Willmott Family Archives

Item set

Title: Willmott Family Archives
Description: This collection consists of photographs and other items that are in the possession of the Willmott family. Most of the images were created by either Leslie Earl or Donald Earl Willmott, but it also includes portions that were not created by Willmotts.
Abstract: Earl and Katharine Willmott were missionaries in Sichuan from 1921-195, first for the Canadian Methodist Mission (CMM), and then for the United Church Foreign Mission Society (UCFMS) after 1926 when three Protestant churches in Canada united. From 1921 to 1927, the Willmotts were stationed at Jenshow (pinyin Renshou), then from 1927-1928 they worked in Shanghai along with other evacuees from inland China. From 1928-1932 the mission society stationed them in Chongqing, and then finally from 1932-1951 they lived and worked in Chengdu.

Additionally, like all missionaries, the Willmotts had furloughs about every 7 years, during which they returned to North America, spanning time between Canada and the USA. Earl’s family was in Toronto, while Katharine’s family was in Ohio, since they were American. The couple met while in grad school at Teachers College, Columbia University, 1920-1921.

The Willmott Family collection includes photographs and text created by Leslie Earl and Mary Katharine while they were working as missionaries in Sichuan. These photographs have provenance from Leslie Earl Willmott (AKA Earl) and Kay's and Earl's children, Donald Earl, Margaret Joy, Richard Curtis and William Edward, which will be noted in the provenance section of the items' records.

This collection also includes photographs and text created by Donald Earl Willmott while he was working for the American OSS during WWII.

This collection also includes images from various creators that found their way into the Willmott family possession. These include photographs taken by Samuel Soper, a Canadian Methodist Mission missionary who preceded Earl Willmott as an educational missionary in Renshou, Sichuan. These images, mainly of Chinese traditional occupations, were widely circulated to promote the mission's work.

Finally, the Willmott Family Collection also includes a series of slides taken by Lewis Walmsley in 1954 and a series of images taken by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 1800s. These series were in other missionary family collections before being given to the Willmotts.

Because of the diverse composition of these images' origins, the items have been numbered with the preface "WFC" (Willmott Family Collection) rather than any individual's initials like many of the other family collections.
Creator: Cory Willmott
Date Created: 2024-10-10
Event Records: 1930s Willmott Family Mt. Omei Journeys
Has Part: Donald Earl Willmott's Blue Brocade Album
Provenance: This collection is in the temporary custody of Cory Willmott, while in the process of full transfer to the Mount Royal University Archives.; Mount Royal University Archives
Access Rights: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Willmott Wedding Portrait 1
Formal portrait of Lesslie Earl Willmott and Mary Katharine Geyer on their wedding day. The groom wears a tuxedo with a white vest and bowtie. The bride wears a white dress with a three tiered skirt that was considered unconventionally short for the time period. She also sports bobbed hair.
1944 Dujiangyan Opening of the Waters Ceremony
Don Willmott took this series of photographs during WWII while he was teaching English at the Ming Hsien School. Ming Hsien was a Christian high school sponsored by Oberlin College, Ohio, that had moved from Shansi to Jintang County northwest of Chengdu in 1940. This Opening of the Waters Ceremony took place in April of 1944.
Li Bing at Er Wang Temple, 1906
Full front view of the statue of Li Bing at Er Wang Temple, 1906. He is seated in the conventional pose for civic officials and has a full array of altar offerings before him, in Tang style vessels. He sits in a recess behind a lattice frame.
Min Irrigation Ditch, WCUU
This image shows a roadway with gatehouses to the left and an irrigation ditch to the right. Small footbridges cross the ditch at intervals.
Lone Carrier on Anlan Bridge
Looking west from the east shore of the Inner River, this photo of the Anlan Bridge shows a single carrier with a tall load walking in the middle of the path that is clearly wide enough for commercial traffic.
Group Seated at Base of Anlan Bridge
Four unidentified missionaries are seated on the rocks with a group of Chinese, some of whom appear to be students by their age and dress. One of the missionaries has a pair of binoculars in her lap (very likely Jane Balderston Dye). The group is seated at the base of the bridge on the west bank of the Outer River during low water season. One Chinese man is standing, perhaps a leader of the excursion. In the background can be seen hillsides stripped of lumber.
Anlan Rope Bridge at Dujangyan, 1944
Looking east over the Outer River toward the mountain where Er Lang temple is from the opposite shore. The shoreline in the photo is the artificial island that terminates with the Fishmouth, which is to the left just outside the frame. The Inner River is not seen, but one can see the two pilons that hold the bridge over it.
Dujangyan Temple Top Fence
Probably influenced by Dan Dye's work on lattice (1937), the subject of this photo is the lattice fence. It is not clear which of the Dujangyan temples this is.
Dujiangyan from Er Wang Temple Overview
Looking south over the roof of Er Wang Temple and the peak with the Rhinoceros Fighting Pavillion. On the opposite shore (center), one can see the Flying Sand Spillway. The Bottleneck, or Precious Vase Neck, and the Fulong Guan Temple are hidden behind the rock face at left. In the foreground one can see the corners of two of the ancient inscriptions in the temple.
1944 Dujiangyan Panorama 2
Looking north from Mt. Yulai towards the Anlan Bridge, this panoramic scene shows the location of the dam extending from the tip of the Fishmouth to the eastern shore north of Er Wang Temple, which is barely visible on the mountain slope. Workers are departing the scene as their job is done for the year.
1944 Dujiangyan Panorama 1
Looking north from Mt. Yulai towards the Anlan Bridge, this panoramic scene shows the location of the dam extending from the tip of the Fishmouth to the eastern shore north of Er Wang Temple, which can be seen in the trees on the mountain slope. The dam has been broken and the water has begun to enter the Inner River.
1944 Min Diversion 5
Looking towards the Western shoreline of the Outer River, we see workmen pulling a rope to tear down the dam. The Fishmouth is to the left out of the frame. There is a sailboat parked on the shore in front of what appears to be a camp of pup tents, perhaps for the workers, but possibly for the US Army, since they were present in the region at that time.
1944 Min Diversion 4
Close up of action on the eastern shoreline of the Inner River as workers and spectators anticipate the flow of water from the broken dam, which can be seen in the distant center of the scene. In the right foreground, a young woman and boy help balance the raft as a rather stout monk gets on board. His occupation is revealed by his style of robe with billowy sleeves, although he also wears a Western style fedora. Note the woman's natural feet.
1944 Min Diversion 3
Overlooking the turban-clad heads of spectators, men on foot and on rafts attend to the opening of the dam across the Inner River. A small corner of the Fishmouth can be seen at far left.
1944 Min Diversion 2
Looking directly east across the Inner River, the dam opening has grown larger. Spectators watch from the Fishmouth to the left. Workers oversee the dam operation at the right.
1944 Min Diversion 1
Standing on the east shore north of Er Wang Temple, looking northwest at the dam, which has just been broken. A large crowd of spectators can be seen standing on the head of the Fishmouth. In the right foreground, another large crowd watches the dam opening, many of them wearing changshan, or scholar's gowns. A temporary weir of stone can also be seen in the foreground running parallel to the eastern shoreline.
Dujiangyan Pier with Temporary Ramp
Looking north along an artificial embankment towards workers carrying loads on a temporary bridge over a narrow channel of the Min River. The close up view of the stonework shows the integrity of the craftmanship.
Dujiangyan Embankment with Temporary Ramp
Looking north along an artificial embankment towards workers carrying loads on a temporary bridge over a narrow channel of the Min River. The close up view of the stonework shows the integrity of the craftmanship.
1978 Li Bing Statue at Er Wang Temple, Dujiangyan
Statue of Li Bing at a courtyard facing an opera stage at Er Wang Temple. In contrast with earlier statues, this one portrays realism, movement and individualism. There is no altar or offerings in front of him.
1978 Temple Pavilion Roof, Dujiangyan
Looking west from a balcony of Fulong Guan Temple over the roof of the octagonal pavilion in the courtyard below. The Flying Sand Spillway can be seen beyond the treetops. The arial view of Fulong Guan Temple shows the location of this pavilion in the courtyard.
1978 Dujiangyan Neijiang River 2
Looking south down the Neijiang River from the south side of the Fulong Guan Temple one can see recently constructed stone embankments. Logs on the river wind their way towards the South Bridge. Power lines stretch across the foreground. The city of Kuanhsien (Guanxian) extends into the distance.
1978 Dujiangyan Neijiang River 1
Looking south down the Neijiang River from the south side of the Fulong Guan Temple one can see recently constructed stone embankments. Logs on the river wind their way towards the South Bridge. Power lines stretch across the foreground. The city of Kuanhsien (Guanxian) extends into the distance.
1978 Dujiangyan Logging 2
Looking northwest from a porch on the Fulong Guan Temple, the Anlan Bridge can be seen in the far distance up the Inner River. The logging operations in the foreground stretch out to the opening of the Flying Sand Spillway to the Outer River.
1978 Dujiangyan Logging 1
Looking north from a porch on the Fulong Guan Temple, the Anlan Bridge can be seen in the far distance up the Inner River. In the foreground, logging operations appear to be in place.
1978 Looking South Past Erwang Temple, Dujiangyan
Looking south over the roof of Er Wang Temple and the peak with the Rhinoceros Fighting Pavillion. The Inner River hugs the west bank on its way to the Bottleneck, or Precious Vase Neck, water intake. To the right, water is flowing freely through the Flying Sand Spillway to the Outer River and onward to irrigate the plain. Behind it can be seen a new narrow channel with a bridge.