Mrs. McVicar was Brandon's/Grand Valley's first postmistress. Biographical details about Mrs. McVicar can be found in a newspaper clipping [F.A. ROSSER, “Sunbeams – The Birds Dived Down Like Fighters on Gopher,” Brandon Sun, September 16, 1978, 3] in McG 4.1 File 67.
Custodial History
Photograph was brought to Fred McGuinness by Owen Anderson of Cypress River, Manitoba.
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of Mrs. McVicar sitting outside of her home in Texas.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph consists of greetings and salutations to the unknown recipients. Photograph "finished by Edrington's Studio, Weslaco, Texas."
Photograph is stained and water damaged. A newspaper clipping about William (Billy) Muir is glued to the top left hand corner of the mat. The image is exfoliated in the right hand corner. The negative has been reverse printed.
History / Biographical
Coombs & Stewart opened the first general store in Brandon in 1881, which was located on 6th Street and Pacific Avenue. According to G.F. Barker (Brandon: A City, 1977, 291), William (Billy) Muir worked at the store until he opened his own grocery store in 1888.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the Coombs & Stewart general store located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and 6th Street. A group of men pose in front of the wood-framed store.
Notes
Back of photograph reads: One of first stores in Brandon, Coombs...[?]
According to G.F. Barker (Brandon: A City, 1977, 291), William (Billy) Muir worked at Coombs & Stewart's on Pacific Avenue until he opened his own grocery store in 1888. The shop was located at 143-6th Street, Brandon, and was demolished for a parking lot in 1952.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the "Wm. Muir General Grocer" building on 6th Street. Two men pose in the doorway of the store. The man on the left is likely William Muir. Barrels are lined on the boardwalk in front of the store. Apples and mason jars can be seen in the shop's windows.
Notes
Front of photograph reads: Sixth Street between Rosser - Princess. Back of photograph reads: Billy Muir's Store, 143 6th Street Brandon - 57 years in business in this location. An address label affixed to the back of the mat reads: Mrs. James Strath, Box 421, Souris, Man.
Photograph mat is bent. Emulsion problems with image.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Rosser Avenue in its incipient stages. Canvas tents are mixed amongst wooden structures. The James Smart Hardware store, Winter & O'Neail Groceries & Provisions, and the law office of F.G.A. Henderson in the Molesworth Block can be seen on the north side of Rosser Avenue. A street sign designating 6th Street can be seen below the Winter & O'Neail sign. A horse and buggie is traveling down the dirt track that is Rosser Avenue. Groups of men can be seen congregating outside some of the local businesses.
Notes
Front of photograph reads: Rosser Avenue, Brandon 1882-1883, from east of Six Street. Back of photograph is stamped: I. Bennetto & Co., Photographers, Opposite Post-Office, Winnipeg, Man.
Corners of photograph mat are bent. Picture is cracked.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows an early view of Brandon's 6th Street in the 1880s. The Winter & O'Neail Groceries & Provisions and James Smart Hardware storefronts have been photographed. A street sign designating 6th Street can be seen below the Winter & O'Neail sign. A horse and cart is parked in front of the grocery store. A number of men wearing hats and jackets are standing along the boardwalk while posing for the picture. Lumber/timber saws are displayed in teh windows of the hardware store.
Notes
Front of photograph reads: 6th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, 1881-1882, Entrance [to Winter & O'Neail] corner of Rosser Ave & 6th Street.
Photograph exfoliated on edges where masking tape has been removed.
History / Biographical
In 1912, the Brandon Daily Sun (30 September 1912) published an article about the 7th Annual Meeting of the Manitoba Association of Architects that was held at the Prince Edward Hotel on September 28. It was the first time that the association held an annual meeting outside of Winnipeg. Local architect W.A. Elliott was elected first vice president of the assocation. As part of the meeting's entertainment, the Brandon Automobile Club provided excursions around the city, making special stops at the fair grounds, industrial school, new asylum buildings, and the experimental farm.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of gentlemen wearing overcoats and hats posing with a motor car parked in front of the Prince Edward Hotel. A Brandon pennant is attached to the windshield of the vehicle. The large man standing second from the right wearing a light top hat and coat is architect W.A. Elliott.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Return to Brandon Sun, F.V. Haney and T.W. Willey, September 14, 1912.
Photograph shows a canvas tent boarding house and wooden shack advertising soup, meat, and bread for 25 cents and hot tea and coffee. A man wearing a vest is standing in the doorway of the shack. Another man wearing a three-piece suit and hat is seated on a seat at the corner of the structure while another man wearing an apron leans against the shack. Clothes can be seen drying on the surface of the large canvas tent.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Between 5th and 6th Street, Pacific Avenue opposite old CPR Station, April 1882. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
Vivian, Riley & Gardside were painters who had an outfit on the east side of 8th Street between Pacific and Rosser Avenues (G.F. Barker, Brandon: A City 1881-1961, Altona: Friesens, 4a)
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a five men in three-piece suits and hats standing before canvas tents.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Vivian, Riley & Gardside Outfit, "The Gang" Brandon, 14th Street, August 1882. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
Photograph shows eight men posing in front of a wood-framed building on the corner of 8th Street and Rosser Avenue. Above the building's entrance is a painted sign that reads: Apothecaries' Hall. A. Fleming, Druggist is painted in the window above the door. Street signs designating 8th Street and Rosser Avenue are affixed to the building. A transit/theodolite is mounted on a tripod in front of the store.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph reads: Corner 8th St and Rosser Ave May 1882. Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Corner 8th St and Rosser, May 1882, Apthecaries' Hall, A. Fleming, Druggist. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
Photograph shows seven men posing in front of a wood-framed shack on 10th Street. The men are wearing three-piece suits or vests and long-sleeved shirts. One man can be seen holding an axe another a saw. A double ox-team wagon is in front of the structure.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: 10th St. May 1882, Brandon. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
Photograph shows four men posing in front of a wood-framed shop on 8th Street and Rosser Avenue. The men are wearing three-piece suits or vests and long-sleeved shirts. A painted sign above the shop reads: Wright & Wright, Hamilton Stove & Tin Store. Hanging from the exterior walls are various tin items for sale: lantern, ladel, dust pan, pots and pans.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Corner of 8th & Rosser. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
Photograph shows Fred McGuinness with Meta McCulloch, 103-year-old woman who attended Fred's Memoir Writing Workshop in Hartney, Manitoba on 22 February 2010.
Photograph is bent and torn. Adhesive residue remains on back of photograph.
History / Biographical
Agnes Miller Chalmers (nee Gilmour) (b. 13 Oct 1864; d. 10 Nov 1954, Brandon) immigrated to Canada from Scotland with her husband in 1882. The couple settled in Brandon, Manitoba, where they had nine children: Edward Thomas, Catharine "Kate" (a.k.a. Kate Harden), Samuel, John, Agnes, Frederick, twins Lawrence and Ernest, and Edna.
Her husband, Edward (b. 04 Dec 1858, Leith, Scotland; d. 08 Oct 1926, Brandon), worked as a glazier with a number of shops in Brandon, including McDiarmid and Clark, Rat Portage Lumber Company, and Hanbury Manufacturing Company.
Sources: Canada Census 1911, Manitoba Vital Statistics database, Henderson's Brandon City Directories.
Custodial History
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows an elderly woman in period dress. The woman is sitting outdoors by a wood-framed building.
Notes
Writing on back photograph reads: ?, Ted Harden, ?, Kate Harden. Photograph is stamped Crawford's Drug Store, Brandon, Man. [Date range determined from drug store period.]
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a man in a three-piece suit with watch fob posing for a studio portait. The man is standing with his left arm drapped on a bench made of driftwood, a woodland scene is painted on the backdrop.
Notes
Writing on back photograph reads: Uncle Edd. [Date range determined from photo studio period.]
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a two men in three-piece suits posing for a studio portait. One man is standing with his right arm resting on the shoulder of a seated man. Both men are holding their hats in their hands. A woodland scene is painted on the backdrop.
Notes
Writing on back photograph reads: Uncle Edd. [Date range determined from photo studio period. The backdrop is consistent with the cabinet photograph of the same man in this collection, see 1-2015.54.]
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two women in period dress posing for a formal cabinet portrait. The woman on the left, wearing a gown and straw hat, stands while holding what appears to be a rolled-up periodical. The woman on the right is seated in an upholstered chair with tassles and holds her purse on her lap.
Notes
Advertisement on back photograph reads: J.A. Brock & Co., Artistic Photography, Brandon, Manitoba, Instantaneous Process Used Exclusively, Duplicates Can Be Had At Any Time, Negative, Preserved for Future Orders. [Date range determined from photo studio period The backdrop is consistent with the cabinet photograph of another family in this collection, see 1-2015.57.]
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a family of six posing for a formal cabinet portrait. The father wears a three-piece suit and stands with his four children, two boys and two girls. The mother is seated in a tassled upholstered chair. The boys appear to be wearing the same suit jacket, both girls wear lace collars.
Notes
Advertisement on back photograph reads: Portraits in Oil, Water, Colors, Crayon, Pastel and India Ink. J.A. Brock & Co. Photographers, Brandon, Manitoba. Duplicates of all Photos to be had at any time. [Date range determined from photo studio period. The backdrop is consistent with another cabinet photograph in this collection, see 1-2015.56.]