Fonds consists of photographs of Cortes Island people and events, and one file of textual records, which includes a 13 verse poem by Mabel Christensen, "Picnic", about Cortes Island Day.
Peggy Newsham (1907-1999) was born in Belfast, Ireland. At the age of 16, she emigrated to Vancouver, Canada. In 1937, Peggy met Doll (Jeffery) Hansen and together they traveled on the Union Steamship to Cortes Island. She worked for Alice Robertson at Burnside in Whaletown, helping with the gardening, livestock and household chores. Peggy moved to Manson's Landing in the late 1960s, where she was active in the Community Club and took part in many social activities. She was crowned "Queen of Cortes" by acclamation at Cortes Day in 1979. There is a memorial to Peggy in the garden of the Cortes Island Museum.
Custodial History
Donated by Dennis Newsham and Frances Guthrie.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of Cortes Island people and events, and one file of textual records, which includes a 13 verse poem by Mabel Christensen, "Picnic", about Cortes Island Day.
Photograph of Eddie Huck, Andy Robertson and Dennis Newsham, probably at Channel Rock while working on the Whaletown Women's Institute telephone line (see Gilean Douglas' Christmas letter for 1959).
Photograph of Eddie Huck, Andy Robertson and Dennis Newsham, probably at Channel Rock while working on the Whaletown Women's Institute telephone line (see Gilean Douglas' Christmas letter for 1959).
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing on the stairs of her home on Twin Islands with a gun and the geese shot by James A. Nixon. Capt. James A. Nixon's father, Rev. Harpur C. Nixon bought the property and paid for the building of the house.
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing on the stairs of her home on Twin Islands with a gun and the geese shot by James A. Nixon. Capt. James A. Nixon's father, Rev. Harpur C. Nixon bought the property and paid for the building of the house.
Photograph of Gilean Douglas (second from left) holding a rifle and three men (two with guns and one holding an unidentified animal upside down), standing in front of a log building at Limberlost.
Photograph of Gilean Douglas (second from left) holding a rifle and three men (two with guns and one holding an unidentified animal upside down), standing in front of a log building at Limberlost.
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing with her husband's rifle and a dead buck. "This is a pose only. Her husband shot the deer. They lived alone on Twin Islands and picture taking was a pleasant pastime. She was two years older than her husband's mother. They were very happy and a very fine couple. She was an English-trained nurse for missionary work. Married a missionary doctor. They went to India where the doctor died of fever so she left. Eventually came to Canada where she met and married Capt. James Nixon. Note the scar on her left cheek. While in India an insect went up her nose. It burrowed into the bone and the doctors were never able to effect a cure- it eventually reached the area of the brain. She had to undergo an operation and did not survive the operation. Her husband was desolated." (May Ellingsen).
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing with her husband's rifle and a dead buck. "This is a pose only. Her husband shot the deer. They lived alone on Twin Islands and picture taking was a pleasant pastime. She was two years older than her husband's mother. They were very happy and a very fine couple. She was an English-trained nurse for missionary work. Married a missionary doctor. They went to India where the doctor died of fever so she left. Eventually came to Canada where she met and married Capt. James Nixon. Note the scar on her left cheek. While in India an insect went up her nose. It burrowed into the bone and the doctors were never able to effect a cure- it eventually reached the area of the brain. She had to undergo an operation and did not survive the operation. Her husband was desolated." (May Ellingsen).
