Item is a photo album belonging to Archie Wills. Photo album contains images taken during Wills' time at the Y.M.C.A Summer Camps from 1911-1915, including various expeditions the young men went on, and events at camp. Also included is a newsletter from 2000 which outlines the beginnings of the Y.M.C.A. Summer Camps, and three loose photographs from around the camp.
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps; Dinners and dining; Swimming; Boats and boating; Waterways; Hiking; Hotels; Contests; Races; Railroad trains; Bonfires; Newspapers; United States. Navy; Newsletters; Sports sponsorship
Date:
1911-1915; 2000
Collection:
Archie H. Wills fonds
Location(s):
British Columbia--Esquimalt; British Columbia--Victoria; British Columbia; British Columbia--Cowichan Valley; British Columbia--Cobble Hill; British Columbia--Goldstream; British Columbia--Duncan; British Columbia--Shawnigan Lake; British Columbia--Metchosin
Page includes one typed note from Archie Wills, describing the Y.M.C.A senior summer camp held in 1911 on the Gorge, in Victoria B.C.
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps
Date:
1911
Collection:
Archie H. Wills fonds
Location(s):
British Columbia--Esquimalt
Transcript:
Y.M.C.A. CAMP AT THE GORGE. / On this continent the Y.M.C.A. has favored summer camps for both / juniors and seniors. I was privileged to attend the first senior camp / held by the Y.M.C.A. at the Gorge in 1911. Although a junior, I was wel- / comed by the seniors as I was Marine Editor of The Times and was / able to record the activities of this new camp. / At that time the Gorge was noted for its regattas on May 24th and / it had a couple of pubs and very little settlement. The B.C. Electric / Railway had just opened a spur line from Esquimalt Road and was hope- / ful of developing a large amusement centre where the present (1972) / Kinsmen' s Park is located. They did erected [sic] a large ballroom, a stage, / a scenic railway, a chute-the-chute and employed some Japanese to / establish a delightful Japanese Garden, with sam pans and a large floating / restaurant, which was reached by the tiypical [sic] three-span arched bridge. / The YMCA first camp had neither piped water nor electric light, but it / was set in primitive forest, with great Douglas firs dominating the area. / A cookhouse was built and two Chinese cooks were engaged to provide / the meals, breakfast and supper, and three meals on Sundays. All the / campers worked in town. Water was hauled from the Japanese tea Gardens / in a large barrel, set amidships of a craft, named Sloppy Liz. Two campers / were detailed each night to get the water, which , after safely reaching the dock at camp, had to be packed in buckets up the slope to a receiving / barrel. / It was a tremendous experience to live under these conditions. We went / into camp on May 24 and remained there until Labor Day, each year. We / enjoyed weekened hikes and most of us had canoes and spent the eventings / paddling "up the Gorge", usually with a girl up front. / I went to camp for five years. In 1915 the First World War was on and / almost all of us enlisted and served overseas. Our camp experiences / were to hold us in good stead when we went under canvas in Canada and / England and then in the mud and murder in France when the sky was our / only cover. / Archie Wills.
Page includes one clipping from The Victoria Times, hand dated 1913, with the note "Written by Archie Wills." Clipping includes a photograph captioned "Y.M.C.A. Campers Once Again Break Camp," and "The Sunday Mid-Day Meal."
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps; Dinners and dining
Page includes one photograph with a hand-written date and caption. The photo is of a group of young men standing and sitting, with trees in the background, titled "The Bunch. - 1911." The photo was taken by Archie Wills, and underneath is a list of the men shown.
Page includes one photograph of a group of young men standing and sitting in canoes and sailing dinghies. Tents from the camp can be seen on the shore, and the fifth bridge over the gorge inlet can be seen in the background.
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps; Boats and boating
Page includes one photograph of a group of young men sitting at a long table, likely waiting for a meal. The caption is "Ready for the Gong" and Archie Wills is identified with a note.
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps; Dinners and dining
Page includes one photograph of a group of young men sitting at a long table, after a meal. The caption is "Afterwards. Releived [sic].", and Archie Wills, Geo Robinson, and Stan Young are identified with a note.
Subjects:
Young Men' s Christian Association; Camps; Dinners and dining