DORAS KIRK DISPLAY FILES sous fonds – (1950 – 1985) approx.. – 20 cm. of material mounted for display in the museum

Doras Kirk’s collection forms the bulk of the Denman Museum and Archives collection. She lived on Denman Island from 1950 until her death in 2004. Her private collection was donated to the Denman Seniors and Museum Society in 1980.

The Display Files sous fonds is the portion of the collection that was mounted for display either in her private museum in her home or the general store, or in the current museum. Photos, clippings and ephemera are mounted on sheets of colored construction paper or heavy matt board. Most of this material dates from the 1970’s and 1980’s. Doras Kirk wrote many of the articles for the local press.

The sous fonds consists of;

(A.18.11.1) Native Culture – Loc.A-F-1 – 1.5 cm. of photos, clippings, text, and photocopies on first nations culture on and around Denman Island.

(A.18.11.2) Shipwrecks – Loc.A-F-1 – 1.5 cm. of clippings, photos and text on the shipwrecks of the Flora (1903) and the Alpha (1900). Also correspondence and photos concerning the raising of the Alpha’s anchor (1972).

(A.18.11.3) Bell Lady – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of photos and text on the Bell Lady, Mrs. Myra Veness (1895-1993), a collector of ornamental bells. The museum no longer holds this collection.

(A.18.11.4) Ferries – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of photos and clippings on Denman Island ferries. The “Denman Queen”, “Catherine Graham”, “Albert Savoie”, “Billy B” ‘, “Moniker”, “Kahloke” , and on dock facilities.

(A.18.11.5) Farming – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of clippings and photos on Denman farms and their products, apples, turnips, tofu, ponies, bees, tulips. Also fall fairs.

(A.18.11.6) Logging – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of photos, photocopies, clippings, text and map on logging operations on Denman. Baikie, Kelsey, Isbister, Daye, McFarlan, Graham.

(A.18.11.7.1) Pioneers – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of clippings, photos,, text and one letter. The letter is from Katie Isbister to Doras Kirk, 1964. Pioneers named are Howe, Lacon, Swan, Stone, Griffin, Burrough, Phillips, Hastings, Isbister, Baikie, Piercy, McGee, Millard, Pickles, Graham, Corrigal.

(A. 18.11.8) Seniors Hall – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of photos and clippings on the construction and opening of the Denman Seniors and Museum building (1981 – 1984), and on fundraising events.

(A.18.11.10) Lace Club – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.5 cm. of clippings and text on Denman Lace Club (1919 – 1979) Elsie Spencer.

(A.18.11.11) Lord Denman – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.2 cm. of clippings, text and photocopies on the naming of Denman Island after Rear Adm. Joseph Denman and his father Lord Denman.

(A.18.11.13) Dora Drinkwater Library – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.2 cm. of clippings on Dora Drinkwater and the beginning of the library on Denman.

(A.18.11.14) Churches – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.2 cm. of clippings, photo and photocopy on the Anglican and United Churches on Denman.

(A. 18.11.15) Elkhaven – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.3 cm. of photos and clippings of the Ormiston farm, later known as Elkhaven.

(A. 18.11.16) Fillongley – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.2 cm. of clippings on Fillongley Park and George Beadnell

(A.18.11.17) Hummingbirds – Loc.A-F-5 – one large sheet of photos and clippings on local hummingbirds.

(A.18.11.18) Cemetery – Loc.A-F-1 – one sheet of text and photos on the founding of the cemetery.

(A. 18.11.19) Graham Bros. Lumber – Loc.A-F-1 – one sheet of Graham Bros. account with Mr. Pickles 1912.

(A. 18.11.21) General Store – Loc.A-F-1 – 0.2 cm. of clipping, photos, and photocopy on history of the general store. Doheny, Lucas, Kirk, Pickard, Cheany, Ryall, Aitken, Brown, Crisp.

(A.18.11.22) Barns – Loc.A-f-1 – one sheet of mounted clippings on Denman barns. Piercy, McFarlan, Ormiston, Bell-Irving, Nixon.

(A.18.103.1-26) Storyboards – Loc.shelf – 26 storyboards (45 cm. x 45 cm.) of heavy matt board with clippings, photos, photocopies, text, drawings, maps on the following topics: 1. Churches 10. Transportation

1. Churches

2. United Church

3. Anglican Church

4. History 1860 – 2000

5. Naming of Denman Isl.

6. The Alpha

7. Elkhaven

8. Early Farming

9. Transportation

10. Transportation

11. Ferry Service

12. Sandstone Quarry

13. Shellfish

14. Schools

15. Schools

16. Photos

17. Fishing

18. Herring Fishing

19. Herring

20. Early Farming

21. Logging

22. Logging

23. Lighthouses

24. Petroglyphs

25. Petroglyphs

26. Petrpglyphs

These storyboards appear to have been mostly made around 1990 and are the second generation of historical display following the earlier displays on construction paper. Starting in 2016 a third generation has been made by Pat Kelly following the same topics for the most part. The range of topics covered by all the generations also tends to follow the layout of Winnie Isbister’s book “My Ain Folk” published in 1976 which in turn follows the format of the history written by the Women’s Institute”