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Earle C. Westwood fonds [textual record, graphic material, cartographic material]. -- [ca. 1950-1968].
ca. 40 cm textual records
109 photographs : b&w, col.
11 maps
Earle Cathers Westwood was born in Nanaimo on September 13, 1909, to parents Joseph Arthur Henry and Mary (nee Smith) Westwood. His grandfather, William Joseph Westwood, originally owned the land where Westwood Lake is located. Westwood was a member of several organizations and service clubs and was also a member of the School Board. Westwood served as an Alderman for the City of Nanaimo from 1945-1949; Mayor of Nanaimo from 1950-1952 and from 1955-1956; and was elected as a Social Credit MLA in 1956 (Minister of Trade and Industry) and 1960 (Ministry of Recreation and Conservation). He was also British Columbia's Agent General from 1964-1968. During his time as mayor Westwood became president of the Vancouver Island Municipal Association, served on the executive of the Union of BC Municipalities and was a regional director of the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities. As a businessman Westwood operated a funeral home originally named the Westwood-Hirst Funeral Home, later changed to the Westwood Funeral Home Ltd. (Westwood's Chapel of Flowers). Westwood married Dorothy Verna Humphrey ca. 1937 and they had two children, Brenton Earle and Susan Mary. Dorothy was born at Union Bay on August 15, 1910, and attended school in Nanaimo. She was very active in the community as a member of organizations such as the Malaspina Chapter, Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, and the Altar Guild of St. Paul's Anglican Church. Dorothy died in Nanaimo on April 11, 1956. Westwood later married Sheila Blackwood Maxwell. Westwood died in Nanaimo on August 14th, 1980.
Materials were originally donated to the Nanaimo District Museum by Susan Westwood who had found them among her stepmother's belongings. The archival materials were then transferred to the Nanaimo Community Archives and formally donated to the Archives via Ralph Petley-Jones, the lawyer for Westwood's second wife, Sheila. A second group of records was donated by Earle's daughter Susan in 2016. A third group of materials were transferred from the Nanaimo Museum in 2015.
Fonds consists of records documenting Westwood's work as Mayor of Nanaimo and as an MLA and Agent General, and to a smaller extent, his work with local community groups and as a businessman. Fonds includes letters from Social Credit Movement leader W.A.C. Bennett and Minister Eric Martin; photographs of Westwood with royalty and visiting dignitaries; a signed photograph from Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent; newspaper articles related to the opening of the new Nanaimo City Hall in 1951; elections material; speeches; telegrams and letters of congratulations (1956); plans for Mountain District and Nanaimo properties; park proposals for Newcastle Island and Westwood Lake; a Kinsmen Club Honorary Member certificate (1956-1957); and photographs of the Westwood Funeral Home at 1 Newcastle Avenue. Fonds is arranged in three series: 1) Political records; 2) Photographs; and 3) Miscellaneous.
Title based on contents of the fonds.
Series descriptions available.
Related records available in the Chapel of Flowers, Westwood Hirst Funeral Home fonds.
Series 1.
Political records [textual record, graphic material, cartographic material]. -- [ca. 1950-1966].
ca. 40 cm of textual records
13 maps
Series consists of records related to Westwood's roles in government as Mayor of Nanaimo (1950-1952; 1955-1956) and MLA (1956; 1960). Includes newspaper articles related to the opening of the new Nanaimo City Hall in 1951; letters and telegrams of congratulations to Westwood on becoming an an MLA in 1956; a letter from Social Credit Movement leader W.A.C. Bennett congratulating Westwood on his election nomination; and a letter from Minister Eric Martin appointing Westwood as a provincial government representative on the Board of Management of the Nanaimo Hospital. Series also includes election forms and results; speeches; plans for Mountain District and Nanaimo properties; and proposals for Newcastle Island and Westwood Lake parks (including maps). The Westwood Lake park proposal contains photographs of the lake. Also includes a site plan of Cilaire subdivision and a plan of Bowen Park (1962). Also includes scrapbooks.
Title based on the contents of the series.
There are two copies of the plan for Lot 234 Nanaimo District (Comox Road, Bridge Street, and Millstone River).
One of the plans has an annotation on verso.
Series 2.
Photographs [graphic material]. -- [ca. 1950-1968].
109 photographs : b&w, col.
Series consists of photographs primarily depicting Westwood's activities as Mayor of Nanaimo and as MLA. Also included are images taken during Westwood's tenure as Agent General in England. Includes images showing Westwood with visiting royalty and other dignitaries including Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. Also includes images of Westwood's place of business (Westwood's Chapel of Flowers).
Title based on the contents of the series.
Series 3.
Miscellaneous records [textual record]. -- 1951-1962.
.5 cm of textual records
Series consists of an investment contract and statement, a rotary club roster for 1961-1962, and an Honorary Member certificate awarded to Westwood from the Kinsmen Club (1956-1957). Series also includes detailed plans of the Westwood properties in the East Wellington and Jingle Pot areas.
Title based on the contents of the series.