Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1927-2017 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
31.5 cm of textual records
80 photographs
3121 photonegatives : black and white
1862 photoprints : black and white
1 photoprint : colour
125 slides : colour
3 slides : black and white
2 photopositives : colour
1 glass slide : colour
61 postcards : black and white
11 8 mm open reels
5 16 mm open reels
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Arnold Roberton, 1903-1993, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, moved to Canada in 1923 and to Calgary, Alberta in 1936. He established Photocrafts, a camera and photographic supplies store, at 816 Centre Street, Calgary, Alberta in 1940. In the late 1940s Photocrafts also sold reproductions of photos by Gerda Christofferson and Roland Gissing. In 1948 Arnold expanded into wholesale by establishing the Canadian Photographic Supply Company at 811-1 Street SE. He also opened Bunny Photo Service, a photofinishing shop at the same location. He sold Photocrafts in 1953, and ran the other two businesses until the early 1980s with his wife, Helen, as bookkeeper. He and Helen had two daughters, Joann (Goldthorpe) and Lesley. They retired ca. 1985.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gift of Arnold Roberton, 1990 and Leslie Roberton in 2022, 2024.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The fonds consists of photographs of Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise (ca. 1940s); slides of mountain landscapes by Roland Gissing (1940s); slides of Stoneys by Gerda Christofferson and her model release forms (1940s); and correspondence regarding sales of slides (1949, 1950); as well as photographic material depicting Calgary and greater Alberta with various events and mountain scenes, images by others, films of a 1972 skating event, and commercial films related to Roberton's involvement with democratic organizations. Includes agreement and list of creditors related to sale of Photocrafts (1953), miscellaneous financial records (1949, 1950), and photographs of Sarcee (Tsuut'ina) by Arnold Lupson (1940s).
The 2024.05 accession contains negatives and photographs of the Calgary Stampede, Nanton Stampede, Morely Stampede, the City of Calgary in the 1940s including schools, downtown and aerial photographs. Also includes photographs for Princess Elisabeth's Royal Visit in 1951, of sporting events in Calgary, photographs in Calgary during World War II and color slides of portraits by Gerda Christofferson of Stoney Elder's.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions on access.
Conditions governing reproduction
The Emma Goldman Papers correspondence in 2022.43 cannot be reproduced.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
The material is in English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Finding aid for 2022.43 available.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Digital content is available: https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/Package/2R3BF1S3C2EB0
Related units of description
Additional and related material for accession 2022.43 can be found in the Lorne Edward Burkell fonds, Holy Cross School of Nursing fonds, and Rosettis Studio fonds.
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of records.
Note
A duplicate set of slides were transferred to the Art Department.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, 1926-2022 (Subject)
- Calgary Stampeders Football Club (Subject)
- Scott, Barbara Ann (Subject)
- Rand, Sally (Subject)
- Christofferson, Gerda (Subject)
- Glencoe Club (Subject)
- Roberton, Arnold (Subject)
- Burkell, Lorne Edward (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Thursday, September 06, 2018