A photograph from across a lake towards a village during winter, and what appears to be six buildings. The back says: union bay last winter the chief took this sometime during 1910-1920. The edges of the photo are faded and there are some creases.
Union Bay is on the east coast of Vancouver Island in the Comox Valley, the territory of Pentl’ach and Komoks people, that used to be a major shipping port for the Union Coal Company. The Union Bay Historical Society was formed in 1989 to preserve historic buildings, with a group of them relocated and restored on what is now known as Historic Row including the 1913 post office and the old jailhouse. The wharves that had been opened in 1889 at the time had been some of the largest in BC, and in 1914 the extension of the railroad reached Union Bay. The final sailing ship to load coal at the wharves was the Pamir in 1946.

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