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.
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).
Ten photograph albums (binders) containing 152 original photographs and 482 reproductions.
History / Biographical
May Ellingsen was born on March 13, 1914 to George and Robina Freeman. Her maternal grandfather, Michael Manson, was the first person to pre-empt land on Cortes Island, claiming a quarter section on Gunflint Lake in 1886. May spent her childhood on Hernando Island, where her family homesteaded and logged, and on Cortes Island, where she attended the log school at Manson's Landing.
In 1936 May married Elmer Ellingsen. They spent the next ten years in the Loughborough Inlet/Phillips Arm area while Elmer worked for his father's logging operations. During those years their children, Shirley, Bruce and Andy, were born. In 1946 the family moved to Von Donop Creek, where Elmer was logging. In 1950 they moved their float house, built at the time of their marriage, to Manson's Landing Lagoon and two years later, to its present permanent location on Hague Lake.
May and Elmer devoted much time and energy to building their community. Amongst her many community activities, May ran the library at Manson's Hall. She had a strong interest in local history, researching the history of land pre-emptions on the island, collecting and annotating photographs from pioneer families and recording interviews with old timers. She was a founder of the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society; the archives reading room is named in her honor. Historical materials and artifacts gathered by May formed the kernel of the museum's collections and archives.
Custodial History
May Ellingsen created the albums in the 1980s, and kept adding to them throughout the 1990s. She kept them at the Manson's Landing library and then at the museum from 1999. She officially donated them to CIMAS in 2004.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).
Photograph of a large group of students and teachers standing in front of the Whaletown school. Writing on the back of the photo notes that May Freeman and her class were there.
Photograph of a large group of students and teachers standing in front of the Whaletown school. Writing on the back of the photo notes that May Freeman and her class were there.
Slide shows (L to R):
Front: Doug McCoy, Philip Bergman, Ian Maclean, boy (ID), Sheril Mathews, Janice Maclean, Jeannie Mathews, Johnnie and Sarah Weiler
Back: Ted Hansen, Pat McCoy, Don McDevitt
Slide shows (L to R):
Front: Doug McCoy, Philip Bergman, Ian Maclean, boy (ID), Sheril Mathews, Janice Maclean, Jeannie Mathews, Johnnie and Sarah Weiler
Back: Ted Hansen, Pat McCoy, Don McDevitt
Series consists of nine albums (binders) holding 554 photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island, with accompanying descriptions and with additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. The majority of the photographs are copies, as indicated by the numbers assigned to them by the Campbell River Museum & Archives. There are 72 original photographs in the albums.
Nine photograph albums (binders) holding 554 photographs with accompanying descriptions.
Custodial History
May Ellingsen put this collection together in the mid 1980s. She collected hundreds of old photographs from 30 donor families which were then copied and catalogued by the Campbell River Museum in 1985, with funding from the Canada Council and Canada Works. (see "Musings", a publication of the CR Museum & Archives Society, Vol. IV #1, March 1985) The Campbell River Museum made negatives and two copies of the photographs; the originals were then returned to the donor families. One copy of each photo was given to May, who arranged them in albums and added her commentary. She continued to add to the albums through the 1990s, adding 72 original photographs and more descriptions. She kept the albums in the library in the Manson's Hall and then in the Cortes Museum when it opened in 1999. The albums were officially donated to CIMAS in 2004.
Scope and Content
Series consists of nine albums (binders) holding 554 photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island, with accompanying descriptions and with additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. The majority of the photographs are copies, as indicated by the numbers assigned to them by the Campbell River Museum & Archives. There are 72 original photographs in the albums.
Item level finding aid is available for the 72 original photographs.
Copyright
The Campbell River Archives has negatives for the copied photographs in the Collection and makes prints on request for a charge according to their policy and according to the wishes of the donors. Donor/source cards were filled out by each family donating photographs and include restrictions on use in some cases. They are on file at the Campbell River Archives.
CIMAS holds the copyright on the 72 original photographs in these albums.
L to R Doug McCoy, Phillip Bergman, Ian Maclean,Gary York (?), Mr. Don McDevitt, Sheryl Matthews, Heather Maclean, Jeannie Matthews, Johnny Weiler, Sarah Weiler.
Back Row Pat McCoy.
L to R Doug McCoy, Phillip Bergman, Ian Maclean,Gary York (?), Mr. Don McDevitt, Sheryl Matthews, Heather Maclean, Jeannie Matthews, Johnny Weiler, Sarah Weiler.
Back Row Pat McCoy.
Photograph of the Whaletown Women's Institute and school children at the Whaletown school on the occasion of the presentation of a library to the school. (ID)
Seated women from right: Milly Hill, Barbara Hunt, ?
In truck: Lynn and Ann Robertson
Men: Mr. Philip Douglas, School Rep, Mr. A. Ferguson, teacher, facing the camera
Seated children: Doreen Huck, Andy Robertson behind her
Standing women: Muriel Whiting, third from right; Mrs. Ferguson behind her
Photograph of the Whaletown Women's Institute and school children at the Whaletown school on the occasion of the presentation of a library to the school. (ID)
Seated women from right: Milly Hill, Barbara Hunt, ?
In truck: Lynn and Ann Robertson
Men: Mr. Philip Douglas, School Rep, Mr. A. Ferguson, teacher, facing the camera
Seated children: Doreen Huck, Andy Robertson behind her
Standing women: Muriel Whiting, third from right; Mrs. Ferguson behind her
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.").
Slide shows (L to R): Pat McCoy, Jeannie Mathews, Brigid Weiler, Sheril Mathews, Johnny Weiler and teacher Don McDevitt; Heather and Ian Maclean are in front
Slide shows (L to R): Pat McCoy, Jeannie Mathews, Brigid Weiler, Sheril Mathews, Johnny Weiler and teacher Don McDevitt; Heather and Ian Maclean are in front
Slide shows, in the back row, L to R: Teacher Don McDevitt with his hands on the shoulders of (ID), Johnny Weiler, Sheril Mathews, Pat McCoy
Middle: Heather Maclean, Jeannie Mathews, Ian Maclean
Front: Doug McCoy, Philip Bergman, Janice Maclean, ? (ID), Sarah Weiler in pink dress, Ricky Mathews
Slide shows, in the back row, L to R: Teacher Don McDevitt with his hands on the shoulders of (ID), Johnny Weiler, Sheril Mathews, Pat McCoy
Middle: Heather Maclean, Jeannie Mathews, Ian Maclean
Front: Doug McCoy, Philip Bergman, Janice Maclean, ? (ID), Sarah Weiler in pink dress, Ricky Mathews
Photographs depict the pupils at the second Whaletown school standing beside the school. The photograph was taken by Evelyn Dow, who taught there from February 1928 to June 1929. This school was built in 1918 near the corner of Coulter Bay Road and Carrington Bay Road, and was used (with improvements) until 1950. The front, side and surroundings of the school are clearly shown.
Front row third from left is Marion Borden; Vernon Borden next to her fourth from left.
Top row, far right: Lorna Borden
(IDs by Terrill Marlow, Marion’s daughter, and Rob Borden, Vernon’s son).
Photographs are from an album created by Evelyn Dow and were donated to CIMAS by her niece, Sharon Thomas.
Scope and Content
Photographs depict the pupils at the second Whaletown school standing beside the school. The photograph was taken by Evelyn Dow, who taught there from February 1928 to June 1929. This school was built in 1918 near the corner of Coulter Bay Road and Carrington Bay Road, and was used (with improvements) until 1950. The front, side and surroundings of the school are clearly shown.
Front row third from left is Marion Borden; Vernon Borden next to her fourth from left.
Top row, far right: Lorna Borden
(IDs by Terrill Marlow, Marion’s daughter, and Rob Borden, Vernon’s son).
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.
