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
A typed text report on Banff 14 pages long - the text has been heavily edited throughout with white-out and additional pieces of paper glued overtop of written text. Accompanying the text are 26 images and 4 maps, two of which are hand-drawn as overlays of the others.
The report follows the story o…
2 cm of textual records (32 pages ; 21.6 x 27.9 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
A typed text report on Banff 14 pages long - the text has been heavily edited throughout with white-out and additional pieces of paper glued overtop of written text. Accompanying the text are 26 images and 4 maps, two of which are hand-drawn as overlays of the others.
The report follows the story of a family named West from Calgary visiting their cousins, the Cunninghams, in Banff sometime in the late 1960s, which is also when it is believed the report was written. It is unclear if the families are real or fictitious. The report describes in some detail the history of the area, features around town, environment, commerce, wildlife, and community and ends with a series of questions, presumably posed to students. The accompanying prints relate to the topics in the report and are numbered to correspond correctly - some prints have typed text notations attached either to the back or the front along an edge. Two prints show the town of Banff from the top of Tunnel Mountain and a Mylar sheet has been laid overtop of each with landmarks, streets, and buildings noted in blue ink. Contents of the images include the afore mentioned aerial views, the Administration Building grounds, shops along Banff Avenue (which clearly show shop-front windows, signs, cars, and peoples' outfits), the original Whyte Museum building, the Banff High School, the Cave & Basin cave and pools, various wildlife, and Banff Indian Days.
Notes
Some prints came from the Canadian Government Travel Bureau, as indicated either in the typed notations or stamped on the back of the print.
File consists of notes, scanned documents and other textual records collected by Maryalice Harvey Stewart as research materials. Content pertains to the history and development of Banff National Park and other areas of Alberta; local architecture; biographical research on various people from the Ba…
File consists of notes, scanned documents and other textual records collected by Maryalice Harvey Stewart as research materials. Content pertains to the history and development of Banff National Park and other areas of Alberta; local architecture; biographical research on various people from the Banff community, including explorer David Thompson; and related materials.
Notes
Contents in file:
M9 / I / B / 1 : “Historical Research – Banff Nat. Park Historic Bldgs.”; “Canmore Area”; “Eighth Ave Mall – Calgary”
M9 / I / B / 2 : “Historical Notes”; “John Lunn”; “Alberta Culture Etc.”; UMC – Education + Training – Restoration Architects”; loose conference docs
M9 / I / B / 3 : Biographical research notes sent by Dorothea Calverly; "David Thompson Explorations"
M9 / I / B / 4 : “Banff Architecture and Environment”
M9 / I / B / 5 : Miscellaneous/loose research notes
File consists of architectural plans, meeting notes, and other documents pertaining to the Town of Banff Heritage Advisory Committee and its projects, 1994.
File consists of architectural plans, meeting notes, and other documents pertaining to the Town of Banff Heritage Advisory Committee and its projects, 1994.
Notes
Maryalice Stewart is identified in one of the file documents as "Consultant, Historic Research" for the Committee.
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 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.
File consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding Banff, Cascade of Times gardens, Banff history, events, personalities, also includes articles on wildlife and wildlife management, etc. Includes clippings from Banff Crag & Canyon, Calgary Herald, The Albertan, Toronto Star, etc.
File consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding Banff, Cascade of Times gardens, Banff history, events, personalities, also includes articles on wildlife and wildlife management, etc. Includes clippings from Banff Crag & Canyon, Calgary Herald, The Albertan, Toronto Star, etc.