Fonds whyte-922 - Sid Unwin fonds

Sidney Joseph Unwin, [1880?]-1917, was a guide and outfitter at Banff, Alberta. Born in England, Unwin returned, after serving with the volunteer cavalry in the South African (Boer) War, to his home in London, England for a brief period to work as a surveyor's clerk, and in the fall of 1904 he moved to Banff. Initially, Unwin worked for guides and outfitters Syd Baker and Jimmy Simpson. In the winter of 1905 he began his own trapline. In 1907, Unwin began work for Billy Warren and accompanied Mary Schaffer and Mollie Adams on their expeditions to the Maligne Lake, Saskatchewan River areas. After two years of working for Warren, Unwin began his own guiding outfit and in 1912, with the aid of his sister Ethel and brother Arthur, the Unwins established Unwin's Curios and Souvenirs. In 1914, Sid Unwin enlisted in the Canadian army and took up with the 22nd Battery (Howitzer), 6th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 2nd Division. In 1916 he saw his first action in France. He fought in the battle for Vimy Ridge, was injured May 3, 1917 and died on June 29, 1917 at the East Leeds War Hospital.