File consists of architectural and grounds plans and drawings for St. Mary's Parish in Banff, comprising 9 sheets, H58 x W89 cm to H43 x W58 cm. Plans are possibly diazotype (diazo) prints. Designed by Father Robert McGuinness. Donated by Stevenson Raines Barrett Christie Hutton Seton & Partners (l…
9 architectural drawings : annotations ; 89 x 58 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of architectural and grounds plans and drawings for St. Mary's Parish in Banff, comprising 9 sheets, H58 x W89 cm to H43 x W58 cm.
Plans are possibly diazotype (diazo) prints.
Designed by Father Robert McGuinness.
Donated by Stevenson Raines Barrett Christie Hutton Seton & Partners (later Raines Finlayson Barrett) to the Canadian Architectural Archives at the University of Calgary.
Notes
Father Robert McGuinness was an engineer with the Canadian federal government and the Canadian Pacific Railway before entering the priesthood. After becoming ordained in Rome, Father McGuinness traveled around Europe and his designs for St. Mary's Parish were influenced by the ancient stone churches he visited during his travels.
The church was known by different names, including: St. Mary of the Assumption and St. Mary's Catholic Church. It is currently called St. Mary's Parish.
File consists of two hand-written letters from Father Robert McGuinness to Alfred Roberts, comprising 7 sheets and 2 envelopes, H27.5 x W21 cm to H9.5 x W16.5. One letter is dated February 11, 1955. One letter is dated October 26, 1954. Topics discussed include: McGuinness' role as inspecting engin…
0.05 cm of textual records (9 pages ; 21 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of two hand-written letters from Father Robert McGuinness to Alfred Roberts, comprising 7 sheets and 2 envelopes, H27.5 x W21 cm to H9.5 x W16.5.
One letter is dated February 11, 1955.
One letter is dated October 26, 1954.
Topics discussed include: McGuinness' role as inspecting engineer for the Banff Springs Hotel expansion; McGuinness' travels and religious education in Rome and Wales; architecture (primarily the Norman Chateau style) of St. Mary's Parish, including sketches; traveling to Liverpool by ship; and material he used while presiding over a wedding service.
Notes
Letters were posted to Alfred V. Roberts in San Diego. McGuinness mentions in one of the letters that Alfred was also an engineer and that they were in Canada at some point together.
Sub-series pertains to 87 black and white negatives and includes individual, group, family and baby portraits, school portraits, classes, sports, graduation, events, yearkbook, weddings, businesses and facilities, buildings and dwellings, construction projects and government projects, courses, conv…
File consists of 3 newspaper article clippings: The Albertan, Tuesday October 17, 1950 (H38.5 x W10.5 cm) Banff Crag and Canyon, Wednesday May 18, 1960 (H28 x W38 cm, folded) Western Catholic Reporter, August 21, 1978 (H42 x W29 cm) Articles document: the wedding service of the niece of Father McGu…
0.05 cm of textual records (3 pages ; 29 x 42 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of 3 newspaper article clippings:
The Albertan, Tuesday October 17, 1950 (H38.5 x W10.5 cm)
Banff Crag and Canyon, Wednesday May 18, 1960 (H28 x W38 cm, folded)
Western Catholic Reporter, August 21, 1978 (H42 x W29 cm)
Articles document: the wedding service of the niece of Father McGuinness, which he officiated; the visit of Governor-General Georges Vanier and wife to Banff, who attended Mass at St. Mary's Parish and is photographed with Father McGuinness; and, the unveiling of a memorial plaque for Father McGuinness' contributions to St. Mary's Parish.
File consists of two published booklets - one is about the St. Mary's Of the Assumption Catholic church in Banff and the other is about Vermilion Lakes. Both were printed by the Craig & Canyon.
0.7 cm of textual records (2 volumes ; 16.4 x 25 cm)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description
Scope & Content
File consists of two published booklets - one is about the St. Mary's Of the Assumption Catholic church in Banff and the other is about Vermilion Lakes. Both were printed by the Craig & Canyon.
Fonds consists of two series: I. St. Mary's Parish, ca.1945-1983, 0.16 cm, and contains two sub-series: A. Architecture, ca.1945-1983 (architectural plans, general information); B. Correspondence and Newspaper Clippings (pertaining to Father McGuinness and St. Mary's Parish), 1950-1978. II. McGuinn…
1.11 cm of textual records (34 pages : 29 x 42 cm or smaller) -- 9 architectural drawings : annotations ; 89 x 58 cm or smaller
History / Biographical
Originally from ancient Iveagh, which is now County Down, Ireland, the McGuinness family eventually migrated to Liverpool at an unknown time. The McGuinness family were provision merchants in Liverpool, but found supplies limited so they emigrated to Canada. Born on June 20, 1886 in Liverpool, Father Robert James McGuinness moved to Belleville, Ontario, Canada with his family in 1890. He had 7 brothers and sisters, including Oswald A. McGuinness, who settled in Invermere, British Columbia.
Robert attended St. Lawrence College in Ampleforth, Yorkshire, and completed his studies at St. Servan in Rhiems, France, qualifying as an engineer. He held a position with the federal government upon his return to Canada, however when World War I broke out Robert served in the 29th Battalion of CRTS building pontoons behind European battle lines. After returning to Canada, Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway as an architectural engineer, which brought him west to Banff, Alberta. Robert was the resident architectural engineer overlooking the construction of the Banff Springs Hotel expansion in the 1920's.
In the late 1920's, Robert traveled to Rome to enter the seminary and four years later he was ordained as a priest. After serving as priest in Calgary, Robert was appointed Catholic priest in Banff in 1936, where he lived and worked until his death in 1961. To fulfill a personal dream, Robert designed and supervised the construction of the new church building and grounds for St. Mary's Parish (St. Mary's of the Assumption) which was completed in 1951. During his years in Europe, Robert visited ancient churches and cathedrals which influenced the design of the church, primarily the Norman Chateau architectural style.
Robert was also a talented artist. Some of his work can be seen in galleries in New York and in Banff. His work has been reproduced for Canadian Pacific Railway tourism material, including the Spiral Tunnels postcard included in this fonds.
Robert died in Calgary on June 17, 1961, just shy of his 75th birthday, after being ill for a few months.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two series:
I. St. Mary's Parish, ca.1945-1983, 0.16 cm, and contains two sub-series: A. Architecture, ca.1945-1983 (architectural plans, general information); B. Correspondence and Newspaper Clippings (pertaining to Father McGuinness and St. Mary's Parish), 1950-1978.
II. McGuinness Family, 1953-1977, 1 cm (private records, including handwritten notes, a memoir, and a postcard).
Notes
. IYounger brother Oswald was a surveyor who built the road from Invermere to Calgary
There is some indication that Robert had a role in the construction of the Bow River Bridge or the collection of the stones used for the bridge, but this is unconfirmed
File pertains to black and white photographs of St. Mary's Baptist Church on Lynx Street in Banff. Includes exterior shots of the shrine, group portraits of unidentified children [both inside and outside], and one view of a stained glass window taken from inside.
File pertains to black and white photographs of St. Mary's Baptist Church on Lynx Street in Banff. Includes exterior shots of the shrine, group portraits of unidentified children [both inside and outside], and one view of a stained glass window taken from inside.
File consists of a copy of an article pertaining to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Banff, Alberta, comprising 6 pages, H27.5 x W21 cm. The undated article was written by Annalise Walker, the curator for the Canadian Architectural Archives at the University of Calgary Libraries. The article reference…
0.01 cm of textual records (6 pages ; 21 x 27.5 cm)
Scope & Content
File consists of a copy of an article pertaining to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Banff, Alberta, comprising 6 pages, H27.5 x W21 cm. The undated article was written by Annalise Walker, the curator for the Canadian Architectural Archives at the University of Calgary Libraries. The article references the architectural design of the church, biographical information about Father Robert McGuinness, and the final built decor and design (stained glass windows, gneiss stone exterior, main alter), as well as a description of the later designs for an addition.
Notes
The article was gifted to the Whyte Museum from the Canadian Architectural Archives along with the architectural and grounds plans drawings