Hornby Island Community Archives
R.G. 46
Acc. No.:2023-05-24/121;2024-01-24/126
Finding aid created by: Regan Fahey
Last Updated: May 2023
Title: Carole Chambers Collection
Level: collection
General material designation: textual records and graphic materials
Extent: 96 cm
Creator(s): Carole Chambers
Dates of creation: 1946-2014
Biographical sketch: Carole Chambers was born Carole Wiper in 1944. She grew up in Victoria and graduated from University of Victoria in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1976 Carole moved to Hornby Island with her husband Lyle Chambers and daughters Petra and Kayt where she lived for the rest of her life. Carole worked at the Hornby Island post office for many years and was a renowned local poet. Her work was featured in many publications over the course of her life, as well as in her titled works “Still Life Under the Occupation” (1988), “From The Gulf” (1992), “Echolocation” (2002) and “She Draws The Rain” (2013). Carole Chambers died August 1, 2014.
Scope and content: This collection contains the published books of poetry by Carole Chambers, hundreds of her poems in various versions and collections, short stories, drawings and other writings and numerous working and personal notebooks.
Source of supplied title: Title is based on the creator of the collection
Immediate source of acquisition: The majority of the material in this collection was donated by Carole’s daughter Kayt Chambers. Kayt and her aunt Ardith in February 2018 selected papers and journals to save after the death of Carole’s partner Paul Clemens, Carole having predeceased him in 2013. All items were found in Carole’s writing desk, in her closet and/or in her art studio and were stored in a tote and saved for 5 years in this state.
Arrangement: The original filing scheme of the records was reconstructed during archival arrangement on the basis of file markings on the documents in order to retain as much of the original order as possible. When notebooks were dismantled from bindings for archival purposes, original order was maintained and pages were numbered by the archivist, including any loose pages within the notebook.
Language of materials: English
Record no.: R.G. 46
Repository: Hornby Island Community Archives
Finding aids: Finding aid available with file level control
Accruals: Further accruals are expected
File Inventory
Box 1
1-1 Hornby Poets. Suggested Driving Time 13 mins, c.1980’s
Re: publication of collaboration of 13 Hornby Island poets, including Carole Chambers
1-2 the boat has nothing to do with us, 12 Hornby Poets, 1982
Re: publication of collaboration of 12 Hornby Island poets, including Carole Chambers
1-3 Evolution Transcended! Poems from the Heart of the Inland Sea, 1982
Re: publication of collaboration of Denman and Hornby poets, including Carole Chambers
1-4 Feline Furiosa. Carole Chambers, 1984
1-5 Still Life Under The Occupation. Carole Chambers, 1988
Re: 2 copies, both signed and one marked “Reading copy”
1-6 From the Gulf. Carole Chambers, 1992
Re: 2 copies
1-7 Ephemera, 1992
Re: newspaper clippings regarding From the Gulf and miscellaneous
1-8 Echolocation. Carole Chambers, 2002
1-9 She Draws The Rain. Carole Chambers, 2013
Re: 2 copies, 1 signed
1-10 Correspondence and Drawing, 2012
Re: publication of She Draws The Rain, drawing by Elizabeth MacDonald as cover for publication that was turned down by publisher
1-11 Poems and Notes, 2013
Re: launch of She Draws The Rain, authors notes on some of the poems
1-12 Ephemera and Photograph, 2013 (1 photograph)
Re: bookmark, poetry reading notices, contact sheet and print of author photo
1-13 Draft, n.d
Re: draft of She Draws The Rain, not as published
1-14 Poems – “A”(15 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter A. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Abraham’s Bosom, Absence, After Gethsemane, After The Christening, All Souls, A Moral Story, And Four To Go, Angering the Bees (alternative title If You Anger The Bees), A Note To Vancouver On Its Olympic Bid – 1.3 Billion $, Another Good Man Gone, Another Joke, The Argument Of The Trees, As The Trees Are Felled, The Assimilationist, Awaking
1-15 Poems – “B” (13 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter B. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Back Lit -Contre Jour, The Back of the Levcathon, Beautiful Bones (for Jessy), The Beauty Of The Light, Belljar, The Bitch Is No Goddess, Black and White, Black Cat On Black (alternative title Black Fig On Black), The Black Hole (for the protesters and the loggers of Clayoquot Sound), Blood Line, Bone Houses, Breath, By Henry VI of England
1-16 Poems – “C” (8 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter C. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Cate Are Minions Of The Sun, The Coming of the Herring, Circle, Chakras. August 29th 2002 (for Kathy Plaza), Chichen Itza, Click, Crypted Silence (for Wislawa Szymborska), The Curtain
1-17 Poems – “D”(16 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter D. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – D’Alliance, The Day The War Ended, Dark Horse, The Darkest Month, Dawn Equinox From The Ferry, Dead Fire, The Dead, Dementia, Dear Winston (for W.H. Auden), Deja Vous, The Desert,
Distant Laughter, Dog Days, Down Town East Side, Dreaming Yugoslavia, Drowning (alternative title The Perils Of The Sea)
Box 2
2-1 Poems – “E”(11 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter E. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Echolocation, Ergegious, Ellensberg May 12th 96, Embodiment, Empty House, Equinox, Equinox September 99, Eros, Escape From The Net, The Extinction Of The Beotek Of Newfoundland, Eye Glass
2-2 Poems – “F”(14 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter F. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – The Fat Man, Father Daughter, Fava Rave, Five Roses Flour (for Emily Carr), flowers of peace, Fin, The Fixer, Flu, For All My Sisters, Forsooth, from Chakras, From The Ferry, From The Gulf, Four
2-3 Poems – “G”( 9 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter G. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Gaia, Gardening in a glacial riverbed, Geomancy, GerkhinMerkinFirkin, Golden Dogs Of The Sun (for Jerry Pethick, sculptor), Grace, The Great Rift (written for the orchestral work “The Olduvai Suite” dedicated to Dana Smith), The Green Stick, Guts
2-4 Poems – “H” (12 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter H. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Habeas Corpus, Hear The Winter Coming, Heather This One’s For You, Here Today, Herring Season In Lambert Channel, Heritage, High Summer, his cross went off, Homework, Hey nonny no (alternative title Making It Out), Heart of Darkness
2-5 Poems – “I” (16 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter I. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – I Am The Dog (for Bob Cain and the Dogs of Portugal), I Bury My Father, Icarus/Brugel, Icon, I Love The C.B.C, Imago, In The Lobby Of The Hotel Dieu, Indian Head Saskatchewan, Infinite Wit, Inland North, Interview From Underground, Irving Layton, I See, The Island Is Fiction (for Bob Cain, Photographer), It, It Must Be Spring
2-6 Poems – “J & K”( 5 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letters J & K. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – January, Joe Fat Lee And The Paperwhites, The Judas Tree, June ’97, Kleptocracy/Organized Theft
2-7 Poems – “L”(16 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter M. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – La Manzanilla (for my sister, Marcia), Late August, Late September (for Petra), Leaving America, Libra Moon, The Living Room, Let Me Be Taken By The Sea (for Mary MacKenzie), Logging The Amazon, The Long View (for Bob Cain), The Loopholes of Space, Love, Listen, Listening to the Silence, The Living Room Luther
2-8 Poems – “M”( 19 poems), n.d
Re: collection of Carole Chambers titled poems beginning with the letter M. Includes multiple versions and hand written edits. Titles – Making History, March Geese (for Kayt), Margaret Loves Yellow, Mars Probe ’97, Maryhill Afternoon, Master Butcher Baby Blue Eyes, Memo To Milton, Metamorphosis, Midsummer 3 AM, Miracle: Aug.14th, The Mirror Cannot Lie, a moral story, Morphosis, Moths, The Mothers Of Invention (for Fathers Day ’96), My Editor (Mango, Love bird), My Father’s House, My Great Aunt, the muse is male
2-9 Poems – “N” (5 poems), n.d
Re: Naked Ankles I (the vestibule of heaven), Narcissus, Night Fighting, New Year, newton neutron
2-10 Poems – “O” (11 poems), n.d
Re: Obituary For The Dutchman From Auvers July 27th 1180, Odysseus and Penelope, The Old Singer, On His Blindness, One Day Auschwitz Will Be Art (for the students of Jim Keegstra), One Generation, Omens, Opera in Canada, The Optomatrist, Orally Speaking, Overnight, Owl and Snake
2-11 Poems – “P” (6 poems), n.d
Re: Pears, Bach and the Orb Weavers, A Perfect Boutonniere, The Peril of Alchemy, The Perils Of The Sea, A Poem For Jesus from a Pantheist, Poor Baby
2-12 Poems – “S” (22 poems), n.d
Re: Saints Relics and Piggies Bones (to the B.C Resources Investment Corp. & The Social Credit Party), Salamander, Saturn Return, The Scream, The Shadow’s Shadow Is The Light – Tom Waits – , The Silver Spoon (for Bevan Savory), The Singular Scrutiny of a Whale’s Eye, Sisters, Sleepwalking, Snow, Snow In March, Somewhere The Poem Began (for my first mentor), Southeaster, Southeaster Storm April, Southeaster – January dusk, Stories, Storm, Sudden Joy Did Weep, Suffer The Children, Summer, Sun And Stone, Swimming Before Dawn
2-13 Poems – “R” (9 poems), n.d
Re: Raincoast, Raven, Ravished On A Bed Of Roses Sky By Fragonard, Release, Remembering Clayoquot, The Rest Is Silence, Return Again, The Realms of Gold, the river has its seasons
2-14 Poems – “T” (16 poems), n.d
Re: Taurus, Tell The Light Men, Time Pass(t), Time Stands Still – No Subtitles (for Paul), then the Spring, There Be No Dragons Here (for Dzintars), There Is No Solitude, The Third Wish, This Grief is Like This Sea, This, Three, The Thumb Of God, Tree On The House, True East, Twice From Freedom, Two
2-15 Poems – “U” and “V” (5 poems), n.d
Re: Ulva, The Uses Of History, Veronica at 84, Visiting an island among islands, The Voyage Out
2-16 Poems – “W” (12 poems), n.d
Re: Write These Words In A Circle, The Worm Song, Woman Of The Trees, Winter, Why Gamblers Play, Who Am I?, Whiteworld, Manitoba, White Lake, White August, Whisper This, What We Have Left, The Warlock Night
2-17 Poems – “Y” and #’s (5 poems), n.d
Re: You, You Me, You Think Therefore I’m Not, The young military in Hawaii, 4 A.M.
2-18 Poems – Untitled, n.d
Box 3
3-1 Poems – Untitled, n.d
3-2 Correspondence and Poem, n.d
Re: correspondence with Eugene Lion regarding poem My Father’s House
3-3 Poems, n.d
Re: Threenody and On A Morning Shore possibly attributed to Jack Shadbolt, Inch by Inch – The Garden Song by David Mallett, untitled poem possibly by Renee Rodin, To All Believers by Petra Tasia
3-4 Poems – Untitled collection,(20 poems) n.d
Re: untitled collection of poems by Carole Chambers found in an unmarked folder. Titles – Pears, Bach and the Orb Weavers, Dawn Equinox, Morphosis, Narcissus, New Year, Southeaster – January, Dementia, The Living Room, The Curtain, The Girl, Whisper This, She Draws The Rain, Cats Are Minions of the Sun, Crypted Silence, Geomancy, God, Owl and Snake, Perhaps We Love Too Much, True East, A Millenium Poem – Paradise
3-5 Poems – This Island Is Surrounded With Water. (8 poems), n.d
Re: collection containing poems titled – by occasional echoing cries, Time Pass(t)d, Escape From The Net, some time since, Logging The Amazon, In The Lobby Of The Hotel Dieu, The Beauty of The Light, Heart Of Darkness
3-6 Poems – Untitled collection, c 1981-1982
Re: a collection of titled and untitled poems that were contained in a duotang with metal clip, with no cover or title page or list of contents. Original order has been maintained and the collection has been numbered in pencil in the top right corner by archives staff. All other markings presumed to have been done by Carole Chambers
3-7 Poems, Note and Correspondence – Untitled Collection, n.d
Re: notes, correspondence and collection of poems. Original order was maintained and did not match the order of the listed poems, nor are all poems listed represented. Some exact duplicate copies have been discarded.
3-8 Poems and Correspondence – First Edit of Echolocation, 2000
Re: Correspondence to Al Forrie publisher at Thistledown Press and First Edit of Echolocation
3-9 Poems – Seasonal Index
Re: collection of poems titled Seasonal Index with sub headings Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring
3-10 Poems – Seasonal Index
Re: collection of poems titled Seasonal Index with sub headings Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring
3-11 Poems – Echolocation, 2002
Re: collection of poems titled Echolocation with index, in order and complete
3-12 Poems – Echolocation, n.d
Re: collection of poems titled Echolocation with an index, not all poems in index are represented and 2 not listed are included
3-13 Poems – Echolocation, n.d
Re: collection of poems titled Echolocation with an index, not all poems in index are represented
3-14 Poems – The Doctrine of Signatures, n.d
3-15 Poems – The Doctrine of Signatures, n.d
3-16 Poems – The Doctrine of Signatures, n.d
Box 4
4-1 Writings – “ Michelangelo And The Snowman”, n.d
4-2 Writings – “ The Year of Cabbage Tragedies”, n.d
4-3 Writings – “ Laughter of Women, n.d
4-4 Writings – “ Ghost of a Smile”, n.d
4-5 Writings – “ Day Train North”, n.d
4-6 Writings – “ Goat Eyes”, n.d
4-7 Writings – “ Making of a Naturalist”, n.d
4-8 Writings – “ Doing a Gauging” or “Nothing Like Life”, n.d
4-9 Writings – “Menora of Heaven”, n.d
4-10 Poems and Writings, n.d
Re: a collection of poems and writings that was in an untitled folder. Original order maintained and collection has been numbered in pencil in top right corner by archives staff. All other markings presumed to have been done by Carole Chambers. Titled works include Master Butcher Baby Blue Eyes, The Making of A Naturalist, Woman, The sea, the sea, The Peril of Alchemy, Goat Eyes, Elements of Composition, Worm Song, Dog Days, Nimrod’s Tale *** The Fall of Babel, and Nothing Like Life
4-11 Writings – Miscellaneous, n.d
Re: titled works “The Desert”, “Vagary”, “The Soviet Union Is Being Eaten By Slugs”, “The Peace 1991”, and “A Little Hope, A Little Comfort”
4-12 Writings – “Cuba”, c.2011
4-13 Writings – Miscellaneous, c 2012-2013
Re: “Silver Teaspoons”, “The Last Of The Borgias”, “Lame Ducks”, “Rights Of Birth”, “Six Degrees of Separation”, “The One-Hole Punch And The Air Banjo”, “In There”, “Breathing Space”, “Millie’s Summer Vacation”, “Reclamation”, and “Literary Pursuits”
4-14 Writings, n.d
Re: regarding personal issues such as Mother, family, relationships and writings
4-15 Writings, n.d
Re: miscellaneous
4-16 Writings, n.d
Re: miscellaneous
4-17 Writings- Rough notes – “Dreams, memories”, n.d
4-18 Writings – Rough drafts/notes, n.d
4-19 Writings – Rough drafts/notes, n.d
4-20 Writings – Rough drafts/notes, n.d
4-21 Writings – Miscellaneous
Box 5
5-1 Notebook, 1975-1977, 1996
5-2 Notebook, 1983
5-3 Notebook, c. 1980-1985
5-4 Notebook, c. 1984-1985, 1994
5-5 Notebook, 1996
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
5-6 Garden Diary, 1986-c1998
5-7 Sketchbook, 1998
5-8 Notebook, c.1996-1997
5-9 Notebook, 1999-2014
Box 6
6-1 Notebook, c 2007-2009
6-2 Notebook, 2011
6-3 Notebook, 2012
Re: original order maintained, writing was in multiple directions
6-4 Notebook, 2012
6-5 Notebook, c 2012
6-6 Notebook, 2013
6-7 Sketchbook, c 2013-2014
Re: paintings and poems from Carole’s time in Jubilee hospital toward the end of her life
6-8 Notebook, n.d
6-9 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
6-10 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded, original order maintained, writing was in multiple directions
Box 7
7-1 Notebook, n.d
7-2 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
7-3 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded, loose pages placed in notebook have been included in numbered pages done by archivist
7-4 Notebook, n.d
7-5 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded, loose pages placed in notebook have been included in numbered pages done by archivist
7-6 Notebook, n.d
7-7 Notebook, n.d
7-8 Notebook, n.d
7-9 Notebook, n.d
Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
7-10 Notebook, n.d
7-11 Notebook, n.d
7-12 Notebook, n.d
Re: Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
7-13 Notebook, n.d
7-14 Notebook, n.d
7-15 Notebook, n.d
Re: Note: some excess blank pages were discarded
7-16 Notebook, n.d
7-17 Notebook, n.d
7-18 Notebook, n.d
Box 8
8-1 Correspondence, 1965
Re: letters written by Carole to her parents
8-2 Writings and Certificate, n.d, 1966-1967, 1969
Re: university papers and University of Victoria Bachelor of Arts certificate
8-3 Notes, 1977
Re: book list
8-4 Drawing, n.d
8-5 Drawing, 1984
Re: Feline Furiosa, title of “chapbook” published by Apple Orchard Hornby Island 1985
8-6 Drawing, n.d
Re: Jack Shadbolt drawing
8-7 Correspondence, Applications, Financial Documents and Notes, 1983, 1989-1990, 1992-1996
Re: publication of poems and miscellaneous
8-8 Correspondence, 1992
8-9 Publications and Writings, n.d, 1992
Re: Saving the Straight and Seals and Sea Lions
8-10 Writings, Ephemera and Slides, 1994, 1997
Re: brochures, writings and slides related to the presentation done by Carole Chambers and Doris Shadbolt at the Hornby Festival
8-11 Ephemera, n.d
Re: collage made for Carole by Helen (Gerow) O’norah, a co-worker at the Hornby post office
8-12 Correspondence, n.d
8-13 Correspondence, c 2012-2013
Re: with Eugene Lion
8-14 Correspondence, 2002-2003, 2005, 2008-2009
Re: publication, poetry and miscellaneous
8-15 Writings, 2006
Re: writings by Will Stone and edited by Carole Chambers
8-16 Writings, 2010
Re: presentation by Carole Chambers for New Horizons literary lunch
8-17 Photograph, Correspondence and Writings, 1946, 2009, 2011, n.d
Re: Family
17-1 Marcia, Diane and Carole, 1946
8-18 Miscellaneous, n.d
Re: Personal notes
8-19 Ephemera, 2011
Re: poem for “Annie”
8-20 Drawings, n.d
8-21 Correspondence, 2010-2013
Re: with Will Stone
8-22 Photographs and Ephemera, c 1980’s-2014 (20 photographs)
22-1 Carole Chambers at table
22-2 Carole Chambers at Pig Fountain, August 1986
22-3 Poetry reading at Comet Books (Helen Gerow/O’norah, Carole Chambers, Renee Rodin, Billy Little, Jerry Pethick, Margaret Pethick, John Fletcher (in door) and Kathi Linmann (in window)
22-4 Poetry reading at house, c. late 1980’s
22-5 Carole Chambers, herring season 1990
22-6 International Women’s Day posters, 2010 (Shae Rankin, Emma Joy Reeves, Donna Baker, Carole Chambers l-r)
22-7 Margaret Stone, Carole Chambers, Paul Clemens
22-8 Unidentified woman and Will Stone, 2000
22-9 Will Stone, 2011
22-10 Carole Chambers, Paul Clemens, Margaret Stone, 2011
22-11 Paul Clemens, Will Stone and Margaret Stone
22-12 Mike Parrish, Ken Abbey, Will Stone
22-13 Carole Chambers and friend Terry
22-14 Carole Chambers and painting of Clayoquot Sound
22-15 Chocolate lilies
22-16 Carole Chambers Community Fund card picture
22-17 contact sheet for Community Fund pictures
22-18 contact sheet for Community Fund pictures
22-19 Poetry reading at Heron Rocks, 2013
22-20 Poetry reading at Heron Rocks, 2013
8-23 Poem, 2014
Re: A Carole Sky for Kayt by Renee Rodin
8-24 Writings, 2015
Re: a review of Carole Chambers work and life as a writer by Will Stone
Accrual 2024-01-24/126
8-25 Poems and Photograph, n.d (1 photograph)
Re: The Long View….for Bob Cain, Inland North, The Desert, Beloved for Renee, The California Coast
25-1 On Denman Island photographing the cover of 13 Hornby poets. Carole Chambers, Kate VanDusan, Gabe Jeroschewitz, Stevi Kittleson (with hat) (l-r)
8-26 Poems, 1991
Re: written for the The Dogs of Portugal show April 13, 1991. I Am The Dog by Carole Chambers, The Dogs of Portugal by Billy Little and In All The Pictures by Bill Smith
8-27 Correspondence, Writings and Ephemera, 1994, 2005 n.d (1 photograph)
Re: notes to Bob Cain and Kathi Linnman, poem Margaret Loves Yellow and invitation to a birthday party and miscellaneous
27-1 Margaret Pethick at her birthday party