Accession Number

2012.007.002.044

Description

Black and white photograph of the ocean taken from a rocky shore, with a cluster of small islands in the centre and mountains in the background. Two boats are in the water, either side of the islands.

Narrative

The islands depicted in this photograph are the Trial Islands, a group of islands located off the south-eastern tip of Vancouver Island off Victoria, part of the municipality of Oak Bay, British Columbia. The words "Copyright Canada by The Gowen 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:
Trial Island Victoria B.C.
Lower left:
Copyright Canada by the Gowen Sutton Co Ltd

Country of Origin

Canada