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).
File pertains to 68 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from February 3 to June 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction projects around the house (mostly pertaining to the new …
1.1 cm of textual records (87 pages ; 22.3 x 27.4 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 68 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from February 3 to June 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction projects around the house (mostly pertaining to the new addition), events and people in Concord, weather, and returning from a trip to Concord in June. Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Also includes postcards and a notecard.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
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.
146 - 20 has a small newspaper clipping attached to the letter.
Good : all pages creased throughout from being folded prior to accession, minor rips and tears along the edges of most pages.
146 - 20 : staple removed from insert, replaced with plastic paper clip.
File pertains to 41 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2, 1961 to February 15, 1962; Edith passed away February 18, 1962. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, hockey and football games, the C…
Date Range
1961-1962
Reference Code
M36 / I / A / 2b / i / 148
Description Level
5 / File
GMD
Postcard
Private record
to Peter and me and we have offered it to
the BanffPublicLibrary to use. They are nearly ten years old
2.6 cm of textual records (ca. 185 pages ; 21.9 x 27.8 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 41 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from January 2, 1961 to February 15, 1962; Edith passed away February 18, 1962. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, hockey and football games, the Calgary Stampede, weather, and the 1962 space launch. Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Also includes postcards and notecards.
M36 / 148 - 114 to 120 are not fully dated - unsure of order within other 1961 letters. All are postcards.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
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.
M36 / 148 - 29 is missing its second half, indicated by Catharine to be a picture of Bow Lake.
File pertains to 74 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 2 to December 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction of the new kitchen & workroom (including the removal of …
1.7 cm of textual records (107 pages ; 21.9 x 27.8 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 74 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 2 to December 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction of the new kitchen & workroom (including the removal of the original stone chimney in the kitchen), the Calgary Stampede, the death of George Paris, Walter Phillips going blind, the United Nations summit in September, weather, and a visit Catharine made to Concord in December. Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Also includes postcards, a telegram, and a notecard.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
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.
M36 / 147 - 28 appears to be missing page 2, but could be misnumbered.