Accession Number

2012.007.001.069

Description

Sepia toned photograph of seven young children standing in amongst flowering hydrangeas in front of a large building.

Narrative

Depicted in this photograph (L to R) are Laura Mary Dunsmuir (Maye), Emily Elinor Dunsmuir (Elinor), Elizabeth Maude Dunsmuir (Bessie), Jessie Muriel Dunsmuir (Muriel), Joan Marion Dunsmuir (Marion), Kathleen Euphemia Dunsmuir (Kat) and James Dunsmuir Jr. (Boy). They are standing outside of Burleith, the Dunsmuir family home on Victoria's Gorge Waterway between 1891 and 1906.


​​​​​​​In this photograph, James Jr. is 'unbreeched', meaning he has not yet started wearing trousers. Until the late nineteenth century, both male and female infants and toddlers were dressed in petticoats and dresses. Breeching, the occasion when a boy wore trousers for the first time, was a significant rite of passage for boys in the western world and could happen any time between two and eight years old, depending on family preference. Often, the first haircut would happen at this time too. James Jr. is probably about two years old in this photograph.
 

History of Use

This photograph was taken in about 1896 and placed in an album created by the James and Laura Dunsmuir family at Burleith, their home on Victoria's Gorge Waterway. In 1906 it was probably taken by the family to Victoria's Government House where they lived while James served as British Columbia's eighth Lieutenant Governor. From there it was taken to the family's new house, Hatley Park, in 1910.

Sometime after Laura Miller Dunsmuir's death in 1937, the album became the property of Dola Frances Dunsmuir (also known as Mrs. Dola Cavendish) and was kept at her house Dolaura in Colwood, B.C. After hear death, the album was owned by her sister Kathleen's daughter, Judith Humphreys (also known as Mrs. Judith Joy). Her daughter donated the album to Craigdarroch Castle in 2012.

Date

circa 1896

Dimensions

7.1 x 8.3 cm

Support

Paper, Photographic paper

Country of Origin

Canada