Barbara Cowling was born in Wimbledon, England in 1912. She came to Canada in 1914 and eventually settled in Nanaimo in 1946. During World War II, Cowling was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Women's Division. Since 1951, Cowling has resided in Chase River, B.C.. She taught at the Chase River School from 1966 to 1978. Over the years, she was active in a number of community organizations including the Chase River P.T.A., the Chase River United Church, Loaves and Fishes, the 7-10 Club, the Nanaimo Historical Society, the Nanaimo Community Archives and the Nanaimo District Museum. Cowling's children are Deryck, Catherine (Lowe) and Douglas. Cowling died in 2011.
2015 materials were donated by Cowling's son, Deryck.
Fonds consists of class photographs of Cowling's students (1967, 1973) and a class photograph for 1955. Students are identified on the verso of the photographs. An additional acquisition consisted of 10 total photographs of BC Power Commission's Crews at Nanaimo, women at John Shaw High School learning trades, and one of an elementary school class in the old barn at Buttertubs Marsh.