Fonds F0878 - Basil G. Hamilton fonds

Basil G. Hamilton, 1869-1933 was born in Collingwood, Ontario. He worked as a bank clerk with the Canadian Bank of Commerce, 1887-1890, before moving to Fort William, Ontario. In 1890 he was hired as a land inspector for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) land department in Winnipeg and travelled to Brandon, Kemnay, Alexander, Rapid City and Hamiota, Manitoba. In 1895 he inspected lands near Maple Creek, Swift Current, Wapella, Moosomin and Cannington Manor, Saskatchewan. His journals and diaries provide vivid descriptions of his travels.

From 1904 to 1910 he resided in Calgary, Alberta where he continued to work for the CPR. In 1910 he and his wife, Anna Maud Crawford, 1868-1936, moved to the Windermere Valley, British Columbia, first residing in Wilmer and later Invermere where he was connected with the Columbia Valley Irrigated Fruit Lands Ltd. and later started an insurance company. Throughout his life he was involved with various community organizations, and after moving to British Columbia became extremely interested in David Thompson's life, particularly his activities in the Windermere Valley. Hamilton was involved with the Board of Trade, Hospital Association, Freemasons, and other groups in Invermere.

He was the author of The Legend of Windermere / Basil G. Hamlton. - Invermere: B. G. Hamilton, 1921 [first published in the Cranbrook Courier, Christmas edition, 1920].