Fonds consists of three series: I. Mather family; II. Bow River Boat House Ltd.; III. Other material. I. Mather family, 1895-1945, 2.5 cm of textual records, ca.900 photographs (negatives, prints), 3 photograph albums (486 prints), 4 cartographic records. Textual records consist of marriage and b…
13 cm of textual records. -- ca.900 photographs : negatives, prints. -- 3 photograph albums (486 prints)
History / Biographical
The Mather family were boat house operators at Banff, Alberta, Canada. William Mather, 1868-1927, emigrated to Ontario from Scotland in 1880 and came west ca.1888 to work for the Eau Claire Lumber Company on the Spray River near Banff. He worked for Raymond M. Rooper's boat house business on the Bow River and, in 1899, purchased the business. The Mather business included steamer tours in the summer and also involved winter sports on the Bow River. William Mather and Margaret McRavey Mather had four children, Jennie, Leslie, Allan and Hazel. With William Mather's death in 1927, the family incorporated its interests as the Bow River Boat House Limited, with Allan Mather as manager. The operation expanded to Lake Minnewanka in 1939. After Allan Mather's death in 1951, the business was sold to Ed Mader
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of three series: I. Mather family; II. Bow River Boat House Ltd.; III. Other material.
I. Mather family, 1895-1945, 2.5 cm of textual records, ca.900 photographs (negatives, prints), 3 photograph albums (486 prints), 4 cartographic records. Textual records consist of marriage and birth certificates, 1896-1900; boathouse and property records, 1895-1917; estate papers, 1928-1943; agreements, 1929, 1931; and, stock certificates, 1929-1945. Photographs consist of: Mather family negatives, [before ca.1945?]; Jennie Mather photographs, [ca.1910-ca.1930]; Leslie Mather photographs, ca.1910-ca.1940; Other photographs, ca.1910-ca.1930. Photographs pertain to Mather family, activities, friends; Mather home and properties; boats and boating on Lake Minnewanka and the Bow River; winter sports, including skating, hockey and skiing; hiking, floods, Banff area mountain views and Rocky Mountain scenic views
II. Bow River Boat House Ltd., 1929-1951, 7.5 cm of textual records. Series consists of agreements and certificates, 1938-1950; correspondence re Minnewanka bungalow camp, 1941-1942; financial statements, 1937-1951. Maps show locations of Mather and Bow River Boat House Ltd. leaseholds.
III. Other material, [192-]-1953, 3 cm of textual records.