James McNay was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on January 31, 1907. Between 1951 and 1953, he worked in the payroll department for Alcan. He had to leave his wife Effie and his two young daughters, Margaret and Diane, aged 6 and 5 in 1951, at home in Surrey, B.C., during his 3-4 month stints in Kitimat. To fill some of his free time and show his family where he was and what Kitimat was like, he spent many hours walking in the area with a 35mm Kodak camera. He photographed the scenic beauty of the area and parts of the construction of both the smelters and the town. He died in Surrey on August 7, 1983.
Custodial History
Donated by Margaret McNay. Images were taken by her father and sent to their family in Surrey in the 1950s.
Scope and Content
Slide showing view of smeltersite from Douglas Channel side. On right is Delta King and the bunkhouses, and on the left is Hospital Beach.
Photograph of Delta King at Smeltersite. There is a dirt road on the left of the ship, and a little ways down are a couple cars and a person walking. Alcan smelter buildings are visible in background.
From the years 1953-1958, Mike Kinnear took photos during his school years, until graduation, while working for Fred Ryan Ltd. after school and holidays. Photos for him was a hobby, and he took many photos of the smelter and townsite as it grew around him. Mike also took a number of photos for the Kitimat Northern Sentinel, during the Ken Brumley and Pixie Meldrum years as editors. Mike and his family left Kitimat in 1958, but he spent the best part of 40 years in the photographic field, mainly in the retail/wholesale part of the photo industry.
Custodial History
Donated by Margaret and Mike Kinnear.
Scope and Content
Photograph of Delta King at Smeltersite. There is a dirt road on the left of the ship, and a little ways down are a couple cars and a person walking. Alcan smelter buildings are visible in background.
Photograph of the Delta King viewed from the front at smeltersite. On the left further back are bunkhouses. There is a beach in the foreground with people in swimwear. Some people are in the water.
Photograph of the Delta King viewed from the front at smeltersite. On the left further back are bunkhouses. There is a beach in the foreground with people in swimwear. Some people are in the water.
Photograph of Smeltersite. Taken from the top deck of the 'Delta King' showing the Rec. Hall and Fred?? top at left. This was rior to the closing of Helen's Cafe. Note pump and ?? ?ground. Pump used to keep water out of coffer dam around Delta King. Seven ?? rainwater combined with high tide to float the ship, breaking all steam lines ???.
Photograph of Smeltersite. Taken from the top deck of the 'Delta King' showing the Rec. Hall and Fred?? top at left. This was rior to the closing of Helen's Cafe. Note pump and ?? ?ground. Pump used to keep water out of coffer dam around Delta King. Seven ?? rainwater combined with high tide to float the ship, breaking all steam lines ???.
View of the bow of the Delta King while dry docked at the Alcan Smelter Site. Used as a temporary residence for Alcan workers. Preparations for refloating are in progress.
View of the bow of the Delta King while dry docked at the Alcan Smelter Site. Used as a temporary residence for Alcan workers. Preparations for refloating are in progress.
View of the Delta King stern while dry docked at the Alcan Smelter Site. Used as a temporary residence for Alcan Workers, preperations for re-floating are in progress.
View of the Delta King stern while dry docked at the Alcan Smelter Site. Used as a temporary residence for Alcan Workers, preperations for re-floating are in progress.
Molly worked + lived in Kitimat (1954-55). Worked at Alcan Pryde Machine Shop, last girl on Kitimat Constructors payroll. Liver at hospital, Smeltersite.
Scope and Content
Collection of photos consisting of Alcan, Smeltersite, Delta King, the sandhill, Kitimat River, Hirsch Creek bridge, Douglas Channel, and the wharf
Notes
Photos were most likely colour origianlly, but have degraded into a pink tone
Settling In: Highlighting 50 Years of Kitimat's History Exhibition, was shown at the Kitimat Museum and Archives in 2003. "To the youngsters, Kitimat presents a pleasing blend of modern, urban, recreational facilities in a wild-west, wilderness setting. To the adults, it offers physical grandeur, unexcelled hunting and fishing, neighbourliness, dependence, and the genuine friendships of a new community." Canadian Geographical Journal 1959 What makes a town? What makes Kitimat unique? In the final analysis, Kitimat citizens have made the community. This exhibition attempts to show the public face of Kitimat.
Settling In: Highlighting 50 Years of Kitimat's History Exhibition, was shown at the Kitimat Museum and Archives in 2003. "To the youngsters, Kitimat presents a pleasing blend of modern, urban, recreational facilities in a wild-west, wilderness setting. To the adults, it offers physical grandeur, unexcelled hunting and fishing, neighbourliness, dependence, and the genuine friendships of a new community." Canadian Geographical Journal 1959 What makes a town? What makes Kitimat unique? In the final analysis, Kitimat citizens have made the community. This exhibition attempts to show the public face of Kitimat.
Newspapers, correspondence, information compiled by the Northern Sentinel Press Ltd. in the creation of newspaper articles. Information compiled from Kitimat General Hospital Society, BC Centennial Committee, Kitimat Public Health, Canadian Red Cross, Lehndorff (City Centre Mall owners), Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers - Local No.1, United Steelworkers of America, Kitamaat Village Council, District of Kitimat, Kitimat Community Council, Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, Kitimat Scholarship Association, Board of School Trusteees, Delta King photographs, Kitimat Steelworkers Union Members photographs, Miss Kitimat photographs.
Given to museum by Rosalina Cordeiro - Editor of the Northern Sentinel Press Ltd.
Scope and Content
Newspapers, correspondence, information compiled by the Northern Sentinel Press Ltd. in the creation of newspaper articles. Information compiled from Kitimat General Hospital Society, BC Centennial Committee, Kitimat Public Health, Canadian Red Cross, Lehndorff (City Centre Mall owners), Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers - Local No.1, United Steelworkers of America, Kitamaat Village Council, District of Kitimat, Kitimat Community Council, Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, Kitimat Scholarship Association, Board of School Trusteees, Delta King photographs, Kitimat Steelworkers Union Members photographs, Miss Kitimat photographs.
Notes
Was 992.6 Photographs described at the item level.
