In 1987, Max Patzelt donated his photograph and negative collection - over 10,000 images - to the Museum. This talented and prolific photographer and businessman operated Kitimat Photo Supply and Max's Photo Studio for over 25 years.
Max took portraits of Kitimat citizens - babies, wedding parties, school classes, sports teams, local government - and recorded events for the Northern Sentinel and Alcan's ingot. School District No. 80 published many of Max's photos in promotional materials to attract teachers to Kitimat. Max photographed for Alcan and processed prints for the ingot.
Max became a resident of Kitimat in 1956 when he hired on at Alcan as a stud puller. He arrived in Kitimat with a camera around his neck. After a year in the lines, he had had enough. He resigned from Alcan, packed his bags and headed for the CN station to head to Vancouver.
Fred Ryan had recently established his photo studio, Kitimat Photo, retail photo processing and the town's only industrial photographers located in the Smeltersite recreation hall. Fred had heard of Max's photographic knowledge and rushed to the train station to offer Max a job running the new processing machine.
Max joined Kitimat Photo and was quickly "up to his ears in negatives" (ingot, May 22, 1987). They couldn't keep photographic equipment in stock - everyone who came for work in Kitimat purchased a camera. Max recalled that during the July 1 parade in 1957, he processed approximately 3,000 rolls of black and white film. It took days to process them all. With a new town and smelter, and surrounded by innovation, photography was just booming in Kitimat. Alcan wanted to document its construction events for both town and smelter, and workers wanted to document their time here.
Max and partner, Hazel Hatton, opened Kitimat Photo Supply Ltd. in City Centre in 1960. Max and Hazel operated the business until 1967 when Max moved the portrait studio, Max's Photo Studio Ltd., to Service Centre, and operated until 1987. Hazel kept the retail business Kitimat Photo in City Centre and operated until 1985.
Scope and Content
Three green binders containing the Max Patzelt Photo Collection Directory.
Two Sets Scales; One lettering; One Transit; One Tripod; One Staff; One Rod; One
Folding Drafting Equipment; One Drafting Insturment, (Used during Alcan
construction by Kitimat Constructors)
Two Sets Scales; One lettering; One Transit; One Tripod; One Staff; One Rod; One
Folding Drafting Equipment; One Drafting Insturment, (Used during Alcan
construction by Kitimat Constructors)
Notes
Mr. Adam Vrooman, 30-901 Kentwood Avenue, Victoria, 13C
Fair; many documents have yellow glue stains on back (presumably from having been pasted into a scrapbook), many have slightly ragged edges.
History / Biographical
Dennis Tupman taught at Mount Elizabeth Secondary School from 1957 to 1971 and was well-regarded for developing the school's band program - the first in the community. He also led the United Church Choir, the Little Symphony, and the Community Choir; worked as a school counsellor; and volunteered with the Community Help Organization and the Family Forum Society. Under his leadership, the MESS Band travelled to Montreal to play at Expo 67, and won a Northwest provincial competition to play at Queen Elizabeth's visit to Vancouver in 1971.
Custodial History
Items were donated to the Museum on January 25th 2024 by Tupman's daughter, Raechel.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains 8 programmes for concerts and other events, collected by Tupman during his career in Kitimat.
Collection of slides, photos, and documents from John McLachlan regarding early smelter and Kitimat.
Slides - Three Kodak Carousels - colour
10 8 x 10 photos colour & b&w
Photocopies - Offer of Employment
Letter of Acceptance, Personnel
Introduction Form, Decaration of Regular
Employment, Job Description, three
colour photographs and paper framed b&w photograph
John McLachlan arrived in Kitimat in 1953 as a 23-year-old immigrant and went on to work at Alcan's Property Engineering Department for almost 40 years. He started out as a land surveyor and cartographer in the town's early years and ended his career as a Senior Legal Draftsmen.
Custodial History
Jean Lunny
Scope and Content
Collection of slides, photos, and documents from John McLachlan regarding early smelter and Kitimat.
Slides - Three Kodak Carousels - colour
10 8 x 10 photos colour & b&w
Photocopies - Offer of Employment
Letter of Acceptance, Personnel
Introduction Form, Decaration of Regular
Employment, Job Description, three
colour photographs and paper framed b&w photograph
Collection of Lyle Wilson artifact and photo donations. Includes a folder containing documents pertaining to donated items. Also includes books "The Haisla People" with information about the Haisla and families and clans and "Paint." There is also a pamphlet from the Museum of Anthropology titles "Lyle Wilson: When Worlds Collide."
Lyle was born into the Beaver Clan but was adopted into his father's Eagle Clan in a move to bolster the group's diminishing numbers. The event had an immense impact on Lyle's life and inspired much of his art. In 2012, Lyle created a solo exhibition Paint, a life-long exploration of Haisla art, language and culture. Lyle's primary artistic influence was his uncle, Sammy Robinson. Lyle would watch the older man and copy him, whittling his own pieces. But it wasn't until Lyle attended the University of British Columbia (UBC) that he contemplated art as a potential profession. He initially focused on art education but found the studio more alluring. Eventually, Lyle left UBC to study printmaking at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design, where he developed a personal style in graphics and three-dimensional wood and jewelry compositions. Lyle was an artist in residence at the UBC Museum of Anthropology (MOA). His pieces are shown at institutions in Canada and Japan.
Scope and Content
Collection of Lyle Wilson artifact and photo donations. Includes a folder containing documents pertaining to donated items. Also includes books "The Haisla People" with information about the Haisla and families and clans and "Paint." There is also a pamphlet from the Museum of Anthropology titles "Lyle Wilson: When Worlds Collide."
Notes
Lyle Wilson has made this large donation over many years to have a lasting presence at the Kitimat Museum & Archives. Documentation is 2021.26 and artifacts each have individual accession numbers and records with locations identified.
996.1.1
2001.1.1,3-9,12-14
2001.31
2001.31.1
2006.9
2006.18
2007.21
2008.11
2009.21
2016.65.2
2018.19.1-4
2019.2.1-3
Gabriel (Gabor) Nyeste was one of the leaders of the Scouts of the First Kitimat Troop (Boy Scouts). He moved to Kitimat to work on the Alcan project and left in the early 60s. He passed away in Kamloops in July 2020.
Custodial History
Donated by Gabriel Nyeste, Aug 6 1983.
Scope and Content
Pictures, clippings, letters of early Girl Guide and Boy Scout Movement in Kitimat, B.C. 1955-1961.
Text documents from McLure Collection.
988.3.36a-g - Some Tales of the Kitlope People, related by Chief John Paul, and told to us by Mike Shaw of Kitamaat Mission.
988.3.37 - The history of the progress of christianity in the village of Kitimat until the present. As recorded by eye witnesses of the scenes for telling at the diamond jubilee of the coming of christinity.
988.3.38 - clipping - Tribesmen to Send Blanket Dugout as Wedding Presents. (original & copy)
Text documents from McLure Collection.
988.3.36a-g - Some Tales of the Kitlope People, related by Chief John Paul, and told to us by Mike Shaw of Kitamaat Mission.
988.3.37 - The history of the progress of christianity in the village of Kitimat until the present. As recorded by eye witnesses of the scenes for telling at the diamond jubilee of the coming of christinity.
988.3.38 - clipping - Tribesmen to Send Blanket Dugout as Wedding Presents. (original & copy)
Kendall Ludwick arrived in Kitimat in 1952. He worked for The Aluminum Company of Canada Ltd. first as an expeditor then as Assistant Building Superintendent. His family arrived in October 1952 and his children attended the Smeltersite School (Kitimat School).
Custodial History
Items brought in by Kendall Ludwick's daughter, Dianne Mayes
Scope and Content
Memorabilia of the family's time in Kitimat.
Notes
Kitimat School memorabilia
Al Beaton cartoon book
The Alpha: Kitimat School Yearbook
Five b&w photographs
