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 a crane working on a cleared area of land, likely at smeltersite area.
Photo depicts a man standing beside his truck, crossing the Kitimat River aboard a wood construction raft ferry, guard rail on two sides, and guided by a cabling system shown above the river.
Photo depicts a man standing beside his truck, crossing the Kitimat River aboard a wood construction raft ferry, guard rail on two sides, and guided by a cabling system shown above the river.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. Alcan Collection 73.3.3.29
Title based on content of photograph. -- Haisla Bridge, Kitimat's first permanent bridge was completed by the end of 1953 and officially opened in 1957. -- The cost was over one million dollars. District of Kitimat Collection. District of Kitimat Collection 987.10.2
Black covered book titled "Kitimat Townsite Report". No. A-33 Mr. J.E. Dudley. Contains info about early Kitimat and planning. Inside front cover are some loose pages with town plans.
Bud Powell is a longtime resident of Kitimat and former smeltersite resident. He worked for Alcan.
Custodial History
Donated by Bud Powell.
Scope and Content
Black covered book titled "Kitimat Townsite Report". No. A-33 Mr. J.E. Dudley. Contains info about early Kitimat and planning. Inside front cover are some loose pages with town plans.
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
One of the first prize gardens on Starling Street in the annual community competition.
Scope and Content
Photo depicts Nels Klit, his daughter, and wife in the family's garden on Starling Street.
Notes
Other number 45048C. Famed Canadian documentary photographer Malak Karsh was hired in the 1950s by Alcan to take photographs of Arvida and Kitimat. Many were published in Alcan literature and textbooks on Canada. A colourized version of this photograph appears in the “Kitimat: Tomorrow’s City Today”, by B.J. McGuire and Roland Wild, reprint booklet, Canadian Geographical Journal, November 1959. Alcan Collection
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.
