Fonds consists of photographs of the Gorge Harbour Lodge and Lodge activities, the Corneille and Ballantyne families, and Gladys Ballantyne's house, Gypsy Hill.
Bobby (Elizabeth) Corneille Ballantyne (1914-2009) was born in Vancouver and moved to Cortes Island as a young child. She was 4 years old when her father died suddenly on Marina Island in 1919; she remembers that they had to wait 3 days for a Union Steamship to get the body. Her mother Tena (Sarah Christena) Corneille (1877-1949) bought a tourist lodge at the east end of Gorge Harbour in 1929, and ran it until 1936 with the help of her two teen-age daughters. Gorge Harbour Lodge offered accommodations in the main building or in tents, tennis and badminton courts, and excellent boating, bathing and fishing. Vacationers came up from Vancouver on the Union Steamships for a round-trip ticket price of $6.65. The annual Regatta was the main social event of the season, with people arriving by boat from Cortes and the surrounding islands. It featured boat and swimming races, and a dance in the evening.
Gladys Georgeson Ballantyne (1882-1964), first came to Cortes in about 1910. In about 1920 she bought a property in Whaletown (now 640 Whaletown Rd.) that she called "Gypsy Hill". She was one of the original members of the Whaletown Friendly Circle, later the Whaletown Women's Institute. Gladys, her son Bill, daughter Valerie and her fiance were all on Cortes building a summer cottage when the Depression suddenly hit. Their off-island jobs fell through, and they remained at "Gypsy Hill" for the duration.
Bill Ballantyne (1908-1993) was in the Merchant Marine from 1924-1929. When he was unable to find work on ships during the Depression, he took whatever jobs he could find hand-logging and fishing. Bill and Bobby Corneille were married in 1937. They and other young Whaletown residents formed the Gorge Harbour Dramatic Society to help raise funds to build a community hall, and Bill was the work boss of the building crew for the Gorge Hall. In 1941 they moved to Victoria, and after the war settled in Courtenay with their two sons Peter and Ross. In the late 1950s they returned to Whaletown on Cortes Island where they fished for many years on the gulf troller “Viking”. During that time many young “deckhands” spent time aboard during summer vacations. On retirement, Campbell River became their home.
Custodial History
Electronic records were downloaded in 2012 from an internet address provided by Peter Ballantyne. One photograph was scanned from a photograph temporarily loaned by John and De Clarke.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the Gorge Harbour Lodge and Lodge activities, the Corneille and Ballantyne families, and Gladys Ballantyne's house, Gypsy Hill.
Photograph of Bill Barrett, seated on a horse-drawn mowing machine in a field of clover at Braeside, the home of his wife Mary's brother, Bert Middleton. Braeside was located on what is now Sawmill Rd., Whaletown. A house, outbuilding and log fence can be seen in the background.
Photograph of Bill Barrett, seated on a horse-drawn mowing machine in a field of clover at Braeside, the home of his wife Mary's brother, Bert Middleton. Braeside was located on what is now Sawmill Rd., Whaletown. A house, outbuilding and log fence can be seen in the background.
Slide of bunkhouse under tow. Note houses in the background. L to R: the "Grey house", Byers house, McKenzie house. Behind: Jimmy Hill's house with Abercrombie house to the right.
Slide of bunkhouse under tow. Note houses in the background. L to R: the "Grey house", Byers house, McKenzie house. Behind: Jimmy Hill's house with Abercrombie house to the right.
Recording is an oral history interview of Dorothea Carter, daughter of Alan and Dorothy Robertson, by Oonagh O'Connor. She tells about her grandparents settling at "Burnside" in Whaletown in the late 1800s; some family history; and incidents from her life. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of Dorothea Carter, daughter of Alan and Dorothy Robertson, by Oonagh O'Connor. She tells about her grandparents settling at "Burnside" in Whaletown in the late 1800s; some family history; and incidents from her life. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of Duncan Robertson by Oonagh O'Connor at his home in Whaletown (Part 1 of 2). Topics covered include some family history; people and customs of the early days on the island; logging; fishing; hunting; cougars; Cortes in the 1950s and 1960s. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of Duncan Robertson by Oonagh O'Connor at his home in Whaletown (Part 1 of 2). Topics covered include some family history; people and customs of the early days on the island; logging; fishing; hunting; cougars; Cortes in the 1950s and 1960s. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of Duncan Robertson by Oonagh O'Connor (Part 2 of 2). Topics covered include Dunc's children Ann (Dewar) and Lynn (Summers); oysters; the Whaletown store; early telephone system; mining; the Robertson family; the ferry; changes in wildlife population he has observe over the years; and logging practices. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of Duncan Robertson by Oonagh O'Connor (Part 2 of 2). Topics covered include Dunc's children Ann (Dewar) and Lynn (Summers); oysters; the Whaletown store; early telephone system; mining; the Robertson family; the ferry; changes in wildlife population he has observe over the years; and logging practices. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording consists of an interview with Frank Tooker, done to gather information for the "Windows on Whaletown" exhibit. (see also 1999.004.033, for Part 1)
Recording consists of an interview with Frank Tooker, done to gather information for the "Windows on Whaletown" exhibit. (see also 1999.004.033, for Part 1)
Recording consists of interviews with Fred Reedel and Frank Tooker, done to gather information for the "Windows on Whaletown" exhibit. (see also 1999.004.034, for Part 2)
Recording consists of interviews with Fred Reedel and Frank Tooker, done to gather information for the "Windows on Whaletown" exhibit. (see also 1999.004.034, for Part 2)
