Fonds consists of photographs of the Gorge Harbour Lodge and Lodge activities, the Corneille and Ballantyne families, and Gladys Ballantyne's house, Gypsy Hill.
Bobby (Elizabeth) Corneille Ballantyne (1914-2009) was born in Vancouver and moved to Cortes Island as a young child. She was 4 years old when her father died suddenly on Marina Island in 1919; she remembers that they had to wait 3 days for a Union Steamship to get the body. Her mother Tena (Sarah Christena) Corneille (1877-1949) bought a tourist lodge at the east end of Gorge Harbour in 1929, and ran it until 1936 with the help of her two teen-age daughters. Gorge Harbour Lodge offered accommodations in the main building or in tents, tennis and badminton courts, and excellent boating, bathing and fishing. Vacationers came up from Vancouver on the Union Steamships for a round-trip ticket price of $6.65. The annual Regatta was the main social event of the season, with people arriving by boat from Cortes and the surrounding islands. It featured boat and swimming races, and a dance in the evening.
Gladys Georgeson Ballantyne (1882-1964), first came to Cortes in about 1910. In about 1920 she bought a property in Whaletown (now 640 Whaletown Rd.) that she called "Gypsy Hill". She was one of the original members of the Whaletown Friendly Circle, later the Whaletown Women's Institute. Gladys, her son Bill, daughter Valerie and her fiance were all on Cortes building a summer cottage when the Depression suddenly hit. Their off-island jobs fell through, and they remained at "Gypsy Hill" for the duration.
Bill Ballantyne (1908-1993) was in the Merchant Marine from 1924-1929. When he was unable to find work on ships during the Depression, he took whatever jobs he could find hand-logging and fishing. Bill and Bobby Corneille were married in 1937. They and other young Whaletown residents formed the Gorge Harbour Dramatic Society to help raise funds to build a community hall, and Bill was the work boss of the building crew for the Gorge Hall. In 1941 they moved to Victoria, and after the war settled in Courtenay with their two sons Peter and Ross. In the late 1950s they returned to Whaletown on Cortes Island where they fished for many years on the gulf troller “Viking”. During that time many young “deckhands” spent time aboard during summer vacations. On retirement, Campbell River became their home.
Custodial History
Electronic records were downloaded in 2012 from an internet address provided by Peter Ballantyne. One photograph was scanned from a photograph temporarily loaned by John and De Clarke.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the Gorge Harbour Lodge and Lodge activities, the Corneille and Ballantyne families, and Gladys Ballantyne's house, Gypsy Hill.
Verso says "Easter Egg Hunt 1966. Johnny Weiler (back); Janice Maclean, Heather Maclean, Ian Maclean (back), Philip Bergman, Doug McCoy, Sarah Weiler (kneeling)
Verso says "Easter Egg Hunt 1966. Johnny Weiler (back); Janice Maclean, Heather Maclean, Ian Maclean (back), Philip Bergman, Doug McCoy, Sarah Weiler (kneeling)
Back row L to R: Janice Maclean, Johnny Prestley, Tracy Prestley, Nita Prestley, Sarah Weiler behind Nita, Christine Froese, Kim Hogan, Philip Bergman.
Front Row L to R: Jeff Hogan, Joanne Dewar (?), John Froese, ?, ?, Kelly Hogan, Eugene Hogan.
Slide has markings indicating it has been enlarged for publication ("Jack & Jill, pg 53; 800% aprox.").
Back row L to R: Janice Maclean, Johnny Prestley, Tracy Prestley, Nita Prestley, Sarah Weiler behind Nita, Christine Froese, Kim Hogan, Philip Bergman.
Front Row L to R: Jeff Hogan, Joanne Dewar (?), John Froese, ?, ?, Kelly Hogan, Eugene Hogan.
Slide has markings indicating it has been enlarged for publication ("Jack & Jill, pg 53; 800% aprox.").
Front, L to R: Phillip Bergman, Janice Maclean, Doug McCoy, Jeannie Matthews, Sarah Weiler, Sheryl Matthews with Ricky Matthews in front, Heather Maclean, Ian Maclean.
Back Row L to R: Pat McCoy, Brigid Weiler, Johnny Weiler, Mr. Don McDevitt.
Front, L to R: Phillip Bergman, Janice Maclean, Doug McCoy, Jeannie Matthews, Sarah Weiler, Sheryl Matthews with Ricky Matthews in front, Heather Maclean, Ian Maclean.
Back Row L to R: Pat McCoy, Brigid Weiler, Johnny Weiler, Mr. Don McDevitt.
Front row L to R: Jeff Hogan, Eugene Hogan, Kelly Hogan, Philip Bergman, Kim Hogan.
Middle row L to R: Janice Maclean, Danny Hogan.
Back row: Katie Lambert.
Front row L to R: Jeff Hogan, Eugene Hogan, Kelly Hogan, Philip Bergman, Kim Hogan.
Middle row L to R: Janice Maclean, Danny Hogan.
Back row: Katie Lambert.
Item is a Christmas card with a photograph on Whaletown as seen from the opposite bluff. The front says "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - John Nagel".
Item is a Christmas card with a photograph on Whaletown as seen from the opposite bluff. The front says "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - John Nagel".
Photo shows the Whaletown store with the ramp to the wharf to the side. A storage shed is to the left, and the post office can be seen in the background.
Photo shows the Whaletown store with the ramp to the wharf to the side. A storage shed is to the left, and the post office can be seen in the background.
Teacher Don McDevitt with group of Whaletown pupils holding ribbons and trophies.
L to R: Pat McCoy, Johnny Weiler with Jeannie Matthews in front, Sheryl Matthews, Brigid Weiler with Janice Maclean in front, Mr. Don McDevitt with Ian Maclean in front, Heather Maclean.
Teacher Don McDevitt with group of Whaletown pupils holding ribbons and trophies.
L to R: Pat McCoy, Johnny Weiler with Jeannie Matthews in front, Sheryl Matthews, Brigid Weiler with Janice Maclean in front, Mr. Don McDevitt with Ian Maclean in front, Heather Maclean.
Photograph of Santa and students holding their Christmas presents.
L to R: Heather Maclean, Johnny Weiler, Philip Bergman, ? Santa, Janice Maclean, Gary York (?), Ian Maclean, ?, Jeannie Matthews, Sheryl Matthews, Ricky Matthews. Kneeling in front: Doug McCoy, Barbie McCoy.
Photograph of Santa and students holding their Christmas presents.
L to R: Heather Maclean, Johnny Weiler, Philip Bergman, ? Santa, Janice Maclean, Gary York (?), Ian Maclean, ?, Jeannie Matthews, Sheryl Matthews, Ricky Matthews. Kneeling in front: Doug McCoy, Barbie McCoy.
Back Row L to R: Kim Hogan, Janice Maclean, Nita Prestley, Johnny Prestley.
Middle row L to R: ?, Ernie Halliday, ?, Kelly Hogan, Eugene Hogan, Jeff Hogan, Jeannie Halliday(?).
Front row: Nancy Jenkins, teacher
Back Row L to R: Kim Hogan, Janice Maclean, Nita Prestley, Johnny Prestley.
Middle row L to R: ?, Ernie Halliday, ?, Kelly Hogan, Eugene Hogan, Jeff Hogan, Jeannie Halliday(?).
Front row: Nancy Jenkins, teacher
Photograph postcard of the Whaletown Church. This same postcard is found in other fonds (Items 2003.002.024 and 2006.001.001). This one is dated on the back and is in very good condition.
Photograph postcard of the Whaletown Church. This same postcard is found in other fonds (Items 2003.002.024 and 2006.001.001). This one is dated on the back and is in very good condition.
Photograph depicts the Whaletown wharf with a Union Steamship beside it. There is a truck parked on the wharf with several people standing beside it. The sheds on the wharf, the boat dock and the buildings across the bay at the present site of the ferry dock may be clearly seen.
Photograph depicts the Whaletown wharf with a Union Steamship beside it. There is a truck parked on the wharf with several people standing beside it. The sheds on the wharf, the boat dock and the buildings across the bay at the present site of the ferry dock may be clearly seen.