Photography as History

The focus of our most recent Newsletter is the the role of photography in history. Many pictures from the James Keeley Ward (1819-1910) photo album and the Robert Harvie (1845-1926) albums are reproduced. There is an article comparing the work of Robert Harvie, a talented amateur, and William Notman, whose professional photographs are well known in Montreal. Our archivist, Barbara Covington, has also reviewed Victoria Bridge: The Vital Link by Stanley Triggs et. al., the catalogue for an exhibition mounted by the McCord Museum of Canadian History to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Montreal.

We have also included an article reprinted from our 2002 newsletter in which F.A. Leclaire, the owner of heritage greystones on St. Antoine Street, describes the neighborhood efforts to prevent the destruction of his Selby Street neighborhood in Lower Westmount in the 60s to make way for the Ville Marie Expressway, and the effect that a citizens' movement had on the construction. Current proposals to replace the Turcott Interchange appear to be threatening the neighborhood once again.