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 37 photographs depicting friends and extended members of the Luxton family. Includes professional portraits, postcard prints and candid photographs. Individuals include members of the Nolan and Boswell families, Mary Watson, Will Kidner, John and Ada Wilson, Sam Kellock, W.W. Kemp,…
37 photographs : b&w prints ; 15 x 21 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 37 photographs depicting friends and extended members of the Luxton family. Includes professional portraits, postcard prints and candid photographs. Individuals include members of the Nolan and Boswell families, Mary Watson, Will Kidner, John and Ada Wilson, Sam Kellock, W.W. Kemp, Arnold and Charles Douglas, Sam Howe, and George and Bob Findlay. Items LUX/III/C3/PA-192 to 204 pertain to trips to Marble Canyon and Sibbald Ranch with Norman Luxton and members of the Sibbald and Fisher families [ca.1904].
File consists of published books and pamphlets pertaining to various subjects, including New York Sun newspaper correspondent Bob Davis; a reference book of medical dosages, weights and nutritional values; information about the Church of England; information on the Alberta Election Act; statistical…
1.5 cm of textual records (6 volumes ; 23 x 32 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of published books and pamphlets pertaining to various subjects, including New York Sun newspaper correspondent Bob Davis; a reference book of medical dosages, weights and nutritional values; information about the Church of England; information on the Alberta Election Act; statistical information on Japan's educational system; and Inuit art styles and design methods.
Notes
Book titled "Canadian Eskimo Art" stamped twice on front cover with workds "HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY" and has blank form and envelope for sign-out slips attached inside front cover and on first page.
File consists of postcards sent to Malcolm Geddes and his wife, Jennie, between 1909 and 1918, as well as 15 letters which Malcolm sent to Jennie between 1924 and 1927, a letter from Malcolm to his son Alvin Geddes in 1927, a letter to Alvin from Gwen [possibly Gwendolyn Geddes Hubbell] dated 1931,…
File consists of postcards sent to Malcolm Geddes and his wife, Jennie, between 1909 and 1918, as well as 15 letters which Malcolm sent to Jennie between 1924 and 1927, a letter from Malcolm to his son Alvin Geddes in 1927, a letter to Alvin from Gwen [possibly Gwendolyn Geddes Hubbell] dated 1931, a letter of condolence sent to Mrs. Geddes from Hester D Peach [1931], and a letter to "Olive" from M. Geddes [possibly Muriel Geddes Grant] dated 1936. Some letters sent from Malcolm to Jennie [between 1924-1925] pertain to his first ascent of Mount Geikie.
Minor wrinkling/creasing of most letters, otherwise good condition
First postcard in file [black and white image of storefront] appears to have once been glued on the back [possibly for use in a scrapbook or album] and later removed and annotated in blue pen; some paper/glue remnants still attached
File consists of domestic and international postcards sent to Eleanor Luxton from various friends and family members between 1928 and 1992. Includes correspondence sent from Canada, the United States, Central and South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Oceania.
128 b&w and col. postcards ; 17.5 x 12 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of domestic and international postcards sent to Eleanor Luxton from various friends and family members between 1928 and 1992. Includes correspondence sent from Canada, the United States, Central and South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Oceania.
File consists of 13 black and white negatives, 16 x 9 cm or smaller. File pertains the Wardle family's travels and trail rides with various friends and family members. File documents James Wardle posing in front of the Simpson Monument during the Waterton Ride (1929), the Wardles and friends posing…
13 photographs : b&w negatives ; 16 x 9 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 13 black and white negatives, 16 x 9 cm or smaller. File pertains the Wardle family's travels and trail rides with various friends and family members. File documents James Wardle posing in front of the Simpson Monument during the Waterton Ride (1929), the Wardles and friends posing in front of a car during their Big Bend motor trip (1930), travels with Carl Rungius, James and Dorothy Wardle at the Yoho Valley Camp over Burgess Pass to Field (1938), and an undated photograph of Leette Wardle.
Notes
Original envelopes are located with corresponding prints (see related material).
File consists of 12 published textual records including pamphlets, brochures and booklets. Content includes tourism and travel information, ecology, Canadian forests, and site guides pertaining to various locations in Western Canada. Topics include winter sporting events in Banff and Revelstoke, El…
File consists of 12 published textual records including pamphlets, brochures and booklets. Content includes tourism and travel information, ecology, Canadian forests, and site guides pertaining to various locations in Western Canada. Topics include winter sporting events in Banff and Revelstoke, Elk Island National Park, the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton, and the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.