Photo consists of Mackenzie River missionaries: Back row left to right - W.S. Tremain (Fort Norman), Rev. H. Girling (Eskimo village), Rev. C.H. Quartermain (Chipewyan), M. Merritt (Fort McPherson), Mr. Hoare (Peel River), Rev. G. Bowring (Fort Simpson) died 1925. Sitting Mrs. Tremain, the Bishop [Lucas], Mrs. Whittaker, Archdeacon Whittaker
Charles Edward Whittaker (1864-1947) graduated from Wycliffe College and was ordained deacon in 1895 and priest in 1898 by Bishop Reeve of Mackenzie River. He was a missionary in the Arctic for 23 years, 1897-1920, serving at Fort McPherson, Herschel Island, and Whitehorse. He did a lot of translation work (Western Eskimo) and was Archdeacon of Mackenzie River, 1914-1918. He finished his career serving in several parishes in the Diocese of Toronto, 1921-1934.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a manuscript by Archdeacon Whittaker entitled, Sunrise in Eskimo Land or Dawn Among Eskimo. This manuscript outlines his missionary work in the north and in Ontario until the mid 1930's. Manuscript includes information about Archdeacon Robert McDonald, Bp. Isaac O. Stringer, W.D. Young, W.H. Fry, Edward Hester, Herbert Girling, G.E. Merritt, W.H.B. Hoare, and John Firth. Also includes reference to Indian Residential Schools at Hay River and Carcross.
Related Fonds
Diocese of the Arctic fonds
Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada (MSCC) fonds
Photo consists of four white men and two Inuit men.
Verso says: For four years these men have travelled about from Camp to Camp bringing the message of the Gospel of Christ to the people of the snows. During the past four years every village in that 100,000 square miles was reached and the message given.
Your messengers endured many hardships. They faced storm and blizzard, were ill-clad and ill-fed, yet they went forward.
The Christ who suffered on the cross for love of them and you called them and calls you to make HIS love known unto every creature. Is it too much to ask you to do? Let each one put that question to himself.
Herbert Girling (1891-1920) lived and worked in Nottingham, England before he responded to a call for men by the Colonial and Continental Church Society. He studied at Emmanuel College, Saskatoon from 1909-1913. Girling was ordained deacon in 1914 and priest in 1916. He began missionary service under the direction of Archdeacon C.E. Whittaker in Fort McPherson and Kittigazuit, NWT. 1915-1919 he was Missionary with the Inuit in the Bernard Harbour and Coronation Gulf areas. During that time he made extensive travels and did significant translation in the Copper Eskimo language. He died in Ottawa while on furlough.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of articles by and about Girling regarding his work among the Blond Eskimo or Copper Inuit and photographs taken while in the north. There is also a list of articles published in the Mission World by and about Girling and his work.
A later donation includes Girling's Copper Eskimo [Inuinnaqtun/Inuinnaztun] and English Dictionary and supplemental aids (grammar and phrases).
James Richard Lucas (1863-1938) enrolled at the C.M.S.'s school in London, England and was ordained deacon in 1892 and priest in 1893. Served at Fort Chipewyan, Archdeacon of the Mackenzie River Diocese for seven years and Bishop of Mackenzie River, 1913-1926. Warden of the Church Army in Canada, 1929-1934.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of financial records; correspondence with missionaries and mission stations; clergy lists; and returns and statistics on grant payments, church attendence, indigenous work and expenditures of the diocese.
Gabriel Eldon Merritt (1888-1940) left St. John, NB for the north in 1914. He served at Inman River and Bernard Harbour until 1929 and at Cambridge Bay from 1929-1930. He left the north due to illness in 1930 and settled in Ottawa, ON. He was ordained deacon in 1924.
Scope and Content
Microfilm consists of 8 diaries kept during period of service in Yukon and Arctic, April 1914 to July 1930.
Finding Aids
Finding aid available. See: Microfilm collections- Gabriel Eldon Merritt Diaries