Annie Boldt, VHS 1967, Loves Solving Archives Puzzles

Annie Boldt, VHS 1967, oversees the Vic High Archives & Museum, volunteer work that she loves for its problem-solving research and preservation of the history and stories of the school she loves. As a Royal Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing grad she spent her 33-year career as a community nurse in James Bay, and returned to spend four years helping dissolve the School’s archives and distribute its collections to other archives and museums. Her uniform, name badge and various memorabilia are on display in the lobby of the Patient Care Centre at the Jubilee Hospital.

Annie volunteered with the Vic High Archives & Museum for several years before her stint with the nursing school archives, and thankfully was able to return to lead the Vic High Archives team in 2019. “Since retiring in 2005,” says Annie, “I have taken on a few volunteer jobs but my returning passion has been to  Archival work. For me volunteering is a satisfying and healthy way to fill my days after 33 years in Nursing, and something completely different.”

“A typical question in the VHS Archives,” she continues,  “is ‘My mom went to Vic High. What can you find out about her in the Archives?’ So then the fun starts trying to figure out what years she attended, searching the Camosun yearbooks, the registration cards and grad year files.”

“It is a win/win, warm and fuzzy feeling to be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together and then pass the information on to a very appreciative relative or friend.”

Her dad, Peter Boldt, who passed recently at age 97, taught at Vic High 1958-59 and loved it. Anne was his only offspring lucky enough to carry on the Vic High tradition. “In recent years,” says Anne, “ I thought I had won the Lottery as I was picked to attend VHS from Central for grade 10.The summer between grade 10 and 11 we moved from Fairfield to Oak Bay but because I had started at VHS I was permitted to stay at VHS. My younger siblings were not so lucky and they HAD to go to Oak Bay. Pity!!!”