Cedric 1950
Adams, E. D. 1908
Adams, F. C. 1935
Adams, Fred 1905, 1908
Adams, H. J. 1907
Adams, (Mrs) C. R. 1951
Adams, Norman E. 1960
Adams Radio Parlors 1943
Adams, S. A. 1919
Adamson, J. G. 1912
Addison, William (Billy) 1939, 1940, 1942-1947
Administration and Trust Company 1935
Adolf Hujer Commercial and Export Company 1949
Adolph, Emily 1940
Aeulut, Bob 1922
Agnew, J. E. 1931
[?], Aida 1938
[---aig?], Guy 1949
Airth, Andy 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954
Airth, Elsie 1954-1958
Aitkens, Harry A. 1942, 1943 a.k.a. "Aitkens, Harry"
Aitkens, Jo Aitkens, Harry 1941
Aitkens, Jo 1946, 1949, 1955 a.k.a. "Aitkens, Joey"
Alaska Furriers 1932
Alaska-Yukon Pioneers Reunion 1932
Alaskan Yukon Club 1941
Albee, Fred H. 1915
Albert Britnell Book Shop 1942
Alberta. Board of Industrial Relations 1948
Alberta. Bureau of Statistics 1960
Alberta. Canadian Vocational Training 1946
Alberta Clay Products Company Limited 1939
Alberta. Department of Agriculture 1938-1941
Alberta. Department of Economic Affairs, Cultural Activities Branch 1957
Alberta. Department of Industries and Labour, Bureau of Statistics 1952, 1954-1956
Alberta. Department of Industries and Labour, Bureau of Statistics 1957
Alberta. Department of Lands and Forests 1951, 1953, 1954. 1957, 1958
Alberta. Department of Lands and Mines 1942,1943, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1950
Alberta. Department of Provincial Secretary, Motor Vehicles Branch 1950
Alberta. Department of Public Health, Division of Cancer Services 1959
Alberta. Department of Public Works 1948
Alberta. Deputy Provincial Secretary, Theatres Branch 1937
Alberta Directory Enterprises Company Limited 1953
Alberta Field Trials Club 1936-1940, 1942
Alberta Fish and Game Association 1939, 1942
Alberta Furniture Company Limited 1940, 1941,1943
Alberta. Game Commissioner, Edmonton 1935, 1936
Alberta Government Telephones 1951, 1955, 1960
Alberta. Highway Traffic Board 1950
Alberta Historical Review 1962
Alberta Job Press Limited 1942
Alberta. Judicial Offices 1941
Alberta Linseed Oil Company Limited 1957
Alberta Live Stock Associations 1941
Alberta Locker Service 1949
Alberta Motor Association 1932-1943, 1948-1951, 1953, 1954
Alberta. National War Finance Committee 1943, 1945
Alberta. Office of the Lieutenant Governor 1955
Alberta. Provincial Mental Hospital, Ponoka 1939
Alberta Provincial Trapshooting Association 1938
Alberta. Public Administrator 1948
Alberta. Public Trustee 1956, 1960
Alberta Raw Fur Merchants Association 1944, 1945
Alberta. Southern Alberta Land Registration District 1945
Alberta Stock Yards Company Limited 1954
Alberta. Treasury Department 1938, 1944
Alberta Tuberculosis Association 1952, 1955
Alberta Wood Products 1949
Alberta. Workmen's Compensation Board 1952, 1953
Alberta. Workmen's Compensation Board 1953
The Albertan 1949, 1951
Alcock Downing and Wright Limited 1946, 1947
Aldhelm-White, E. 1961
Aldrich, A. H. 1910
Alexander, Antasia 1958
Alexander, F. H. 1908, 1909
Alexander, Gaby G. 1907
Alexander, J. A. R. 1910
Alexander, (Mrs) James 1954, 1955, 1960
Alexander, R. 1915
Alexander, Virginia 1955
Alexander, W. 1928, 1937, 1941
Alexo Coal Company Limited 1933, 1935, 1937, 1940
Alfred Cloutier Limited 1952
[?], Alice 1946, 1947
Alkim, (Mrs) Michael 1956
All Canada Insurance Federation 1951
Allan, Edwin H. 1920
Allan, Edwin (Sandy) 1932
Allan, H. W. 1907, 1908
Allan, John A. (J. A.) 1929, 1930, 1933
Allan, Mabel 1920
Allan, Norman 1946
Allan, S. 1929
Allan, Thorburn 1914, 1915
Allard, Charles 1912
Allen, Annie 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1925
Allen, Bill 1946
Allen, F. B. 1952
Allen, George H. 1914
Allen, H. Hershall 1943
Allen, H. J. 1915
Allen, J. D. 1905, 1906
Allen, John A. 1926
Allen-Kirkpatrick, Mignon 1940, 1942
Allen, M. 1916
Allen, M. E. 1955
Allen, Newton (Shorty) 1907
Allen, Norman 1946
Allen, W. B. 1914
Allied Display Company 1953, 1954, 1955
Allin, Nellie 1957
Allison, Harry 1942, 1948, 1949
Allison, Tannis 1942
Allister, J. G. M. 1909
Alloway, Robert 1951, 1952
Allport, John 1944
Alpine, L. G. 1946
Alpine, Lucy 1949
Alpine, (Mrs) Noah 1949, 1950, 1951
Alpine, N. 1948
Alsco Limited 1957
Alton, H. Ed. 1925
Alton, T. 1929
Norman Luxton correspondence files:
LUX / 1 / A - 1 to 12 1900 – 1902
LUX / 1 / A - 13 to 24 1903 – May 1907
LUX / 1 / A - 25 to 38 June 1907 – January 1908
LUX / 1 / A - 39 to 51 February – September 1908
LUX / 1 / A - 52 to 62 October 1908 – August 1909
LUX / 1 / A - 63 to 77 September 1909 – 1910
LUX / 1 / A - 78 to 89 1911 – June 1912
LUX / 1 / A - 90 to 100 July 1912 – August 1913
LUX / 1 / A - 101 to 111 September 1913 - 1914
LUX / 1 / A - 112 to 125 1915 - 1916
LUX / 1 / A - 126 to 140 1917 – June 1922
LUX / 1 / A - 141 to 153 July 1922 – 1926
LUX / 1 / A - 154 to 161 1927 – May 1928
LUX / 1 / A - 162 to 169 June - December 1928
LUX / 1 / A - 170 to 177 1929
LUX / 1 / A - 178 to 184 January 1930 – June 1931
LUX / 1 / A - 185 to 191 July 1931 – August 1932
LUX / 1 / A - 192 to 199 September 1932 – December 1933
LUX / 1 / A - 200 to 208 January 1934 – May 1935
LUX / 1 / A - 209 to 216 June 1935 – August 1936
LUX / 1 / A - 217 to 224 September 1936 – December 1937
LUX / 1 / A - 225 to 232 January 1938 – April 1939
LUX / 1 / A - 233 to 240 May 1939 – August 1940
LUX / 1 / A - 241 to 248 September 1940 – December 1941
LUX / 1 / A - 249 to 255 January 1942 – June 1943
LUX / 1 / A - 256 to 261 July 1943 – September 1944
LUX / 1 / A - 262 to 268 October 1944 – February 1946
LUX / 1 / A - 269 to 275 March 1946 – April 1947
LUX / 1 / A - 276 to 283 May 1947 – June 1948
LUX / 1 / A - 284 to 290 July 1948 – August 1949
LUX / 1 / A - 291 to 297 September 1949 – August 1950
LUX / 1 / A - 298 to 304 September 1950 – December 1951
LUX / 1 / A - 305 to 310 1952
LUX / 1 / A - 311 to 316 1953
LUX / 1 / A - 317 to 322 1954
LUX / 1 / A - 323 to 328 1955
LUX / 1 / A - 329 to 334 1956
LUX / 1 / A - 335 to 340 1957
LUX / 1 / A - 341 to 349 1958 – June 1959
LUX / 1 / A - 350 to 361 July 1959 - 1962
File consists of one notebook with notes pertaining to a 1907 interview with Michel Pablo [owner of the herd involved in the buffalo round-up of 1907-1912]. Notebook also contains an envelope attached to the inside front cover with additional notes and small illustration of a bull[?] head, and two …
File consists of one notebook with notes pertaining to a 1907 interview with Michel Pablo [owner of the herd involved in the buffalo round-up of 1907-1912]. Notebook also contains an envelope attached to the inside front cover with additional notes and small illustration of a bull[?] head, and two diagrams at the back of the notebook depicting dimensions of a large cow .
Notes
Item is believed to be annotated by Norman Luxton.
Sub-series consists of textual and visual materials pertaining to the history of Southern Alberta. Includes personal accounts, day books and diaries, genealogical research, records of livestock and other trade, and portrait and group photographs depicting early settlers of Southern Alberta. Materia…
29 cm of textual records -- 29 photographs (28 b&w prints, 1 tintype) ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
Sub-series consists of textual and visual materials pertaining to the history of Southern Alberta. Includes personal accounts, day books and diaries, genealogical research, records of livestock and other trade, and portrait and group photographs depicting early settlers of Southern Alberta. Materials in sub-series believed to have been collected by Eleanor Luxton, possibly on behalf of the Southern Alberta Pioneers' and Old Timers' Association or as part of Eleanor's personal research.
File consists of tickets and coupons from the National Parks Service Bathhouses, Dave White & Co. Ltd., and Lake Windermere Creamery; File also contains loose notes pertaining to the 1938 officers of the Southern Alberta Women's Pioneer and Old Timer Association, a Calgary Herald article draft writ…
File consists of tickets and coupons from the National Parks Service Bathhouses, Dave White & Co. Ltd., and Lake Windermere Creamery; File also contains loose notes pertaining to the 1938 officers of the Southern Alberta Women's Pioneer and Old Timer Association, a Calgary Herald article draft written by Georgina Thompson [n.d.], and a damaged envelope and letter addressed to Georgina Luxton apologizing for mailing delays which were caused by a plane crash [1954].
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File a…
ca. 250 prints : b&w and col. postcards ; 16 x 12 cm or smaller -- 1 b&w photograph : print ; 16 x 10.5 cm
Scope & Content
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File also includes one b&w photograph depicting a group of unidentified children.
Notes
Items in this file have been organized by geographical location. See "Content Details" entry field for contents of individual folders.
Records in this series consist of three sub-series: C.1. William Luxton family papers and photographs; C.2. McDougall and Ross families papers, correspondence, and photographs; C.3. Other extended family records. Sub-series C.1. consists of four sub-sub-series: William Luxton; Sarah Luxton; Geor…
0.28 m textual records ; ca.147 photographs : b&w prints; 15 x 21 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
Records in this series consist of three sub-series: C.1. William Luxton family papers and photographs; C.2. McDougall and Ross families papers, correspondence, and photographs; C.3. Other extended family records. Sub-series C.1. consists of four sub-sub-series: William Luxton; Sarah Luxton; George Luxton; Louis Luxton. Sub-series C.2. consists of two sub-sub-series: McDougall family; Ross family.
Records in this sub-series consist of family papers and photographs. Sub-series is divided into four sub-sub-series: William Luxton; Sarah Luxton; George Luxton; Louis Luxton:
William Fisher Luxton sub-sub-series (C1 - 1 to 9) consists of biographical information on William Luxton; a family tree…
0.25 m textual records. -- 1 photograph: print, b&w
Scope & Content
Records in this sub-series consist of family papers and photographs. Sub-series is divided into four sub-sub-series: William Luxton; Sarah Luxton; George Luxton; Louis Luxton:
William Fisher Luxton sub-sub-series (C1 - 1 to 9) consists of biographical information on William Luxton; a family tree; personal papers; and correspondence with the Winnipeg Free Press, Donald Smith, and William C. Van Horne.
Sarah Luxton sub-sub-series (C1 - 10 to 13) consists of correspondence; a memorial service notice for Ada L. Luxton; poetry by J. Luxton (possibly Sarah Jane Luxton, the mother of Norman K. Luxton); a cemetery register; a life insurance policy draft.
George Edwards Luxton sub-sub-series (C1 - 14 to 20) consists of newspaper clippings, literary manuscripts written by George Luxton, letters and receipts relating to the the Lux Theatre in Banff, Alberta, mortgage papers, a press certificate and one photograph accompanying a letter by Harold Malloch Luxton.
Louis Luxton sub-sub-series (C1 - 21 to 26) consists of personal and business correspondence,1905-1948 and includes one b&w photograph of Harold Malloch Luxton. Business correspondence includes letters from the Department of Interior - Rocky Mountain Parks and Insurance Companies. Also includes a court summons from the Government of Alberta, 1948.
Both the Sarah Luxton and Louis Luxton sub-sub-series contain records transfered from the Glenbow Museum.
File consists of personal correspondence and personal items including a cheque register with cheque stubs and a brass name plate for calling cards [Mrs. George E. Luxton]. Also included is a City of Winnipeg tax receipt made out to Mrs. Geo. E. Luxton, 1907; a magazine cover, Minneapolis Sunday Tr…
File consists of personal correspondence and personal items including a cheque register with cheque stubs and a brass name plate for calling cards [Mrs. George E. Luxton]. Also included is a City of Winnipeg tax receipt made out to Mrs. Geo. E. Luxton, 1907; a magazine cover, Minneapolis Sunday Tribune, June 3, 1951 featuring George Luxton; and two newspaper articles pertaining to George and Patricia Luxton's meetings with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor [1941 and ca. 1937-1940 respectively].
File consists of letters, postcards, invitations, holiday cards and other correspondence pertaining to members of the Ross and McDougall families. Recipients and senders include: May (McDougall) Ross, George H. Ross, Annie McDougall, Georgina (McDougall) Luxton, Jean Ross, and classmates of May McD…
File consists of letters, postcards, invitations, holiday cards and other correspondence pertaining to members of the Ross and McDougall families. Recipients and senders include: May (McDougall) Ross, George H. Ross, Annie McDougall, Georgina (McDougall) Luxton, Jean Ross, and classmates of May McDougall Ross from her time as a student at DaMill Ladies' College.
Notes
Some items in file are not dated; some items do not name senders or recipients.
Material Details
One item in file is made of thin wood with plant sample and small red ribbon attached
File consists of clippings, notes, published materials and a certificate pertaining to various members of the McDougall and Ross families. Includes tickets for Jean and May Ross to the 1937 Calgary Stampede, a genealogical timeline of the British Royal Family [between 1860 and 1900], notes on ranch…
File consists of clippings, notes, published materials and a certificate pertaining to various members of the McDougall and Ross families. Includes tickets for Jean and May Ross to the 1937 Calgary Stampede, a genealogical timeline of the British Royal Family [between 1860 and 1900], notes on ranching in Alberta, pocketbooks, a pamphlet from the University of Alberta School of Nursing [1930], House of Commons and Senate of Canada reports [containing speeches by George Ross], newspaper clippings and handwritten genealogy notes pertaining to David and George McDougall, and a certificate addressed to May McDougall celebrating her 50-year subscription to the Calgary Herald newspaper.
File consists of an auction receipt for "M Dougal" dated 1906; an account statement for D. McDougall from the Imperial Bank of Canada, dated 1909; a receipt from the Montclare Hotel in Dublin for "Mr McDoughal" dated 1910; and life insurance payment receipts for George H. Ross, dated 1926 and 1927.
File consists of an auction receipt for "M Dougal" dated 1906; an account statement for D. McDougall from the Imperial Bank of Canada, dated 1909; a receipt from the Montclare Hotel in Dublin for "Mr McDoughal" dated 1910; and life insurance payment receipts for George H. Ross, dated 1926 and 1927.
Notes
Items in file (excluding insurance receipts) likely pertain to David Nawash McDougall of Morley.
File consists of two expense and accounting books pertaining to the Crag and Canyon newspaper and the William Andison General Store in Calgary. Item LUX/III/D/22 is titled "Contract Notes" and contains records for newspaper advertisement orders; 8 pages are annotated by Banff business owners, inclu…
3 cm of textual records (2 volumes ; 22 x 27 cm and 26 x 9 cm)
Scope & Content
File consists of two expense and accounting books pertaining to the Crag and Canyon newspaper and the William Andison General Store in Calgary. Item LUX/III/D/22 is titled "Contract Notes" and contains records for newspaper advertisement orders; 8 pages are annotated by Banff business owners, including notes by photographers G. and W. Fear and grocer Dave White. Item LUX/III/D/23 contains accounting records for the William Andison General Store between May 1936 and December 1937.
Notes
Pages in item LUX/III/D/22 originally printed under the name Calgary Herald and partially filled date slots reading "189_"; some pages have annotations correcting the company name to the "Craig + Canyon", the location as Banff, and some have corrected the year to "1902". Presumably the book was originally intended for use by the Calgary Herald between 1890 and 1899, but was later repurposed for the Crag and Canyon.
Material Details
Item LUX/III/D/22 has handwritten title on cover which reads "3001 to ___ . Contract Notes"
File consists of postcards sent to extended family members and friends of the Luxton family. Senders and recipients include John Grant and George Millward McDougall, William [Bill] LaPorte, Emmeline Wheeler, and Effie Huppe.
File consists of postcards sent to extended family members and friends of the Luxton family. Senders and recipients include John Grant and George Millward McDougall, William [Bill] LaPorte, Emmeline Wheeler, and Effie Huppe.
Notes
Some items in this file are not dated. Some postcards do not name recipients and/or senders.
Fonds contains six series: I. Robert G. Brett series, 1873-1926, 36 cm of textual records, consisting of: A. Personal papers, 1873-1926 (1. Correspondence, 2. Financial papers, 3. Other papers); B. Business papers, 1897-1925, (1. Banff businesses, 2. Businesses outside Banff); C. Professional pap…
73 cm of textual records. -- 11 photograph albums (ca.850 prints). -- ca.350 photographs (ca.320 prints, 28 negatives)
History / Biographical
Robert George Brett, 1851-1929, was a prominent physician, hotel-hospital owner, businessman and politician Banff, Alberta from 1883 until 1929. Brett was born in Strathroy, Ontario, son of James Brett and Catherine Mallon. He was educated as a physician at the University of Toronto (M.D., 1874), and practiced medicine at Arkona, Ontario. He moved to Winnipeg in 1880, where he helped found the Manitoba Medical College.
R. G. Brett moved to Banff in 1886, founding the Banff Sanitarium. In 1909 he established the Brett Hospital. Brett also had numerous other businesses and real estate in Banff (including the National Park Drug Store, the Sanitarium Bottling Co., the Bretton Hall Hotel, Lithia Bottling Co.) and elsewhere.
In 1878, Brett married Louise Theodora Hungerford, 1855-1935, of Waterford, Ontario. Of their five children, only two survived infancy, Reginald H. "Harry", 1879-1925, and Robert Earle, 1887-1912. Earle Brett was survived by Maidie (Stacpole) Brett, whom he married in 1910, and by an infant daughter. Dr. Harry Brett was married to Helen Brett, 1877-1964, who outlived the rest of her family by many years. Associated closely with the Brett family was Dr. Brett's nurse, Annie McLauchlin.
From 1881 to 1901, R. G. Brett was Conservative Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the North-West Territories, and from 1889 to 1891 he was president of the executive council. He was Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta from 1915 to 1925. He died in Calgary.
Scope & Content
Fonds contains six series:
I. Robert G. Brett series, 1873-1926, 36 cm of textual records, consisting of: A. Personal papers, 1873-1926 (1. Correspondence, 2. Financial papers, 3. Other papers); B. Business papers, 1897-1925, (1. Banff businesses, 2. Businesses outside Banff); C. Professional papers, 1889-1925 (1. Political correspondence, 2. Official correspondence, 3. Other material);
II. Louise H. Brett series, [between1855 and 1935], 10 cm of textual records, consisting of: A. Writing, betw.1885 and 1935; B. Scrapbooks, ca.1900, ca.1910; C. Diaries and letters, 1912-1925; D. Other, ca.1870-1924.
III. Reginald H. "Harry" Brett series, ca.1910-1921, 10.5 cm of textual records, print material and photographs. Consists of: A. Personal papers, ca.1910 (1.Scrapbooks, 2. Ephemera); B. Business papers, 1912-1921.
IV. Helen Brett series, 1925-1965, 4.5 cm of textual records, consisting of: A. Correspondence, 1927-1950; B. R. G. Brett estate papers, 1925-1949; C. Financial and business records, 1936-1962; D. Other, 1935-1965.
V. Brett family series, [ca.1860-ca.1935], consisting of : A. Photographs albums, ca.1860-ca.1910; B. Photographs, ca.1875-ca.1935.
VI. Other material series, [before 1928], 2 cm of textual records, consisting of: A. Annie McLauchlin papers, 1914-1928; B. Other, before 1925.
Fonds includes textual records and photographs generated and collected by the Wilson family and pertaining to Tom Wilson, son Ed Wilson, daughter Ada Wilson and other family members. Textual records include: Ed Wilson's scrapbook, 1881-1968, which includes mainly items pertaining to Tom Wilson, Ed …
2 v. and 2 cm of textual records. -- ca.400 photographs : prints, copy negatives. -- 1 cm of print material
History / Biographical
The Wilson family were guides, outfitters and ranchers at Morley, Kootenay Plains, Banff and Nordegg, Alberta, Canada. Thomas Edmonds (Tom) Wilson, 1859- 1933, and Minnie McDougall Wilson, 1865-1936, had six children, including sons John Clark Wilson, 1888-1932, and Thomas Edmonds (Ed) Wilson, 1892-1973. Daughters were Ada, 1886-1967?, Rene, Bessie and Dora. Tom Wilson is credited with the discovery of Lake Louise in July of 1882, while working as a packer on the Canadian Pacific Railway survey through the mountains. In 1883, Wilson established his own business at Banff, Lake Louise and Field, British Columbia. After selling the business in 1904, Tom Wilson operated a horse ranch at Kootenay Plains. He later retired to Banff. Ed Wilson was born at Morley and raised in Banff. Around 1910 he began working for Brewster Trading Company at Banff and, later, Lake Louise. Just before the First World War, he moved to Nordegg, where he worked for the Bighorn Trading Company for many years.
Scope & Content
Fonds includes textual records and photographs generated and collected by the Wilson family and pertaining to Tom Wilson, son Ed Wilson, daughter Ada Wilson and other family members.
Textual records include: Ed Wilson's scrapbook, 1881-1968, which includes mainly items pertaining to Tom Wilson, Ed Wilson, the Wilson family, and early guiding and exploration in the Canadian Rockies (photocopy in two volumes); miscellaneous papers, 1905-1929, including a holograph speech by D. D. Galletly on the cave at Banff; letter and note re sale of horses to Frank Wellman, 1920; letters to Catharine Whyte from Ada Wilson re personal matters and Wilson family history, 1964-1965; transcripts of manuscripts by Tom Wilson and B. M. (Bess) Wilson re the CPR and tourism and 1916 pack trip Lake Louise to Kootenay Plains; letters of Col. Robert O'Hara to Tom Wilson, 1895- 1914, re Mount Assiniboine and Lake O'Hara; letter by Catharine Robb Whyte to Tom Link, 1965, re Lake O'Hara history based partly upon above material; diary, Trip to ranch by B. M. Wilson; essay, The last of the pathfinders by Dorie (Wilson) Legit; programmes, articles, clippings re Tom Wilson, 1924-1982; Eliza Edmonds certificate, 1845, and later clipping.
Photographs pertain to outfitting and guiding activities of Tom, John and Ed Wilson, including clients, associates and trips throughout the Rocky Mountains; Wilson family, friends and associates; Stoney Indians; Kootenay Plains; Banff people and events; Banff townsite and surrounding area; Canadian Pacific Railway; Nordegg area; 1861-1930. Includes photograph of Tom Wilson at Lake Louise inscribed to A. O. Wheeler, 1932. Many of the early photographs were taken by clients of Tom Wilson. Later, after settling at Kootenay Plains, Wilson was apparently given a camera by Mary Vaux and likely took many of the Stoney Indians views. Ed Wilson was an amateur photographer and likely took most of the views of staff at Lake Louise and of Nordegg.
Fonds consists of correspondence, manuscripts, financial papers and photographs regarding personal matters, skiing, publishing, inventions, etc. I. Personal, 1905-1950, 8.5 cm of papers and 170 photographs; includes correspondence, financial and legal papers, photographs, newsclippings, memorabilia…
ca.1 m of textual records. -- ca.300 photographs : prints, negatives
History / Biographical
Vigo Victor Kutschera, 1905-1990, was a ski guide and ski instructor at Banff, Alberta and Spillimacheen, British Columbia, Canada. Kutschera received training at the former Austro-Imperial Military Artillery Academy of Traiskirchen, Austria and was an expert alpine skier by the 1920s. During the 1930s, he helped develop the Skoki ski area, worked as a ski instructor and guide there and achieved prominence in downhill slalom racing. Kutschera also worked as a mountain guide. In later years he invented glacial-alpine and arctic warfare equipment, skiing equipment and industrial designs.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of correspondence, manuscripts, financial papers and photographs regarding personal matters, skiing, publishing, inventions, etc. I. Personal, 1905-1950, 8.5 cm of papers and 170 photographs; includes correspondence, financial and legal papers, photographs, newsclippings, memorabilia and other. II. Professional, 1925-1950, 12 v. and ca.35 cm of papers and ca.85 photographs; pertains to ski-instructing and guiding, inventing, writing and other. III. Other, 1935-1950, .6 cm of papers and ca.50 photographs; includes collected textual material, photographs of the Canadian Rockies and other photographs.
Accompanied by artifacts pertaining mainly to inventions (Heritage Collection)
Fonds consists of copies of textual records from the Thorington Archives at Princeton University and photographs in both original and copy form. Textual records include: I. Thompson-Little Collection and supplement 1895- 1907; letters chiefly addressed to Charles Sproule Thompson collected by Georg…
ca.1.8 m of textual records. -- 64 photographs : prints, transparencies, copy negatives
History / Biographical
J. Monroe "Roy" Thorington, 1894-1989, was an ophthalmologist, mountaineer and mountain historian at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Thorington was a pre-eminent climber and explorer in the Canadian Rockies starting in 1922. He studied the Freshfield and Lyell Glaciers for 22 years and explored and mapped the Purcell Range, British Columbia. Thorington wrote approximately 300 publications on mountaineering, mountain history and the Canadian Rockies. He was active in numerous organizations, particularly the American Alpine Club.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of copies of textual records from the Thorington Archives at Princeton University and photographs in both original and copy form.
Textual records include: I. Thompson-Little Collection and supplement 1895- 1907; letters chiefly addressed to Charles Sproule Thompson collected by George T. Little, Appalachian Mountain Club and supplemented by material mainly from the estate of Charles E. Fay. II. American Alpine Club, 1903- 1967; correspondence with American Alpine Club members elected to 1918. III. Alps and Canada mountaineering correspondence. IV. Guide books and writings; pertains to writings on the Canadian Rockies and Conrad Kain. V. Dr. W. S. Ladd and Allen Carpe papers 1908-1935.
VI. Photographs, 1871-1970, pertain mainly to Thorington's climbing associates, mountain guides, friends and climbs; also, tombstones of friends at Banff Cemetery.
Fonds also includes miscellaneous original summit notes, articles, etc. concerning landmark mountaineering activities in the Canadian Rockies.
Fonds consists of two or more series. Series I. Photography, 1893-1913, is processed. Series II. Textual records are processed and consist of six series. Photography series consists of twenty-four sub-series: A. to O. Travel 1893 to Travel 1907; P. to S. Travel 1909 to Travel 1913; T. Travel ge…
2924 photographs: 2632 negatives, 167 transparencies, 125 prints. -- 1 photograph album (50 prints). -- ca.2.7 m textual records
History / Biographical
The Vaux family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were photographers, mountaineers and scientists. Mary M. Vaux, 1860-1940, George Vaux Jr., 1863-1927, and William S. Vaux Jr., 1872-1908, were the children of George Vaux (VIII) of Philadelphia. They were all involved in photography in the early 1880s and were members of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia. All three were taking photographs when the family made its first trip west in 1885. The first Vaux family photographs of the Canadian mountain west were made in 1887 during a summer trip along the Canadian Pacific Railway to Glacier House in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia in 1887.
The family made frequent visits to the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains over the next two decades to study the Illecillewaet and other glaciers, photograph, paint and climb. George's and Mary's photographic work centred on the mountain landscape, while William's concentrated upon the movement and physical features of glaciers. Due to the size of their large format cameras, the two brothers took most of the photographs during these trips and Mary was responsible for all of the printing. William Vaux died in 1908 and George did not return to the Canadian mountains after 1911; however, Mary Vaux Walcott returned to the region virtually every summer for over forty years. A detailed discussion of their activities is contained in "Legacy In Ice: The Vaux Family and the Canadian Alps," Whyte Foundation, Banff, 1983
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two or more series. Series I. Photography, 1893-1913, is processed. Series II. Textual records are processed and consist of six series.
Photography series consists of twenty-four sub-series: A. to O. Travel 1893 to Travel 1907; P. to S. Travel 1909 to Travel 1913; T. Travel general, 1894?-1912?; U. Prints, 1899-1907; V. Lantern slides, 1900-1909; W. Photograph album, before 1907; X. Textual records, 1893-1910; Y. Damaged Negatives; Z. Mary Schaffer Negatives. Photographic negatives, arranged chronologically, are prominent in the series. Images pertain to landscape studies and scenic views of the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains, especially the Glacier, Yoho and Lake Louise areas; glaciers in the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains, especially Illecillewaet, Asulkan, Yoho and Bow Glaciers; mountain scenes and panorama views in the Selkirks and Rockies; Canadian Pacific Railway in the Selkirks and CPR hotels; Glacier and Field, B.C. and Banff, Alberta and areas; climbing and other mountain activities; United States and Canadian views on trips to the mountains. Negatives include both glass (962 items) and film negatives (1740 items). Textual records are exposure records, original negative envelopes and publications.
Textual series consists of six series: I. Trip Series, II. Correspondence Series, III. Publications Series, IV. George Vaux: Legal and Finance Management Series, V. Photographic Related Material, VI. Other Series (O.S.). Textual records pertain to glacier study, including research papers, maps and publications; William S. Vaux Jr. papers re travels, engineering and architecture, other; George Vaux Jr. writing and other papers; Mary Vaux correspondence and papers re writing and presentations; and other records, 1877, 1912-1913. Textual records also include family travel papers, 1881-1911; George Vaux, Jr. "Glacier" files; correspondence between George Vaux and the Schäffers, 1899-1926; papers of Dr. Charles Schäffer, Mary Schäffer and Schäffer estate, 1855-1927.
Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply
Language
Language is English
Finding Aid
Finding aids and reference tools: arrangement outline
series description
file description for Series I
electronic finding aid for Series I
selected modern reference prints
digital images in Images database and in Alberta InSight database
Related Material
Related by provenance to the Vaux family collection of photographs held by the Library Company of Philadelphia and the Vaux collection of correspondence, documents and graphics held by Special Collections of Haverford College Library, Haverford, Pennsylvania
Fonds includes Percy Stocken papers, 1894-1941, and Stocken family photographs, pre-1900. Textual records include legal and financial papers pertaining to Banff and Calgary property, 1924, 1927; scrapbook and other papers re family, literary, religious and personal matters, 1894-1955. Some materi…
5 cm of textual records. -- 40 photographs : prints
History / Biographical
Percy Edward Stocken, 1866-1955, and Eliza J. C. Stocken, 1865-1952, lived in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Percy Stocken was the brother of Canon H. W. G. Stocken.
Scope & Content
Fonds includes Percy Stocken papers, 1894-1941, and Stocken family photographs, pre-1900. Textual records include legal and financial papers pertaining to Banff and Calgary property, 1924, 1927; scrapbook and other papers re family, literary, religious and personal matters, 1894-1955. Some material concerns Canon H. W. G. Stocken. Photographs are early portraits and family photographs, most unidentified, ca.1870?