Collector/curator's description reads: “1928, Vancouver. Family of CPR worker Cheng Ging Butt. Back row, L to R: William, Harry, Edward, Henry. Front row: L to R: imothy, Maurice, wife Lena Jang holding Cecil, Cheng Ging Butt holding Beatrice, Ellen and Bevan (Clarence). Cheng Ging Butt literally tried his hand at building the railway, but when he lost a finger under the weight of a steel rail, he gave it up for less dangerous work. ‘Conditions were really primitive, it was really cold, it was not safe and Grandpa decided that he was not going to do this anymore,’ said his grandson, Kevin Jangze. ‘He ended up with a grocery store, a temple, a cherry orchard, a still to make ‘beverages,' and some houses of gaming. And so Grandfather, being quite the entrepreneur, built up this little empire.’ Cheng Ging Butt, proprietor of Cheng Foo's in Yale, B.C., last stop on the steamship run, before the Cariboo, was a Chinese Canadian pioneer. His store provisioned the Chinese railway workers, who had to pay their own way while working for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Cheng landed in New Westminster, B.C., around 1871, at age 22, from Sun Hui village, early enough to avoid the head tax, but not the discrimination. He raised a family with Lena Jang, the wife he bought from the Leong family, who gave him eight boys and two girls. Cheng died in 1929, the year the Great Depression took away everything he'd earned.”

Photograph shows a family with their cattle

Collector/curator's description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Mr. and Mrs. Chong Fan Yow are pictured with their young sons Chong Buck Sun (left) and Chong Buck Shong (right). This stunning 1920s family photo was discovered in a Value Village Thrift Store. The photo had gone silent: There was no information about the people in the picture. As well, part of the Yucho Chow logo had been cut off to make the picture fit into the frame. The photo with frame was purchased by Roma Kuzhler, a young Russian immigrant artist. In 2019, the image was printed in the Vancouver Sun newspaper as part of an article on Yucho Chow. Joyce Chong was sitting on the Langdale Ferry flipping through the newspaper and recognized the boy on the right as her father, Chong Buck Shong. She had not seen this photo before but knew father.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1944, Vancouver. Photo of Chong Sat Chong (seated) with his four sons (left to right): Harold; Jackie; George and Willie.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Chong Fan Yow Family. Back row left to right: Sally Chong Chew (October 20, 1926) (Lived in Oakland California); Pearl (Chong) Lee (October 3, 1938 - ); Jean (Chong) Mah (August 27, 1937 - ); Shong Sun Chong (November 5, 1916 - May 7, 2004). Front row from left to right: Gladys (Chong) Yip (Feb 18, 1940 - ); Mrs. Shong Buck Chong (nee Lim) (November 22, 1913- August 30, 1967); Mrs. Chong Fan Chow (December 2, 1884 - June 8, 1960); Stephen Chong (December 22, 1943 - December 31, 2007); Chong Fan Yow (May 6, 1879 - April 26, 1962); Diana Chong (August 27, 1942); Shong Buck Chong (eldest son) (July 17, 1911 - September 27, 1962); Leona (Chong) Quan (July 7, 1945 - ). Not born yet: Joyce Chong (December 27, 1950).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1928, Vancouver. Photo of Chow King Tong family. Tong (1874-1932) worked on the railroad and later turned to farming. He lived with his wife #3, named Chow Wong Shee (1892-1942) and their family in Agassi but later moved to Ashcroft, following the CPR route. Tong was also from Hoy Ping and would stay at the back of Yucho Chow Studio when in Vancouver. ‘Chow King Tong, my Grandfather: 1874-1932; Chow Wong Shee, my Grandmother: 1892-1942. The family name is Chow.....some continued using Tong as a surname
But the males used Chow (my dad had it legally changed in the 1950's). My generation of my Chinese name has Tong on the end...my dad's was different. My grandmother's name was changed from her birth name to Wong Shee which meant that she was the wife of someone (this was apparently quite common). I hope this helps. Franklin.’”

Collector/curator’s original description reads: “C. 1911, Vancouver. Portrait of the CHOW Ten Lam Family. Left to right: George; Chow Ten Lam; Henry standing in front; Lillian standing in back); Victoria (baby) and Mrs. Chow Ten Lam. Chow Ten Lam was born in China in 1877 and arrived in Vancouver on 21 July 1897. His father (whose name is not remembered) had arrived in Canada in the 1860s. The elder Chow made his way to Barkerville looking for gold and eventually returned to China with his fortune. Chow Ten Lam worked at many jobs over his lifetime. He was as an accountant in his uncle’s store; he was a news correspondent for a Chinese newspaper; a partner in a wholesale grocery business and finally an interpreter and general insurance agent. Early on, he learned English from a Methodist Sunday school teacher. He was eventually baptized and the Chow family were one of the first Chinese Christian families in Canada.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1930, Vancouver. Copy of a photo of the Chow Wone family who ran a successful business in Kaslo, British Columbia. The photo was believed to be taken before the family departed for a trip to Hoy Ping, China. All of the eight children were born in British Columbia. More children followed, and Chow Wone had other children from his other wives. Chow Wone's name was composed of his surname first, then his given name. However, since that was the opposite of British convention, all his children born in Canada were given the name Wone as their surname. Back row, left to right: Hell Lee (nee Wone) and Lily. Front, left to right: Mona (nee Wone) Wong; Moy Foon (wife #2) holding infant Diane; Bill Wone with brother Tommy in front; patriarch Chow Wone; unidentified toddler; and Irene Jung (nee Wone).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Vancouver, 1939. Toy and Lily Choy with the newly-adopted son, Wayson. They were an older couple unable to have children. Toy was a cook with CPR ships, while Lily worked in a sausage shop in Chinatown. Years later, their son Wayson would become a celebrated Asian-Canadian writer who would author popular stories of growing up in Chinatown, including ‘The Jade Peony’ and ‘Paper Shadows.’ Only at age 56 did Wayson learn he was adopted and that his biological father had been a member of a Cantonese opera company.”

Item is an amateur film containing footage of people exiting a church after a christening, followed by a children's performance in a backyard, “Linda’s Amateur Hour.”

Item is a film showing a family celebrating Christmas. Film contains scenes with children unwrapping presents, playing Twister and board games, women preparing food, kittens playing, a dachshund puppy playing, a child getting a haircut in the bathroom, and Christmas decorations. The film ends with footage of school children participating in running races, potato sack races, relay races, and three-legged races on school grounds.

Item is a 1993 Christmas card to Hugh Pickett from Grace and Ray McCarthy and family. The photograph was taken at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre for the Golden Heart Community Achievement Award, Variety Club.

Item is a 1997 Christmas card to Hugh Pickett and Gordon Boyd from Grace and Ray McCarthy and family. The photograph was taken at the Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park. (L-R): Grace, Ray, Shannon, Barry, Christopher, Calvin, Mary, Matthew (and Quincy).

Collector/curator's description reads: “1956, Vancouver. Photo of the 3 generations of the Chun family. (Left to right): Lynda Chui; Mary (Chun) Chui; April Chui (on lap); Eng Sim Low ‘Lily’ (mother to Mary); Bing (Lily's father whose full first name is not remembered); and Judy Chui.”

Item is an amateur film documenting Vancouver city lights at night in 1964, including several neon signs and Theatre Row on Granville Street. The film also contains snow scenes and footage of the William Gardner family at Capilano Road in North Vancouver in December 1964 and January 1965, and footage of the family at their West Vancouver home between May and July 1965.

People identified: Thomas and Mrs. Stewart and their son.

Item is an amateur film containing footage of the George W. Goold family vacation in the summer of 1967. Includes footage of the family at the following attractions: Yoho National Park; International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; the “Big Nickel” in Sudbury, Ontario; industrial plants in Ontario; Parliament Hill in Ottawa and the changing of the ceremonial guard, National War Memorial and Samuel de Champlain statue; Ottawa River; Chateau Laurier; Chateau Frontenac and Citadelle Aerien; St. Lawrence River valley; and Expo ’67 in Montreal, including views of the fair grounds and many of the buildings; Niagara Falls; Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore, South Dakota; Old Faithful and hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and an unidentified lakeside resort, possibly in the interior of British Columbia. Film also contains some footage at the end showing George Goold putting up the Christmas lights at 1138 Balfour Avenue and the children riding their bikes.

Collector/curator's description reads: “1938, Vancouver. Photo of the Dang Yee Gee Family. Left to right: Soo Hoo (mother); Jean; Larry; Gilbert; Flo and Yee Gee.”

The building (and wagon) to the left of the house is the wooden shed (warehouse) for the first Woodward's store at Harris (Georgia) Street and Westminster Avenue (Main Street). J.S. Matthews' notes with print or negative in Archives. Persons appearing in photograph (from left to right): Edward [Joseph?] McPhalen, Hellen Maude McPhalen, Daniel Joseph McPhalen, Mary Margaret McPhalen, Carolyn McPhalen (nee Boman/Buhlman).

Collector/curator's description reads: “1932, Vancouver. Fortunato and Teresa De Marchi pose with their two children Gino Giovanni (left) and Gemma. In 1938, the family would pack up and return to their homeland, Italy, forever. Their son Gino, who was 15 when the family moved back to Europe, struggled to adapt to life in Italy. He struggled with his reading and writing in Italian. He longed for Vancouver and the many friends he had made growing up in the Strathcona neighbourhood, including Chinese and Japanese children. He married in Italy in 1948. It took Gino until 1950 to find his way back to Canada, the country that felt most like home. (Note: the original cardboard holder around the photo was cut in order to fit it into a picture frame.)”

Individuals in back row identified (L-R) are: unidentified, Mills, Alex Bethune, Garnet Mills, unidentified. Individuals in next row identified (L-R) are: unidentified, Ross, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Mrs. Purdy, Mills, Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Bethune, Mrs. Thurston. Individuals in next row identified (L-R) are: unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, May Bethune. Individuals seated in front row identified (L-R) are: unidentified, unidentified, Winnifred DeBeck, unidentified, unidentified, Florence Arkle, Edna DeBeck, William Ross (lying down).

Item consists of a Christmas card.

Group portrait showing: Rita Lumly (Mrs. Harris White), Olive Lumly (Mrs. Gus Band), Harriet Lumly (Mrs. Bennie Cordicettel), Ralph Band and Florence Cordicette

Item is an amateur film documenting members of the Spencer family at the Earlscourt ranch in Lytton, B.C. Film documents Elizabeth Ann playing on the lawn, people playing tennis, John Fife and Elizabeth Ann Spencer swimming, Gertrude Spencer at the swimming pool, and R.V. Winch reading inside the house.

Item is an amateur film documenting Gertrude, Trudean, and Elizabeth Ann Spencer in the yard at Earlscourt ranch in Lytton, B.C.

Item is a family film shot between 1953 and 1954. Footage was mostly shot at Ozama in the Dominican Republic and includes many shots of Alix Cherniavsky as a baby with her parents Peter and Ann Cherniavsky. Also shown are Ozama locals singing and playing, people swimming and a Christmas party.

Photograph is inscribed on the verso by Ted Taylor: "Dtr [daughter] of dtr [daughter] of Bessells (LDT [L.D. Taylor] roomed with them when 1st in Vancouver - old friends fr[om] Chicago"

Group studio portrait