Overview

Photodigitization

Touring Car 1907 The digitization of Vancouver Public Library's Special Collections historical photographs collection began in June 2000 with the Leonard Frank Photodigitization Project. Vancouver's Golden Years: 1900-1910... builds on the first project with the digitization of the Philip T. Timms Collection. InMagic DB\Textworks and Web Publisher software have been used to facilitate searching and displaying the scanned photographic records on the world wide web. Creation of this rich, new, digital photograph collection will serve to:

Protect the collection because it will be available electronically thereby reducing the handling of original images
Represent the collection by raising researchers' awareness of the historical photograph collection and by heightening awareness of the significance and value of the collection to the wider community

> Find out more about the archiving and scanning process

Collection Being Digitized

The Philip T. Timms Collection

Boy gazing at trees in Stanley Park The Vancouver Public Library is privileged to have a collection of photographs taken by Philip Thomas Timms between 1900 and 1910. These photographs provide a rich contribution to the cultural heritage of the city of Vancouver, as well as a cornerstone upon which the Vancouver Public Library historical photograph collection is built. Philip Timms moved to Vancouver from Toronto in 1898 attracted by the prospect of prosperity resulting from the goldstrike in the Klondike. From 1900 to 1968 he managed his own photography and printing shop producing thousands of postcards and photographs, the earliest of which capture a golden era in Vancouver's history when the city was young, confident and affluent. Spacious streetscapes, new buildings, ships, parks, parades, and children: all were subjects for the Timms camera that ultimately contributed towards a composite image of Vancouver in her infancy.

> Find out more about the photographs

> Find out more about Philip Timms

Navigation Bar: VPL 5233, P. Timms, 1906, Looking north on Granville Street from Dunsmuir Street. Includes: Fairfield Building, CPR Station

Top Left: VPL 6726, P. Timms, 1907, Touring car near Brockton Point in Stanley Park.

Middle Right: VPL 6671, P. Timms, 190-, Harold Timms (photographer's son) gazing up at a giant tree in Stanley Park.

Bottom Left: VPL 5450, P. Timms, 190-, Men diving from a float in English Bay to take part in swimming races.

This digital collection was produced with financial assistance from Canada's Digital Collections Initiative, Industry Canada.