The Archdeacon W.H. Collison fonds consists of textual materials, maps, published materials and photographs all documenting Collison’s life and work with North Coastal First Nations communities in British Columbia. Types of records found within this fonds include manuscripts, sermon notes, correspondence, oral history summaries, monographs, cartographic items, photographs and postcards. The Collison fonds also includes some records created by his children and grandchildren as well as a family tree created in 1986. The Collison fonds has been divided into four series.
Sem títuloClose up of a carved wooden rattle featuring one side which is in the shape of a sun with face.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “Medicine man’s rattle. One side representing The sun and the other side The Moon. For heading of Page 20 Medicine Man’s rattle, Haida, Q.C. Islands.”
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Q.C. Is.”
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Shaman’s grave”.
A bentwood box sitting on a pedestal in front of a bookcase in the office of W.E. Collison. Handwritten annotation in pencil on verso reads: “Carved ‘hope chest’ sent to New York. The box was carved by -- Luke Watson Skidegate. The photo was taken in the office – not bad for a --”
Three model totem poles carved out of argillite and of various heights standing as a trio against a white backdrop. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “W.E. Collison.” Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “43-3”
Unidentified carved and painted wooden object. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “46-5”
Unidentified tool leaning against a sheeted backdrop. Carved wooden bark shredder, used to soften and break up fibres of cedar bark lying on sheet covered table. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-3”
Stone figure carved in the likeness of a fish. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-5”
Wooden fish, complete with carved fins and moveable (?) tail. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-1”
Two carved wooden bentwood boxes. Box on the left containing three carved wooden spoons, box on the right containing one carved wooden spoon; between the two lies one large spoon resting against a box. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “W.E. Collison.” Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “49-6”
Carved wooden mask depicting a bird/human face painted with a stylized design of feathers and animal's ear to one side of the forehead. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “44-2”
Carved and painted wooden mask in the shape of a mythic creature with flaring nostrils and oblong eyes. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “44-6”
Carved wooden mask in the shape of a mythic creature with distinct eyebrows, a wide and flattened nose and a thin lipped mouth. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “44-3”
Ermine-tail headdress with wooden frontlets carved with mythic animal and inlaid with abalone. Sea lion whiskers extending upwards from top of frontlet. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “W.E. Collison.” Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “45-6”
Pile driver situated on Prince Rupert shoreline. Tents and wooden buildings visible on rocky background. Printed annotations on recto of photograph read: "First pile driven at Prince Rupert BC. June 8 '06."
Photograph of a large dock littered evidence of lumber transportation. Small buildings and stumps are on the shoreline. Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert BC, '07."
Foreground shows a rocky shore covered in debris. A small crowd is visible along the coastline, and there are foggy outlines of hills beyond the water. Annotation on recto reads: "McRae Bros After the Blast 24th Apr. 13."
Foreground shows two rocky shores covered in dirt and wood debris, connected by a barely visible bridge. Annotation on recto reads: "Before the Blast Apr. 24th 13"
Photograph of a large explosion next to a huge pile of debris. Buildings are visible on either side and railroad track can be seen in the foreground. Annotation on recto reads: "The Last Big Blast, Prince Rupert BC 21 Jan 1914 McRae Bros. Photo"
Photograph of a large explosion on a rocky shoreline. A bridge is visible in the foreground and a body of water is partially visible in the background. Annotation on recto reads: "McRae Bros Moving Mountains at Prince Rupert BC Apr 24th"
Photograph of a large crowd gathered in front of a Grand Trunk Pacific train. Residential buildings atop a hill are visible in the background. Annotation on recto reads: "First Train Leaving Prince Rupert June 14 1911"
Photograph of the Prince Rupert wharf. A small vessel is docked, and a large tree is in the foreground. Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert Wharf & Harbor. Allen Photo." Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "766[?]"
Photograph of the SS "Distributor" in the open water, with another vessel and mountains in the background. Several passengers and/or crew are visible on deck. Annotation on recto reads: "SS 'Distributor' at Prince Rupert, BC Allen Photo 5/June/0[?]."
Close up photograph of a large residential building in a freshly clear cut area. To the right of the main building is the church and an unidentified commercial building. Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert, BC 1660."
Wide angle photograph of Prince Rupert sometime during the winter. There is snow on the ground and a marge mountain range is visible in the background. Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert looking East from Waterworks J.D.A Pho 5/2."
Wide angle view of Prince Rupert harbour taken from the water. Forest and mountains are visible in the background. Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert BC '07."
Archdeacon W.H. Collison and an unidentified man on the "Dawn," Collison's boat. Forested hills and several buildings are visible in the background. Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "The 'Dawn' Archdeacon Collison's boat."
Photograph of a factory on the shoreline amidst a forested area. The factory is emitting steam or smoke and has a white exterior. Annotation on recto reads "Canadian Fish & Cold Storage Co. Prince Rupert BC."
Photograph of several commercial and residential buildings, including the church and "The Big Furniture Store." Annotation on recto reads: "Prince Rupert. BC Allen Photo July '11." Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Early day- Prince Rupert."
Photograph of a young girl believed to be Katy Collison seated for a formal portrait on a wheeled chair. Handwritten annotation in pen on recto reads: "With love from 'Mama'[?] 1907." Handwritten address on verso reads: "Miss West[?] Metlakatla British Columbia N.W. America." Two half penny stamps affixed on verso and partially obscured by two postmarks which read: "Folkstone 1.15 PM SP 19 07."
Photograph of a mustachioed man perched atop a cart load of lumber hitched to a team of horses. Annotation on recto reads: "First Team Hitched Up at Prince Rupert May 1908."
Photograph of Centre Street in Prince Rupert on Dominion Day. The Union Bank of Canada is located on the left side of the street, and a decorative arch can be seen in the background. Annotation on recto reads: "Centre Sr. Prince Rupert Dominion Day Celebrations 1909 Allen Photo July 09."
Photo of the Prince Rupert harbour. Many buildings are visible along the shoreline. Annotation on recto reads: "Harbour, Prince Rupert BC. 1658." Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Early Prince Rupert. Good view of Metlakatla Passage in distance- showery[?] Wolf Island."
This file contains handwritten and typed notes and drafts of First Nations legends, addresses and manuscripts. It is believed this material was authored by W.H. and W.E. Collison although none is signed or dated.
File includes "In the Wake of the War Canoe" Chapter XX revisions and a note from donor Jean Whiffin on behalf of Joyce Collison regarding the revisions.
File contains listing of items donated by Rose Margaret Davies to the Ridley Home Archives in 2008 that documented accomplishments of Margaret West; handwritten notes regarding place names along the North Pacific Coast and one page from an issue of the Monthly Reporter, No. 9, September 1873 published by the Church Missionary Society.
File contains the following:
- Wakanda: Croquis de l’Auteur. Paul Coze. Paris, 1929. (*fragile condition and in French – signed by author to W.E. Collison in thanks for allowing Coze to photograph his mask)
- Envelope from Paul Coze to Mr. and Mrs. Collison containing a happy new year postcard for 1933 "meilleurs voeux pour 1933." Postcard features the face of a leopard drawn by Coze.
- Signed postcard print of a seated leopard (no.49/300) containing a happy new year postcard for 1930 "meilleurs voeux pour 1933, Paul Coze, 50, Rue Saint-Georges, Paris."
- Envelope postdated 1933 from J. Ferenczi & Fils –Editeurs (presumably of Coze's publication "Wakanda") to Mr. Collison containing 1 sheet of magazine quality paper on one side of which is a biographical write-up of Coze (in French) and on the other is a photo of Coze wearing Plains (?) regalia.
File contains letter to Miss Collison from Dr. Robert Sayson, UBC Department of Medicine regarding the post mortem study conducted on her sister Muriel (11 Oct. 1988); program from the Celebration of Life held for Miss Collison on 29 April 2006; an obituary re: the life and death of Miss Collison; and a newspaper article regarding the sale of W.E. Collison’s First Nations art collection to the UBC Museum of Anthropology by his daughters Joyce and Muriel in 1960.
File consists of a blank notecard featuring colour aerial photograph of Metlakatla, B.C. Photograper: Eugene Mah.
The Church Missionary Intelligencer. New Series. 1 September 1873
Report of Conferences Between the Provincial Government and Indian Delegates from Fort Simpson and Nass River. British Columbia. February 1887.
A Sketch of the Social Organization of the Nass River Indians. Edward Sapir. Museum Bulletin No. 19: Anthropological Series, No. 7. October 15, 1915. Ottawa: Government Printing Bureau, 1915.
A Fragment of Primitive Speech: A study of the roots of the language of the Nisga Indians of British Columbia. Rev. J.B. McCullagh. March 1916.