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26 records – page 1 of 2.

Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Material Type
textual records
graphic material
cartographic material
ephemera
Accession Number
1999.001
Date Range
1904-1993 (predominant 1948-1993)
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the personal records of Gilean Douglas which were produced and received during her personal and literary activities. There is some material dating from Douglas's early life, but the bulk of it dates from 1948 to 1993 and directly concerns her life on Cortes Island. Because of Douglas's involvement in the public life of the island, and her interest in local history, her papers contain a great deal of information about the political, community and social life of Cortes Island, particularly the Whaletown area. Fonds is composed of eighteen series: Manuscripts; Correspondence; Literary Records; Regional Director for Area I (Cortes Island); Women's Institute; Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church; School District #72; Whaletown Community Club; Channel Rock; Research; "The Log" of the Columbia Coast Mission; Journals and Notebooks; Illustrations and Sketches; Ephemera; Clippings; Maps; Albums; Photographs.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the fonds.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Creator
Douglas, Gilean
Fonds Number
1999.001
Accession Number
1999.001
Material Type
textual records
graphic material
cartographic material
ephemera
Date Range
1904-1993 (predominant 1948-1993)
Physical Description
1.9 m of textual records; ca. 2,352 photographic records (1147 prints : b&w and col. - ca. 560 negatives : b&w and col. negatives ; 35 mm and 14 x 11 cm or smaller - 645 slides : col. slides ; 35 mm); 1 cm of graphic material; 8 maps.
Extent
1.9
History / Biographical
Gilean Douglas was born in Toronto, Ont. In 1900. Orphaned at the age of 16, she began to work as a free-lance writer and photographer. Over her lifetime her work appeared in more than 200 publications, often published under pseudonyms (Grant Madison, Armoral Kent and Jill MacLean). Douglas published eight books of poetry and three books of non-fiction, and, from 1961 to 1992, wrote a regular column, “Nature Rambles”, for the Victoria Times-Colonist. In 1939, following the collapse of her third marriage, Douglas moved from Ontario to an isolated cabin in the mountains near Hope, B.C. Her first two books of nature writing (one published under the name Grant Madison) document her life there. Her cabin was destroyed by fire in 1947 and two years later she moved to a 138-acre waterfront homestead on Cortes Island with her fourth husband, Philip Douglas, (née Major). Her marriage ended in 1953, but she remained there until her death in 1993. Her home at Channel Rock was isolated, with no road access and no electricity. Douglas had a large garden, and supplemented her writing income by selling produce and plants. She was a volunteer Weather Observer for Environment Canada for 33 years, receiving several awards for her service. Starting in the 1960s, her writing centered increasingly on her life at Channel Rock. Her "Nature Rambles" columns and book "The Protected Place" reflect her life on the island. During her years on Cortes Island, Douglas took a leading role in community affairs and local politics. She held office in several community organizations and acted as a school trustee. As a member of the Women's Institute, she held local, district, provincial and national office, edited a book on its history, and was awarded a Life Membership in 1989. Douglas was a member of the first Cortes Island Advisory Planning Commission and represented Cortes on the Regional Board of Comox-Strathcona as Alternate Director from 1968 to 1973 and as Director from 1973 until 1977. List of Book Publications: 1952 Now the Green Word (Wings Press, Mill Valley, Ca.) 1953 Poetic Plush (The Story Book Press, Dallas, Texas) 1953 River For My Sidewalk (by “Grant Madison”; J. M. Dent & Sons, Toronto, Ont.) 1954 The Pattern Set (Quality Press, Montreal, Quebec) 1959 Modern Pioneers (a history of the Women's Institute, ed. by Douglas; Evergreen Press) 1967 Seascape With Figures (Prairie Press, Iowa City, Iowa) 1973 Now In This Night (Harlo Press, Detroit, Mi.) 1978 Silence Is My Homeland (Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pa.) 1979 The Protected Place (Gray’s Publishing, Sidney, B.C.) 1982 Prodigal (Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, B.C.) 1984 River For My Sidewalk (by Gilean Douglas; Sono Nis Press) 1985 Kodachromes at Midday (Sono Nis Press) 1992 Seascape With Figures - Poems Selected and New (Sono Nis Press)
Custodial History
Upon Douglas’ death in 1993 her papers were gathered from her house by her literary executor, Gillian Milton. Douglas’ will directed that her papers and photographs be turned over to the University of British Columbia (Douglas’ primary beneficiary), after being examined and used for literary purposes including publication or biography. Accordingly, Milton inventoried the records, and with Andrea Lebowitz made use of them for a biography and anthology of the writings of Douglas, "Gilean Douglas: Writing Nature, Finding Home" (Lebowitz and Milton, Sono Nis Press, 1999). The textual records were turned over to University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections in December 1999; the photographic records in 2002. By agreement with UBC, the records and photographs which have to do primarily with Cortes Island were turned over to the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society (Manson's Landing, B.C.) in 1999.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the personal records of Gilean Douglas which were produced and received during her personal and literary activities. There is some material dating from Douglas's early life, but the bulk of it dates from 1948 to 1993 and directly concerns her life on Cortes Island. Because of Douglas's involvement in the public life of the island, and her interest in local history, her papers contain a great deal of information about the political, community and social life of Cortes Island, particularly the Whaletown area. Fonds is composed of eighteen series: Manuscripts; Correspondence; Literary Records; Regional Director for Area I (Cortes Island); Women's Institute; Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church; School District #72; Whaletown Community Club; Channel Rock; Research; "The Log" of the Columbia Coast Mission; Journals and Notebooks; Illustrations and Sketches; Ephemera; Clippings; Maps; Albums; Photographs.
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Subject Access
Women's Institute
Columbia Coast Mission
Community Associations
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Related Material
Gilean Douglas fonds at the University of British Columbia Library (Special Collections) Cortes Island Ratepayers Association fonds Gorge Harbour Community Hall fonds Whaletown Community Club fonds Whaletown Women's Institute fonds Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) fonds
Copyright
Copyright for Douglas's published writings is held by the University of British Columbia. Permission to use Douglas's manuscripts for publication purposes must be obtained from the University of British Columbia or from Gillian Milton, literary executor for the estate of Gilean Douglas.
Arrangement
Wherever possible, Douglas’ system of arrangement has been retained, and original groupings of material have been maintained. Other material has been arranged according to type.
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1991
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of printed copies and some carbon copies of Douglas's annual Christmas Letter, a two to four page letter sent yearly to over 200 friends and correspondents. The letters contain details of life at Channel Rock with observations of natural history and the garden; accounts of Douglas's community and political activities; records of her travels and philosophical musings.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
1.4
Sub-series Number
1.4
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1991
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of printed copies and some carbon copies of Douglas's annual Christmas Letter, a two to four page letter sent yearly to over 200 friends and correspondents. The letters contain details of life at Channel Rock with observations of natural history and the garden; accounts of Douglas's community and political activities; records of her travels and philosophical musings.
Storage Range
2-3 - 2-7
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1959
Scope and Content
Letters for the years 1952 (2 letters), 1953, January 1953, 1954-1959
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
1.4
Sub-series Number
1.4
File Number
69
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1959
Scope and Content
Letters for the years 1952 (2 letters), 1953, January 1953, 1954-1959
Storage Location
2-3
Storage Range
2-3
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1943-[ca.1986]
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of typed manuscripts, including one bound typescript, of Douglas's books of nature writing ("River For My Sidewalk", "Silence Is My Homeland" and "The Protected Place") and a typed good copy of a book about mountain characters which was never published, "Our Guests Don't Stink".
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
1.5
Sub-series Number
1.5
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1943-[ca.1986]
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of typed manuscripts, including one bound typescript, of Douglas's books of nature writing ("River For My Sidewalk", "Silence Is My Homeland" and "The Protected Place") and a typed good copy of a book about mountain characters which was never published, "Our Guests Don't Stink".
Storage Range
2-8 - 2-14
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1956
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of typed copies of the "Whaletown Round-up", Douglas's column about social and community events on Cortes Island (primarily focused on the Whaletown area) which was published in the Campbell River Courier.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
1.6
Sub-series Number
1.6
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1956
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of typed copies of the "Whaletown Round-up", Douglas's column about social and community events on Cortes Island (primarily focused on the Whaletown area) which was published in the Campbell River Courier.
Storage Range
2-15 - 2-19
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
cartographic material
graphic material
Date Range
1929; [194?]-1979
Scope and Content
Series consists of maps of British Columbia showing land use and topography, and pictorial maps showing the history and literature of Canada.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
16
Material Type
cartographic material
graphic material
Date Range
1929; [194?]-1979
Physical Description
8 maps
Scope and Content
Series consists of maps of British Columbia showing land use and topography, and pictorial maps showing the history and literature of Canada.
Storage Range
6-26 - 6-27; map box
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1948-1993
Scope and Content
Series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence generated during Douglas's residence on Cortes (1949-1993) and covering subjects of primarily local interest. Before the advent of telephone service in 1968, island residents communicated extensively through the Post Office, and much of this correspondence consists of notes and letters from Douglas's neighbours. Subjects covered include daily life, community activities, B.C. and Cortes Island history and Douglas's health concerns.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1948-1993
Physical Description
25 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence generated during Douglas's residence on Cortes (1949-1993) and covering subjects of primarily local interest. Before the advent of telephone service in 1968, island residents communicated extensively through the Post Office, and much of this correspondence consists of notes and letters from Douglas's neighbours. Subjects covered include daily life, community activities, B.C. and Cortes Island history and Douglas's health concerns.
Storage Range
2-20 - 3-10
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Subject Access
Health care
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Arrangement
Correspondence has been arranged alphabetically by correspondent, in the case of major correspondents; otherwise, chronologically.
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Correspondence - incoming

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6782
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1948-1959
Scope and Content
Incoming correspondence
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
1
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1948-1959
Scope and Content
Incoming correspondence
Storage Location
2-20
Storage Range
2-20
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Correspondence - outgoing

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6792
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1991
Scope and Content
Outgoing correspondence
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
11
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1952-1991
Scope and Content
Outgoing correspondence
Storage Location
2-30
Storage Range
2-30
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Correspondence from Harold Cox

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6793
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1958
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Harold Cox, author of a book about Cortes "Greenhorns in Blue Pastures" (Smith and Durrell, 1945)
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
12
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1958
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Harold Cox, author of a book about Cortes "Greenhorns in Blue Pastures" (Smith and Durrell, 1945)
Storage Location
2-32
Storage Range
2-32
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Correspondence from Joe Gregson

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6796
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1956-1964
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Joe Gregson
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
15
Material Type
textual records
Responsibility
Gregson, Joe
Date Range
1956-1964
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Joe Gregson
Storage Location
2-35
Storage Range
2-35
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Gregson, Joe
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Correspondence from Bertha Reedel

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6802
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1963
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Bertha Reedel
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
21
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1963
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Bertha Reedel
Storage Location
2-41
Storage Range
2-41
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Reedel, Bertha
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Correspondence from Al Taylor

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6804
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1953-1990
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Al Taylor, a resident of Read Island. Douglas and Taylor sometimes corresponded in Spanish.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
23
Material Type
textual records
Responsibility
Taylor, Al
Date Range
1953-1990
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Al Taylor, a resident of Read Island. Douglas and Taylor sometimes corresponded in Spanish.
Storage Location
3-2
Storage Range
3-2
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Taylor, Al
Subject Access
Read Island
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Correspondence from Mary and Otto (Ottie) Weiler

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6805
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1973
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Mary and Otto (Ottie) Weiler.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
24
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1973
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Mary and Otto (Ottie) Weiler.
Storage Location
3-3
Storage Range
3-3
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Weiler, Otto
Weiler, Mary
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Correspondence between Douglas and Ethel and Aubrey Ferguson

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6900
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1950-1952
Scope and Content
Correspondence between Douglas and Ethel and Aubrey Ferguson, the Whaletown school teacher.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
2
File Number
28
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1950-1952
Scope and Content
Correspondence between Douglas and Ethel and Aubrey Ferguson, the Whaletown school teacher.
Storage Location
3-7
Storage Range
3-7
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Ferguson, Aubrey
Ferguson, Ethel
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1992
Scope and Content
Series consists of five folders containing information about Douglas's writing career, including resumés, reviews of published work, publicity releases, articles written about Douglas, and lists of prose and poetry.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
3
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1992
Physical Description
1 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of five folders containing information about Douglas's writing career, including resumés, reviews of published work, publicity releases, articles written about Douglas, and lists of prose and poetry.
Storage Range
3-11 - 3-15
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1954-1982
Scope and Content
Publicity releases for Douglas's books
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
3
File Number
2
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1954-1982
Scope and Content
Publicity releases for Douglas's books
Storage Location
3-12
Storage Range
3-12
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Lists of prose and poetry sold

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6904
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951, 1953
Scope and Content
Lists of prose and poetry sold
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
3
File Number
4
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951, 1953
Scope and Content
Lists of prose and poetry sold
Storage Location
3-14
Storage Range
3-14
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1992
Scope and Content
Reviews of Douglas's books and articles about her
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
File
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
3
File Number
5
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1951-1992
Scope and Content
Reviews of Douglas's books and articles about her
Storage Location
3-15
Storage Range
3-15
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
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Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions6946
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1954-1974
Scope and Content
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
6
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1954-1974
Physical Description
3 cm. of textual records
History / Biographical
.
Scope and Content
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
Storage Range
3-48 - 3-52
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Subject Access
Community Associations
Columbia Coast Mission
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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26 records – page 1 of 2.