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Alfred E. Booth fonds
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Alfred E. Booth : [reminiscences]

PERIOD COVERED: ;1913;-;1955 RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), [197-?] SUMMARY: In a series of recorded reminiscences, Alfred E. Booth describes his travels on the B.C. coast, and in the Lower Mainland, Nicola and North Thompson regions; the Hope-Princeton Highway and the Boundary region; the Canadian Arctic (March 1955); coastal steamship travel; Kamloops to Calgary via the Big Bend highway; Alberta and N.W.T. oil and fields; Vancouver Island (especially its west coast and interior); the Lower Mainland; the Depression in the B.C. interior, and showing films in the relief camps. Throughout, Booth also discusses his experiences as an amateur and semi-professional filmmaker throughout the province. The second side of tape 5 discusses the senior's residence Booth was living in at the time of the recording, and includes some harmonica music performed by a friend of Booth's.

[Recorded stories and reminiscences]

Item consists of an audio recording of Alfred E. Booth's reminiscences and was likely recorded in the 1960s. Booth discusses coming to Canada in 1912 and his train journey from Quebec City to Kamloops and then on to Vancouver. Booth discusses winning a motion picture camera as the winner of a photography competition and his film making thereafter. Booth describes his various jobs throughout the province and his interest in automobiles.

Alfred E. Booth fonds

  • PR-2227
  • Fonds
  • 1931-1957

The fonds consists of 20,860 feet of colour and black and white 16 mm film, comprising outtakes, footage and some completed films. With the exception of a few prints, the collection consists of camera original (reversal) film. This is the largest surviving collection of Booth's films. The material was shot between 1931 and 1957. When the collection was acquired it was in a disorganized and neglected state. It consisted of 254 reels and rolls of film piled into boxes in no apparent order and with no reliable identification or titles. All the reels were standard 100 and 50 foot camera reels containing sections of film that varied in length from 5 to 110 feet. Subsequent research indicated these were either random footage or they were outs from original Booth compilations. Many of these reels consisted of sections spliced together, suggesting they were once part of a compilation that had been cannibalized for subsequent compilations. In addition, many sections spliced together bore no relation to each other and some were spliced together backwards or upside-down, perhaps due to a hurried attempt to attain physical neatness. Only 13 of the 254 items were longer rolls and reels of coherent subject matter that indicated original Booth compilations. Internal evidence plus dating indicate that the majority of these reels relate to the films Booth made on his own rather than those he made for sponsors. The majority were shot in the 1930s. Although information is lacking, especially as regards the sponsored films, it appears that this collection, though sizeable, accounts for only about a third of Booth's total output. Booth's films have been described by one film historian as "one of the most important collections of amateur film from British Columbia ...its real strength is ...depicting rural and small town life in the British Columbia interior in the 1930s and 1940s." This assessment is largely born out by the contents of Booth's surviving films. The films primarily feature the communities and livelihoods, as well as the natural landscape , along the highways and waterways of the province's south central interior. Communities are presented in considerable detail; a town, for example, is portrayed by its main street businesses and merchants, residential streets, local mills and plants, transportation systems and nearby recreational opportunities. Ranches or mining operations are also presented in similar detail. Whether Booth's films should be regarded as amateur or professional (in a limited genre), however, remains open to question. Booth's films also reveal that, through personal contacts and familiarity with the communities, he was able to film on a more intimate level than, say, a professional film crew. This is evident in the many close-ups of people in everyday life, earning livelihoods, demonstrating special skills, or at leisure. Given Booth's freedom to film what he wanted, many shots reflect a personal interest -- as though he filmed subjects only for the purpose of making a film record, or to capture a dramatic incident that he chanced upon in his travels. This is suggested by the significant amount of the surviving footage that appears to have no identifiable market purpose.

Booth, Alfred Edmund, 1892-1977

[Vancouver area, ca. 1955] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Miscellaneous subjects, including shots of downtown Vancouver streets, the Marine Building, the CPR station, a parade, and a Bristol Bitannia (a four-engined turbo-prop) airliner at Vancouver Airport. Also includes an unrelated sequence that shows hunters taking a butchered animal carcass from the back of a pack horse and loading it into a station wagon.

[Ripple Rock project] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Shows various supply and construction activities associated with the project of tunneling under Seymour Narrows and placing dynamite under Ripple Rock. Includes shots of coastal features near the site, a freighter in Seymour Narrows, Painter's Lodge (Campbell River), construction of wooden frame buildings, and a sequence showing a turkey dinner being served to a work crew. No shots of the actual explosion are included. One sequence shows the freightboat "Cloverleaf IV" being loaded and en route (possibly to Ahousat, on the west coast of Vancouver Island). Unrelated material (in two segments) shows a De Havilland Comet Mk. 3 airliner with BOAC markings (registration G-ANLO) landing, taxiing, and disembarking passengers at Vancouver Airport.

[Arctic trip] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. This material appears to derive from a film Booth made for Canadian Pacific Airlines that depicts the airline's freighting of supplies to the Distant Early Warning Line in Canada's far north. It includes aerial shots of snow covered northern landscapes, northern air fields, personnel, use of dog sleds, and activities related to the delivery or pickup of an aircraft engine. Attached to this compilation is additional dog-sled footage which (though on 1948 film stock) appears to be part of the same filming effort.

[Interior B.C. scenes, 1948] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Miscellaneous shots: boat heading along a shore, highway beside a river, a couple beside their cabin, horses in corral, fall foliage, women and horses, fishing on a lake. Also shows the first helicopter owned by Okanagan Helicopters (an open-cockpit Bell 47B-3, registration CF-FZX) being viewed by curious residents. (The helicopter pilots may be Carl Agar and Bill McLeod.)

[Mining exploration]

Footage. A film showing gold and silver mining exploration at a site somewhere in south central B.C. Pan of the countryside. Aspects of mining exploration, including dumping waste from an excavation; two men prospecting with picks; close-up of rock face to show mineral content; delivery of diamond drill equipment for core sampling. This is followed by a section showing a small-scale mine in operation, plus shots of mining staff.

[Railway tunnel work] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. This film depicts "gunniting" or surfacing of tunnel walls to prevent loose material from falling on the railway tracks. The location is believed to be on the Kettle Valley Railway line near Tulameen, B.C.

[Sports fishing]

Footage. A film showing three types of sports fishing: saltwater salmon trolling (1943), lake fishing (1936), and river steelhead fishing (1944).

[Bullion Mine] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Various aspects of the Bullion Mine placer operation near Likely in the Cariboo district. Footage includes: panning for gold; building of sluices and water lines; hydraulic mining of ore bodies; clean-up and gathering of ore. There is also a brief sequence of a miner making a claim post.

[Kootenay-Boundary area] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Shows various communities and activities in southeastern B.C. Several shots of a hydro-electric dam (possibly Bonnington Falls on the Kootenay River). Nakusp lakefront, with the retired sternwheeler "Bonnington" at dock; local residents, streets and buildings (Arrow Lake Hotel, Arrow Lakes Hospital); a sawmill. Brief shot of sternwheeler "Minto" approaching dock. Edgewood General Store. Lake fishing; resort. Parade and sports day in Salmo (joint Dominion Day and Independence Day celebration?), with long sequence showing a performance by a uniformed girls' drill team. Main street of Greenwood, where a baseball team warms up and poses with locals. A nearby mining community (probably Phoenix), with mining operation and many dilapidated buildings; residents and a bearded old timer pose for the camera. Scenery with river and waterfall (possibly Cascade Falls on the Kettle River?). New Denver Fire Hall.

[Flying U ranch]

Footage. Shows a round-up of wild horses at the Flying U Ranch at Green Lake (near 70 Mile House, B.C.). Long sequences include ranch hands racing over hilly grassland, herding horses, then sorting them in the corral.

[Fraser Canyon motoring] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. This is a compilation of footage showing motoring through the Fraser Canyon from Hope to near Lytton. Depicted at length are the canyon gorges and the turbulent Fraser River, as well as the highway and railway routes along the steep canyon walls. Also shows motorists' accommodations en route: Fort Hope Tavern, All Hallow's Lodge (Yale), and Alexandra Lodge.

[Vancouver area, 1930s] : [footage]

Footage. Miscellaneous shots. The liner "Empress of Japan" and a West Vancouver Ferry pass through First Narrows; Burrard Street Bridge opening and crowds; a seaplane at Coal Harbour; a pet bear; high pan of Vancouver from the north shore; a May Day celebration with Lt. Gov. Hamber and other dignitaries, followed by a parade [New Westminster?].

[Kawkawa Lake ; Yale]

Footage. Visitors at a campsite beside Kawkawa Lake enjoy sightseeing, swimming, diving and water skiing. Brief shots of the nearby Fraser River appear at the film's end.

[Family leisure scenes]

Footage. Shows a series of family leisure activities, including vacationing at a cottage, boating, serving tea to house guests, admiring backyard flowers, children, and an outdoor social gathering.

[Okanagan Valley] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Various shots of businesses, streets, factories, warehouses, schools, recreation, resorts, transportation, etc., in Penticton, Summerland, Kelowna, Vernon and surrounding area. Includes footage of the Kelowna Regatta and the Vernon Races and "Klondike Nites".

[Nelson] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Views of Nelson streets and businesses: Palm Dairies Ltd., Madden Hotel, Kootenay Motors, and Nelson Transfer Co. Ltd. (with staff posing for camera). Moving company (West Transfer Co.) at work. Various residents. Plywood plant interiors [dark and soft-focus]. Horses at stables. Nelson waterfront. Sawmill. Car ferry (at Procter?). Lakeside leisure activities -- swimming, fishing, etc.

[Pastoral landscape]

Footage. Depicts a colourful landscape with rolling meadows, clusters of trees, a farmstead, horses, cattle, pastures, a solitary stroll in the woods, etc.

[Resort holiday]

Footage. A short film set at a resort, showing several young couples enjoying canoeing, lawn tennis, hiking and sightseeing.

[T.U. Auto Court, Cache Creek] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. A family gathering at the T.U. Auto Court, with children and adults at play on the grounds -- baseball, climbing trees, etc. Later, a group of men pass around a bottle. Shots of the gas station at the T.U. Concluding shots of large brick school building.

[Hyas Lake] : [footage]

Footage. A fishing trip to Hyas Lake (north of Kamloops): a man and woman on horseback ride through the woods, arrive at a lakeside cabin, fish from a boat, and catch large trout.

[Seton Lake ferry trip] : [footage]

Footage. A trip the length of Seton Lake aboard the Bridge River ferry. The footage highlights the mountainous scenery en route, and shows cars boarding and driving off the ferry at the terminals.

[Fishing with the boys]

Footage. Shows a fishing trip with a group of men vacationing at Echo Lodge (Paul Lake, B.C.) where they ride horses, fish, cook trout over a campfire, relax, etc. Towards the end of the film, Ashcroft appears -- presumably a stop-over on the way back to Vancouver.

[Fraser Valley] : [footage and out-takes]

Footage. Mainly shows commercial and tourist activities in the middle and upper Fraser Valley. Shots include: a small freighter on the Fraser River; Brackman-Ker Milling Company (New Westminster); aerial view of an urban area; Johnston Bros. & Byrnell Freight Lines (Chilliwack); "Valley Celery" packing plant; Harrison Lake tourists and resorts; lake barges; a residential street; dairy cattle; berry picking and packing (Hatzic, B.C.); a railway platform; and the Bungalow Garage and Cafe in Matsqui.

[Pier D fire] : [Booth footage]

Footage. Detailed depiction of the fire that engulfed the Canadian Pacific Railway's Pier D on Vancouver Harbour on 27 July 1938. Includes shots of fire-fighting, crowds of onlookers, and adjacent buildings.

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