Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Robert & Jessie Holmes fonds |
| Reference code: | 0157 |
| Date: | [1876-1958] (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 2 cm textual records
58 JPEGs |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Mary Nutting October 2004 Added to new database September 2023 – TD |
| Note: | This fonds has been identified as having Indigenous related content. Researchers may encounter language that is outdated and offensive. To learn more about Indigenous records at the South Peace Regional Archives please see our guide. |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
On August 7, 1902, Robert and Jessie Holmes and their eighteen month old son George left Liverpool, England to travel to the Peace River Country in Canada’s Northwest Territories. They traveled on the SS Tunisian of the Allan line to Montreal, arriving about mid August, and then continued by train to Edmonton. At Edmonton, they purchased furniture for their home in the north, provisions enough to last six months and a shooting outfit (guns). Then they traveled over the Athabasca Trail by rented wagon and driver and down the Athabasca and Slave Rivers and across Lesser Slave Lake by York Boat. They arrived at the English mission on the shores of Slave Lake on September 18, 1902, 42 days after leaving England.
The Holmes lived in the old log mission house in the compound and Robert was in charge of the farm and gardens while Jessie assisted with activities at the school. Here their daughter Eunice was born and they learned the Cree language. In 1904 they moved to Christ Church Mission on the Shaftesbury Trail 18 miles from Peace River, where there were farms and a boarding school also. Their stay at Shaftesbury was marked by measles and whooping cough epidemics. They frequently interacted with the local Indigenous peoples.
In 1907 the Holmes returned to England for a furlough and brought back with them Knott Hothersal, Jessie’s father. Settlers were starting to file on land in the area and more church services were added to their responsibilities: Peace River Landing, Griffin Creek and Waterhole as well as Shaftesbury Trail. Three more children were born during years they remained at Shaftesbury after the furlough: Nowel, Olive, and Aubrey.
In 1914 the family moved to Peace River Crossing and in 1915 they became the senior missionary at Lake Saskatoon. By then they had been joined by Jessie’s sister May who came to help take care of Mr. Hothersal as he had suffered from a stroke. He passed away in the spring of 1916 and was followed three months later by Robert Holmes, who died of a massive heart attack in July of 1916.
Jessie took out a homestead near Lake Saskatoon, and with the help of kind neighbours, family, and church bursaries raised and educated her children.
Custodial history
The memoirs were preserved by the descendants of Robert & Jessie Holmes. Copies of the memoirs, letters and photographs were donated to Grande Prairie Regional Archives by their grandson Aubrey Harrold in 2004.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of a copy of Robert Holmes’ memoirs concerning the trip made from Liverpool to the mission on the shores of Lesser Slave Lake in 1902; a copy of Jessie Holmes’ memoirs of the same trip, of their work and experiences at Slave Lake, Shaftesbury Trail, and Lake Saskatoon; 8 letters written by Jessie, Robert, Lizzie and George, dated 1902 to 1912; a digital copy of a newspaper clipping; and digital copies of 56 photographs of the family and scenes at their homes and missions.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.
Conditions governing use
Photographs were donated as low-resolution JPEGs and are not suitable for print reproductions.
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
- Religion (subject)
- Family and personal life* (subject)
- Land, settlement and immigration* (subject)
Series descriptions
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0157.01 | Item – Knott and Mary Hothersal | 1876 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
“My dear Father and precious Mother and their first baby (Jessie!)” |
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| 0157.02 | Item – Knott Hothersal A&G Taylor, Manchester |
ca. 1880 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Knott Hothersal, carpenter, contractor and church lay reader. Born March 30, 1841 in Lancaster, England. Died Feb. 18, 1916 in Lake Saskatoon, Alberta, Canada. |
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| 0157.03 | Item – Mary Cheetham Hothersal | ca. 1880 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Mary Cheetham, wife of Knott Hothersal born May 24, 1837, died of appendicitis December 21, 1899. |
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| 0157.04 | Item – Robert Holmes, Missionary Wakefield, Ealing |
ca. 1900 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Robert Holmes of Harrow was a missionary. He was born around 1855, died July 20, 1916, and was buried in St. Luke’s Cemetery, Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. |
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| 0157.05 | Item – Jessie & Mary Hothersal | ca. 1885 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Jessie and May Hothersal, children of Knott and Mary Hothersal. Jessie was born in Manchester, England May 14, 1875 and died in Edmonton, Alberta May 28, 1971. Jessie and her husband Robert Holmes, immigrated to Saskatoon Lake, Alberta in the early 1900s where they worked as missionaries. Mary (May) Alice Cheetham Hothersal Smith was born June 15, 1878 and died June 6, 1968. |
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| 0157.06 | Item – Mary & Jessie Hothersal | ca. 1890 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
May and Jessie Hothersal, children of Knott and Mary Hothersal. Mary (May) Alice Cheetham Hothersal Smith (on the left) was born June 15, 1878 and died June 6, 1968. Jessie (on the right) was born in Manchester, England May 14, 1875 and died in Edmonton, Alberta May 28, 1971. Jessie and her husband Robert Holmes, immigrated to Saskatoon Lake, Alberta in the early 1900s where they worked as missionaries. |
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| 0157.07 | Item – Hothersal Family | ca. 1895 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Knott and Mary Hothersal with their children May and Jessie. |
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| 0157.08 | Item – Hothersal Family | ca. 1899 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Knott Hothersal with his daughters Jessie and May after the death of his wife Mary in 1899. |
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| 0157.09 | Item – Jessie Hothersal | 1900 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Jessie Hothersal on February 20, 1900. |
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| 0157.10 | Item – Hothersal & Holmes Families | 1907 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Extended Hothersal family during Robert & Jessie’s furlough in England in 1907. Robert and Jessie immigrated to Canada and worked as missionaries at Saskatoon Lake, Alberta. |
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| 0157.11 | Item – Hothersal & Holmes Families | 1902 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Knott Hothersal, Baby George Holmes, Jessie and Robert Holmes, May Hothersal and Annie Holmes before Robert & Jessie leave for Canada. Robert and Jessie worked as missionaries at Saskatoon Lake, Alberta. |
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| 0157.12 | Item – George & Elizabeth Smith | ca. 1900 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
George M. and Elizabeth Smith in Ontario in the early 1900s. |
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| 0157.13 | Item – George and Eunice Holmes | 1904 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
George and Eunice Holmes, children of Robert and Jessie Holmes, at St. Peter’s Mission on Lesser Slave Lake in 1904. Eunice is in a traditional Indigenous moss bag. |
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| 0157.14 | Item – A Christening | ca. 1904 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Present at the christening of an Indigenous child are Robert Holmes, Archdeacon Robins, Bishop George Holmes and Canon Smith. Jessie Holmes, the child, and a relative are in the front row. The picture is taken beside a Hudson Bay boat. |
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| 0157.15 | Item – Hudson Bay Company Steam Boat | 1905 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
First trip of the Hudson Bay Company steam boat to Fort St. John July 1905. The steam boat ran from Fort Vermilion and stopped at Shaftsbury mission. The river was so low that it took four and a half days traveling to Fort St. John. One day was all the return trip to Shaftsbury Mission took. |
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| 0157.16 | Item – Northland Call Riverboat | 1906 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
The Northland Call on the Peace River in 1906. |
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| 0157.17 | Item – Holmes Family at Christchurch Mission | ca. 1908 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Holmes family while living at the mission, front from the left: Robert, George, Jessie, Eunice. Rear: farm supervisor and teacher. Robert and Jessie Holmes emigrated from England in the early 1900s to work as missionaries at Saskatoon Lake. |
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| 0157.18 | Item – Jessie Holmes and Children | 1910 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Jessie Holmes with Nowel (standing on chair), Eunice and baby Olive in an Indigenous cradleboard. |
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| 0157.19 | Item – Eunice, Nowel and Olive Holmes | ca. 1912 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Eunice, Nowel and Olive Holmes beside the log house where Nowel, Olive and Aubrey were born. |
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| 0157.20 | Item – Christ Church Mission | 1906 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
A wintery walk on the road past Christ Church Mission at Shaftsbury near Peace River. Back of picture reads: “Old Nookom would walk every Sunday to Church 5 miles. Many years ago when going to church she was met by a bear. Nookom climbed up a tree and the bear climbed up after her as far as he could and chewed her heel off. I have seen her foot. Ever after she always carried a knife in her belt.” Digitized copies of the front and back of this photograph were donated. |
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| 0157.21 | Item – Christ Church Mission | ca. 1905 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Peace River Christ Church Mission house and outbuildings. Through the trees is the church. |
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| 0157.22 | Item – Christ Church Mission | ca. 1905 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Christ Church Mission on Shaftsbury Trail, with hills behind it and rail fences surrounding it. |
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| 0157.23 | Item – Inside the Mission Church | ca. 1905 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Interior of Christ Church Mission church at Shaftsbury, showing the pulpit, lectern, stoves and window. |
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| 0157.24 | Item – Putting Out a Grass Fire | ca. 1910 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Robert Holmes and Knott Hothersal after putting out a grass fire. |
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| 0157.25 | Item – Hothersal & Holmes Families | ca. 1910 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
May Hothersal, Olive Holmes, John Weatherup, Knott Hothersal, Mrs. Lorne, Aubrey Holmes, Jessie Holmes and Eunice Holmes. |
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| 0157.26 | Item – Robert Holmes Funeral | 1915 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
The funeral of Robert Holmes, July 30, 1915, at St. Andrews Church at Lake Saskatoon. Robert immigrated to Canada from England with his wife Jessie in the early 1900s. The Mission house is in the background. |
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| 0157.27 | Item – Robert Holmes Funeral | 1915 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
The Funeral procession from the mission house to the church on July 30, 1915. Robert Holmes and his wife Jessie immigrated to Canada from England in the early 1900s and worked as missionaries at Lake Saskatoon. |
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| 0157.28 | Item – Holmes Family | ca. 1915 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
George, Eunice, May Hothersal and Jessie with Aubrey, Nowel and Olive in front. |
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| 0157.29 | Item – Holmes Family | 1916 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
John Weatherup, Olive, Eunice, Aubrey, Auntie May and Nowel. |
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| 0157.30 | Item – Holmes Children | 1916 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
From top to bottom: George, Eunice, Nowel, Olive and Aubrey Holmes. |
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| 0157.31 | Item – Lake Saskatoon School | ca. 1916 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Student body in front of the log school at Lake Saskatoon around 1916. |
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| 0157.32 | Item – Holmes Homestead | ca. 1916 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Olive Holmes in front of the house built on their Lake Saskatoon homestead, taken out after her father Robert Holmes passed away. |
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| 0157.33 | Item – Holmes Family | ca. 1920 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Top row: George Holmes, Fred Smith, unknown, Front row: Olive, Jessie and Aubrey Holmes, Jessamy and May Smith. The dog’s name is Sport. |
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| 0157.34 | Item – Nowel Leaves for Boarding School | ca. 1925 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Family photograph with Nowel before he leaves for Boarding School. |
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| 0157.35 | Item – George at Ridley College | ca. 1915 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Portrait of George Holmes while he attended Ridley College boarding school in Ontario. |
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| 0157.36 | Item – George on His Own | ca. 1925 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
George Holmes as a young adult, after he had left Lake Saskatoon. |
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| 0157.37 | Item – Lake Saskatoon Fair | ca. 1918 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
George Holmes is in the crowd at Lake Saskatoon Fair around 1918. |
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| 0157.38 | Item – Dress-up Affair | ca. 1918 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Mrs. Frewer, Mr. Yeates, Mrs. Burness, George Holmes, Miss Fishborne, Mr. Burness, Mrs. Yeates, Dr. Carlisle dressed up for a fun event. |
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| 0157.39 | Item – Lake Saskatoon | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows the village of Lake Saskatoon, with the lake in the background. |
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| 0157.40 | Item – Mrs. Marsh | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows a group of six people posing in front of the log cabin. The original title of the JPEG that was donated was “Mrs. Marsh”. |
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| 0157.41 | Item – Unidentified group | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows a group of six people posing in front of a building. They may be Jessie Holmes and her five children. |
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| 0157.42 | Item – Eunice’s fiance | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows a group of seven people. The donor’s title for this JPEG was “Eunice’s fiance” so it is likely that this is Jessie Holmes with her five children, and daughter Eunice’s fiancé. |
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| 0157.43 | Item – Holmes Family | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows Jessie Holmes with her daughters and two of her sons. |
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| 0157.44 | Item – Olive at the Beach | n.d | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows Olive Holmes in a boat. |
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| 0157.45 | Item – Olive at the Beach | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows Olive Holmes in a swimsuit, posing with two young men. |
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| 0157.46-48 | Item – Jessie, Eunice, & Olive | n.d. | 3 JPEGs : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Images show Jessie Holmes posing with her daughters, Eunice and Olive, who are wearing swimsuits and swim caps. The files are digitized copies of the same original photograph. |
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| 0157.49 | Item – Unidentified group | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows three women and two men posing in front of a bush. |
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| 0157.50 | Item – Olive at school | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Olive and an older woman, possibly Jessie Holmes, pose in the snow in front of a building. |
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| 0157.51 | Item – Unidentified group | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows four people posing outdoors. The woman in the center appears to be Jessie Holmes. |
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| 0157.52 | Item – Eunice at the fair | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Image shows a large group of people. According to the JPEG’s original title given by the donor, the photograph shows Eunice at the fair. |
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| 0157.53 | Item – Eunice Holmes | n.d. | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Formal portrait of Eunice Holmes in her nursing uniform. |
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| 0157.54 | Item – Holmes women | 1957 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
Jessie Holmes poses in front of some trees with her daughters Eunice and Olive. |
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| 0157.55 | Item – Holmes family | 1958 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
A group of people pose in front of a house. The woman in the front at the far left appears to be Jessie Holmes. |
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| 0157.56 | Item – Holmes family | 1948 | 1 JPEG : b&w |
| Scope and content:
An informal portrait of the Holmes family, seated indoors. |
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