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).
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "Chickens are a large source of entertainment, remakable pets with personalities, and they give us eggs. But when it came to dinner time, they were sadly the main guest of honour. George wanted to immortalize, and thus keep his chickens alive forever. This film does just that. On 16mm, shot at George and Lauren Hay's homestead on Seascape Rd."
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "Chickens are a large source of entertainment, remakable pets with personalities, and they give us eggs. But when it came to dinner time, they were sadly the main guest of honour. George wanted to immortalize, and thus keep his chickens alive forever. This film does just that. On 16mm, shot at George and Lauren Hay's homestead on Seascape Rd."
In the realm of "home movies", the film contains vignettes of Cortes island life including Aislinn Sirk and Mayan Wooley bathing a remarkably patient cat and Jim Palmer using an Alaska mill.
Digitized by Doug McCaffry, ScanLab, 2022
In the realm of "home movies", the film contains vignettes of Cortes island life including Aislinn Sirk and Mayan Wooley bathing a remarkably patient cat and Jim Palmer using an Alaska mill.
Digitized by Doug McCaffry, ScanLab, 2022
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In the 70s many bathtubs were outside and heated by wood fires. This amusing (and smoky!), satisfying way of having a nice long bath, in the great outdoors, inspired making this short on 16mm film. There was a twist to the scenario of course. Why not make soup while having a bath? Shot at John and Anna Gregg's home on Beasley Road. Cast: George /Cinematography : Anna Sirk ??"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In the 70s many bathtubs were outside and heated by wood fires. This amusing (and smoky!), satisfying way of having a nice long bath, in the great outdoors, inspired making this short on 16mm film. There was a twist to the scenario of course. Why not make soup while having a bath? Shot at John and Anna Gregg's home on Beasley Road. Cast: George /Cinematography : Anna Sirk ??"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "This extravaganza marked the peak of Cortes Cinema's (CC) exploits in madness. Inspired by Saturday being the day that Cortes's gravel roads were littered in paper garbage (it flew off the dump truck). The script was a collaboration of some of the most unstable minds at CC's arsenal. The plot is, like the scriptwriters' minds, simple, but the late Al Murray's acting as the Lone Ranger left eceryone in the dust. The film is a tribute to Al, the funniest man that stepped in front of the CC's lens. Shot on Super 8 on location at the Cortes Island Dump."
Cast: Al Murray, Pierre & Wendy deTrey, Jean Fontaine, Jim Palmer, Isolde Ruthenberg
Cameos: Gary Bergman, the Reverand Rollo Boas, Wlmer Ellingsen, Jo-Ann Green, Peggy (the Queen of Cortes) Newsham, George Sirk
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "This extravaganza marked the peak of Cortes Cinema's (CC) exploits in madness. Inspired by Saturday being the day that Cortes's gravel roads were littered in paper garbage (it flew off the dump truck). The script was a collaboration of some of the most unstable minds at CC's arsenal. The plot is, like the scriptwriters' minds, simple, but the late Al Murray's acting as the Lone Ranger left eceryone in the dust. The film is a tribute to Al, the funniest man that stepped in front of the CC's lens. Shot on Super 8 on location at the Cortes Island Dump."
Cast: Al Murray, Pierre & Wendy deTrey, Jean Fontaine, Jim Palmer, Isolde Ruthenberg
Cameos: Gary Bergman, the Reverand Rollo Boas, Wlmer Ellingsen, Jo-Ann Green, Peggy (the Queen of Cortes) Newsham, George Sirk
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In this documentary a rag-tag team of Cortes wreckers demolish a giant warehouse in James Bay, Victoria. The remove 100-year old maple flooring, which is bound for Cortes, while the building falls down around them. They have to get the flooring out before the bulldozers arrive! Shot on 16 mm film."
Cast: Pierre deTrey, Stephen Foster, Al Murray, John Wasyliw
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In this documentary a rag-tag team of Cortes wreckers demolish a giant warehouse in James Bay, Victoria. The remove 100-year old maple flooring, which is bound for Cortes, while the building falls down around them. They have to get the flooring out before the bulldozers arrive! Shot on 16 mm film."
Cast: Pierre deTrey, Stephen Foster, Al Murray, John Wasyliw
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "A play on the work "divot" - "a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke." The golfer who does this, according to George, is a "divotee" and this silly game needed a large dose of extra silliness doused on it. The attempt to just shoot one hole takes George and his caddy more on a cross-country steeplechase that a casual day on the course. Puns abound and the Voice of Doom, played by John Gregg, gets it in the end Watch for it! Shot at Gorge Harbour on 16mm."
Cast: Jon Gregg, Leon, George and a horse
Stagehand/Props: Jim Palmer
Cinematography: John Gregg
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "A play on the work "divot" - "a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke." The golfer who does this, according to George, is a "divotee" and this silly game needed a large dose of extra silliness doused on it. The attempt to just shoot one hole takes George and his caddy more on a cross-country steeplechase that a casual day on the course. Puns abound and the Voice of Doom, played by John Gregg, gets it in the end Watch for it! Shot at Gorge Harbour on 16mm."
Cast: Jon Gregg, Leon, George and a horse
Stagehand/Props: Jim Palmer
Cinematography: John Gregg
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "When Linnaea was established, Robert Cabot commissioned Cortes Cinema to produce a film abot the Turtle Island Land Steward Society. The day-to-day life of the farm is documented as is the Hansen's move across the road to their new property. Ken, Hazel and Flo (Hazel's mom) are all in the film helping to clear land on yet another farm! Using Bear Air (Barry Miles), aerial footage of the farm and the island is also in the film. A gliimpse into the past. With sound and narration. On 16mm.
Music: Glen Dias / Narration: Peter Gibson
Cast: Thousands of cows!"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "When Linnaea was established, Robert Cabot commissioned Cortes Cinema to produce a film abot the Turtle Island Land Steward Society. The day-to-day life of the farm is documented as is the Hansen's move across the road to their new property. Ken, Hazel and Flo (Hazel's mom) are all in the film helping to clear land on yet another farm! Using Bear Air (Barry Miles), aerial footage of the farm and the island is also in the film. A gliimpse into the past. With sound and narration. On 16mm.
Music: Glen Dias / Narration: Peter Gibson
Cast: Thousands of cows!"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The diverse history of life on yet another island, Papua New Guinea, is revealed in this 40 minute feature documentary. Often wrongly portrayed as "primitive," George attempts to show that the Papuans are indeed modern in their culture and innovation as successfully brought them to the present. This documentary was shot in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea, in 1981. A hunting expedition is followed by rare candid footage of a celebratory "Sing-Sing". Permission to film these timeless momnts was acquired and gratefully acknowledged. Shot on Super 8 film with the assistance and perseverance of Isolde Rutheberg."
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The diverse history of life on yet another island, Papua New Guinea, is revealed in this 40 minute feature documentary. Often wrongly portrayed as "primitive," George attempts to show that the Papuans are indeed modern in their culture and innovation as successfully brought them to the present. This documentary was shot in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea, in 1981. A hunting expedition is followed by rare candid footage of a celebratory "Sing-Sing". Permission to film these timeless momnts was acquired and gratefully acknowledged. Shot on Super 8 film with the assistance and perseverance of Isolde Rutheberg."
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The Cortes Hippy Gen of the 70s were, amongst many odd things, frugulous. Homes were never done on credit, one just built with whatever one could find or demolish. "Scoring" was a good thing, the term "recycling" was not yet in the mainstream vernacular. Adaptability, innovation and just plain dumb luck helped to preserve this culture from going extinct. Named after a famed hallucinogen, the film was a victim of accidental deterioration; dyes melted and images appear distorted; a vitreous detachment from reality. The Hippy Gen in a nutshell. Shot on Super 8 / Cast of Hippies"
Scenes and people include: Jim Palmer (in boat), Alex Nichol (with windmill), Alex, George, Jim Palmer, Izzy ?? moving building materials across the Gorge and up to the building site, ??? constructing George & Izzy's cabin, George Sirk in boat, ?? throwing a fish which an eagle swoops down on, Jean Fontaine wrangling logs in the water.
1 moving image : 13 minutes ; with background music
Scope and Content
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The Cortes Hippy Gen of the 70s were, amongst many odd things, frugulous. Homes were never done on credit, one just built with whatever one could find or demolish. "Scoring" was a good thing, the term "recycling" was not yet in the mainstream vernacular. Adaptability, innovation and just plain dumb luck helped to preserve this culture from going extinct. Named after a famed hallucinogen, the film was a victim of accidental deterioration; dyes melted and images appear distorted; a vitreous detachment from reality. The Hippy Gen in a nutshell. Shot on Super 8 / Cast of Hippies"
Scenes and people include: Jim Palmer (in boat), Alex Nichol (with windmill), Alex, George, Jim Palmer, Izzy ?? moving building materials across the Gorge and up to the building site, ??? constructing George & Izzy's cabin, George Sirk in boat, ?? throwing a fish which an eagle swoops down on, Jean Fontaine wrangling logs in the water.
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "First film shot on Super 8. The antics of some Gorge Harbout residents are madly depicted as the fruitlessly try to repair a flat tire at the Gorge Government dock. They are rescurd by none other than Yendor."
Cast: Gloria Jorg, Alex Nichols, Isolder Ruthenberg, Garth Walton and Yendor
Cinematography: George Sirk
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "First film shot on Super 8. The antics of some Gorge Harbout residents are madly depicted as the fruitlessly try to repair a flat tire at the Gorge Government dock. They are rescurd by none other than Yendor."
Cast: Gloria Jorg, Alex Nichols, Isolder Ruthenberg, Garth Walton and Yendor
Cinematography: George Sirk
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.