For those interested in the early history of New Westminster, a treat is in store for the Club meeting this Sunday, 21st April. Tim Woodland, Club President, will introduce “A Treasure Trove of New Westminster Real Photo Postcards”. Tim writes – “On a recent Easter visit to my parents, my father offered a box of several hundred post cards, to go along with the tea and biscuits. Included in the box were approx. 60 real photo cards of New Westminster in the 1907 – 1910 period. The majority are WT Cooksley cards, with Hacking, Brown and Barrowclough represented, and several lesser known New Westminster photographers/card publishers included. The two main themes are May Day, and Salmonbellies lacrosse, with numerous industry, buildings, early ships and Fraser River, and social scenes included. An unusual card features a crowd gathered around a visiting Airship (blimp). A fellow collector has suggested it may be “Stobel’s hydrogen airship”, which had made an appearance at the Dominion Exhibition in Calgary, June/July 1908.”
Tim will present and speak about this group of New Westminster postcards at 12.30. Come early t
o trade postcards and share your collecting interests with other members.
The blimp image is great. I have never seen it before. We do have a couple of photos of a old hot air balloon taken at the exhibition but nothing on this aircraft. We have an extensive collection of New West postcards here at the New West Museum and Archives. Apparently there are still some out there that we do not have copies of.