Fonds consists of records created by Muriel and William Whiting and includes correspondence, official documents, business records, recipes, notes and ephemera. It is arranged in three series: Correspondence; Documents; and Subject files.
Muriel Horner Whiting (1882-1977) and William Henry Evans Whiting (1853-1927) settled on Cortes in about 1918, having purchased 58 acres of land in Whaletown (present-day 1474 and 1416 Robertson Rd.) from Charles Allen. Their son Basil Evans Whiting was born in 1923.
William Whiting was considerably older than Muriel; he died in 1927 and is buried in the old Whaletown cemetery. After his death, Muriel supported herself by raising poultry and eggs for sale and by taking in boarders. Her only son, Basil, joined the Royal Canadian Navy just before the outbreak of World War II. He lost his life at the age of 19, when the destroyer HMCS "Ottawa" was torpedoed and sunk on Sept. 13,1942. His war medals are in the Cortes Island Museum Artifacts Collection.
Muriel remained on Cortes until the late 1960s; she died in Whiterock in 1977. Although the Whiting house burned down in 1982, remnants of the homestead remain: a tumble-down barn built of hand-split cedar boards, a few old apple trees and some hardy garden survivors such as japonica, mock orange, and St. Johnswort. The yellow primroses in the Museum garden are descendents of her flowers.
Custodial History
This material was found stored in the barn on the former Whiting property in 1971. It was passed down through several owners of the property before being donated to the museum by Sabina Leader-Mense in 2018.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created by Muriel and William Whiting and includes correspondence, official documents, business records, recipes, notes and ephemera. It is arranged in three series: Correspondence; Documents; and Subject files.
File consists of correspondence on local matters, personal matters, and regarding William Whiting's Alberta property and settling the estate after his death. It includes a letter advising Muriel Whiting she must use her legal name Muriel Alice Horner in all legal matters.
File consists of correspondence on local matters, personal matters, and regarding William Whiting's Alberta property and settling the estate after his death. It includes a letter advising Muriel Whiting she must use her legal name Muriel Alice Horner in all legal matters.
Series consists of the constitution of CIRA, including a revised constitution, CIRA membership list, list of owner electors and a voters list for Cortes Island.
Series consists of the constitution of CIRA, including a revised constitution, CIRA membership list, list of owner electors and a voters list for Cortes Island.
File contains membership cards (1994); a clinic inventory (1997); agenda and minutes of two meetings;committee membership list (2000);VolNet application (1999); draft agreement between CCHA and Cortes Island Seniors Building Socity (2002); draft of history of medical care on Cortes??
File contains membership cards (1994); a clinic inventory (1997); agenda and minutes of two meetings;committee membership list (2000);VolNet application (1999); draft agreement between CCHA and Cortes Island Seniors Building Socity (2002); draft of history of medical care on Cortes??
Series consists of Whaletown Community Club executive membership rosters, constitution, and by-laws. Of note, the certificate of incorporation of the Gorge Harbour Hall Society (1938). Series also includes documents pertaining to the Gorge Hall, including events lists, list of upgrades, history of rental fees, occupant load certificate, and rental agreement. Series was removed from a binder when accessioned.
Series consists of Whaletown Community Club executive membership rosters, constitution, and by-laws. Of note, the certificate of incorporation of the Gorge Harbour Hall Society (1938). Series also includes documents pertaining to the Gorge Hall, including events lists, list of upgrades, history of rental fees, occupant load certificate, and rental agreement. Series was removed from a binder when accessioned.