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.
Photo depicts a group of men concerned with the caisson dock construction. From left is Messrs., Cam Jenkinson, George Malby, McCallum, Hal Whiting, J. B. Whitton, S. T. Wynne-Jones, Van Houten and Dick Hermann. View is of three floating caissons that were being towed into position for sinking, creating the smelter dock.
Photo depicts a group of men concerned with the caisson dock construction. From left is Messrs., Cam Jenkinson, George Malby, McCallum, Hal Whiting, J. B. Whitton, S. T. Wynne-Jones, Van Houten and Dick Hermann. View is of three floating caissons that were being towed into position for sinking, creating the smelter dock.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. -- Alcan ID No. BC-2-362. -- Messrs. Jenkinson, Wynne-Jones, and Hermann all work for Alcan Engineering under the Resident Engineer George Malby. Messrs. J.B. Whitton and Van Houten work for the consulting firm of Frederick R. Harris & Co. of New York, N.Y. Hal Whiting was Project Manager, Kitimat Constructors, for smelter and town construction. Hal Whiting Collection 985.65.212
