The rich relationship between the Diocese of Kootenay Archives and the UBCO Indigenous Studies program continues. Following the introductory “Knowledge Sharing Event” held in December 2023 at the Cathedral; where students shared their research about the Diocese of Kootenay’s support for the Residential School system, a second event was held in January 2025.
This event featured two talks exploring what has been learned from this research, and connecting the dots to the wider history of the residential schools. Dr. Alanaise Ferguson discussed, “How your archive became active reconciliation and what we learned.” Dr. Evan Habkirk addressed, “From the national to the local: What we were told about the national residential school project.” The event was well-attended and there was a substantial question-and-answer session following the talks. All these public events form part of our ongoing concern to embrace the TRC’s Calls to Action, and provide unique opportunities for the university and the church to come together.
It was then decided to hold a national webinar in June 2025 entitled “Moving Toward Reconciliation: National Conversations about Local Reconciliation,” featuring Drs. Ferguson and Habkirk from UBCO, Dr. Wendy Fletcher, Dr. Alan Hayes, Eric Mitchell (a residential school survivor) and his daughter, Vanessa Mitchell, from the Syilx First Nation as respondents, and myself. Dr. Fletcher and I addressed the role of women in the Anglican Church and specifically the role of the WA in the residential schools. Dr. Hayes’ topic was “Popularizing Anglican Residential Schools: T.B.R. Westgate Tries to Change the Story.”
Other work accomplished since the last Diocesan Synod report:
Accessions: 29 accessions of documents from various parishes.
Vital Record searches: 32 inquiries from the general public about baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials. There was also an inquiry about some cremains abandoned at the Nelson funeral home since 2007, and a search for a deceased baby with no first name.
Photos: 264 photos were accessed (mostly digital)
Much time spent “working on mysteries without any clues” (to quote Bob Seeger) “to figure out who, what, where, when and sometimes why, photos are lacking metadata.”
Internal research requests: 71 (for Diocesan committees and churches)
- Researched the status of our cemeteries and columbaria
- Researched historic property sales and disbursement of funds
- Researched church attendance stats from 1911-2020
- Researched land titles and architectural drawings
- Researched dates when all our church buildings were constructed
External research requests: 20 (for the general public)
- UBCO professor researching histories of Kootenay churches (ongoing)
- Princeton Museum inquiry about St. Cuthbert’s, Princeton
- Haney Museum, Salmon Arm about mystery priest in church photo
- Inquiry from Armstrong-Enderby Branch of Okanagan Historical Society re: the church and parsonage in Lansdowne.
A woman wanted to know about the church in Stanley. I assumed she meant Stanley, BC but she was actually referring to Stanley, Falkland Islands! She forgot to mention that little detail. I researched it anyway.
A professor at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden inquired about The Rt. Rev. Hugh Embling who served in New Denver in 1946. I was able to email him some information, but I could not find an obituary. He is buried in New Denver, but there is no acknowledgement of his death in the Nelson Daily News where he was mentioned in dozens of articles.
A parishioner at St. Fin Barr’s Cathedral, Cork City, Ireland wanted to know about The Rev. Colquhoun of Elko and Newgate (Gateway). In her archives, she had found a letter from Rev. Colquhoun thanking the dean of the Cathedral for sending a communion set.
Someone inquired about The Rev. (Captain) Thomas Lloyd Rimmer ordained 1931 at Revelstoke.
He assisted the researcher’s father who had fallen off a CPR train in Revelstoke and severed both his arms just below the elbow. Rev. Rimmer petitioned the federal government to allow his father to stay in Canada as the government wanted to deport him back to the Netherlands.
My researcher from last year still cannot determine if St. Peter’s, Windermere was actually “stolen” from Donald, BC and taken to Windermere, or was given to him with permission by the Bishop. Stay tuned for more developments.
Backups
Completed the backup of all Vital Records (Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Burials)
Scanned all Executive/Diocesan Council and Administration Committee minutes from 1925 to present.
Work in process: Searchable HighWay index of all articles and photos from 2001-2017 (1956-2000 issues have already been done). When this project has been completed, my goal is to have scanned copies of all the editions.
Writing
- Wrote four short obituaries for priests for the Kootenay Contact
- Wrote brief histories of New Denver and Kaslo for the Bishop
- Wrote 5000 word essay “Weighed and Found Wanting: The Women’s Auxiliary of the Diocese of Kootenay and the Indian Residential Schools” for the June webinar with UBCO.
Ephemera
Provided churches with various items including a travel communion kit, green altar frontal, linens, burse & veil, and brass candlesticks.
Professional Development
I plan to attend by Zoom the “Conference of Anglican Archivists” Nov 21-22, 2025 to be held in Toronto.
At the end of April, Bishop Lynne brought me two boxes of material from various Kokanee Parish churches. After sorting and filing everything, I was left with a file of baptism certificates and marriage licenses from the 1920s and 1930s. I checked my Vital Record database, and all the baptisms had been duly recorded in their respective books here in the archives.
But only a quarter of the marriages had been recorded (of course, it is possible for people to acquire a marriage license and then not carry through with the ceremony!) So I checked the genealogy records at the Royal BC Museum, and these people had, indeed, gotten married, but the marriage register books were missing, so I printed out the government register pages, added everyone to my Vital Record database, and filed the loose pages in the appropriate boxes.
One of the names on a marriage license caught my eye because it was so long: John Whitworth Frederick Aylmer, 9th Baron Aylmer1, who married Gertrude Emma Black at St. Francis-in-the-Woods, Queen’s Bay. John Whitworth Frederick Aylmer, 9th Baron, was born in Ontario. The family moved to Kaslo, then to Queen’s Bay, where the 1921 Census lists him as a labourer on his father’s orchard or ranch. My hypothesis is that though the family was titled, they were not rich so they came to Canada seeking better opportunities. Incidentally, John’s wife, Gertrude Black, had a father who was fairly well off.
1The Aylmer Baronetcy, of Balrath in the County of Meath, was created on November 6, 1662 in the Baronetage of Ireland. The family seat was Donadea Castle, near Donadea, County Kildare. The 5th Baron was Governor General of British North America from 1830-1835. The 7th Baron was born in the UK and had moved to Quebec by 1841, listed first as a farmer and later as a gentleman.
