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.
This fonds contains textual records, photographs and other archival material relating to the history and functions of the Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society. It includes material created for exhibits and research on Cortes social and natural history.
This fonds contains textual records, photographs and other archival material relating to the history and functions of the Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society. It includes material created for exhibits and research on Cortes social and natural history.
Sous-fonds consists of materials generated or gathered by George Sirk during his term as Regional Director. It includes correspondence; minutes and reports of the Cortes Island Advisory Planning Commission (APC); Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw revision materials; records of foreshore leases and licenses; correspondence on various island issues, and material relating to parks, aquaculture, forestry, treaty negotiations and other island concerns. Sous-fonds is arranged into six series: Advisory Planning Commission; Community Plans and Bylaws; Regional District of Comox-Strathcona: Regional Board; Regional District of Comox-Strathcona: Committees; Rezoning and Development Proposals; Subject Files: Cortes Affairs; Aquaculture; and Treaty Negotiations.
George Sirk was elected Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) in the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona in 1996. He served three terms as Director, from 1996 to 2005.
Custodial History
Material was donated to CIMAS by George Sirk in 2004, prior to his move from Cortes Island to Victoria, BC.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of materials generated or gathered by George Sirk during his term as Regional Director. It includes correspondence; minutes and reports of the Cortes Island Advisory Planning Commission (APC); Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw revision materials; records of foreshore leases and licenses; correspondence on various island issues, and material relating to parks, aquaculture, forestry, treaty negotiations and other island concerns. Sous-fonds is arranged into six series: Advisory Planning Commission; Community Plans and Bylaws; Regional District of Comox-Strathcona: Regional Board; Regional District of Comox-Strathcona: Committees; Rezoning and Development Proposals; Subject Files: Cortes Affairs; Aquaculture; and Treaty Negotiations.
DVD with footage shot by George Sirk of Carlberg General Merchants before it closed in May, 1987.
Copyright George Sirk; to be used for display and research purposes only.
Copied from George Sirk's VHS tapes with his permission to use the contents for display and research purposes.
Scope and Content
DVD with footage shot by George Sirk of Carlberg General Merchants before it closed in May, 1987.
Copyright George Sirk; to be used for display and research purposes only.
Mark Appleyard makes an oar as Emily looks on. Wendy Knudsen, Mark & Emily lived aboard the sailboat Cytherea. Zuk’s boat Devotion in background (Whaletown dock)
File contains scanned copies of photographs donated by Jim Palmer for the Carrington Bay exhibit in 2009, depicting the community living in Carrington Bay in the 1970s and 1980s.
Jim Palmer and Jan Gemmel lived in a house on the west side of the log jam between Carrington Lagoon and Carrington Bay. Jim built the house at the property of John and Anna Gregg in Manson's Landing and relocated it onto pilings in Carrington Bay. Jim and Jan later fabricated steel pontoons for it. In 1985 the house was moved onto the floats and towed into Gorge Harbour by Bob Thompson with his boat "Sutil Chief".
File contains scanned copies of photographs donated by Jim Palmer for the Carrington Bay exhibit in 2009, depicting the community living in Carrington Bay in the 1970s and 1980s.
Jim Palmer and Jan Gemmel lived in a house on the west side of the log jam between Carrington Lagoon and Carrington Bay. Jim built the house at the property of John and Anna Gregg in Manson's Landing and relocated it onto pilings in Carrington Bay. Jim and Jan later fabricated steel pontoons for it. In 1985 the house was moved onto the floats and towed into Gorge Harbour by Bob Thompson with his boat "Sutil Chief".
