The origins of OATS
In 1979, a photographers estate was in jeopardy. Brother of the
deceased, David Stocks returned from a career in Toronto to handle the
dispossession of the estate of this brother Jack. Jack had died of
cancer the year before. He asked the store manager, Jill Beavan, who he
could call and she recommended a well know Conservator and Archivist,
Brian W. Wilson. Mr. Wilson was a friend of a local retired
photographer, Ed Aldredge and had visited many times over the years.
Wilson had worked with many museums as a contractor and was an avid
collector of vintage cameras and photo history. Mr. Stocks contracted
Wilson to assess 150,000 negatives representing over 60 years of
continuous studio photography. It was the beginning of a long relationship.
Brian had grown up with a serious case of OCD which compelled him to
collect everything in his interest purview. As a skilled photographer
himself, it seemed natural to collect cameras. That led to vintage
photographs, negatives, slides, films and all sundry. He studied
Archival Science and became a skilled conservator of paper artifacts
landing many contracts from organizations from the Yukon to the border
of B.C., even working in Alberta for the Glenbow and the Lancaster
Museum in Nanton. Wilson is proud of his place in setting standards for
Archives in 100s of small museums throughout western Canada.
With his personal collection becoming massive, his mentor David Stocks
suggested the formation of a society to assist Wilson in providing pubic
access to his local history information. In 2006, Okanagan Archive Trust
Society was formed. A board of Directors was solicited from members of
history societies to form a loose cooperative. Oliver Councillor Jack
Bennest, Ex-Mayor of Summerland David Gregory, Military Museum director
David Snyder, Historian and author Doug Cox, Author/teacher publisher
Norma Hill, were on the first board and are still active today. Brian
became the first and only Executive Director.
The board opened the society for membership and assisted in the creation
of “Archivos” magazine. The magazine was a big hit going out to 1000
individuals and organizations all over the interior as well as mailing
copies to the UK and the US. 36 issues have been created to date and now
includes a public website “www.archivos.ca“. This enabled the awarding
of grants and bursaries to deserving students and Okanagan Heritage
Societies. And then came COVID.
Mr. Wilson continues to purchase huge collections of vintage paper and
historical artifacts as there is very little interest from established
institutions. There is very little funds, staff, storage, or community
interest from those institutions.
At nearly 80, Mr. Wilson is selling his assets to fund an ongoing
history scholarship for UBCO faculty of Library Science.