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 clearing of land at possibly the townsite (Nechako neighbourhood?) Machinery and smoke visible.
Edwin Charles Bateman (Ted) was a Commando in WWII, and later enjoyed his hobbies of cycle racing, ballroom dancing, and photography. He lived in Toronto, LA, and finally Vancouver in the early 50s. After arriving in vancouver he was offered a job as an assistant surveyor in Kitimat. He was subsequently offered a job as a lineman with what became BC Tel.
Custodial History
Judith Saunders
Scope and Content
Photograph of cleared space for house construction in Kitimat. Built homes visible in distance.
Slide showing clearing in smeltersite area. Hill clearing in centre has a small structure (water storage?) on top, and there is another small building at the bottom. Construction materials and other developments are visible in the foreground.
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 clearing in smeltersite area. Hill clearing in centre has a small structure (water storage?) on top, and there is another small building at the bottom. Construction materials and other developments are visible in the foreground.
Edwin Charles Bateman (Ted) was a Commando in WWII, and later enjoyed his hobbies of cycle racing, ballroom dancing, and photography. He lived in Toronto, LA, and finally Vancouver in the early 50s. After arriving in vancouver he was offered a job as an assistant surveyor in Kitimat. He was subsequently offered a job as a lineman with what became BC Tel.
Custodial History
Judith Saunders
Scope and Content
Photograph of aerial view of townsite clearing and Haisla bridge.
Edwin Charles Bateman (Ted) was a Commando in WWII, and later enjoyed his hobbies of cycle racing, ballroom dancing, and photography. He lived in Toronto, LA, and finally Vancouver in the early 50s. After arriving in vancouver he was offered a job as an assistant surveyor in Kitimat. He was subsequently offered a job as a lineman with what became BC Tel.
Custodial History
Judith Saunders
Scope and Content
Photograph of aerial view of townsite clearing. Built homes can be seen.
Photograph of Hullah Houses under construction, 8 houses can be seen spread across the site with various construction and wood supplies scattered in the forground.
Photograph of Hullah Houses under construction, 8 houses can be seen spread across the site with various construction and wood supplies scattered in the forground.
Photo depicts workers clearing the transmission line right-of-way. The smelter site preparation and smoke from the townsite clearing are in the distance.
Photo depicts workers clearing the transmission line right-of-way. The smelter site preparation and smoke from the townsite clearing are in the distance.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. Alcan Collection Accession no. 73.3.10.1
Photograph shows 5 totem poles some topped with various figures others not. 2 houses stand behind them a short distance with a wide view of the mountains behind them.
1 photograph : b&w ; 25.5 x 20.7 cm
1 negative : b&w ; 12.6 x 10 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph shows 5 totem poles some topped with various figures others not. 2 houses stand behind them a short distance with a wide view of the mountains behind them.
Photo depicts a 5-ton steel ball measuring 8 feet in diameter, strung on a cable and pulled through the forest between two tractors. An unsuccessful experiment.
1 photograph : b&w
1 photograph : b&w ; 25 x 20 cm
Scope and Content
Photo depicts a 5-ton steel ball measuring 8 feet in diameter, strung on a cable and pulled through the forest between two tractors. An unsuccessful experiment.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. -- Experimental area is being cleared with use of two TD-119 Allis-Chalmers tractors. Alcan Collection 73.3.3.23
Photo depicts two barges moored in Douglas Channel and loaded with flat-top house sections for construction workers and their families.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. -- Temporary housing destined for Kitimat was assembled at Vancouver Tug and Barge below the Lion's Gate Bridge in three sections, then barged to Kitimat - 10 houses or 30 sections on each barge. -- Electrician Bill Frahler wired approximately 2,000 houses in Kitimat camps and townsite between 1954 and 1958, working first for Johnson-Crooks then Straits Construction, both U.S. contractors. Pat Jimenez Collection
