Accession Number

2012.007.002.045

Description

Black and white photograph of the ocean taken from a high point on a hill surrounded by trees. A road is cut into the hillside below with a car on it. There is a sailboat on the water.

Narrative

The location depicted in this photograph is a highpoint on the Malahat Highway, Vancouver Island, B.C.. The highway was initially a gravel top road and was first travelled by car in 1911. Signs, such as the one on the right hand side of the road in this picture warned drivers to 'Go Slow Here' as there were sharp bends and steep drops at various points along the single track road.

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

8.9 x 6.7 cm

Artwork Title

On the Malahat Drive, Vancouver Island B.C.

Support

Paper, Photographic paper

Inscription

Lower right:
On the Malahat Drive, Vancouver Island BC
Lower left:
Copyright Canada by The Gowen Sutton Co Ltd

Country of Origin

Canada