Accession Number

2012.007.002.043

Description

Sepia toned photograph of an inlet on the ocean. Taken from a high point on a hillside above, a house is below on the shoreline, with stepped pathways running from the hill to the house. On the water, there is a small rocky island close to shore and a smaller, treed island further out in the inlet.

Narrative

The inlet depicted in this photograph is Brentwood Bay, on Vancouver Island. The image is taken from the upper floor of the Brentwood Hotel, which was designed by architect, Samuel Maclure and opened in May of 1914.  The hotel operated until about 1921. The island in the foreground is known as Daphne Islet and in the distant background is Senanus Island. The words "Copyright Canada by The Gowan Sutton Co Ltd" in the bottom left indicates that this is a professional photo that was available commercially as a souvenir photograph.

History of Use

This photograph was purchased in about 1921 and placed in an album created by the James and Laura Dunsmuir family at Hatley Park. 

Some of the images of Hatley Park in the album show minimal landscaping, suggesting those photos date from when the house was newly completed, around 1910. At least one of the album's photographs was used as a post card and a postmark on the back shows a date of 1929, giving an approximate date range for the photographs in the album.

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 her 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 1921

Dimensions

6.7 x 8.9 cm

Support

Paper, Photographic paper

Inscription

Lower right:
Saanich Arm from Brentwood Hotel

Lower left:
Copyright Canada by the Gowen Sutton Co Ltd

Country of Origin

Canada