This collection of Christmas cards and photographs from the 1910s and 1920s belonged to Joseph Dakers and Bill Mills. As the family lived in Victoria these photos are from Victoria and Vancouver Island.
The following information is provided by the donor, Elizabeth Stanlake. The two Christmas cards were sent to her grandfather, Joseph Dakers, as he was good friends with Harold Elworthy, who founded Island Tug and Barge as they grew up together. The original owners of the photos are unknown as they were found in the family home and either belonged to Bill Mills or Joseph Dakers. The photos of the tugs and the wreck of Kenkon Maru III were taken by a friend of Bill Mills named Arthur.
The fonds consists 11 items.
There are 2 series:
Christmas cards, containing 2 cards
Island Tug and barge, containing 3 photos
6 at the item level not in a series

The postcard is labeled SS Princess Victoria, Photo by “Trio”, Victoria BC. The annotation on the back dates it at 1908. The image shows the decks of the ship covered in people. In the background is the Pither & Leiser Importers building.
The Princess Victoria, built in 1903, was owned by the CPR Steamship Services and entered Vancouver-Victoria service. In 1934 she was used as a floating hotel in Nanaimo. She had made collisions from the time she was built until 1953 when she sunk while being towed after striking a rock north of Sechelt.