Fonds consists of the personal records of Gilean Douglas which were produced and received during her personal and literary activities. There is some material dating from Douglas's early life, but the bulk of it dates from 1948 to 1993 and directly concerns her life on Cortes Island. Because of Douglas's involvement in the public life of the island, and her interest in local history, her papers contain a great deal of information about the political, community and social life of Cortes Island, particularly the Whaletown area. Fonds is composed of eighteen series: Manuscripts; Correspondence; Literary Records; Regional Director for Area I (Cortes Island); Women's Institute; Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church; School District #72; Whaletown Community Club; Channel Rock; Research; "The Log" of the Columbia Coast Mission; Journals and Notebooks; Illustrations and Sketches; Ephemera; Clippings; Maps; Albums; Photographs.
1.9 m of textual records; ca. 2,352 photographic records (1147 prints : b&w and col. - ca. 560 negatives : b&w and col. negatives ; 35 mm and 14 x 11 cm or smaller - 645 slides : col. slides ; 35 mm); 1 cm of graphic material; 8 maps.
Extent
1.9
History / Biographical
Gilean Douglas was born in Toronto, Ont. In 1900. Orphaned at the age of 16, she began to work as a free-lance writer and photographer. Over her lifetime her work appeared in more than 200 publications, often published under pseudonyms (Grant Madison, Armoral Kent and Jill MacLean). Douglas published eight books of poetry and three books of non-fiction, and, from 1961 to 1992, wrote a regular column, “Nature Rambles”, for the Victoria Times-Colonist.
In 1939, following the collapse of her third marriage, Douglas moved from Ontario to an isolated cabin in the mountains near Hope, B.C. Her first two books of nature writing (one published under the name Grant Madison) document her life there. Her cabin was destroyed by fire in 1947 and two years later she moved to a 138-acre waterfront homestead on Cortes Island with her fourth husband, Philip Douglas, (née Major). Her marriage ended in 1953, but she remained there until her death in 1993. Her home at Channel Rock was isolated, with no road access and no electricity. Douglas had a large garden, and supplemented her writing income by selling produce and plants. She was a volunteer Weather Observer for Environment Canada for 33 years, receiving several awards for her service. Starting in the 1960s, her writing centered increasingly on her life at Channel Rock. Her "Nature Rambles" columns and book "The Protected Place" reflect her life on the island.
During her years on Cortes Island, Douglas took a leading role in community affairs and local politics. She held office in several community organizations and acted as a school trustee. As a member of the Women's Institute, she held local, district, provincial and national office, edited a book on its history, and was awarded a Life Membership in 1989. Douglas was a member of the first Cortes Island Advisory Planning Commission and represented Cortes on the Regional Board of Comox-Strathcona as Alternate Director from 1968 to 1973 and as Director from 1973 until 1977.
List of Book Publications:
1952 Now the Green Word (Wings Press, Mill Valley, Ca.)
1953 Poetic Plush (The Story Book Press, Dallas, Texas)
1953 River For My Sidewalk (by “Grant Madison”; J. M. Dent & Sons, Toronto, Ont.)
1954 The Pattern Set (Quality Press, Montreal, Quebec)
1959 Modern Pioneers (a history of the Women's Institute, ed. by Douglas; Evergreen Press)
1967 Seascape With Figures (Prairie Press, Iowa City, Iowa)
1973 Now In This Night (Harlo Press, Detroit, Mi.)
1978 Silence Is My Homeland (Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pa.)
1979 The Protected Place (Gray’s Publishing, Sidney, B.C.)
1982 Prodigal (Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, B.C.)
1984 River For My Sidewalk (by Gilean Douglas; Sono Nis Press)
1985 Kodachromes at Midday (Sono Nis Press)
1992 Seascape With Figures - Poems Selected and New (Sono Nis Press)
Custodial History
Upon Douglas’ death in 1993 her papers were gathered from her house by her literary executor, Gillian Milton. Douglas’ will directed that her papers and photographs be turned over to the University of British Columbia (Douglas’ primary beneficiary), after being examined and used for literary purposes including publication or biography. Accordingly, Milton inventoried the records, and with Andrea Lebowitz made use of them for a biography and anthology of the writings of Douglas, "Gilean Douglas: Writing Nature, Finding Home" (Lebowitz and Milton, Sono Nis Press, 1999). The textual records were turned over to University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections in December 1999; the photographic records in 2002. By agreement with UBC, the records and photographs which have to do primarily with Cortes Island were turned over to the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society (Manson's Landing, B.C.) in 1999.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the personal records of Gilean Douglas which were produced and received during her personal and literary activities. There is some material dating from Douglas's early life, but the bulk of it dates from 1948 to 1993 and directly concerns her life on Cortes Island. Because of Douglas's involvement in the public life of the island, and her interest in local history, her papers contain a great deal of information about the political, community and social life of Cortes Island, particularly the Whaletown area. Fonds is composed of eighteen series: Manuscripts; Correspondence; Literary Records; Regional Director for Area I (Cortes Island); Women's Institute; Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church; School District #72; Whaletown Community Club; Channel Rock; Research; "The Log" of the Columbia Coast Mission; Journals and Notebooks; Illustrations and Sketches; Ephemera; Clippings; Maps; Albums; Photographs.
Gilean Douglas fonds at the University of British Columbia Library (Special Collections)
Cortes Island Ratepayers Association fonds
Gorge Harbour Community Hall fonds
Whaletown Community Club fonds
Whaletown Women's Institute fonds
Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) fonds
Copyright
Copyright for Douglas's published writings is held by the University of British Columbia. Permission to use Douglas's manuscripts for publication purposes must be obtained from the University of British Columbia or from Gillian Milton, literary executor for the estate of Gilean Douglas.
Arrangement
Wherever possible, Douglas’ system of arrangement has been retained, and original groupings of material have been maintained. Other material has been arranged according to type.
File contains a key map which was pasted on the front of the envelope indicating the areas researched for Files 12-16; notes on the titles; photocopies of Crown Grants and subsequent title information for:
BC Buildings Corp: 1982, Crown Grant for Block A of SW 1/4 of Sec. 25 (Highways Maintenance Yard)
District Lot 871 (40 acres between Carrington and Coulter Bays): to James Frederick McManus, 1919
To Ernest Henry Vaughn: 1922, Crown Grant for NE 1/4 and NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 24; SE 1/4 of SW 1/4 and SW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Sec 31
Herbert Proctor: 1928 for fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 41, bordering Tork Reserve; 159 acres for $159.00 (orig. Crown Grant to Herbert Proctor in 1922)
To William Cowan: 1937, E 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Sec. 26, 89 acres
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a key map which was pasted on the front of the envelope indicating the areas researched for Files 12-16; notes on the titles; photocopies of Crown Grants and subsequent title information for:
BC Buildings Corp: 1982, Crown Grant for Block A of SW 1/4 of Sec. 25 (Highways Maintenance Yard)
District Lot 871 (40 acres between Carrington and Coulter Bays): to James Frederick McManus, 1919
To Ernest Henry Vaughn: 1922, Crown Grant for NE 1/4 and NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 24; SE 1/4 of SW 1/4 and SW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Sec 31
Herbert Proctor: 1928 for fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 41, bordering Tork Reserve; 159 acres for $159.00 (orig. Crown Grant to Herbert Proctor in 1922)
To William Cowan: 1937, E 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Sec. 26, 89 acres
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains photocopies of original Crown Grants, subsequent title changes and maps for:
To Joseph Gregson: 1926, Crown Grant for fractional W 1/2 of Lot 899 and Lot 901 (between Coulter and Carrington Bays), with a water easement for Wailes
To John Nugent McIllree: 1957, Crown Grant of mineral rights to lots at Coulter Bay surveyed as the "Arrow" and "Bullseye" mineral claims
To Hilda Peterson: 1919, Crown Grant for Lot 878, Carrington Bay, 55 acres
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains photocopies of original Crown Grants, subsequent title changes and maps for:
To Joseph Gregson: 1926, Crown Grant for fractional W 1/2 of Lot 899 and Lot 901 (between Coulter and Carrington Bays), with a water easement for Wailes
To John Nugent McIllree: 1957, Crown Grant of mineral rights to lots at Coulter Bay surveyed as the "Arrow" and "Bullseye" mineral claims
To Hilda Peterson: 1919, Crown Grant for Lot 878, Carrington Bay, 55 acres
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a page of notes, and photocopies of a tax sale notice (1938) and list of properties forfeited for non-payment of taxes, Crown Grants and other title information for the following:
William Walter James: 1926, Crown Grant for NW 1/4 of Sec. 38; 156 acres for $1.00; forfeited to Crown in 1939
Tom Albinson: 1919, Crown Grant for Lot 867; forfeited in 1927
Sadie McMurray: 1917, NE 1/4 of Sec. 39; 160 acres for $160
Peter Police: 1925, fractional NW 1/4 of Sec. 39; 103 acres for $1.00
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a page of notes, and photocopies of a tax sale notice (1938) and list of properties forfeited for non-payment of taxes, Crown Grants and other title information for the following:
William Walter James: 1926, Crown Grant for NW 1/4 of Sec. 38; 156 acres for $1.00; forfeited to Crown in 1939
Tom Albinson: 1919, Crown Grant for Lot 867; forfeited in 1927
Sadie McMurray: 1917, NE 1/4 of Sec. 39; 160 acres for $160
Peter Police: 1925, fractional NW 1/4 of Sec. 39; 103 acres for $1.00
(Files 12 through 16 are from the same envelope.)
File contains information for the following properties:
E. H. Vaughn: 1893, Crown Grant for fractional N 1/2 of Sec. 22; 90 acres for $90.00.
James P. Allen: 1913, Crown Grant for NW 34 acres of Sec. 23; $170.00
Bernard Robinson Allen: 1919, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 23, 159 acres
Charles Allen: 1912, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 33; 160 acres for $160.00
Harold Marshall Wood: Crown Grant for E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 46 (east of Carrington Bay); 81 acres for $1.00.
File contains the following maps, stored in the Map Cabinet:
Subdivision Plan of parcel C & E, NW 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1976
Subdivision of the fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 21, 1966; with names of property owners penciled in
Subdivision Plan of Parcel C and part of Parcel E of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1975
Subdivision Plan of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21 and W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 34
(Files 17 through 19 are from the same envelope.)
File contains information for the following properties:
E. H. Vaughn: 1893, Crown Grant for fractional N 1/2 of Sec. 22; 90 acres for $90.00.
James P. Allen: 1913, Crown Grant for NW 34 acres of Sec. 23; $170.00
Bernard Robinson Allen: 1919, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 23, 159 acres
Charles Allen: 1912, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 33; 160 acres for $160.00
Harold Marshall Wood: Crown Grant for E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 46 (east of Carrington Bay); 81 acres for $1.00.
File contains the following maps, stored in the Map Cabinet:
Subdivision Plan of parcel C & E, NW 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1976
Subdivision of the fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 21, 1966; with names of property owners penciled in
Subdivision Plan of Parcel C and part of Parcel E of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1975
Subdivision Plan of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21 and W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 34
(Files 17 through 19 are from the same envelope.)
Fonds consists of material that was gathered by Thompson as she researched island history for museum exhibits and local history albums. It includes land title information about Cortes Island properties going back to the original Crown Grants, correspondence and notes about Cortes Island history, photographs, maps and ephemera.
Fonds is arranged in five series: Land Titles Research; Historical Information; Maps; Photographs; and Ephemera.
30 cm of textual records
40 photographs
12 maps
2 CDs
History / Biographical
Doreen (Huck) Thompson, 1944-2006:
Doreen’s grandparents, William Edward Huck and Mabel Wells Huck, arrived on Cortes Island in 1915. Widowed in WWI, Mabel and her four children left Cortes for Vancouver in 1923. Her son Harry, Doreen’s father, returned to Cortes in the 1930s. He married Edith Launchbury in 1937 and had two children, Doreen (b.1944) and Ed (b.1945, d.1993). Doreen and Ed were raised in Whaletown and attended school there and at Manson’s Landing.
Doreen graduated from Vic High in Victoria before marrying Bob Thompson in 1962. From 1961 to 1963, Doreen lived in Teakerne Arm in a floathouse Bob had built on the shore of the Whaletown Lagoon and then moved to the shores of Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. Her children were born in 1964 (Janny) and 1965 (Debby). In 1970 the family and the house moved to Cortes Island where both daughters attended school to Grade 10.
Doreen spent a few years living in Alberta and Victoria in the early 1980s and then returned to Cortes Island. Doreen developed a deep knowledge of the history of the island and she devoted considerable time to preserving, gathering and sharing her own and others knowledge of the island through her volunteer work at the Cortes Island Museum and Archives.
Doreen was one of the founders of the Cortes Island Museum. She curated four exhibits at the Museum, including “Windows on Whaletown” in 1999, “Von Donop Inlet”, the commercial fishing portion of “Celebrating Wild Salmon”, and “Memories of Manson’s Landing”. She researched and created albums which combine photographs, reminiscences and clippings to document the history of various island areas, such as Green Valley and Whaletown. The Doreen Thompson Exhibit Gallery at the Museum commemorates her contributions.
Doreen was making a fourth cross-Canada road trip from Cortes to Newfoundland when she was killed in a car accident near Fort McLeod, Alberta on August 1, 2006.
Custodial History
Material was stored at the museum or collected from Doreen Thomas' house.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of material that was gathered by Thompson as she researched island history for museum exhibits and local history albums. It includes land title information about Cortes Island properties going back to the original Crown Grants, correspondence and notes about Cortes Island history, photographs, maps and ephemera.
Fonds is arranged in five series: Land Titles Research; Historical Information; Maps; Photographs; and Ephemera.
CD (2006.001.041) contains transcripts of interviews with Bert Summers, Beth (Martin) Slater, Betty Jeffery, Bill and Mary Block, Bill Guthrie, Bob Martineau, Don Levey, Frank Hayes, Fred Tomlinson, George Gardner, Heay family, Ken Summers, Otis Coulter, Pat (Fuller) Haines and Violet Herrewig. A Directory List for the CD is in folder 1-41. The transcripts may be viewed on the Archives computer, in the folder "2006.001.041 - Doreen Thompson, interview transcripts".
CD (2006.001.041) contains transcripts of interviews with Bert Summers, Beth (Martin) Slater, Betty Jeffery, Bill and Mary Block, Bill Guthrie, Bob Martineau, Don Levey, Frank Hayes, Fred Tomlinson, George Gardner, Heay family, Ken Summers, Otis Coulter, Pat (Fuller) Haines and Violet Herrewig. A Directory List for the CD is in folder 1-41. The transcripts may be viewed on the Archives computer, in the folder "2006.001.041 - Doreen Thompson, interview transcripts".
File contains correspondence regarding development in Carrington Bay, between Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), Regional Director George Sirk, and Klahoose First Nation.
File contains correspondence regarding development in Carrington Bay, between Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), Regional Director George Sirk, and Klahoose First Nation.
File contains meeting minutes, as well as statements and essays from Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), F.J. Guthrie, and Cortes Island Forest Committee (which later became Cortes Ecoforestry Society).
File contains meeting minutes, as well as statements and essays from Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), F.J. Guthrie, and Cortes Island Forest Committee (which later became Cortes Ecoforestry Society).
 Slater.pdf?width=280&404=no-doc.jpg)
 Haines.pdf?width=280&404=no-doc.jpg)
