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).
Series consists of cassette tapes of interviews with residents of Cortes Island and nearby islands, of recordings of events which occurred on the island, and of musical performances by island artists and groups. Twenty-six of the tapes are interviews about the history of the island and early settler families done by Oonagh O'Connor for the Cortes Island Seniors' Building Society in 1995. Other interviews were recorded by museum volunteers gathering information for exhibits.
In 2017 the 54 cassette tapes in the collection at that time (along with 21 cassette tapes from Fonds # 2007.001: May and Elmer Ellingsen, 1 VHS tape and 1 mini-DVD) were digitized with a $1,000 grant from the Terry Reksten Memorial Fund, administered by Friends of the BC Archives. There are three components to each item: the original cassette tape, an electronic .wav file preservation master made from the original tape, and an .mp3 access file. The electronic files are stored on archival quality CDs as well as on a dedicated hard drive and the .mp3 files are available on the Museum and the Archives computers.
Series consists of cassette tapes of interviews with residents of Cortes Island and nearby islands, of recordings of events which occurred on the island, and of musical performances by island artists and groups. Twenty-six of the tapes are interviews about the history of the island and early settler families done by Oonagh O'Connor for the Cortes Island Seniors' Building Society in 1995. Other interviews were recorded by museum volunteers gathering information for exhibits.
In 2017 the 54 cassette tapes in the collection at that time (along with 21 cassette tapes from Fonds # 2007.001: May and Elmer Ellingsen, 1 VHS tape and 1 mini-DVD) were digitized with a $1,000 grant from the Terry Reksten Memorial Fund, administered by Friends of the BC Archives. There are three components to each item: the original cassette tape, an electronic .wav file preservation master made from the original tape, and an .mp3 access file. The electronic files are stored on archival quality CDs as well as on a dedicated hard drive and the .mp3 files are available on the Museum and the Archives computers.
Storage Location
Cassette tape boxes 1 and 2
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Related Material
2007.001 - May and Elmer Ellingsen fonds
2009.001 - Island Women's Club
"Mr. Hague in his row boat on Hague Lake. He was very fond of fishing. His boat house is on shore just right of centre of picture." (from May Ellingsen Historic Photographs: Album 2, p. 20) (Also in collection as 2007.001.722; digitized)
"Mr. Hague in his row boat on Hague Lake. He was very fond of fishing. His boat house is on shore just right of centre of picture." (from May Ellingsen Historic Photographs: Album 2, p. 20) (Also in collection as 2007.001.722; digitized)
"This shows the main road between Hague Lake and the Hague home property. Walking along the road are Mabel Lowe (L) and grandmother Mrs. Hague. The road had just been put in where there was only a trail before." (from May Ellingsen Historic Photographs: Album 2, p. 17) (Also in collection as 2007.001.723; digitized.)
"This shows the main road between Hague Lake and the Hague home property. Walking along the road are Mabel Lowe (L) and grandmother Mrs. Hague. The road had just been put in where there was only a trail before." (from May Ellingsen Historic Photographs: Album 2, p. 17) (Also in collection as 2007.001.723; digitized.)
Back, L to R: Mrs. J. Nixon, Mrs. R. McLennan, Mrs. Margaret Manson
Middle, L to R: Rose Manson, Anna Manson, Mrs. H. Hague
Front, L to R: Mabel Lowe, Nicol Manson, Eleanor Hague, Jack Manson
Description taken from May Elllingsen Historic Photograph Album p. 75. Although identified on the back as "taken at John Manson's farm", this was taken at the Nixon home on Twin Island.
Back, L to R: Mrs. J. Nixon, Mrs. R. McLennan, Mrs. Margaret Manson
Middle, L to R: Rose Manson, Anna Manson, Mrs. H. Hague
Front, L to R: Mabel Lowe, Nicol Manson, Eleanor Hague, Jack Manson
Description taken from May Elllingsen Historic Photograph Album p. 75. Although identified on the back as "taken at John Manson's farm", this was taken at the Nixon home on Twin Island.
Back of photo reads "Frank Heay. Grannie Hague's brother. Born Nebraska, died Vanc BC. Lived on Gambier Island." And also; "William Alexander Lowe, b. Dumfarline Mar 2, 1864, died London April 21, 1911."
Back of photo reads "Frank Heay. Grannie Hague's brother. Born Nebraska, died Vanc BC. Lived on Gambier Island." And also; "William Alexander Lowe, b. Dumfarline Mar 2, 1864, died London April 21, 1911."
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: Cedar DeTrey, Mike ?, John Shook
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: Cedar DeTrey, Mike ?, John Shook
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: John Shook, Justin Stirn, Pierre DeTrey, Kiyoshi Kosky, Cedar DeTrey.
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: John Shook, Justin Stirn, Pierre DeTrey, Kiyoshi Kosky, Cedar DeTrey.
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: Kiyoshi Kosky, Pierre DeTrey, Cedar DeTrey
One of a series of photographs of volunteers removing the remains of shacks at Carrington Bay when Carrington Bay Marine Park was established.
L to R: Kiyoshi Kosky, Pierre DeTrey, Cedar DeTrey
Dr. Dale Anderson's Marine Dental Clinic provided dental services for Cortes Island and nearby islands from 1995 - 2020. The dental office was originally in this sailboat and then moved into the float house clinic at the Whaletown dock (seen at the bottom of the ramp).
Dr. Dale Anderson's Marine Dental Clinic provided dental services for Cortes Island and nearby islands from 1995 - 2020. The dental office was originally in this sailboat and then moved into the float house clinic at the Whaletown dock (seen at the bottom of the ramp).
One of a series of 20 photographs documenting the move of the old Manson's Landing store from its position by the wharf in Mansons Landing Provincial Park to the present Museum site on Beasley Rd. The photographs are from an envelope labelled "Moving Museum, Dec. 1995. Moved by Able Transport. Paid for by Elmer and May Ellingsen."
Found in Information Files folder (Cortes Island Museum & Archives info"), Jan. 2021
Scope and Content
One of a series of 20 photographs documenting the move of the old Manson's Landing store from its position by the wharf in Mansons Landing Provincial Park to the present Museum site on Beasley Rd. The photographs are from an envelope labelled "Moving Museum, Dec. 1995. Moved by Able Transport. Paid for by Elmer and May Ellingsen."
