Aerial Photos of BC from 1940's and 1950's

[Holden West]

^Ah, yes. I see it's in front of the Demitasse building, not beside it. The library is a few years away.

[Bingo]

Thanks again MarkP

The Gas Works is on Pembroke Street. And the nearby rail yard between Discovery and Chatham is shown.

A roof sign gives the location of the CJVI radio station at Broad and View.

Victoria book and Stationery is at Government and Broughton, and the Coach Lines Depot is on Gordon Street where there is now a parkade.

Scurrahs Clothing Store sign is seen at 728 Yates.

Percy Beall Scurrah (June 17, 1883, – July 14, 1970) was one of the most popular mayors of Victoria, British Columbia Canada from 1955 to 1961, and was the first mayor to have three consecutive terms. He is responsible for bringing the BC Ferries to Victoria.

Among his greatest achievements, aside from pulling Victoria out of the red financially, was the replacement of the "shaky" Point Ellice Bridge, and development of today's Centennial Square, commemorating the city's 100th birthday in January 1962.

http://vintageairphotos.com/bo-47-1530/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_B._Scurrah

[Sparky]

Just above Royal Athletic Park on the far side of Cook Street there is a 3 story building that resembles a school.

I cant seem to remember this building. It appears to be too close to RAP to be the Cridge.

Any ideas?

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Sparky

Just above Royal Athletic Park on the far side of Cook Street there is a 3 story building that resembles a school.

I cant seem to remember this building. It appears to be too close to RAP to be the Cridge.

Any ideas?

George Jay.

It turned 100 last year.

[Sparky]

^ Thanks VHF, I can go back to bed now. That building does not stand out as much as it did 70 years ago.

[Bingo]

Years ago Athletic park was surrounded by a wooden fence about 8 feet high to prevent people for watching the games and to keep them out without paying. The boards were vertical with a narrow space between each board, but if you drove by in your car you could actually see the players running around. What you were seeing was all those narrow spaces joined together to make a picture.

I wonder if that effect is how the movie filmstrip was invented?

[Mike K.]

I'd love to see the west shore of the 1940's.

[aastra]

The YMCA's building looks like it was about the same height as the Sayward Building.

...many buildings are gone and replaced by smaller ones or empty lots.

There were too many buildings in old Victoria so the wise decision was made to introduce a comfortable amount of open space. This is why some people fight so hard to preserve parking lots and empty lots today.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

I'd love to see the west shore of the 1940's.

I don't think it had been discovered yet.

[Bingo]

I'm guessing that the three images of Victoria posted so far were taken from a blimp, as it would need to be from a source that isn't moving to quickly to achieve the fairly sharp detail.

I think they are also taken on the same day with the first photo posted taken at 2:00 pm, the second at 3:45, and the third at 2:20.

Looking forward to some more.

[Holden West]

I seriously doubt a blimp was involved. The key to a sharp photo like that is a massive negative (I think Mark said they were 4" x 5" or something), and a fast shutter speed. Did you see the size of the camera on the previous page? A big lens lets in a lot of light and permits a fast shutter. Aerial photography by plane was very advanced at the time this picture was taken.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

I don't think it had been discovered yet.

With the exception of that trailer park on Spencer.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Holden West

I seriously doubt a blimp was involved. The key to a sharp photo like that is a massive negative (I think Mark said they were 4" x 5" or something), and a fast shutter speed. Did you see the size of the camera on the previous page? A big lens lets in a lot of light and permits a fast shutter. Aerial photography by plane was very advanced at the time this picture was taken.

The camera you mention was designed for wartime use and the plane took photos from high altitudes looking straight down.

Our photos were taken from a low altitude of perhaps 1500 feet looking sideways. Some newspaper photographers used Speed Graphic cameras with sheet film, which produced good quality images.

I would be interested in hearing how the photos were taken and with what kind of camera.

4X5 Speed Graphic

[Mike K.]

If you guys want to see some seriously high resolution old-timey photos of New York, circa 1920's, check out Shorpy. You'll be blown away.

[MarkP]

As far as I can tell, most of these images were taken with a Fairchild K-20 or a Williamson F.24.

See links for photos.

Mark

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by MarkP

As far as I can tell, most of these images were taken with a Fairchild K-20 or a Williamson F.24. See links for photos.
Mark

Thanks Mark,
Do you know what kind of aircraft was used?

[Kikadee]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

If you guys want to see some seriously high resolution old-timey photos of New York, circa 1920's, check out Shorpy. You'll be blown away.

I was going to suggest that this fellow submit his photos to Shorpy. That community would go wild for them.

[VicHockeyFan]

I forwarded these to a friend that lived on Fisgard when he was a young teen (he's now in his late 50's).

He spent several hours looking at them, even going up and down in strips, hand noting landmarks at each side of his frame, for his next trip up the next adjacent strip.

He's not a forumer here, but he sends his thanks, MarkP.

[MarkP]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Thanks Mark,
Do you know what kind of aircraft was used?

Sorry, no idea about the aircraft.

Mark

[LJ]

Originally Posted by MarkP

Sorry, no idea about the aircraft.

Mark

In the 30's the RCAF used Fairchild 71 and Vickers Vedettes for mapping, in the 40's C47(DC3), and converted Avro Lancaster bombers for aerial surveilance.

[MarkP]

Got another Victoria one for you guys. It's just north of downtown. Not as sharp as the others and a little higher altitude....but still cool...

http://vintageairphotos.com/bo-54-136/

Mark

[aastra]

I see that building with the big arched windows was still there at the corner of Government and Herald.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ooohhh, this one is very interesting.

Couple reasons, Mark.

First, it shows an real industrial area that they (federal government and BC Hydro) are just now remediating. Around where the two big round gas silos are. That was a coal gasification plant, the coal came in by rail from Nanaimo. And they also burned some to make electricity there too.

Secondly it shows how the road has changed very much by the arena (white roof). The main drag out of town runs by there, but now runs down and beside the other arch roof building (Bay Sy. Armory).

This is great.

[Sparky]

I like all the junk stacked up behind Capital Iron.

The log booms also remind me of the plywood mill on the Gorge.

A couple more inches lower and we could have seen Jimmy Little's store on Quadra.

[G-Man]

A couple of oddities for me. What is the circular thing behind the arena and why was the road to the east of the armory angled like that? Obviously gave Blanshard its shape now.