DVD of footage shot by George Sirk of Jim Guthrie and his skidder (198-), and building a boat (1990).
Copyright George Sirk; to be used for display and research purposes only.
Copied from George Sirk's VHS tapes with his permission to use the contents for display and research purposes.
Scope and Content
DVD of footage shot by George Sirk of Jim Guthrie and his skidder (198-), and building a boat (1990).
Copyright George Sirk; to be used for display and research purposes only.
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.
Historical info on local forestry and early logging practices from as early as the late 1800s. Signed agreement between Elmer Ellingsen and Ernest Anderson, 1948. Invoices and other business documents, including handwritten notes "bills paid to Finning Tractor," for Ernel Logging Company, 1949-1952. West Coast Ballads sheet music written by Victor Couture from poems by Robert E. Swanson (BC Truck Loggers Association), 1969. Clippings and emails with info on historical logging practices and camps, local forestry, accidents, political influence, tourism, protests and controversies, 1958-2020. Excerpt from Goosegrass and Buttercups, D.C. Kirk, undated. Additional keywords: Ripple Rock; tug towed booms from Teakerne Arm; Carrington Lagoon; Squirrel Cove; MTV; the Ellingsen Jack; Forbes Bay; Von Donop; Island Timberlands; Tony Fhunka; Truck Loggers Association; Wildstands/Wild We Stand
Historical info on local forestry and early logging practices from as early as the late 1800s. Signed agreement between Elmer Ellingsen and Ernest Anderson, 1948. Invoices and other business documents, including handwritten notes "bills paid to Finning Tractor," for Ernel Logging Company, 1949-1952. West Coast Ballads sheet music written by Victor Couture from poems by Robert E. Swanson (BC Truck Loggers Association), 1969. Clippings and emails with info on historical logging practices and camps, local forestry, accidents, political influence, tourism, protests and controversies, 1958-2020. Excerpt from Goosegrass and Buttercups, D.C. Kirk, undated. Additional keywords: Ripple Rock; tug towed booms from Teakerne Arm; Carrington Lagoon; Squirrel Cove; MTV; the Ellingsen Jack; Forbes Bay; Von Donop; Island Timberlands; Tony Fhunka; Truck Loggers Association; Wildstands/Wild We Stand
Clippings with info on floathouses, the hermit of Von Donop Channel, the landslide at Spences Bridge, Von Donop Marine Park, Klahoose First Nation, and Doreen Thompson, 1920-2017, and clippings from WNE, 1987-1989. Transcript with info on the Ellingsens in Von Donop Creek, 1946-1950, from interview with May, Elmer, Andy, and Bruce Ellginsen, 2001. Info on logging in Von Donop Creek, 1920s-1960, from a logging meeting in 2001. Info from Von Donop Creek Research and Display for CIMAS, 2001. An envelope with info from Bev Mathews, donated in 2013.
Clippings with info on floathouses, the hermit of Von Donop Channel, the landslide at Spences Bridge, Von Donop Marine Park, Klahoose First Nation, and Doreen Thompson, 1920-2017, and clippings from WNE, 1987-1989. Transcript with info on the Ellingsens in Von Donop Creek, 1946-1950, from interview with May, Elmer, Andy, and Bruce Ellginsen, 2001. Info on logging in Von Donop Creek, 1920s-1960, from a logging meeting in 2001. Info from Von Donop Creek Research and Display for CIMAS, 2001. An envelope with info from Bev Mathews, donated in 2013.
Item is an interview of Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. Etta Byers was a granddaughter of Mike Manson, and she talks about her family history, Cortes people and incidents, and memories of growing up on the island. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Item is an interview of Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. Etta Byers was a granddaughter of Mike Manson, and she talks about her family history, Cortes people and incidents, and memories of growing up on the island. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Item consists of the continuation of an interview with Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. On Side A, Etta Byers talks about her childhood on Cortes, how she met Clarence and her married life in Seaford, Von Donop, Powell River and Courtenay. On Side B, Clarence talks about when his family moved to Cortes Island, and his experiences logging, starting at age thirteen. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Item consists of the continuation of an interview with Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. On Side A, Etta Byers talks about her childhood on Cortes, how she met Clarence and her married life in Seaford, Von Donop, Powell River and Courtenay. On Side B, Clarence talks about when his family moved to Cortes Island, and his experiences logging, starting at age thirteen. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
This is the continuation (Part 3) of an interview of Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. Clarence talks about his family history; moving to Cortes Island, logging on Cortes in the Von Donop/Blue Jay Lake/Carrington Bay area; road-building; and the arrival of Japanese oysters to Cortes beaches in ca. 1938. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
This is the continuation (Part 3) of an interview of Etta and Clarence Byers by Oonagh O'Connor. Clarence talks about his family history; moving to Cortes Island, logging on Cortes in the Von Donop/Blue Jay Lake/Carrington Bay area; road-building; and the arrival of Japanese oysters to Cortes beaches in ca. 1938. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of May and Elmer Ellingsen by Oonagh O'Connor. Topics covered include how Elmer came to the island and met May; logging experiences; Cortes roads and telephone system; and living at Von Donop Inlet. Several humorous stories are related. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording is an oral history interview of May and Elmer Ellingsen by Oonagh O'Connor. Topics covered include how Elmer came to the island and met May; logging experiences; Cortes roads and telephone system; and living at Von Donop Inlet. Several humorous stories are related. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.