Series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence generated during Douglas's residence on Cortes (1949-1993) and covering subjects of primarily local interest. Before the advent of telephone service in 1968, island residents communicated extensively through the Post Office, and much of this correspondence consists of notes and letters from Douglas's neighbours. Subjects covered include daily life, community activities, B.C. and Cortes Island history and Douglas's health concerns.
Series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence generated during Douglas's residence on Cortes (1949-1993) and covering subjects of primarily local interest. Before the advent of telephone service in 1968, island residents communicated extensively through the Post Office, and much of this correspondence consists of notes and letters from Douglas's neighbours. Subjects covered include daily life, community activities, B.C. and Cortes Island history and Douglas's health concerns.
Photograph of a First Aid class taught by Mary Weiler in the Whaletown clinic. Amy McKenzie is bending over a "patient"; Diane Hansen is at far left, with other women seated along the wall.
Photograph of a First Aid class taught by Mary Weiler in the Whaletown clinic. Amy McKenzie is bending over a "patient"; Diane Hansen is at far left, with other women seated along the wall.
Photograph of a First Aid class taught by Mary Weiler; there are two beds with "patients" being attended by women. Hazel McCoy and Diane Hansen are seated far left; other women are seated along the walls.
Photograph of a First Aid class taught by Mary Weiler; there are two beds with "patients" being attended by women. Hazel McCoy and Diane Hansen are seated far left; other women are seated along the walls.
File contains two letters, written in pencil, to "Mother and Dad" by "Freddie" (surname unknown) on July 9, 1942 (7 pages) and July 13, 1942 (5 pages). Freddie was aboard the mission ship "John Antle", based in Whaletown with Canon Alan Greene, and writes of his experiences as part of the mission patrol. Places visited include Redonda Bay, Alert Bay, Rock Bay, Surge Narrows and Cortes Island settlements.
Donated by Bill Bartlett, of the Gerald Wellburn Philatelic Foundation, Victoria BC, in 2021. The letters were part of a stamp collection given to the Foundation. Bartlett recognized the connection to Cortes Island and mailed the letters to the Museum.
Scope and Content
File contains two letters, written in pencil, to "Mother and Dad" by "Freddie" (surname unknown) on July 9, 1942 (7 pages) and July 13, 1942 (5 pages). Freddie was aboard the mission ship "John Antle", based in Whaletown with Canon Alan Greene, and writes of his experiences as part of the mission patrol. Places visited include Redonda Bay, Alert Bay, Rock Bay, Surge Narrows and Cortes Island settlements.
File includes correspondence with Telus about the loss of telephone service, and resultant loss of access to emergency services, during a power outage; and a petition to Telus to solve the problem, signed by 242 island residents.
File includes correspondence with Telus about the loss of telephone service, and resultant loss of access to emergency services, during a power outage; and a petition to Telus to solve the problem, signed by 242 island residents.
Fonds consists of ten diaries kept by James Layton, covering the years 1948-1981, and a Time Book. (Years 1967-1971 are missing.) Layton made brief daily entries in the diaries, noting the weather, activities, social interactions and, occasionally, notable external events. Typical activities included logging, fishing, working on an oyster lease, digging clams, gardening, visiting, reading and writing letters. Times of planting and harvesting the garden, sightings of wildlife, and names of people living nearby or visiting on boats are recorded.
James (Jimmy) George Layton (1897-1990) was born in Camberwell, England. He fought in World War I, was severely wounded when he flung himself on a grenade which had landed in his foxhole, and received a medal for his bravery. In 1920, Layton emigrated to Canada, where he found work in coastal logging camps. Other members of the family, including his parents and seven of his ten siblings, also moved to Canada. At the time of his father's death in 1939, Layton, his parents and three of his brothers were living on Thurlow Island. In the 1940s he moved to the head of Von Donop Inlet on Cortes Island. His float house was drawn up on the beach next to a little islet that was joined to the shore at low tide, where he cultivated a garden and orchard. Layton found work logging and caretaking for local camps active in Von Donop, and helping his brother on his oyster lease. He moved to Lund in 1972, where he passed away at the age of 92.
Custodial History
Diaries were given to Joan Bevington by her cousin Capt. Harrison Layton, the nephew of James Layton, for donation to CIMAS.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of ten diaries kept by James Layton, covering the years 1948-1981, and a Time Book. (Years 1967-1971 are missing.) Layton made brief daily entries in the diaries, noting the weather, activities, social interactions and, occasionally, notable external events. Typical activities included logging, fishing, working on an oyster lease, digging clams, gardening, visiting, reading and writing letters. Times of planting and harvesting the garden, sightings of wildlife, and names of people living nearby or visiting on boats are recorded.
File consists of a green leather-bound locking diary, 4.5 x 6 x 1 inches in size. The entry for each day contains a brief description of the weather and the day's activities, which typically include logging, fishing, harvesting clams and oysters, gardening and visiting.
File consists of a green leather-bound locking diary, 4.5 x 6 x 1 inches in size. The entry for each day contains a brief description of the weather and the day's activities, which typically include logging, fishing, harvesting clams and oysters, gardening and visiting.
File consists of a diary with green covers, "Collins Pocket Diary", published in London & Glasgow. The entry for each day contains a description of the weather and the day's activities, which typically include logging, fishing, harvesting clams and oysters, gardening and visiting.
File consists of a diary with green covers, "Collins Pocket Diary", published in London & Glasgow. The entry for each day contains a description of the weather and the day's activities, which typically include logging, fishing, harvesting clams and oysters, gardening and visiting.
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.