"Stories from the Fishing Fleet" Bobby Ballantyne, in conversation with Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, at her home in Campbell River, 2003. Obituary for Mrs M. Elizabeth (Bobby) Ballantyne in CR Mirror, 2009. Post in CR Mirror "Heroes and Zeros" re: the nurses and caregivers that cared for Bobby in her final days, 2009. Email from Lynne Jordan re: passing of Bobby and photo albums from early life in the Gorge Harbour, 2009.
"Stories from the Fishing Fleet" Bobby Ballantyne, in conversation with Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, at her home in Campbell River, 2003. Obituary for Mrs M. Elizabeth (Bobby) Ballantyne in CR Mirror, 2009. Post in CR Mirror "Heroes and Zeros" re: the nurses and caregivers that cared for Bobby in her final days, 2009. Email from Lynne Jordan re: passing of Bobby and photo albums from early life in the Gorge Harbour, 2009.
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.
This photograph was taken at Stag Bay near the Dick Parker logging camp buildings. The Mansons had raised some Bronze turkeys but had found it commercially unprofitable. These were some of the breeding birds. The gobbler, on the right, weighed 42 pounds. Here, May Freeman, L, Aunt Agnes (Jean Manson's aunt), and Wilfred Manson Jr. are feeding them. There is one White Holland turkey amongst them.
This photograph was taken at Stag Bay near the Dick Parker logging camp buildings. The Mansons had raised some Bronze turkeys but had found it commercially unprofitable. These were some of the breeding birds. The gobbler, on the right, weighed 42 pounds. Here, May Freeman, L, Aunt Agnes (Jean Manson's aunt), and Wilfred Manson Jr. are feeding them. There is one White Holland turkey amongst them.
Mrs. Mabel (Lowe) Christensen posed with one set of the great many totally handmade dolls that she made over the years. The angel at the top of the community Christmas tree each year was, for many years, Mabel's handmade angel.
Mrs. Mabel (Lowe) Christensen posed with one set of the great many totally handmade dolls that she made over the years. The angel at the top of the community Christmas tree each year was, for many years, Mabel's handmade angel.
Mrs. Jean Manson. After her marriage to Wilfred Manson in 1920, they lived for a time in the George Freeman home on Hernando Island. The sheep is an ewe named 'Sitkum Seeakwis' after she lost one eye and became something of a pet and a character. Their black dog 'Pip' is looking on. Note the rain barrel with trough at the side of the house.
Mrs. Jean Manson. After her marriage to Wilfred Manson in 1920, they lived for a time in the George Freeman home on Hernando Island. The sheep is an ewe named 'Sitkum Seeakwis' after she lost one eye and became something of a pet and a character. Their black dog 'Pip' is looking on. Note the rain barrel with trough at the side of the house.
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing with her husband's rifle and a dead buck. "This is a pose only. Her husband shot the deer. They lived alone on Twin Islands and picture taking was a pleasant pastime. She was two years older than her husband's mother. They were very happy and a very fine couple. She was an English-trained nurse for missionary work. Married a missionary doctor. They went to India where the doctor died of fever so she left. Eventually came to Canada where she met and married Capt. James Nixon. Note the scar on her left cheek. While in India an insect went up her nose. It burrowed into the bone and the doctors were never able to effect a cure- it eventually reached the area of the brain. She had to undergo an operation and did not survive the operation. Her husband was desolated." (May Ellingsen).
Mrs. Margaret Nixon posing with her husband's rifle and a dead buck. "This is a pose only. Her husband shot the deer. They lived alone on Twin Islands and picture taking was a pleasant pastime. She was two years older than her husband's mother. They were very happy and a very fine couple. She was an English-trained nurse for missionary work. Married a missionary doctor. They went to India where the doctor died of fever so she left. Eventually came to Canada where she met and married Capt. James Nixon. Note the scar on her left cheek. While in India an insect went up her nose. It burrowed into the bone and the doctors were never able to effect a cure- it eventually reached the area of the brain. She had to undergo an operation and did not survive the operation. Her husband was desolated." (May Ellingsen).
