Archives & Library, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Jim Brewster family fonds

Brewster family

(Jim Brewster family  fonds - V90 / PA - 563a)

     Jim Brewster family fonds. -- [ca.1875-ca.1978]. -- 24 cm of textual records. -- ca.700 photographs : prints, negatives. -- 10 photograph albums (ca.1000 prints). -- 1 motion picture. --     James Irvine Brewster, 1882-1947, came to Banff in 1888.  Involved in guiding and outfitting from an early age, he was co-founder of Brewster Brothers in 1904, which eventually evolved into a major transportation supplier, Brewster Transport Company.   Jim and Lade Brewster (d.1915), had a daughter, Fern Brewster, 1902-1967.   Adele (Dell) Brewster (Sibbald), 1896-1983, Jim Brewster's second wife, was also a director of Brewster Transportation.-- Fonds consists of  five series.  I. Jim Brewster series, before 1948 and ca.1959;  II. Fern Brewster series, before 1967;  III. Dell Brewster series, 1925-1967;  IV. Brewster family series, [before 1978];  V. Other material, before 1978. -- Location: M436 / V90)

Detailed fonds description - Archives Network of Alberta provincial database

I.  Jim Brewster 

Jim Brewster series. -- [before 1948, ca.1959]. -- ca.19 cm of textual records. -- ca.300 photographs : prints, negatives. -- 1 motion picture. -- Series consists of: A. Professional papers and photographs, ca.12 cm of textual records, ca.240 photographs, 1 motion picture; B. Other papers and photographs, before 1948, ca.5 cm of textual records, ca.60 photographs. Series pertains mainly to guiding and outfitting activities, and to Brewster Transport Company records, including Sunshine ski area records. Professional papers and photographs sub-series includes correspondence, diaries, legal papers, Sunshine Lodge addition papers, Brewster house plans and other material. Correspondence is incoming and outgoing letters between Brewster and Hussey, clients, and associates regarding guiding and outfitting, real estate speculation and personal matters, etc. 1906-1907. Diaries pertain to guiding, hunting and horse trips, 1897-1901, 1904-1906; entries mainly record clients, territory covered and game observations and records. Also includes articles and hand-drawn map by Brewster on hunting, 1903-1906. Includes 54 photographs pertaining to Brewster Transport after Jim Brewster period. -- Title based on contents of series. -- Constitutes Series I of the Jim Brewster family fonds.                  

File descriptions

II.  Fern Brewster

Fern Brewster series. -- [before 1967]. -- ca.4 cm of textual records. -- ca.150 photographs : prints, negatives, 3 albums. -- Series consists mainly of personal papers, correspondence, recipes, press clippings and photographs regarding friends and family, education, Jim Brewster's death and cooking. Correspondents include Carl Rungius, Les Peters, Charlie Beil and Fern Bedaux. -- Title based on contents of series. -- Constitutes Series II of the Jim Brewster family fonds.           

File descriptions

III.  Dell Brewster

Dell Brewster series. -- 1925-1967. -- .5 cm of textual records. -- 20 photographs : prints. -- Series consists of: A. Textual records, 1947, 1967, .5 cm, pertaining mainly to Jim Brewster's death; B. Photographs, ca.1875-ca.1935, 20 items, pertaining to the Sibbald, Grier and McDougall families. -- Title based on contents of series. -- Constitutes Series III of the Jim Brewster family fonds.   

File descriptions

IV.  Brewster family

Brewster family series. -- [ca.1898]-1980. -- 14 textual records. -- ca.134 photographs : prints. -- Series consists of: A. Jack Walker Brewster legal papers, 8 items; B. Newsclippings, 6 items; C. Photographs, ca.134 items. -- Title based on contents of series. -- Constitutes Series IV of the Jim Brewster family fonds.          

File descriptions

V.  Other

Other material series. -- [before 1978]. -- 13 textual records. -- ca.100 photographs : prints. -- Series consists of greeting cards and photographs. -- Title based on contents of series. -- Constitutes Series V of the Jim Brewster family fonds.         

File descriptions

 The Jim Brewster family fonds was processed with financial support

of the Canadian Council of Archives, 1993-1994.

On-line finding aid funded by the Archives Society of Alberta, 2002-2003