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.
Canadian Geographic Journal, Vol. VII., No. 5. Montreal: The Canadian Geographical Society, May 1934.
"The Haidas of British Columbia" - Chapter IX from an unidentified book, pages 221-263. (ca. 1933)
Formal portrait of Rev. W.E. Collison, son of Archdeacon W.H. Collison. Handwritten note affixed to verso reads: "Rev. W.E. Collison Honorary Secretary Prince Rupert Branch".
Photograph depicts Henry Alexander, son of Marion and Archdeacon W.H. Collison, leaning on walking stick on top of rocky hill. Mountains in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Henry Collison on prospecting trip. Portland Canal."
Photograph depicts the sons and daughters of Marion and Archdeacon W.H. Collison posing in front of an archway covered in foliage, wood building in background. The Archdeacon stands behind his wife Marion who holds Katherine ('Katy') Collison, the oldest of their grandchildren. W.E. Collison stands on far left next to his wife Bertha nee Davis.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Collison family / Kincolith BC".
The group poses in front of an archway covered in foliage, wood building in background. The Archdeacon sits in centre, in front of his wife Marion.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Grand-dad + Grannie with family + friends at Kincolith / Mother + Dad lower left" (W.E. Collison sits on left in front of his wife Bertha).
Marion sits beside her husband, Archdeacon William Henry Collison, who wears clerical garb. Trees and foliage in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Arch. Collison + Mrs. Collison."
Marion sits to left of husband Archdeacon William Henry, small boy in between. Young children sit and stand in foreground, Katherine 'Katy' and Muriel 'Mimi' stand in background (daughters of W.E. Collison). The group poses in front of a wood door, ivy on either side.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Grand-dad (Arch. W.H. Collison) & Grannie with grandchildren at Kincolith".
The group poses in front of a wood door, ivy on either side.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "The family at Kincolith - Summer House, 1916 / Back Row L-R: Art Macdonald, Bill Collison, Reg Collison, Jack [John] Macdonald / Front L-R: Katie Collison with Don Collison, Marion Collison, Joyce Collison, Muriel (Mimi) Collison with Colin Macdonald, Hugh Macdonald".
Photograph depicts two young granddaughters of Marion and W.H. Colllison, holding flowers in grassy area. Forest and hills in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Winnie & Joyce at Kincolith". Marion Winnifred is the daughter of John Maxwell Collison, and Joyce is the daughter of William Edwin Collison.
Joyce stands knee-deep in water, holding a long wrapped object, with a bundle resting on her shoulder (daughter of Archdeacon W.H. Collison's eldest son William Edwin). Trees and bushes visible on opposite shore in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Joyce circa 1937 at Kincolith".
Rev. William Edwin Collison stands to left of wife Bertha who sits on front steps of large shingled home, flower pots in background (oldest son of of Archdeacon W.H. Collison).
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Dad & Mother Prince Rupert".
Bertha Collison stands on front steps, to left of second woman standing below.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Mother & Aunt Rose Davies at our house in Prince Rupert".
Group of men and women pose by large building. W.H. Collison sits second from left in second row, W.E. Collison stands third from right in back.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Early synod of the Anglican Church at Prince Rupert B.C."
Group of men, women, and children pose in front of large building. Rev. William Edwin Collison stands on far left (son of Archdeacon W.H. Collison).
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Early Church Workers at Metlakatla BC / Bishop & Mrs Ridley in centre / (Approx 1898 - 1899)".
The Bishop sits at a table, drinking tea.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "[...?] taken at Eastbourne Missionary Exhibition March 1903 [...?]".
Large group of women, men, and children pose on front steps of church. Some men standing in back hold brass instruments. Bishop Ridley (with long beard) sits in front centre between W.H. Collison (on right) and his son W.E. Collison. Photograph depicts the first church built in Metlakatla, which was burned in a fire in 1901, and replaced in 1903.
Handwritten annotation below image reads: "A gathering of Missionaries and Indians in front of Metlakahtla Church During Synod"; on verso: "[Ven?] Arch Collison & Mrs Collison".
Many rows of pews span foreground. Banners hanging in front of sanctuary read: "THE ANGEL SAID UNTO THEM, FEAR NOT, BEHOLD I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE".
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Port [?] Church Interior."
Photograph depicts a large ship behind dock buildings. Railroad crosses foreground, hills visible on shore in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Drydock Prince Rupert".
Photograph depicts buildings visible through clearing in trees. Water crosses foreground, hills visible in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Dry dock / Prince Rupert B.C."
Handwritten annotations read: "At rest, after a rough passage of two days and a night from Massett, Queen Charlotte's Islands by canoe - W.H. Collison and Mrs. Collison with Indians from Masset"; "Archdeacon Collison Indian Canoe & Crew. Return from Queen Charlotte's Islands, Haida & Tsimshian Crew [...?]" Archdeacon and Mrs. Collison sit in centre of canoe.
Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "W.E. Collison Masset. Interior of Chief [Weah's?] house".
Caption under printed version of photo in W.H. Collison's book 'In the Wake of the War Canoe': "The house is about 40 feet square, forming one large room. The upper cubicles are on a level with the ground, which in front of them is excavated so that the fireplace in the centre is twelve feet below the surface. A ledge, for the use of slaves and dependents, is left half-way down."
Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "No. 54. Old tombs & totems. / to Haida graves Massett".
Two tombs stand in foreground, each consisting of a horizontal box held by two hollow posts sunk in the ground.
Three unidentified men stand by poles in foreground, wood houses and crest poles visible in background.
Printed below image: "Totem Poles, Massett, Q.C. Island, B.C. "; "T.N. Hibbon & Co., Victoria, B.C. [crossed through with ink]"; handwritten below: "The old style giving way to the new."
Photograph depicts large church in fenced area, mission house visible behind trees in background.
Printed on image: "The Church. Old Massett. Q.C.I. / J.D. Allen. Photo. C."
Young boy stands among bushes in snow, totel pole in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “WE Collison Totem on QCIsl."
Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of forest trees, fallen logs on beach in foreground.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Indian Totems along beach on Q.C. Islands"
Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of remains of wood structures, forest visible in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "A deserted Village, Q.C. Islands [...]" (various notes crossed through on verso).
Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of remains of wood structures built along sandy shore. View from above, forest on hill in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "[? illegible] Deserted village West Coast QCIs."
Photograph depicts narrow valley between steep cliffs.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "on left Vertical side of old Indian fort at Nagas W. Coast Q.C.I".
Photograph depicts totem poles (crest poles?) in front of lodge buildings on river shore. Canoes can be seen floating in foreground, hills in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Chapter XII. Number 1. Section of Indian Village on Nass River showing lodges and totems".
Photograph depicts a totem pole supported by smaller poles, and a second totem pole standing straight in background. Beach in foreground, fence and hills in distance.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Falling greatness, Chapt. XXI No. 5, A Chief's Totem Pole inclined to fall. [Gitaix?] Encampment, Nass River. Five illustration for Chapt. XXI."
Unidentified boy walks on a wood boardwalk, carrying large bundle. Forest in background.
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "Young boy carrying furs - Village of Kincolith"; "Little Indian boy carrying bear skin [?] at Gitlakdamix".
Photograph depicts a group of 18 men wearing suits and ties, standing on front steps of large building with pillars.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Conference of Sand Question Committee at Kincolith on Sunday, June 3rd 1923. Mr. [O'Heara?] present. [illegible initials]".