File contains a self-published booklet containing illustrations and notes about Whaletown, "a collection of facts, poems, short stories and drawings to enhance your visit."
File contains a self-published booklet containing illustrations and notes about Whaletown, "a collection of facts, poems, short stories and drawings to enhance your visit."
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.
File contains two copies of the booklet "Birds of Cortes and Mittlenatch Islands, a checklist with seasonal graphs" by George Sirk, Christian Gronau and Fred Zwickel, published by the authors in 1993.
File contains two copies of the booklet "Birds of Cortes and Mittlenatch Islands, a checklist with seasonal graphs" by George Sirk, Christian Gronau and Fred Zwickel, published by the authors in 1993.
Collection consists of ephemera relating to the history of Cortes Island. Ephemera not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
Donor information is described at the file level where it is known; however the provenance of many records in this collection is unknown.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of ephemera relating to the history of Cortes Island. Ephemera not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
File contains two catalogs from Cold Mountain, one dated Summer 1972 and one undated. Cold Mountain Institute was a growth centre which operated from the late 1960s to 1980.
File contains two catalogs from Cold Mountain, one dated Summer 1972 and one undated. Cold Mountain Institute was a growth centre which operated from the late 1960s to 1980.
File contains an informational booklet created by the Friends of Cortes through a grant from Canada Works. Topics include island geography, social and natural history, place names and tourist education.
File contains an informational booklet created by the Friends of Cortes through a grant from Canada Works. Topics include island geography, social and natural history, place names and tourist education.
File contains a Cortes Island School yearbook 1994/15. In 1995 Ed Piggott retired after 20 years as the school principal. Yearbook originally belonged to Lorena Teames.
File contains a Cortes Island School yearbook 1994/15. In 1995 Ed Piggott retired after 20 years as the school principal. Yearbook originally belonged to Lorena Teames.
File contains a Cortes Island Visitor's Information hand-out with a map of the island and lists of businesses and services, published by the Whaletown Community Club; and a set of ticket book backs for the Cortes-Quadra and Quadra-Campbell River ferries.
File contains a Cortes Island Visitor's Information hand-out with a map of the island and lists of businesses and services, published by the Whaletown Community Club; and a set of ticket book backs for the Cortes-Quadra and Quadra-Campbell River ferries.
File contains posters for three dances held at the Gorge Hall, including one with Flying Mountain (1977), and a poster for a performance of the Cortes Island Singing Society.
Collected by Alan Todd; donated by Brian Cant in 2009.
Scope and Content
File contains posters for three dances held at the Gorge Hall, including one with Flying Mountain (1977), and a poster for a performance of the Cortes Island Singing Society.
Donated to CIMAS by Lorena Teames in 2009. The cards were given to her as a gift from Bobby Ballantyne when Lorena Teames moved to Cortes Island in 1969.
Scope and Content
File contains six enclosure cards with pressed flowers, made by Elizabeth (Bobby) Ballantyne.
