Material Type

Mixed Media

Date Range

1943-1985

Description Level

Item

Physical Description

approximately 2 cm of manuscript material 1 photograph

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

Lawrence Patrick (Larry) Doyle was born in Prince Edward Island in 1910, one of six children of Minnie and George Doyle. Mr. Doyle moved to Vulcan in 1920, and his family came the following year. George Doyle opened a blacksmith shop that he operated until 1924, when he moved with his family to Stavely, Alberta and became a partner in a blacksmith business with his brother-in-law, Norbert McInnes. Mr. Doyle’s training as blacksmith included forge welding and tool-making, skills largely lost today. Ill health forced George Doyle to withdraw from the partnership in 1927, and he remained in poor health for the rest of his life. Minnie Doyle died on Christmas Day 1930, and George Doyle in mid 1931. Larry Doyle and his brothers and sisters were left with the task of keeping their family together without their parents, and during the Great Depression. Larry worked for the Marc and Roy Jenkins in the grocery and meat business. In 1937 he moved to Lethbridge and began work with Plunkett and Savage in the warehouse, and later as a travelling salesman. Dagmar Christina Olsen was born on 28 December 1914 at Stavley, one of three daughters of John and Hilda Olsen. Raised and educated at Stavely, Dagmar moved to Lethbridge and took a job with Alberta Government Telephones (AGT). She worked as an operator, and in 1970 received her Traffic Operator Training Certificate. A member of McKillop United Church, Dagmar Doyle was also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary, The Shrine – Daughters of the Nile, and AGT Pioneers. Larry and Dagmar Doyle married on 14 December 1940. The couple had one daughter, Barbara. Larry Doyle died on 28 March 1969, and in 1976 Dagmar married Clare Simpson. Dagmar Simpson died on 14 March 2001. [Sources: The Lethbridge Herald, 31 March 1969, page 18 ; The Lethbridge Herald, 19 March 2001, page B8 ; The Butte Stands Guard – Stavely and District, pages 208-209]

Language

English

Acquisition Source

Doyle, Barbara 1409 15 Avenue South Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 0W4

Custodial History

The donor is the daughter of Larry and Dagmar Doyle. These items came to her upon the death of her mother.

Scope and Content

The fonds consists of the personal papers and correspondence of Lawrence Patrick and Dagmar Christina Doyle, as well as one photograph.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

20021024000

Collection

Archive

Less detail