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This article is from the LCGS newsletter, May, 1996.

           During my Feb 19/96 visit to the Archives of Ontario in Toronto, I chanced to discover a collection of 270 old "gelatin print" photos listed in their index. I subsequently went to the second floor (where old maps and photos are stored) and requested the 4 albums listed under file numbers C224-0-0-16 to -19. It seems that the unknown photographer ranged over a good part of southern Ontario during the late 1800s and early 1900s, and following are some of my notes on the photo numbers and a brief description, should any of our members be interested in obtaining a copy for themselves. (These are produced by making another photo, and are $8.85 each plus tax.)

Box B-716 - Album #1

Early numbers prior to 20 - several photos of Dalhousie Lake

20 - Geddes saw mill, Mississippi River

31 - Log chute (or timber slide), High Falls, Mississippi River

38 - Boys in old style swim suits playing leap-frog

39/40/41 - Canoe race, possibly in Mississippi River at Carleton Place

42 - Pipe band in parade, possibly on Perth main street

48 - Railroad engine, with large funnel

58 - Beautiful photo of an Ojibway papoose

80 - YMCA basketball team - 1905 (where?)

Box B-717 - Album #2

In this box there is a separate envelope of about 25 5"x7" photos of the Canada Gold Mine Co., Shoal Lake, 1896.

7 - Ringling Bros. Circus Show - elephant parade on a main street. The shops in the background are (from l.to r.): Jas. Dow, Jeffrey Bros., J.L. Bradshaw, R. White and Co. (My guess is that it was taken in Stratford, Ont.)

16/17/18 - Sunday school picnic at Blakeman's Woods (Stratford?)

21 - Stratford Collegiate Institute

24 - St. Mary's Quarry - 6 ladies in photo

33 - 36 - Monteith's wood

37 - 41 - Girl's basketball team - 1903 (where?)

63 - A family in a gazebo

64 - Girl, with doll in crib

67 - Reception for Lord and Lady Minto, Stratford C.I. - 1903

84/85 - Male photo-club outing

Box B-178 - Album #3

1 - Muskoka wharf

7 - Steamer "Medora" at dock, with train engine #810 alongside

10-12 - Canoe trippers

15 - Small canal lock (possibly at Port Carling)

16 - Lovely photo of "Medora" steaming on lake with flags flying

Box B-178 - Album #4

5 - Christy's Lake, picnic group

7 - Christy's Lake, sandy beach

15 - Saw mill at Carleton Place

16 - Mississippi River at Carleton Place (looks like below the old Bates and Innis Bridge)

18 - Camp of tents on Mississippi Lake

19 - Ebbs Bay

20 - Tay River

21/22 - Otty Lake (from Farmer's and from Kenyon's)

24 - Otty Lake - Watt's shore

25/26 - Otty Lake - Watt's cottage

27 - Otty Lake - Ruby Island

28 - Otty Lake - Farmer's cottage and family

34 - Otty Lake - Mary Miller's

38 - Otty Lake - "Tommy" (young boy on a bike)

39 - "Dewey" pet dog sitting in a cane chair

40 - Farmyard shot of sheep, dated Jan 1, 1900

44 - Warehouses at Depot Harbour, near Parry Sound

47 - Hole in the Wall, near Parry Sound

48 - Grain elevator at Depot Harbour

49 - Parry Sound Lumber Co. sawmill

54 - A 3-storey hotel at Depot Harbour

           There is also a collection of fiche cards, with small positive film pieces which can be viewed. I was lucky enough to find one of special interest to me (Acc. 4915, S7447) dated 1909, Carleton Place. Although it was unidentified in their records, I recognized it to be the former high school on High Street, which was known as the Prince of Wales School when I attended Grades 3- 8 there between 1950 and 1955. It was torn down to make way for a seniors' home.

           Also, I was visiting my aunt Marjorie (Gilmour) Coulter recently, and looking through some of my grandmother's (Rose Gilmour) photo albums, when I saw some which my aunt said I could have. These are of some of her class-mates and teachers of the OLC (Ottawa Ladies College) which my grandmother attended in 1904 at age 23.

           If any of our members recognize the following names as relatives, and would like a copy of the photo, they can contact me at kegod@ibm.net. All photos were originally taken by "Topley, Ottawa".