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746 records – page 1 of 38.

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
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1920]-1992
Scope and Content
Series consists of typescripts and carbon typescripts of Douglas's poetry, articles and fiction and includes manuscripts of four books, one of which was never published. It also includes manuscripts of Douglas's annual Christmas letter and of a column "Whaletown Roundup" she wrote for the Campbell River Courier newspaper in the 1950s. With the exception of the "Whaletown Roundup" manuscripts, all of the manuscripts, while original copies, are duplicates of manuscripts in the Gilean Douglas Fonds at the University of British Columbia Library. They are retained in the Cortes Island Archives to make Douglas's writings more easily accessible to local researchers.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
1
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1920]-1992
Physical Description
58 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of typescripts and carbon typescripts of Douglas's poetry, articles and fiction and includes manuscripts of four books, one of which was never published. It also includes manuscripts of Douglas's annual Christmas letter and of a column "Whaletown Roundup" she wrote for the Campbell River Courier newspaper in the 1950s. With the exception of the "Whaletown Roundup" manuscripts, all of the manuscripts, while original copies, are duplicates of manuscripts in the Gilean Douglas Fonds at the University of British Columbia Library. They are retained in the Cortes Island Archives to make Douglas's writings more easily accessible to local researchers.
Storage Range
1-1 - 2-19
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Copyright
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.
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1989]
Scope and Content
Series consists of material, predominately relating to Cortes Island and coastal B.C., which was gathered by Douglas for research purposes or personal interest. It includes correspondence, notes, newsletters, clippings and pamphlets.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
10
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1989]
Physical Description
20 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of material, predominately relating to Cortes Island and coastal B.C., which was gathered by Douglas for research purposes or personal interest. It includes correspondence, notes, newsletters, clippings and pamphlets.
Storage Range
4-38 - 5-32
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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"The Log" of the Columbia Coast Mission

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions7056
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1940-1974
Scope and Content
Series consists of issues of "The Log", a bimonthly publication of the Columbia Coast Mission of the Anglican Church. These copies of "The Log" have been extensively annotated by Douglas and contain some articles written by her. The articles and photographs in these publications provide a lively picture of coastal life during this period.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
11
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
1940-1974
Physical Description
8 cm. of textual records
History / Biographical
The Columbia Coast Mission (CCM) was founded in 1915 by the Rev. John Antle, with a mandate to minister to the physical, spiritual and social needs of the residents of the remote areas of coastal British Columbia. From 1944 to 1961 the CCM had a base in Whaletown from which the patrol boat "Rendezvous" visited the isolated communities and settlers of Cortes and neighboring islands. Douglas made some trips with CCM patrol boats in the early 1950s and wrote articles about the CCM for "The Log" and other periodicals.
Scope and Content
Series consists of issues of "The Log", a bimonthly publication of the Columbia Coast Mission of the Anglican Church. These copies of "The Log" have been extensively annotated by Douglas and contain some articles written by her. The articles and photographs in these publications provide a lively picture of coastal life during this period.
Storage Range
5-34 - 5-49
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Subject Access
Columbia Coast Mission
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1905-ca. 1916], 1967-[ca. 1991]
Scope and Content
Series consists of "Birthday Books" (small leather-covered journals with a quote for each day beside a page for recording people's birthdays) dating from Douglas's childhood and a group of small format soft cover day-timer notebooks used by Douglas for notes on various subjects.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
12
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1905-ca. 1916], 1967-[ca. 1991]
Physical Description
6 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of "Birthday Books" (small leather-covered journals with a quote for each day beside a page for recording people's birthdays) dating from Douglas's childhood and a group of small format soft cover day-timer notebooks used by Douglas for notes on various subjects.
Storage Range
5-50 - 5 55
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Illustrations and Sketches

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions7064
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1980]
Scope and Content
Series consists of original drawings, watercolours and pastels created by residents of Cortes or Read Island, and a series of pen and ink drawings meant to illustrate Douglas' book, "Silence Is My Homeland".
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
13
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1980]
Physical Description
1 cm. of graphic materials
Scope and Content
Series consists of original drawings, watercolours and pastels created by residents of Cortes or Read Island, and a series of pen and ink drawings meant to illustrate Douglas' book, "Silence Is My Homeland".
Storage Range
5-57 - 5-59
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
textual records
graphic material
Date Range
1902 - [ca. 1991]
Scope and Content
Series consists of cards, pamphlets, brochures and flyers relating to Douglas's life.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
14
Material Type
textual records
graphic material
Date Range
1902 - [ca. 1991]
Physical Description
10 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of cards, pamphlets, brochures and flyers relating to Douglas's life.
Storage Range
6-1 - 6-19
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
[ca. 1946] - 1991
Scope and Content
Series consists of clippings of Douglas's published articles, clippings from Campbell River newspapers of Cortes Island social events columns, and clippings about British Columbia
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
15
Material Type
textual records
Date Range
[ca. 1946] - 1991
Physical Description
9 cm. of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of clippings of Douglas's published articles, clippings from Campbell River newspapers of Cortes Island social events columns, and clippings about British Columbia
Storage Range
6-20 - 6-25
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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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
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1904]-1969
Scope and Content
Series consists of two scrapbooks and two postcard albums.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
17
Material Type
textual records
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1904]-1969
Physical Description
4 albums
Scope and Content
Series consists of two scrapbooks and two postcard albums.
Storage Range
7-1 - 7-4
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca.1904]-1993
Scope and Content
Series consists of prints, slides and negatives of photographs taken by Douglas or collected by her. There are 1,145 photograph prints, 358 slides and ca. 560 negatives. Photographs dated before 1948 are duplicates of photos in the Gilean Douglas Fonds at University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections; photographs of Cortes Island and Channel Rock are held by the Cortes Island Archives.
Other Title Info
Title based on contents of the series.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Series
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca.1904]-1993
Physical Description
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)
Scope and Content
Series consists of prints, slides and negatives of photographs taken by Douglas or collected by her. There are 1,145 photograph prints, 358 slides and ca. 560 negatives. Photographs dated before 1948 are duplicates of photos in the Gilean Douglas Fonds at University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections; photographs of Cortes Island and Channel Rock are held by the Cortes Island Archives.
Name Access
Douglas, Gilean
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Portrait of Gilean Douglas, about ten years of age

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11712
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1910]
Scope and Content
Photograph of Gilean Douglas, about ten years old, in a leather frame.
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.1142
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
[ca. 1910]
Physical Description
1 framed photograph: b&w; 8 x 7 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Gilean Douglas, about ten years old, in a leather frame.
Subject Access
Channel Rock
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Images
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Henry Tiber, holding up a large fish

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11713
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Scope and Content
Photograph labelled on back "Old Henry with someone else's fish"
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.1143
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Physical Description
1 photograph print: b&w, 6.5 x 10 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph labelled on back "Old Henry with someone else's fish"
Subject Access
Channel Rock
Fishing
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Images
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Four Whaletown women, seated inside - Bertha Reedel, second from left (ID)

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11714
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.1144
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Physical Description
1 photograph print: b&w, 13 x 10 cm
Subject Access
Channel Rock
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Whaletown
Images
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Group of people seated beneath an overarching old fallen tree trunk (ID)

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11715
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Scope and Content
Photograph of a group of people seated on chairs in a yard; probably Kathleen (Kay) Boas in center front
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.1145
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1979
Physical Description
1 photograph print: b&w, 8.5 x 6.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a group of people seated on chairs in a yard; probably Kathleen (Kay) Boas in center front
Subject Access
Channel Rock
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.2001
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Physical Description
1 colour slide, 5 x 5 cm
Storage Location
Slide box 1
Geographic Access
Whaletown
Cortes Island
Images
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Group of people on the Whaletown wharf, beside the freight shed

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11066
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.2002
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Physical Description
1 colour slide, 5 x 5 cm
Storage Location
Slide box 1
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Whaletown
Images
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Cars and people on the Whaletown wharf

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11067
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.2003
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Physical Description
1 colour slide, 5 x 5 cm
Storage Location
Slide box 1
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Whaletown
Images
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Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.2004
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Physical Description
1 colour slide, 5 x 5 cm
Storage Location
Slide box 1
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Whaletown
Images
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Cortes Island house (ID)

https://collections.cortesmuseum.com/en/permalink/descriptions11069
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Part Of
Gilean Douglas fonds
Description Level
Item
Fonds Number
1999.001
Series Number
18
Item Number
1999.001.2005
Material Type
graphic material
Date Range
1949
Physical Description
1 colour slide, 5 x 5 cm
Storage Location
Slide box 1
Geographic Access
Cortes Island
Images
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746 records – page 1 of 38.