Banff Triangle: (Peter Ross, Eric Christmas and Mollie Smith)

Penley, J. Kenneth, Alberta History

Over the years there have been many romantic triangles and they have, in many cases, contributed to history. We might cite, for example, Cleopatra, Marc Antony and Julius Caesar. Historians might not have known as much about the Egypt of those days had it not been for the courtships of the two men with Cleopatra. A triangle, however platonic, existed in the Banff area from about 1888 to 1892. One of the principals in this triangle was an amateur artist who made sketches of the terrain, some of the town's social activities, and the courtship itself.

The two men involved in this triangle were Peter Ross and Eric Christmas, while the object of their affections was Mollie Smith.

Peter Murray Ross may have been the first of the three on the Banff scene. He was a native of East Zorra township in Ontario, born in 1863 of two pioneer Highland Scottish families. He had a career in pharmacy which started with an apprenticeship with a Mr. Scott of Woodstock. After passing his examinations Ross went West in 1884 and operated what his family believed to have been the first drug store in Banff.(1) This may have been located on the south side of Banff Avenue in a wooden building with a false front. As late as 1951 this was the only such building still standing. On the outside west wall one could make out the words "Drug Supplies."

Ross …

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Publication information: Article title: Banff Triangle: (Peter Ross, Eric Christmas and Mollie Smith). Contributors: Penley, J. Kenneth - Author. Journal title: Alberta History. Volume: 49. Issue: 2 Publication date: Spring 2001. Page number: 20. © 2008 Historical Society of Alberta. COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group.

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