Camera Workers, 1858-1950


The British Columbia, Alaska and Yukon Photographic Directory, 1858-1950

First Name Last Name
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Wilson, Alexander[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28]

Male 1886 - 1966  (80 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Wilson, Alexander
    • VARIANT NAMES: Wilson, Alex.
    Birth 1 Feb 1886  Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Find all individuals with events at this location  [29, 30] 
    Gender Male
    Business Address/Year 1913-1915  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    421 Granville Street
    Bishop and Christie
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1920-1921  Chilliwack, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    Yale Road
    C.F. Dowsestt (Dowsett Studio)
    Chilliwack, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1921-May 1946  Chilliwack, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    Yale Road
    Wilson's Photo and Art Studio
    Chilliwack, BC
    Canada 
    Marriage ?  ? Find all individuals with events at this location  [30] 
    Bride: Hilda Harrington 
    Death 3 Jul 1966  White Rock, BC Find all individuals with events at this location  [30] 
    Cremation 5 Jul 1966  Vancouver Crematorium, Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location  [30] 
    Association Dowsett, Charles Frederick (Relationship: Partner; Co-proprietor)
    Association Bishop and Christie (Relationship: Photographer)
    Association Wilson's Photo and Art Studio (Relationship: Proprietor)
    Person ID I1507  Camera Workers | W, vol. 2, 1901-1950
    Last Modified 9 May 2021

  • Documents
    Alexander Wilson article, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 1 Apr 1920, p. 1.    		Alexander Wilson article, Chilliwack Progress, 1 Apr 1920, p. 1.
    About Wilson's partnering with C.F. Dowsett. Wilson did not have "over 20 years experience" as a photographer. He worked as a photographer for Bishop and Christie in Vancouver between ca. 1913 and 1915 when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He would have been simply too young to have chalked up those many years as a photographer prior to partnering with C.F. Dowsett in Chilliwack.
    Dowsett Studio ad, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 27 May 1920, p. 4.    		Dowsett Studio ad, Chilliwack Progress, 27 May 1920, p. 4.
    This is the first ad which features C.F. Dowsett and A. Wilson's names together.
    C.F. Dowsett's ad, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 27 Jan 1921, p. 5.    		C.F. Dowsett's ad, Chilliwack Progress, 27 Jan 1921, p. 5.
    Announces the dissolution of his partnership with Alexander Wilson effective 31 Jan 1921.
    Alexander Wilson's ad, <i>Chilliwack Progresss</i>, 10 Feb 1921, p. 5.    		Alexander Wilson's ad, Chilliwack Progresss, 10 Feb 1921, p. 5.
    Concerns the dissolution of his partnership with C.F. Dowsett.
    Rosetta Ann Studio ad, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 1 May 1946, p. 11.    		Rosetta Ann Studio ad, Chilliwack Progress, 1 May 1946, p. 11.
    When Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Spencer purchased Alexander Wilson's operation (Wilson's Photo and Art Studio), they ran this gracious thank-you.
    Wilson's Photo and Art Studio ad, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 8 May 1946, p. 14.     		Wilson's Photo and Art Studio ad, Chilliwack Progress, 8 May 1946, p. 14.
    Alexander Wilson thanked his Chilliwack customers for their patronage in this ad while encouraging them to give their support to the Rosetta Ann Studio owned by Mr. R.A. and Mrs. R.A. Spencer.
    R.A. Spencer Studio news, <i>Chilliwack Progress</i>, 3 May 1950, p. 12.     		R.A. Spencer Studio news, Chilliwack Progress, 3 May 1950, p. 12.
    This article is about the 2 May 1950 fire which destroyed the interior of the just-vacated studio. The report notes that Alexander Wilson owned the building and had arrived the morning of the fire to arrange for the sale of the building.

  • Notes 
    • STATUS: Commercial.
    • BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: According to the 1911 Canada census he immigrated in 1911 and worked as a salesman in Vancouver. Prior to enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1915, he was listed in the Vancouver city directories as a photographer with Bishop and Christie, a photo supply house. He enlisted in the CEF in Victoria, BC, in Dec 1915 and was discharged in Victoria, BC, in Nov 1919. While he initially partnered with Chilliwack photographer C.F. Dowsett in Apr 1920, they dissolved their partnership at the end of Jan 1921.
      According to the Chilliwack Museum and Archives:

      Alexander Wilson opened The Wilson's Studio in 1921 after dissolving his partnership with Charles Dowsett of The Dowsett Studio. Wilson retained the studio on Yale Road while Dowsett moved to Nowell Street. Wilson eventually moved to Wellington Avenue and renamed the studio Wilson's Photo & Art Studio around 1925. The business was purchased by Mr. [R.A.] & Mrs. R.A. Spencer of the Rosetta Ann Studio in 1946. Wilson retired to White Rock with his wife in 1946.

      His business was destroyed by fire in Mar 1930 and reopened in May 1930. Wilson advertised extensively in the Chilliwack Progress newspaper. [31, 32, 33, 34]
    • IDENTIFYING MARKS: Postcards may be titled, numbered and captioned "Wilson."

  • Sources 
    1. [S56] COLLECTION: BCHM.
      Postcards and ephemera

    2. [S339] Voters List, (Victoria, B.C.: Province of British Columbia, 1874-), 1920, 1924, 1928, 1933, Ref. NW 324.1 B862.
      Chilliwack

    3. [S795] HENVAN11, (Vancouver: Henderson Publishing, 1911).
      Vancouver: not listed

    4. [S797] HENVAN12, (Vancouver: Henderson Publishing, 1912).
      Vancouver: not listed

    5. [S798] HENVIC13, (Victoria: Henderson Publishing, 1913), 1421.
      Vancouver: Wilson Alex photogr Bishop & Christie r 2518 48th Av E
      Victoria: not listed

    6. [S801] TREVIC14, (Victoria: Tregillus-Thompson Ltd., 1914).
      Victoria: not listed

    7. [S745] HENVIC14, (Victoria: Henderson Publishing, 1914), 1344.
      Vancouver: Wilson Alex photogr Bishop & Christie r 2518 48th Av E
      Victoria: not listed

    8. [S802] HENVIC15, (Victoria: Henderson Publishing, 1915), 1057.
      Vancouver: Wilson Alex photogr Bishop & Christie r 2518 48th Av E
      Victoria: not listed

    9. [S749] HENVAN16, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1916).
      Vancouver: not listed

    10. [S739] WRI20, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1920).
      Chilliwack: not listed

    11. [S741] WRI21, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1921).
      Chilliwack: not listed

    12. [S742] WRI22, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1922), 132.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    13. [S809] WRI23, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1923), 107.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    14. [S757] WRI24, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1924), 74.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    15. [S758] WRI25, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1925), 73.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    16. [S759] WRI26, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1926), 80.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    17. [S760] WRI27, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1927), 73.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander photographer

    18. [S761] WRI28, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1928), 245.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    19. [S762] WRI29, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1929), 266.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    20. [S763] WRI30, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1930), 261.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    21. [S764] WRI31, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1931), 209.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    22. [S765] WRI32, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1932), 205.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alexander prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    23. [S768] SUN34, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1934), 268.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex prop Wilson's Photo & Art Studio

    24. [S769] SUN35, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1935), 453.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex prop Wilson's Photo & Art

    25. [S770] SUN36, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1936), 107.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex prop Wilson's Photo & Art

    26. [S774] SUN40, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1940), 50.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex of Wilson's Photo

    27. [S779] SUN45, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1945), 44.
      Chilliwack: Wilson Alex of Wilson Photo

    28. [S714] SUN46, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1946).
      Chilliwack and White Rock: not listed

    29. [S730] Personnel Records of the First World War (Web site), (Library and Archives Canada).
      Wilson, Alexander; regimental no. 103344
      URL (accessed 6 Feb 2020): http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=316293

    30. [S652] BVIPA death registration index.
      Registration no. 1966-09-009467; digital facsimile URL (accessed 5 Feb 2020): http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f39665f8-9462-43ad-8773-ac09e8147290

    31. [S722] Census of Canada 1911.
      Province of BC, District no. 12, Sub-district no. 56, Enumeration district no. 10 in South Vancouver, p. 5, line 34

    32. [S693] Chilliwack Progress, 1 Apr 1920, 1.
      "Expert Photographer Joins Dowsett Studio"

    33. [S693] Chilliwack Progress, 27 Jan 1921, 5.
      "Notice to the Public"
      Wilson ran his own ad in the Chilliwack Progress in Feb 1921.

    34. [S1076] Royal Hotel Chilliwack (Web site).
      "Wilson's Photo & Art Studio"
      URL (accessed 10 Feb 2020): https://www.royalhotelchilliwack.com/blog/Wilsons-Photo--Art-Studio-