• These notes provide additional background information for the released versions of these photo archives.

V1.1 - March 2005

• This version of the archives includes a selection of colour slides from the 1950's in addition to the original black and white images from V1.0. These slides were taken by Bruce Watson of Calgary, Alberta and found in 2002. The discovered photos consisted of three trays of color Kodachrome slides shot in and around Calgary and Banff, Alberta and the NWT between 1954 and 1959. Of the hundreds of slides that may have existed at one time, only these three trays of approximately 250 images survived from this period. Fortunately, most of the slides found were annotated with the date and often with names identifying many individuals in the photos. This information is included in the captions where possible.

Edmonton - Early 1920's corrections

• Some black and white photos were re-identified as Keith Watson (notably bw6002, bw6013 and bw6032), rather than Bruce Watson as they had been in the original version V1.0.

Updates - Aug 2007

• In Aug 2007 the layout of the page was updated and additional editing was done on several b/w images. Some redundant or unidentified b/w and color images were also removed.

V1.0 - January 2005

Black and white photos from the 1920's - 1940's

• The first version of this archive was made after the discovery of several hundred black and white negatives from the 1920's - 1940's that were in the possession of Bruce Watson of Calgary, Alberta. This archive was put together with the primary objective of preserving this substantial collection of black and white photos.

• Individual prints of several of these early photos were already known, but many of the additional people and places they revealed had not been seen before. These pictures represent a glimpse into the early life of the Watson family in Western Canada from the early 1920's to mid-1940's, and were taken in and around Edmonton, Lethbridge, Waterton and Banff, Alberta. They also include photos from Pilot Mound, Manitoba with several photos from the NWT's and Victoria B.C.

• It is believed that most of these early photos were taken by William Watson, Bruce's father, with many of the later photos probably taken by both Bruce and Bill Watson (Bruce's brother). The result is a collection of several hundred images from this era which capture some of the early memories and experiences of the family of William Watson.

Identifying the 1920's - 1940's photographs

• The black and white photos were part of a collection of large-format (3x4 and 4x5) negatives which were individually scanned and printed and then identified by Bruce Watson who recognized a majority of individuals. Tom Walker of Edinburgh (Bruce's 1st-cousin, once-removed) was able to identify the individuals in the Scotland photographs. Rae Laval of Winnipeg helped identify many of the Pilot Mound photos.

Place names associated with the 1920 Photos

• Some of the earliest photos thought to be from Edmonton may actually be from either Kenora, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba or Prince Albert, Sask. where William Watson is known to have briefly lived. The beach scenes were probably taken at Lake Winnipeg, although Bruce Watson mentioned Alberta Beach near Edmonton as a possibility.

Scarcity of 1930 photos

• Since the photographs are organized by decades, it is immediately apparent that far fewer photographs exist from the 1930's than for any other period. The exact reasons for this are unclear, but speculation suggests that although inevitable loss of negatives over time is a possibility, a more likely reason involves the untimely death of Keith Watson in early 1930.

• This family tragedy and the ensuing grief that must have consumed the family afterwards, is a more compelling reason for why so few photographs from this period exist, at least until 1939, when the Watson family moved to Lethbridge, Alberta and where it appears their interest in photography was renewed.

NWT photos

• William Watson worked for the Hudson's Bay Company in the Wholesale Fur and Hide department and is known to have travelled up north to visit HBC outposts in northern Alberta and the NWT. He is assumed to have taken the early photographs from the NWT's on one or more of his journeys. However William's son Bill is known to have worked up north for a time and may also have taken some of the later photos.

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