Autumn Tints

Apologies once again for the unforeseen absence... I do promise the triumphant return of this blog very shortly!!

Today, as autumn creeps on (in some halves of the world), let's think of its glories. London Transport, in the early twentieth century, certainly celebrated the beauty of autumn, encouraging you to go out and enjoy it-- by London Transport, of course.  Some wonderful posters, thanks to the London Transport Museum.

Poster by Dora M Batty, 1927. Source

Poster by Walter E. Spradbery, 1924. Source

Poster by Miss Pressland, 1913. Source

Poster by Miss Pressland (apparently she doesn't have a first name), 1913. Source

Poster by Walter E Spradbery, 1934. Source

Edward McKnight Kauffer-- this poster is from 1955, the artwork from an earlier, 1938 poster. Source

Poster by Walter E Spradbery, 1936. Source

Poster by Frank Newbold, 1922. Source

Poster by Leslie R Porter, 1925. Source

Poster by Dora M. Batty, 1926. Source

Poster by Walter E Spradbery, 1936. Source

All right, this isn't vintage at all--1993-- but I was terribly amused to learn this is an issue at all! Source

Poster by Nari Madon, 1964. Source

O Canadian Cities

Part two of our historical journey through Canada. After a general tour through the wilderness and small towns, let's stop by a few cities. Some, naturally, are far more quickly recognizable to modern eyes than others-- compare, say, Whitehorse with Halifax. Some of these also weren't actually part of Canada when the photos were taken, but let's not be technical, eh? 

A note-- the absense of Edmonton and Regina in fact has nothing to do with my Calgarian roots-- I couldn't find any appropriate photos!

Again, many thanks to the wonderful Musee McCord Museum.

A street in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, 1901. Source

Main Street in Dawson, Yukon, 1899. Source

Victoria from the cathedral tower, BC, 1897. Source

Vancouver from Fairview, BC, 1904. Source

Calgary from the Elbow River, 1889. Source

Winnipeg, 1887. Source

Main Street, Winnipeg, 1887. Source

Kingston, ON, c. 1915. Source

Yonge St. looking north, Toronto, c. 1890. Source

The original House of Parliament in Ottawa, before it burned down and they built the current one. c. 1878. Source

The 'Breakneck Steps', Quebec City, c. 1870. Looks kinda tough, eh? Source

Little Champlain St., Quebec City, 1916. Source

Quebec City from the Parliament Buildings [I had no idea they had 'Parliament Buildings' until I checked just now], 1908. Source

The lookout, Mount Royal Park, Montreal, 1916. Source

Halifax from the Citadel, 1901. Source

Barrington St. in Halifax, c. 1915. It looks exactly the same today, to an almost uncanny degree. Source

Sydney, Cape Breton, NS. 1910. Source

Charlottetown from Southport, PEI, 1910. Source

View from Signal Hill, St. John's, NFL, 1900. Source

Oh, Canada!

Following a request (I do take requests-- if there's anything you'd like to see, do leave a comment and I'll do what I can!) today is the first of a two-part series of my very favourite country in the world, Canada (yes, I'm Canadian, how did you guess?). Today we shall embark on a cross-country tour, coast to coast!

Almost all of these come from the wonderful collections of the Musee McCord Museum, in Montreal. 

A giant cedar tree in Stanley Park, Vancouver BC. Source

Emerald Lake and the Van Horn range, BC, c. 1890. [This is a photochrom, which is somewhere between a photo and a lithograph, not an actual colour photo, by the way]. Source

Mount Stephen House (a CPR hotel), Field, BC, 1909. Source

Bow Falls in Banff, AB, 1890.  Source

The very first incarnation of the Banff Springs Hotel, AB,  1904. Source

Figure skating in Banff, c. 1935. Source

The very first Chateau Lake Louise, AB, 1909. Source

Cascade mountain overlooking the site of the town of Banff... which has taken the place of most of the trees, today. 1890. Source

A native American encampment near Calgary, AB, c. 1925. Source

Grain elevators and a train, Claresholm, south AB, 1919. Source

The station for the town of Indian Head, SK, 1884. Source

Mills and elevators, Portage La Prairie, MB, 1884. Source

A quick jaunt north; ships stuck fast in their winter quarters in Franklin Pierce Bay, Baffin Island, 1875. Source

A man and ship's dog, 1875-76... somewhere up in the Canadian North. Source

Rideau Falls, Ottawa, ON, 1869. Source

Niagara Falls, 1890s. Source

A wonderful Canadian winter... McGill College Avenue, Montreal, QC, 1869. Source

Another nice winter day in Montreal-- St. Cahterine Street this time, and 1901. Source

Tramway crossing construction, 1893, Montreal, QC. Source

Saint John Harbour, NB, c. 1915. Source

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, NS, c. 1908. Source

Schooners in Glace Bay Harbour, Cape Breton, NS, c. 1914. Source

Rustico Beach, PEI, 1916. Source

Portugal Cove, NL, 1908. Source

Next time, we'll stop by a few cities. Stay tuned.