Camera Workers, 1858-1950


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

First Name Last Name
Share Print Bookmark

Thom, Alexander Barton[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Male 1849 - 1926  (77 years)

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

  • Name Thom, Alexander Barton
    • VARIANT NAMES: Thom, A.B.; Thom, Adam B.; Thom, Alexander John.
    Birth Feb 1849  Stratford, Perth County, ON Find all individuals with events at this location  [7, 8, 9] 
    Gender Male
    Business Address/Year 1897-1900+  Brandon, MB Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Where Active (Non-Specific Address) Feb 1887  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Visit 
    Business Address/Year 1884-1894  Winnipeg, MB Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Home Address/Year 1880s?-1894  Winnipeg, MB Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Business Address/Year 1894-1896  Regina, SK Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Thom's Regina studio was purchased by the photographer W.C. Lusk (Regina Leader, 6 Feb 1896, p. 8).
    Business Address/Year 1898  Wawanesa, MB Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Where Active (Non-Specific Address) 1880s-1890s?  Rocky Mountains, Canada; Selkirk Mountains, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Death 22 Apr 1926  Charleswood, MB Find all individuals with events at this location  [8, 9] 
    Burial Avondale Cemetery, Stratford, Perth County, ON Find all individuals with events at this location  [9] 
    Association Bingham and Thom (Relationship: Partner)
    Person ID I390  Camera Workers | T, vol. 1, 1858-1900
    Last Modified 11 Nov 2023

  • Photos
    A.B. Thom, Canadian Pacific Railway line, Kicking Horse Canyon, 1890s.    		A.B. Thom, Canadian Pacific Railway line, Kicking Horse Canyon, 1890s.
    The title is "2140--Seventh and Eighth Crossing Kicking Horse Canyon". Courtesy of BC Archives, Item B-06988.
    A.B. Thom, Kamloops, ca. 1886.    		A.B. Thom, Kamloops, ca. 1886.
    The Canadian Pacific Railway bridge visible in the background does not appear in a similar photo by Thom's former partner, F.V. Bingham. Courtesy of BC Archives, Item G-00075.
    A.B. Thom stereo, Canadian Pacific Railway line, Bear Creek Glen, Selkirk Mountains, 1880s-1890s.    		A.B. Thom stereo, Canadian Pacific Railway line, Bear Creek Glen, Selkirk Mountains, 1880s-1890s.
    The photograph depicts a CPR pusher engine at the rear of a flatbed car. Thom took the stereo and also published it.

    Documents
    A.B. Thom news, <i>Manitoba Weekly Free Press</i>, 23 Dec 1886, p. 8.    		A.B. Thom news, Manitoba Weekly Free Press, 23 Dec 1886, p. 8.
    The article notes that he had gathered some 2,000 negatives over the past six months as the official photographer for the CPR.
    A.B. Thom ad, Regina <i>Leader</i>, 20 Dec 1894, p. 5.    		A.B. Thom ad, Regina Leader, 20 Dec 1894, p. 5.
    Note the reference to Rocky Mountain views for sale.

  • Notes 
    • STATUS: Commercial.
    • BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: The son of Dr. A. Thom of Winnipeg, Adam was educated in Scotland. He formed a partnership with Fred V. Bingham (Bingham & Thom) in 1884 with headquarters in Winnipeg. The partnership was dissolved in 1886. Thom travelled widely and visited Vancouver in Feb 1887. He was at Glacier House the same time as Lord Stanley in Oct 1889.
    • FORMATS: Stereographs.
    • IDENTIFYING MARKS: print surface may be numbered, captioned and marked "Thom, Winnipeg." Stereograph card mounts may be imprinted on right front edge with "Photographed and Published by A.B. Thom Official Photographer of the C.P.R. Winnipeg", as well as titled on the left front edge, "Along the Canadian Pacific Railway, From Montreal Through the Rockies".

  • Sources 
    1. [S46] COLLECTION: BVIPA (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S45] COLLECTION: BVAA (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S160] COLLECTION: QMMMCMN.
      Albumen prints.

    4. [S673] Vancouver News, 16 Feb 1887, 4.

    5. [S627] (Vancouver) World, (Vancouver: World), 28 Oct 1889, 1.

    6. [S8] Dempsey, Hugh, Dempsey (1978), (Calgary: Glenbow-Alberta Institute, 1978).

    7. [S483] Manitoba Historical Society, Manitoba Photographers, 1858 to Present (Web site), (Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Historical Society).
      Alexander Barton Thom [A. B. Thom] (1849-1926)
      URL (accessed 11 Nov 2023): http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/photographers/thom_ab.shtml

    8. [S160] COLLECTION: QMMMCMN.
      Name is listed as Alexander Barton Thom.

    9. [S832] Find a Grave (Web site).
      Alexander Barton John Thom
      URL (accessed 11 Nov 2023): https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177958310/alexander-barton_john-thom
      Cemetery database recorded name as "Alexander John Thom".