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 opening to the Kitimat Yacht Club basin. Sailboats and the Alcan dock in the distance.
A man playing the accordion at the trade fair opening. There is a large map behind the man, as well as another individual sitting in a chair with a pen in his hand.
A man playing the accordion at the trade fair opening. There is a large map behind the man, as well as another individual sitting in a chair with a pen in his hand.
10 slides featuring image of Kitimat in 1980. Slides include images of the Safety Building, hospital, an aerial, Moore Creek waterfall, golf course, centennial park, Lakelse Lake, Alcan Office, and Kitimat River.
10 slides featuring image of Kitimat in 1980. Slides include images of the Safety Building, hospital, an aerial, Moore Creek waterfall, golf course, centennial park, Lakelse Lake, Alcan Office, and Kitimat River.
