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 consists of a scrapbook containing a broad selection of clippings, photographs and notes pertaining to the history of Banff, including development, events, buildings and personalities. Material pertains to the period between ca.1890 and ca.1970
Extensive annotation by Helen Wells and Sylvia Vosburgh
Date Range
[ca. 1950-1970]
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records (190 pages ; 30.5 x 37 cm)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File consists of a scrapbook containing a broad selection of clippings, photographs and notes pertaining to the history of Banff, including development, events, buildings and personalities. Material pertains to the period between ca.1890 and ca.1970
File consists of a scrapbook which contains mainly clippings, as well as some personal and family items, pertaining to Banff and region, events and personalities, mountain areas, local, regional and western Canadian history, and mountaineering expeditions and accomplishments. Material covers the p…
File consists of a scrapbook which contains mainly clippings, as well as some personal and family items, pertaining to Banff and region, events and personalities, mountain areas, local, regional and western Canadian history, and mountaineering expeditions and accomplishments. Material covers the period between ca.1900 and ca.1970
File pertains to 34 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from October 22, 1937 to February 14, 1938. Topics include arriving in Vancouver from Banff in late October, details of the drive to the coast, taking a small road trip down the coast as far as …
2.1 cm of textual records (74 pages ; 21.2 x 27.5 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 34 hand-written letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from October 22, 1937 to February 14, 1938. Topics include arriving in Vancouver from Banff in late October, details of the drive to the coast, taking a small road trip down the coast as far as California before returning to Victoria in mid-November [including visits to Yosemite and the Redwood forests], descriptions of various accommodations in Washington and California, weather, meals, going on a weekend trip from Victoria to Campbell River, booking a trip to Europe on the SS Vancouver of the Hamburg-American Line [leaving from Vancouver bound for Switzerland via the Panama Canal and the English Channel] and leaving in early December, details of life and activities aboard ship [the boat only carried 25 passengers], discussions of Pete and Catharine's plans to purchase a new Ford car upon returning to North America, Christmas and New Year's Eve activities and celebrations on board and in Concord, the other people on the boat, landmarks they pass [primarily the Panama Canal], sketching, descriptions of other ships, books Catharine and Edith are reading, disembarking in Bremen Germany and heading to Zurich Switzerland by car, local architecture and geography, going to Klosters for a week to ski, descriptions of accomodations, and moving higher into the mountains to to Davos-Laret to watch an international ski race, ski, and paint. Also includes a telegram.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoplesand people of the Jewish faith used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Most letters are written on hotel/lodge letterhead.
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.
103 - 12 is addressed to Russ and contains Pete and Catharine's contact details for their trip to Europe and financial information.
103 - 16 contains two pages cut from a brochure advertising the SS Vancouver, Catharine has made notations on one page.
103 - 21 insert is a blue ribbon with yellow stitched letters reading "Hapag - D. << Vancouver >>" - ribbon is ca. 95.8 x 3.2 cm.
103 - 24 contains an insert for page 14 of a sketch of the Panama Canal locks.
103 - 29 contains a sketch and description of a T-bar ski lift system.
File consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings, brochures, business cards, and advertisements for businesses around Banff and Lake Louise. Includes a mix of magazine and newspaper clippings in both black and white and in colour, postcards, advertising for hotels like the King Edward Hotel, Hom…
File consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings, brochures, business cards, and advertisements for businesses around Banff and Lake Louise. Includes a mix of magazine and newspaper clippings in both black and white and in colour, postcards, advertising for hotels like the King Edward Hotel, Homestead Inn, Mount Royal Hotel, Castle Mountain Lodge, and the Chateau Lake Louise, and a cover of the Sky Line Trail Hiker bulletin featuring members of the Royal Family.
1 framed print, black and white, titled 'Hermit's Hut Castle Mt'. Attached clear plastic pocket at back of the frame holding a biographical article about Harry Pollard (presumably the creator of the photograph).
Harry Pollard (1880 - 1968) was a famous photographer in Western Canada, who was notable for his photography of Canadian Indigenous peoples and cultures. From the Provincial Archives of Alberta:
"In 1924 the Associated Screen News, a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), hired [Harry] Pollard to photograph their global ocean cruises for promotional purposes. It was this job that took him around the world 14 times".
Scope & Content
1 framed print, black and white, titled 'Hermit's Hut Castle Mt'. Attached clear plastic pocket at back of the frame holding a biographical article about Harry Pollard (presumably the creator of the photograph).
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
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.