Fonds Number: 352
Title: Syd Chambers fonds
Creator: Syd Chambers (1920-2009), photographer
Dates of Material: 1950s to 2002; mostly 1990s to 2002
Physical Description: Photographic collection containing 23 albums of 4×6 photographic prints, and seven albums on 35 mm negative strips; c. 6 feet;
30 albums (23 photographs; 7 negatives)
Scope and Contents:
The albums were mostly a post-retirement project of Syd Chambers relating to travels around the immediate region, and included systematic capturing of major bridge projects, including Inverlea, Gannon’s Narrows, London Street foot bridge; and Lockie’s Bridge. He covered special events at Lang Pioneer Village, Pathway of Fame among others. There were also photographs of nature, mostly flora, but some fauna. Liked sweeping landscapes and of heritage objects and landscapes. As well, there are three albums (albums 21, 22 and 23) related to a trip to England,
The collection includes a ring binder notebook indicating that some photos were reproduced as enlargements and special orders.
Access Conditions:
Open to researchers.
Finding Aids:
Available on site. In addition to this finding aid there are some indexes in the collection. Chambers gave specific numbers to his prints and negatives; he appears to have worked in a very systematic fashion. The numbers relate to the processing numbers from Walmart, where most of his finishing was done.
Accruals:
None expected.
Custodial History:
The collection was donated in 2012 to the Trent Valley Archives after the death of Syd Chambers. The volumes related to Gannon’s Narrows were donated via Selwyn Township Heritage Committee, Sheryl Smith.
The papers were processed by Elwood Jones and Cody Starr, October 2014. The albums were retained as created by Syd Chambers, but in cases where the slides and photographs were not protected, this was done. Album 7 was never an album, and so a series of files were created of the items found there. As well, there were many photos, some of the oldest we found, that were placed in file folders and placed after the last of the negative albums.
Biographical Sketch/ Administrative History
Sydney (Syd) Chambers was born on July 21st 1920, Served in the Army Engineers first Field Squadron in North Europe in WWII, he became a photographer after he retired and lived at 2959 Jennifer Dr., Peterborough Ontario, K9L 1Z9, 705-750-1399, Mr. Chambers died at Peterborough Regional Health Centre on February 27th 2009.
Related Archival collections
Peterborough Examiner
Access Points:
Lang Pioneer Village
Inverlea Bridge
Gannon’s Narrows bridge
Peterborough, Ontario
List of contents
Volume 1
Album 1
• News clipping Saint Paul the Apostle Church Young’s Point
• Photos of historical churches and downtown buildings in Peterborough and surrounding area
• Photos of natural vegetation taken in and around Peters Woods Provincial Nature Reserve and Gannons Pond
• Some identified churches include St. James United, All Saints Anglican, Trinity United George Street, United the Church Of The Sacred Heart, Park Street Baptist,, Peterborough; United Church Of Canada, Springville
•
Album 2
• Nature, farm and historical building photos of Peterborough and District
• Some identified include Lock 24 and 25; Jackson Creek Park; Chemong Causway; Bridgenorth and the Town Hall and St. Andrew’s Church in Lakefield; Baxter Creek, Millbrook, Beavermead, Gannon’s Narrow, Peterborough Teachers’ College; Blackwell house
• Index at front of album.
Album 3
• Nature, farm and historical building photos of Peterborough and District
• Some identified include United Church of Canada, Woodville; The Dummer News, Warsaw; St. Marks Anglican Church, Warsaw; United Church, Warsaw; Pioneer Village, Bobcaygeon; Emily Cemetery, Orange Corners; Methodist Church, Beaver Creek; Municipal Office, Millbrook;
Volume 2
Album 4
• Photos of Peterborough and District
• Some identified include the Havelock Rail Station; Curve Lake Pow Wow, Sept 21/03; amateur hockey game, Oct 19/03
Album 5
• Nature, wildlife, abandoned buildings and objects
• Some include Little lake, the Lift Locks, Millbrook, Down town Peterborough,
Album 6
• Nature, Wildlife, old Buildings and objects, Historical places, Modern objects, family photos
• Some identified places include J.D. Miller N.D. D.H.A.N.P. on 187 Sherbrook St., McThirstys Pint on Charlotte, Peterborough clock tower on the corner of Gorge and Charlotte St.
Volume 3
Album 7
7.1 Nature, Wildlife, Degraded objects in nature, St. Peter’s Cathedral; St. Andrew’s United Church; St. John’s Anglican Church, etc.
7.2 Mississauga Bridge construction
7.3 newsclippings relating to bridge repair announcements, and other items
Album 8
• Vacation photos in Ottawa, Niagra, Port Colborne,
• Places in Peterborough include The Canadian Canoe museum and Lift Locks, 2001
Album 9
• Photos of Lang Pioneer Village, 2001-2003
Volume 4
Album 10
• Inverlea Park Bridge #1, 2001
Album 11
• Inverlea Park Bridge #2, 2001
Album 12
• Lockies Bridge #1 (near the Peterborough Airport) 2002
Volume 5
Album 13
• Lockies Bridge #2, 2003
Album 14
• Lockies Bridge #3, 2003
Album 15
• Lockies Bridge #4, 2003
Volume 6
Album 16
• London St. Bridge, 2001
• This covers the dismantling and replacing of the London Street Bridge, covering all aspects.
Album 17
• Pathway of Fame, 2001-2002
• Peterborough Santa Clause Parade, December 2001
Album 18
• Gannon’s Narrows Bride Repair June-Dec 2005 #1
Volume 7
Album 19
• Gannon’s Narrows Bride Repair June-Dec 2005 #2
Album 20
• Gannon’s Narrows Bride Repair June-Dec 2005 #3
Album 21
• Vacation photos form England, locations include, Ashford in the water, Blue John Mine, Lady Bower dam, Sherwood forest, Rutherford Bath House, Abby, Matlock, and Wirksworth
Volume 8
Album 22
• Vacation photos form England, locations include, Tickhinn, Spotbrouch, North Leverton, Conisbrough Castle, Moreton in Marsh, Chatsworth Park the Revolution House, Worksop, Harwick Hall, Enham, Highworth, Mablethorp, Filey, Flamborough, Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, Goatland, and The Beck Hole
Album 23
• Vacation photos from England, locations include, Rotherham, Kiveton park, Sheffeield, Lincoln Mesem, Catheularl castle, Buxton, Derbyshire, Monsal Dale, Tideswell, Shireoaks, and Newark
Volume 9
Negative Album 1
• England Vacation
Negative Album 2
• Kurt and Family at cartage on Lake Simcoe May 2001
• Inverlea brdge
• Otonabee River lock 24,25 : Little Lake fountain
• Inverlea Bridge : Del Crary park : Army and Navy Club; Port Credit
• Invelea bridge, dragon boat races, Del Crary park
• P.J bend At Del Crary park: Lakefild: Inverlea: Lang village
• Canoe Museum. Ottawa
• Ottawa Rideau hall, aviation museum
• Niagara on the lake
• Lift locks Ptbo, Niagara
• Niagara Maid Of the mist
• Anne, Ian ,Sarah, lang pioneer village
• Tall ships at port Colborne
• Otonabee
• Inverlea Bridge
• Pathway of fame 21st of July 20001
• Juanita Garrons party June 2001
• Laura and Lincoln fairhaven
• Inverlea bridge
• Canoe museum, Inverlea bridge
• Inverlea bridge
• Farihaven
• Walmart
• Rivergambler July 2001
• River road and the falls
• Invrlea bridge,Flowers, Stue McMcue Port Hope
• Pow wow (Curve lake?) Sept 1999
• Birds with telly count
• Jennifer St
• Pow wow at Burleigh Falls Sept 1st 2001
• Sucee Farm, R.C. Church young point
• Saint andrews church Lakefeild
• Wilkinsons Bellville
• Nogojiwanong Park
• Pathway of Fame
• Jackson park
Volume 10
Negatives Album 3
• London St bridge Nov 2001
• Lang pioneer village 2001
• Christmas at Kurts
Negatives Album 4
Negatives Album 5
Volume 11
Negatives Album 6
• Bridge buliding
• Lang pioneer village and nature
• Halloween
• Christmas
Negatives Album 7
Negatives Album 8
Series 2
Files of loose photos
File 1 unidentified, nd., 35 mm negatives
File 2 Prince of Wales Rangers 1943, 32 negs
Negatives b&w of military unit in British Columbia
• 32 negatives and envelop address to Mrs. F.W. Heslip dated Dec 29 1943
• The Prince of Wales Rangers was a reserve regiment based out of Peterborough (Ont). Druing the second world war on March 5 1942 the Rangers were assigned to Prince George on home defence. They went from there to Wainwright and then to Nanaimo, Courtenay and Alberni on Vancouver Island, and to Terrace just east of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. These photos may have been taken 1943 in the Alberni area.
File 3 Family, c. 1960, 12 negs 3×5
• Husband, wife, children and male friend who is a sparring partner
File 4 Family, c. 1960, 19 negs, Envelop for dilivery adressed to Mrs. Scott
File 5 Family, c. 1960, 3 big 6 small negs
File 6 Family, c. 2000, about 127 35mm negs
• Colour negatives of several family moments that seem to have been removed from the main series of negatives in the albums. Subjects include Christmas, fishing, soap box derby, and includes some portraits..
File 7 Family, c. 1960-1990
• Family moments ranging from the 1960’s to the 1990’s , these include time at a lake, fixing a car, ridding a bike, and Christmas
File 8 Photo disks from Kodak
• Family photos from the 1980’s
File 9 Notebook of Syd Chambers
• Notebook of Syd chambers contains a fining guide for the works he felt held particular interest and contains several unrelated notes aswell
Volume 12
File 10 Gannon’s Narrows
• File of 62 photo slides showing scenes related to brush clearing, trail blazing, bird watching, camping, etc.
File 11 Gannon’s Narrows #2
• Slides include children, a wedding, goose. Cacti, Frank. cottage, and a bird feeder
File 12 Farm house, 2 negatives, 2×3
Two negatives in glacine envelopes, negative one is two people repairing a roof, negative 2 shows kids gathered around a motorcycle
File 13 Family, 35 mm negatives, c. 300
• Negatives consist mainly of family moments, some images of a damaged car (possibly taken for an insurance adjuster), Older negatives contain more formal and athletic images
File 14 Voyageurs, large format slides, c
• Pioneer voyageur reenactment done by Canadian Canoe museum at Lang pioneer village ; participants included John Jennings and Jeremy Ward.
File 15 Gannon’s Narrow’s 3, 114 35 mm slides
• Ottawa, Gannon’s Narrows, Dundurn Castle Hamilton, (5 commercial slides) children, including dancing and canoeing; Peel Construction, Brampton, and other slides
Volume 13
File 16 Everglades
• Tin slide box containing slides related mainly to the Florida Everglades, generally commercial slides. Some slide are cardboard and warping.