Fonds F1565 - Peter Addison Robb fonds

Peter Addison Robb (also called Baldy Robb), 1887-1954, was born in Scotland but moved to Manitoba at an early age. In his teens he started a ranch near Edson, Alberta as well as developing a freighting and guiding business. He married Winifred Edwards in 1915 and they had four children including Nevis Betty Jean (LaBranche) 1925-2001, Glenys, Eddy and Alberta. Peter prospected for coal and minerals in the areas near Edson. A town near one of his properties was named Robb. He formed the Minehead Coal Company in 1918.

Throughout the 1920s Peter was engaged in attempts to have his property developed by the Balkan Coal Company, Alberta Standard Coal Company, and Lakeside Coals Ltd. At the end of the decade he opened a sawmill at Robb. He was actively involved with politics and in the 1925 election was convicted of tampering with ballots, resulting in a term at Prince Albert Penitentiary. He returned to the Edson area where he operated sawmills and sold coal until the 1950s when the family moved to Edmonton.