File pertains to 34 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from October 22, 1937 to February 14, 1938. Topics include arriving in Vancouver from Banff in late October, details of the drive to the coast, taking a small road trip down the coast as far as …
2.1 cm of textual records (74 pages ; 21.2 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 34 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from October 22, 1937 to February 14, 1938. Topics include arriving in Vancouver from Banff in late October, details of the drive to the coast, taking a small road trip down the coast as far as California before returning to Victoria in mid-November [including visits to Yosemite and the Redwood forests], descriptions of various accommodations in Washington and California, weather, meals, going on a weekend trip from Victoria to Campbell River, booking a trip to Europe on the SS Vancouver of the Hamburg-American Line [leaving from Vancouver bound for Switzerland via the Panama Canal and the English Channel] and leaving in early December, details of life and activities aboard ship [the boat only carried 25 passengers], discussions of Pete and Catharine's plans to purchase a new Ford car upon returning to North America, Christmas and New Year's Eve activities and celebrations on board and in Concord, the other people on the boat, landmarks they pass [primarily the Panama Canal], sketching, descriptions of other ships, books Catharine and Edith are reading, disembarking in Bremen Germany and heading to Zurich Switzerland by car, local architecture and geography, going to Klosters for a week to ski, descriptions of accomodations, and moving higher into the mountains to to Davos-Laret to watch an international ski race, ski, and paint. Also includes a telegram.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand people of the Jewish faith used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Most 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.
103 - 12 is addressed to Russ and contains Pete and Catharine's contact details for their trip to Europe and financial information.
103 - 16 contains two pages cut from a brochure advertising the SS Vancouver, Catharine has made notations on one page.
103 - 21 insert is a blue ribbon with yellow stitched letters reading "Hapag - D. << Vancouver >>" - ribbon is ca. 95.8 x 3.2 cm.
103 - 24 contains an insert for page 14 of a sketch of the Panama Canal locks.
103 - 29 contains a sketch and description of a T-bar ski lift system.