Fonds consists of three sous-fonds: M573 / V797 / S60.
M573 consists of three series, 26 cm of textual records, 1924-2005. Series I: Personal Papers, 19 cm, ca.1930-2005 (including notebooks and drafts of various talks that Jean delivered and records related to her participation in the Trail Rider…
26 cm of textual records.-- 109 photographs (42 prints, 67 lantern slides). -- 2 sound recordings.
History / Biographical
Jean Alexandra Hembroff was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on April 5, 1908 to Walter B. Hembroff (d. 1945) and Sarah Jane Hembroff (d.1952). Jean was accepted to the MacPhail School of Music and Dramatic Art at the University of Minnesota, from which she graduated in 1927. She returned to Winnipeg to begin teaching courses in speech arts and drama. To establish herself, she first volunteered as the "story lady" at the Williams Avenue Public Library and quickly became known as an excellent speaker sought by many different organizations. She taught at St. Mary's Academy and the Evening Institute at the University of Manitoba, as well as offered private sessions. Many of her students used the skills they learned from Jean as they entered radio, television, politics, and business. Jean was also very active in organizing and adjucating Speech Arts festivals in Manitoba, often going to inaccessible places to give workshops. Her teaching, broadcasting, adjucating, coaching, and speaking career spanned more than 50 years.
Jean was hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway's promotions manager to give presentations and broadcast interviews across Canada and the United States. In 1937, Jean joined the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and participated in their summer trail ride in the same year. For that year's issue of the Trail Rider's Bulletin Jean wrote an article - and became the first woman to ever do so. In 1938, during her lecture titled "Trail Riding in the Rockies" on January 18, 1938 at the Royal Alexandra Hotel, Jean met John David (Jack) MacDonald. Jack and Jean were married on June 18, 1938, and the couple had one son, Bruce Walter James MacDonald (August 28, 1946-August 25, 2016).
Jean participated in several trail rides with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and the Sky Line Trail, and produced articles reflecting her experiences. Jean loved to travel and visited places all around Canada and the United States, Borneo, Tangier, Montevideo, Stockholm, New Delhi, and Tonga. At the age of 102, Jean passed away on February 2, 2011 and is buried in Winnipeg.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of three sous-fonds: M573 / V797 / S60.
M573 consists of three series, 26 cm of textual records, 1924-2005. Series I: Personal Papers, 19 cm, ca.1930-2005 (including notebooks and drafts of various talks that Jean delivered and records related to her participation in the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and the Sky Line Hikers of the Canadian Rockies, particularly 1937-1939). Series II: Correspondence and Newspaper Clippings, 4 cm, 1924-2000 (including correspondence with John Murray Gibbon, former students, and attendees at various talks, as well as newspaper articles that Jean wrote about various subjects and articles of her achievements). Series III: Collected Materials and Ephemera, 3 cm, ca.1930-1950 (including a variety of collected poems and ephemera, as well as a copy of The Beaver Magazine from 1940, for which Jean wrote an article titled "On the Trail of Sir George").
V797 consists of two series, 24.5 cm of visual records, ca.1928-1939. Series I: Photograph Prints, 3 cm, ca.1928-1939 (includes personal photographs of Jean and her family and friends as well as photographs of Jean and Jack's visit to Lake Louise in 1939). Series II: Lantern Slides, 21.5 cm, ca.1937-1939 (Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies official ride of 1937 to Mt. Assiniboine; Sky Line Hikers of the Canadian Rockies official ride of 1939 to Ptarmigan Valley and Skoki; collection of trail ride songs).
S60 consists of two sound recordings, 1 cm, 2004 and 2007 (Winnipeg at Christmas, narrated by Jean, broadcasted on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
Album contains lists of participants and photographs pertaining to five trail rides with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies between 1977 and 1981. Locations include Mt. Assiniboine, Palliser Range, Johnston Creek, Panther River and Red Deer River. Photographs include members of the Wotypka fa…
Album contains lists of participants and photographs pertaining to five trail rides with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies between 1977 and 1981. Locations include Mt. Assiniboine, Palliser Range, Johnston Creek, Panther River and Red Deer River. Photographs include members of the Wotypka family. Photographs depict scenic views in the Canadian Rockies, riders on horseback, campsites, group photographs, indoor games and entertainment. Album also contains one route map for the Trail Riders (no date), 6 pages of song lyrics and one news article re: 1979 Trail Riders trip (March 30, 1979).
File consists of 440 b&w negatives. The negatives pertain to Riggall pack trains and camps, hunting trophies, Riggall's ram trophies, various birds, bison, Ed Burton, Doris "Babe" Burton (nee Riggall), Bob Burton, Kay Riggall, and Dora Riggall posing in front of the Burton's home, and interior view…
File consists of 440 b&w negatives. The negatives pertain to Riggall pack trains and camps, hunting trophies, Riggall's ram trophies, various birds, bison, Ed Burton, Doris "Babe" Burton (nee Riggall), Bob Burton, Kay Riggall, and Dora Riggall posing in front of the Burton's home, and interior views of Riggall's gunsmithing shop.
File consists of 67 colour photographs pertaining to trail riders, staff, and various trail rides and camps. Includes honorable mention photographs for Townsend Trophy photo contest, as well as first and third prize for 1971.
Photographs produced by J. Amram, Kathy Barr, Adrienne Bode, Jane Burns, C.J. Busick family, Jeanne Eckert, Susan Dowell, Patti Falconer, Joyce Ferguson, R.S. Jamieson, David E. Lamphere, Jim Lanigan, Geo Z. Pinder, D.B. Preddy, Laverne Reine, Warren L. Russell C.E. Stemp, Eleanor Stoddard, Ken Swan, K.C. Thomas, Wendy Thomson, and Stuart R. Watkins
Date Range
1970
[ca. 1970 - ca. 1980]
1971
ca. 1972
ca. 1975
1983
Physical Description
67 photographs : col. prints
Scope & Content
File consists of 67 colour photographs pertaining to trail riders, staff, and various trail rides and camps. Includes honorable mention photographs for Townsend Trophy photo contest, as well as first and third prize for 1971.
Notes
Most photographs annotated with photographer's contact info and/or dates & descriptions of photographs.
Some images possibly appeared in bulletins and brochures (not confirmed).
File consists of 88 black and white photographs appearing in Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies Bulletin, no. 102 (Winter 1960), and other photographs possibly taken during the same time period. Photographs pertain to trail riding, camps and stunt nights.
File consists of 88 black and white photographs appearing in Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies Bulletin, no. 102 (Winter 1960), and other photographs possibly taken during the same time period. Photographs pertain to trail riding, camps and stunt nights.
Notes
Includes some duplicates
Some photographs may be attributed to Canadian Pacific
Album contains 28 colour photographs pertaining to trail rides in 1980 and 1984 led by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Location of photographs is Red Deer River, Banff National Park. Images depict mountain views, horses and riders, close-up views of Red Deer River, campsite with tents, lu…
Album contains 28 colour photographs pertaining to trail rides in 1980 and 1984 led by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Location of photographs is Red Deer River, Banff National Park. Images depict mountain views, horses and riders, close-up views of Red Deer River, campsite with tents, luggage and trip preparation, and group photograph of riders. Non-annotated, specific riders not identified.
Album contains 68 colour photographs pertaining to 6 trail rides led by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in 1986 and 1987. Images depict trail riders travelling in groups, natural scenery and mountain views, water features, an area with fallen trees and a posed group photograph of traveller…
1 photograph album : 68 colour photographs, 2 pages from pamphlet (in album), 6 attached textual records
Scope & Content
Album contains 68 colour photographs pertaining to 6 trail rides led by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in 1986 and 1987. Images depict trail riders travelling in groups, natural scenery and mountain views, water features, an area with fallen trees and a posed group photograph of travellers. 2 pages from same pamphlet attached near front of album, titled "Teepee Town Rides" (Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies excursion), presumably related to trips depicted in album. Album also contains individual lists of riders for 6 trail rides in 1986 - 1987 including trips to Red Deer River.
Photograph album contains 182 black and white prints pertaining to trail rides in July/August, 1945 through Baker Creek, Ptarmigan Lake, Skoki and Lake Louise; and Lake O'Hara, Lake McArthur and Odaray Trail. Images depict riders on horseback, scenic views of mountains, waterfalls, forests and land…
Photograph album contains 182 black and white prints pertaining to trail rides in July/August, 1945 through Baker Creek, Ptarmigan Lake, Skoki and Lake Louise; and Lake O'Hara, Lake McArthur and Odaray Trail. Images depict riders on horseback, scenic views of mountains, waterfalls, forests and landscapes, individual and group photographs of riders, and campsites. Most photographs not annotated and people in photographs not named. Album also contains three pamphlets pertaining to 1945 trail rides with lists of locations and attendees.
File consists of 27 colour photograph transparencies (lantern slides). File pertains to the Official Trail Ride of 1937 organized by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, which Jean Hembroff MacDonald participated in. File documents the trail ride to Mount Assiniboine and the camp at Mount Assi…
File consists of 27 colour photograph transparencies (lantern slides). File pertains to the Official Trail Ride of 1937 organized by the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, which Jean Hembroff MacDonald participated in. File documents the trail ride to Mount Assiniboine and the camp at Mount Assiniboine, with several landscape photographs but mostly of the hikers.
Notes
Jean wrote an article about her experience in the form of an article and a poem [see related material], and used this experience for future lectures.
Slides are numbered on the back. Some are missing, the new number and order was imposed by Archive and Library Assistant for clarity.
Slides were stored with a note stating: "Slides taken by the C.P.R. of Trail Ride, 1936-1937."
File consists of 33 colour photograph transparencies (lantern slides). File documents the official trail ride of the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies, which Jean Hembroff MacDonald participated in. File pertains to the Ptarmigan Valley Camp, with landscape scenery and photographs of the…
File consists of 33 colour photograph transparencies (lantern slides). File documents the official trail ride of the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies, which Jean Hembroff MacDonald participated in. File pertains to the Ptarmigan Valley Camp, with landscape scenery and photographs of the hikers (singing, eating, etc). Places that are documented in this file are the Redoubt Lake trail, Hidden Lake, Ptarmigan Lake, Boulder Pass, and Skoki. Notable people include Jean Hembroff MacDonald, her husband, Jack MacDonald, and sister-in-law, Anna Cran; Dan McCowan; James M. Wardle; George Fisher; Norman Sanson; Betsy Struthers; and Emmeline Savatard and John Wheeler (A.O. Wheeler's wife and grandson).
Notes
Each slide is labelled.
Jean wrote an article about her experience [see related material], and used this experience for future lectures
Slides were stored with a note stating: "Slides taken by the C.P.R. of Trail Ride, 1936-1937."