Fonds MS-52 - Ella May Walker fonds

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Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Ella May Walker fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material - photograph
  • Graphic material - artwork
  • Object

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA EDM MS-52

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1887-1952, predominant 1943-1952 (Creation)
    Creator
    Walker, Ella May Jacoby

Physical description area

Physical description

12 cm of textual records and other material

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1892-1960)

Biographical history

Ella May Jacoby was born in Windom, Minnesota in 1892. She moved with her family to Dundurn SK when she was ten. She studied art at the Chicago Art Institute and attended the Northwestern University School of Music. She met her husband, Osmond James Walker, while the two were students at the University of Saskatchewan. They were married in 1918, lived briefly in Montreal, where her husband earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry at McGill University, and moved to Edmonton in 1920, where he joined the staff of the University of Alberta.
Ella May Walker was an accomplished author, musician, and artist. She wrote a novel entitled 'Fortress North', which dealt with the early history of the Edmonton settlement. She also wrote a regular column for the Edmonton Journal. Ms. Walker was also prominent in the local art, theatrical, and musical communities. She was one of the first members of the City of Edmonton Archives and Landmarks Committee.

Custodial history

Wilfrid Walker is the son of Ella May Walker.
Richard Secord, Eleanor Silver (Dowding) Keeping, and C.E. Holder acquired her paintings through sale or gift.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of correspondence and interviews relating to the research for her historical novel, 'Fortress North'. It also includes a manuscript for the book and her ink and watercolour illustrations for each chapter, a series of historical paintings of Edmonton and area, records relating to her work for the City of Edmonton Archives and Landmarks Committee, and miscellaneous correspondence, sketches, and notes.
The photographs include various Edmonton scenes, the Walker family and friends as well as photographs of her paintings and woodcut prints of images used for her book.
The artwork includes her original paintings and two sculptures.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

This fonds was donated to the City of Edmonton Archives by Wilfrid Walker in 1960. Items have also been donated by Richard York Secord in 1984, Dr. Eleanor Silver (Dowding) Keeping in 1985 and Irma Young in 2011. One item was purchased from C.E. Holder in 1977.

Arrangement

The material was arranged by the archivist by type of record
The photographs were assigned item numbers with the prefix EA-10 or EA-134.
The artwork was assigned item numbers with the prefix EAA-1

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Location of originals

    Availability of other formats

    Restrictions on access

    There are no restrictions on access.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Copyright may apply.
    Reproduction restrictions may apply.

    Finding aids

    Finding aid available online.
    Photographs have been described at the item level and are available in the Reference Room.

    Associated materials

    Accruals

    No further accruals are expected.

    General note

    Accession numbers: B60-79, A71-47, A75-5, A77-98, A84-6, A85-153, A2011-113

    Physical description

    Includes 14 photographs, 33 paintings and 2 objects.

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Standard number

    Standard number

    Access points

    Subject access points

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    Name access points

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    Control area

    Description record identifier

    Institution identifier

    City of Edmonton Archives

    Rules or conventions

    Rules for Archival Description (RAD)
    Archives Society of Alberta Subject Terms

    Status

    Final

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation, revision and deletion

    Language of description

      Script of description

        Sources

        Digital object (Master) rights area

        Digital object (Reference) rights area

        Digital object (Thumbnail) rights area

        Accession area