File consists of two ink sketches of a man fishing by Jay Nixon; a recipe for "Married Woman's Cake"; two pages about the Cortes Island Day Barbeque (1972) with lists of expenses, income from concessions, items purchased and notes for next year; and a 13 verse poem by Mabel Christensen, "Picnic", about the Cortes Island Day picnic listing many of the island attendees (1960).
Donated by Dennis Newsham and Frances Guthrie after Peggy Newsham's death.
Scope and Content
File consists of two ink sketches of a man fishing by Jay Nixon; a recipe for "Married Woman's Cake"; two pages about the Cortes Island Day Barbeque (1972) with lists of expenses, income from concessions, items purchased and notes for next year; and a 13 verse poem by Mabel Christensen, "Picnic", about the Cortes Island Day picnic listing many of the island attendees (1960).
Sous-fonds consists of records created by the Whaletown Women's Institute. It is arranged in seven series: Minutes Series, Financial Series, Administrative Records Series, Reports Series, Correspondence Series, Projects Series and Ephemera Series.
The Whaletown Women's Institute was formed in 1920 as the Friendship Circle, became a branch of the Women's Institute in 1923, and disbanded in 1963. During its years of activity, the WWI actively worked for local improvement. Projects included initiating a library service, donating books to the school, arranging for regular visits of a doctor and dentist, hosting an annual Christmas party and providing gifts for all the Whaletown children, maintaining the cemetery, fund-raising for a school playground, financing firefighting equipment and installing an emergency telephone network.
Custodial History
Records were donated to CIMAS by the Island Women's Club in 2009.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records created by the Whaletown Women's Institute. It is arranged in seven series: Minutes Series, Financial Series, Administrative Records Series, Reports Series, Correspondence Series, Projects Series and Ephemera Series.
File contains an agreement passing the responsibility for the Church Hall (at the corner of Harbour road next to the first Whaletown cemetery) from the Whaletown Community Club to the Whaletown Women's Institute. At that time, the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society turned the Gorge Hall over to the Whaletown Community Club.
File contains an agreement passing the responsibility for the Church Hall (at the corner of Harbour road next to the first Whaletown cemetery) from the Whaletown Community Club to the Whaletown Women's Institute. At that time, the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society turned the Gorge Hall over to the Whaletown Community Club.
Fonds consists of textual records generated by the Whaletown Women's Institute organized into seven series: Minutes, Financial Records, Administrative Records, Reports, Projects, Correspondence and Notes.
The Whaletown Women's Institute (WWI) began in 1920 as the Friendship Circle. In 1923 it became a branch of the Women's Institute, a community service organization for women with the goals of fostering the skills of rural women, improving their lives and works, and celebrating their achievements. During its years of activity, the WWI was very active in working for local improvement. Some of their projects included initiating a library service, donating books to the school, arranging for regular visits of a doctor and dentist, hosting an annual Christmas party and providing gifts for all the Whaletown children, maintaining the cemetery, fund-raising for a school playground, financing firefighting equipment and installing an emergency telephone network. The WWI was disbanded in 1963.
Custodial History
These records of the Whaletown Women's Institute were held by Gilean Douglas, a past officer in the WWI and author of a history of the Women's Institutes in Canada. Upon her death, they went into the possession of her literary executer, Gillian Milton, who turned them over to the Cortes Island Women's Institute. They were subsequently returned to her custody, and donated to CIMAS.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records generated by the Whaletown Women's Institute organized into seven series: Minutes, Financial Records, Administrative Records, Reports, Projects, Correspondence and Notes.
Series consists of publicity articles written by Douglas for the Women's Institute during her term as Publicity Convener, and reports, speeches and notes from her activities on the provincial and national boards.
Series consists of publicity articles written by Douglas for the Women's Institute during her term as Publicity Convener, and reports, speeches and notes from her activities on the provincial and national boards.
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Island Women's Club. It is arranged in six series: Financial, Administrative, Correspondence, Projects, Ephemera and Artifact.
he Island Women's Club was founded 2000, when the members of the Cortes Island Women's Institute withdrew from the British Columbia Women's Institute; it disbanded in 2016.
Custodial History
Records of the Island Women's Club were donated to CIMAS in 2018 by the last secretary of the organization, Callie Waddell.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Island Women's Club. It is arranged in six series: Financial, Administrative, Correspondence, Projects, Ephemera and Artifact.
This fonds comprises records of four Cortes Island women's service organizations, including minutes, financial records, administrative records, correspondence, photographs, ephemera and artifacts. It is arranged in four sous-fonds according to the creator of the records: Whaletown Women's Institute (2009.001.1); Whaletown Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church (2009.001.2); Cortes Island Women's Institute (2009.001.3); and Island Women's Club (2009.001.3). Related material in CIMAS archives may be found in the Whaletown Women's Institute fonds (1999.002), the Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001), and the May and Elmer Ellingsen fonds (2007.001).
The Island Women's Club was formed in 2000, when the members of the Cortes Island Women's Institute withdrew from the British Columbia Women's Institute in order to focus their efforts locally. It was the successor to previous women's service organizations on Cortes, local branches of the Women's Institute and the Anglican Church Women's Auxiliary. Activities included awarding bursaries to graduating high school students, contributing to school projects such as printing yearbooks, sponsoring sports teams and building playground equipment, supporting the community halls and organizing memorial teas on behalf of bereaved families. They disbanded in 2016.
Custodial History
After they disbanded, records of the Whaletown Women's Institute and the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary passed into the hands of the Cortes Island Women's Institute and its successor, Island Women's Club, who donated them to CIMAS in 2009. The organizational records created by the Island Women's Club were donated to CIMAS in 2018.
Scope and Content
This fonds comprises records of four Cortes Island women's service organizations, including minutes, financial records, administrative records, correspondence, photographs, ephemera and artifacts. It is arranged in four sous-fonds according to the creator of the records: Whaletown Women's Institute (2009.001.1); Whaletown Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church (2009.001.2); Cortes Island Women's Institute (2009.001.3); and Island Women's Club (2009.001.3). Related material in CIMAS archives may be found in the Whaletown Women's Institute fonds (1999.002), the Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001), and the May and Elmer Ellingsen fonds (2007.001).
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Cortes Island Women's Institute. It is arranged in nine series: Minutes, Reports, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera, Photographs and Artifacts.
The Cortes Island Women's institute was formed in 1984. Although Cortes Island had historically been difficult to traverse, and the communities consequently insular, by the 1980s the road systems were such that "a Women's Institute for the whole of Cortes Island" seemed to make sense.
CIWI was founded with the bank balance of a Manson's Landing service group called the Ladies Guild, which was founded in the 1940s. When membership and activity in the guild declined in the 1970s, the focus was shifted to a renovation and addition to Manson's Hall. Once the Hall had been sufficiently updated, it was thought that the remaining funds might be put to use "creating an instrument for better communication between all our women and a chance to work together in the community".
Charter members of the CIWI were Heather Berry, Peggy Newsham, Maryann McCoy, Linda Hendricks, and Mary Block.
Custodial History
Records were donated to CIMAS by the Island Women's Club in 2009.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Cortes Island Women's Institute. It is arranged in nine series: Minutes, Reports, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera, Photographs and Artifacts.
Fonds consists of a minute book and an accounts book of the Whaletown Church Hall Building Fund Committee, documents written by Canon Alan Greene setting out the history, responsibility and terms of use for the Church Hall, and a cover letter for the Certificate of Title from the Land Registry Office.
In 1919, the settlers of Whaletown decided to raise the funds necessary to erect a combined church and hall, to be used for both secular and religious purposes. The new building was attached to the first Whaletown school building, which was then used as a kitchen and dressing room. At this time, the parcel of land on which the school stood, at the corner of present-day Carrington Bay and Harbour Rd. in Whaletown, was deeded to the Diocese of Columbia by Mrs. Alice Robertson, and part of the property was set aside for a cemetery.
After a church was built in Whaletown in 1950, the Church Hall continued to be used for social events. In 1952 the Whaletown Community Club took over responsibility for the Gorge Hall, which then replaced the Church Hall as the main venue for weddings, dances, meetings and parties for both the Whaletown and Gorge Harbour communities. In 1953, the Whaletown Women's Institute signed agreements with both the Whaletown Community Club and the Columbia Coast Mission to assume responsibility for the use and upkeep of the Church Hall and cemetery. The Church Hall was used for a few more years. It was decommissioned in about 1957 and later dismantled.
Custodial History
Canon Alan Greene of the Columbia Coast Mission was involved in the project to build a new Church Hall, and wrote the document setting forth its history and terms of use; envelopes indicate the material was in his possession. Found in a box on the archives shelves; provenance unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a minute book and an accounts book of the Whaletown Church Hall Building Fund Committee, documents written by Canon Alan Greene setting out the history, responsibility and terms of use for the Church Hall, and a cover letter for the Certificate of Title from the Land Registry Office.
1999.002 Whaletown Women's Institute fonds
2003.003 Whaletown Community Club fonds
2009.001 Island Women's Club fonds
2011.001 Dorothy Huck Whalley fonds
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary. It is arranged in seven series: Minutes, Administrative Records, Financial, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera and Artifacts. See also Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001) for related material.
The Whaletown Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church (ca. 1949 - 1974) was a group which provided support for the the Columbia Coast Mission and the Anglican Church. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and the church of St. John the Baptist, which opened on August 13, 1950. Mission properties on Cortes Island were transferred to the Diocese in 1967.
Custodial History
Records were donated to CIMAS by the Island Women's Club in 2009.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary. It is arranged in seven series: Minutes, Administrative Records, Financial, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera and Artifacts. See also Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001) for related material.
Fonds consists of the records of the Whaletown Community Club from 1951 to 2016. The first accession (2003.003) consists of records from 1951 to 1985 and includes minutes of general and executive meetings, correspondence, administrative records including the original constitution and bylaws, financial records and reports on projects and functions sponsored by the organization. Files from Accession 2003.003 are described in five series: 1) Minutes; 2) Correspondence; 3) Financial; 4) Administrative Records; 5) Subject Files.
Accruals in 2017 (#2017.009) and in 2023 (#2023.008) comprise records of the Whaletown Community Club from 1985 to 2018, including minutes of executive and general meetings, financial statements, correspondence, and records of projects and programs. The material was kept in binders; it has been placed in folders maintaining original order, and described using the above five series.
The beginning of the Whaletown Community Club is unclear as almost all the Club's records were destroyed in a fire in 1950; the earliest records still existing date from 1948. (See Gilean Douglas fonds, Series 8). The WCC became a registered society in 1953 when the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society disbanded and turned ownership of the Gorge Hall over to the Whaletown Community Club.
The activities of the Club are carried on chiefly within the Whaletown postal area, and are intended to promote the interests of the community in matters of general welfare, to sponsor recreational and sports activities, and to hold land and premises necessary for Club activities. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the Club was a channel through which Whaletown residents organized health and educational services and lobbied for better roads, hydro and ferry service, as well as sponsoring social events. From 1978 until 2010 it sponsored the Whaletown National Enquirer, a monthly community newspaper.
A main function of the Whaletown Community Club is the maintenance of the Gorge Harbour Community Hall. Originally built in 1933, it has been renovated several times and serves as the main venue for community functions in the Whaletown area. Until 1953, when the lease was turned over to the Whaletown Women's Institute, the Club maintained the Church Hall, which was owned by the Columbia Coast Mission and stood at the corner of Carrington Bay and Harbour roads. Before 1958 the Club held most of its meetings in the Church Hall.
Since 1958, when the Whaletown Women's Institute disbanded, the WCC has maintained the library in Whaletown (originally the Farmer's Institute building; now the Louisa Tooker Library) and the old and new Whaletown cemeteries. The Anglican Diocese transferred the title of the two Whaletown cemeteries to the WCC in 2012. In 1964 they acquired the lease for the last remaining piece of Crown land with access to Gorge Harbour, to preserve it as a park. They have leased the former Whaletown school property from the School Board since the school was closed in 1973, and purchased the schoolhouse for the sum of $1.00 in 2010.
Custodial History
Records were acquired directly from the Whaletown Community Club in 2003 (Accession 2003.003), 2017 (Accession 2017.009) and 2023 (Accession 2023.008). A few records were separated from the Cortes Island Ratepayers Assn. fonds in 2004 (records for both organizations had been kept in the same filing cabinet in the Gorge Hall).
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Whaletown Community Club from 1951 to 2016. The first accession (2003.003) consists of records from 1951 to 1985 and includes minutes of general and executive meetings, correspondence, administrative records including the original constitution and bylaws, financial records and reports on projects and functions sponsored by the organization. Files from Accession 2003.003 are described in five series: 1) Minutes; 2) Correspondence; 3) Financial; 4) Administrative Records; 5) Subject Files.
Accruals in 2017 (#2017.009) and in 2023 (#2023.008) comprise records of the Whaletown Community Club from 1985 to 2018, including minutes of executive and general meetings, financial statements, correspondence, and records of projects and programs. The material was kept in binders; it has been placed in folders maintaining original order, and described using the above five series.
Fonds consists of records of the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society, including minutes of meetings, financial statements and administrative records and correspondence. It is arranged into five series: Minutes, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence and Programs.
The Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society was formed in 1930, when residents decided to build a community hall. The young people of the area formed the Gorge Harbour Dramatic Society and put on plays and dances to raise funds. The Hall was built on land donated by George Beattie. Volunteers split shakes for the roof and did all the building, with Charlie Allen as supervisor and Bill Ballantyne as work boss. The Hall opened on Nov. 11, 1933, with an Armistice dance.
The Gorge Harbour Hall Society disbanded in 1952 and handed responsibility for the Gorge Hall over to the Whaletown Community Club. From this time, the Gorge Hall replaced the Church Hall as the main venue for weddings, dances, meetings and parties for both the Whaletown and Gorge Harbour communities.
Custodial History
Records of the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society were turned over to CIMAS by Gillian Milton, who collected them from the home of Gilean Douglas in 1993. Douglas' husband, Philip Major Douglas, was president of the Whaletown Community Club when it took over the Gorge Harbour Community Hall and presumably had the records in his possession at that time.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records of the Gorge Harbour Community Hall Society, including minutes of meetings, financial statements and administrative records and correspondence. It is arranged into five series: Minutes, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence and Programs.
This series contains records pertaining to the administration of the Whaletown Community Club including the constitution and bylaws, an agreement with the Whaletown Women's Institute, tax and insurance records, lease agreements, membership records and reports of finances and activities filed with the provincial government.
This series contains records pertaining to the administration of the Whaletown Community Club including the constitution and bylaws, an agreement with the Whaletown Women's Institute, tax and insurance records, lease agreements, membership records and reports of finances and activities filed with the provincial government.
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.
Photograph of Pauline Middleton, holding a fishing rod, with Verna Munro standing beside her at the edge of Delight Lake. The far shore of the small lake is clear in the background.
Photograph of Pauline Middleton, holding a fishing rod, with Verna Munro standing beside her at the edge of Delight Lake. The far shore of the small lake is clear in the background.
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).
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
