Eildon Conybeare Brander fonds

Scope and Content: The fonds consists mostly of photographs from Penny's service in the Army Show during WWII and related materials. The photographs were used to illustrate a publication that contained letters of Penny Conybeare Brander from Europe ("Dear Mom and Pop") and a biographical essay by Brett Clifton.

History Biographical: Eildon (Penny) Conybeare Brander was born on September 17, 1918 to Alastair and Ethel Conybear Brander. Her grandfather was Dr. Charles F.P. Conybeare, who was a pioneer lawyer and a prominent citizen of the city of Lethbridge. In the early age Eildon became involved in ballet dancing, which became her lifelong passion. After taking ballet studies in the United States, she participated in several successful musical productions in San Francisco. In 1943, she enlisted in the Canadian Women's Army Corps. She landed in the United Kingdom in December of 1943 and served in the Army Show entertaining the troops. She married Sergeant Major Steve Kondaks in December 1945. Following their discharge form the military, the couple made their home in Montreal, where both of them became active in the local arts scene: Penny danced and tought with Les Ballets Quebec. The couple had three sons - Andrew, Steven and Anthony. She passed away in 1997. For more biographical details see book "Dear Mom and Pop" included in file 2013.1003/1

Custodial History: The photographs and other materials belonged to the Kondaks family, son of Eildon Kondaks, and later given to donor Brett Clifton.

Scope and Content: The fonds consists mostly of photographs from Penny's service in the Army Show during WWII and related materials. The photographs were used to illustrate a publication that contained letters of Penny Conybeare Brander from Europe ("Dear Mom and Pop") and a biographical essay by Brett Clifton.

Notes: 2013.1003/1 Publication "Dear Mom and Pop: Oversees Letters of Private Penny" 2013 2013.1003/2 Family album with dance photos 1918-1936 340 photos 2013.1003/3 Miscellaneous photos 1945 15 photos 2013.1003/4 Early war photographs 103 photos 2013.1003/5 Second English Tours 1944 18 photos 2013.1003/6 Second Leave Crowley, London 1945? 10 photos 2013.1003/7 First Tour - North West Europe Theatre 1944-45 104 photos 2013.1003/8 Miscellaneous pictures, postcards, newspaper clippings 1941-45 11 photos 2013.1003/9 Photos of Lethbridge and family 1920s-1940s 39 photos 2013.1003/10 Song sheet (1925), group photo (1943) 2013.1003/11 Second North West European Theatre Tour Oct '45 51 photos