The Still Images Collection
NLPL currently is in the process of digitizing our collections of historical still images from Newfoundland and Labrador, spanning the late 19th to 20th centuries, which includes over 5000 photographs and more than 1400 postcards. Many show streets and neighbourhoods of St. John's, or other communities throughout our province. Contact the A.C. Hunter Reference Desk for help finding images of interest.
Still Image and Postcard Collection Sneak Peak
Labrador Mail - Winter Conveyance
| Creation Date | 1910 |
| Collection | Postcard Collection |
| Collection Description | The postcard collection features postcards from the early 1900s to the present day. Some postcards are used and have messages, stamps, postmarks and an address. Other postcards have not been used. This section of the postcard collection features postcards of Labrador. |
| Description of Front of Photo | Red text in the upper left corner reads "Labrador Mail - Winter Conveyance." and "N22590" is written in the lower right corner. In a flat snow-covered area, people in dark-coloured winter clothes are standing around dogsleds filled with supplies. Cows are attached to the sleds with harnesses. Most cows are standing; one cow on the left edge of the postcard is lying down. There is a dog standing near one of the sleds. |
| Subject | Postcard; Newfoundland and Labrador; Dogsled; Cow; Deltiology; Queen Victoria One Cent Stamp; Animal; |
Large building under construction possibly Administration building 1937-38
| Creation Date | 193- |
| Collection | Caines Collection |
| Collection Description | This is a large collection made up of pictures taken during the construction of the Newfoundland Airport in Gander in the 1930s. It shows the area during various stages of the construction process. The collection is named after John Caines. |
| Description pf Front of Photo | This is a large collection made up of pictures taken during the construction of the Newfoundland Airport in Gander in the 1930s. It shows the area during various stages of the construction process. The collection is named after John Caines. |
| Subject | Newfoundland and Labrador; Gander; Gander International Airport |
Marine Parade, St. John's, N.F.
| Creation Date | 1909 |
| Collection | Postcard Collection |
| Collection Description | The postcard collection features postcards from the early 1900s to the present day. Some postcards are used and have messages, stamps, postmarks and an address. Other postcards have not been used. This section of the postcard collection features postcards of the military. |
| Description of Front of Photo | Black text in the lower left corner reads "Marine Parade, St. John's, N.F.". Soldiers are standing at attention facing right (where the Crow's Nest Officers Club is located) in a clearing between Water Street and Duckworth Street (current site of the National War Memorial). Other soldiers, in the foreground, are looking up at the soldiers in the clearing. Civilians are watching from Duckworth Street. There are attached buildings on the right side of the clearing and Duckworth Street is lined with attached houses; some have retail stores on the first floor. |
| Subject | Postcard; Newfoundland and Labrador; St. John's; Military; Marine Parade; Deltiology; National War Memorial; |
George Courage Album
| Creation Date | 1959 |
| Collection | George Courage Album |
| Collection Description | This series of photographs shows the 31st General Assembly of Newfoundland sitting in the final session at the Colonial building before the House of Assembly moved to the Confederation building. The photographs were donated to the library by George Courage and the collection is named after him. |
| Description of Front of Photo | The photograph has a white boarder. A member of the Official Opposition is standing and speaking at his podium desk on the left side of the room. He is wearing dark-coloured shoes, dark-coloured pants, a light-coloured collared shirt, a dark-coloured jacket, a dark-coloured tie and glasses. A woman is standing on a platform behind the Opposition taking notes. She is wearing a dark-coloured cardigan over a light-coloured shirt. The Government is sitting on the right side of the room. In the middle of the room is a cloth covered table displaying books and the Mace. A man is sitting at the table on the Opposition side. Another man is sitting behind the table on the Government's side of the House. John R. Courage, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, is sitting in a chair in the background in the center of the room. Behind him is a dark curtain. On a shelf above the curtain is the Newfoundland and Labrador Coat of Arms; above this is a large analog clock. The windows on the back wall have open curtains. |
| Subject | Newfoundland and Labrador; Colonial Building; 31st General Assembly of Newfoundland; Official Opposition |
Newfoundland Curlers - "A Roarin' Game"
| Creation Date | 1908 |
| Collection | Postcard Collection |
| Collection Description | The postcard collection features postcards from the early 1900s to the present day. Some postcards are used and have messages, stamps, postmarks and an address. Other postcards have not been used. This section of the postcard collection features postcards of sports. |
| Description of Front of Photo | Black text in the upper left of the postcard reads "NEWFOUNDLAND CURLERS - "A ROARIN' GAME".". Eight men are wearing dark-coloured suits, light-coloured collared shirts, dark-coloured ties, and dark-coloured bowler hats. They are holding straw brooms and looking at the curling stones at their feet. There are seven curling stones. Behind them is a backdrop of trees with out leaves. |
| Subject | Postcard; Newfoundland and Labrador; Sport; Curling; Queen Victoria One Cent Stamp; Deltiology; |
Humber River
| Creation Date | 1908 |
| Collection | Postcard Collection |
| Collection Description | The postcard collection features postcards from the early 1900s to the present day. Some postcards are used and have messages, stamps, postmarks and an address. Other postcards have not been used. This section of the postcard collection features postcards of scenic views. |
| Description of Front of Photo | Black text in the top left of the postcard reads "Humber River". There is an illegible postmark on the tree line. A small boat with a mast and sail is near the bank of a narrow area of the Humber River. The length of the boat spans the width of the river. A man is sitting on the flat rocky shoreline; there are trees behind him. The bank across the river is filled with trees. There is a tree covered mountain in the background. |
| Subject | Postcard; Newfoundland and Labrador; Scenic View; Humber River; Deltiology; Scenery |
Crowd Gather on Military Road during 1934 riot
| Creation Date | 1934 |
| Collection | Perlin Collection |
| Collection Description | This is a collection of nearly 200 photographs. They were taken during the career of Albert Perlin. Perlin worked for the Daily News, a former newspaper in Newfoundland and Labrador. Photographs in the collection include the riot at the Colonial Building, families settling in Labrador, the IOCC, Caribou in Labrador and the Northern Peninsula and the opening of the St. John's Campus of Memorial University. Perlin and his wife Vera Perlin were important members of the community of Newfoundland and Labrador and were members of the Order of Canada. The photographs were donated to the library by the Perlin family. Hollohan, F. G. (1985). Albert Perlin: a biography. Jesperson Press. |
| Description of Front of Photo | This picture was taken from a window across the street from the colonial building. A crowd is gathering in front of the Colonial Building, in the courtyard and in the street. Some of the men, women and children in the crowd are holding umbrellas. There is smoke/fog around the building. The ground is wet. There are cars outside the Colonial Building's fence. |
| Subject | Newfoundland and Labrador; St. John's; Colonial Building; 1934 Riot; Military Road |
Number of Older Boys and Sealers on Ice Flows in St. John's Harbour
| Creation Date | 189- |
| Collection | Newfoundland Geological Survey |
| Collection Description |
This is a collection of photographs taken for the Geological Survey of Newfoundland that was completed in the late 1800s. Alexander Murray and James P. Howley traveled throughout the island of Newfoundland to map the region and explore for opportunities to expand the Newfoundland and Labrador economy beyond the fishery. One option they hoped to develop was finding coal deposits. The work was begun by Murray in the 1860s and Howley continued to the work. Howley took pictures and kept a diary of the work completed during the project. These works are available. Howley died in 1918 and these pictures were donated to the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Library during the 1930s. Howley, J. P. (1997) Reminiscences of J. P. Howley Selected Years. Toronto Champlain Society. |
| Description of Front of Photo | There are several scratches throughout the photograph. A group older boys are standing on a large piece of ice in St. John's Harbour; the boys are wearing dark-coloured shoes, dark-coloured pants and dark-coloured coats. The boy to the furthest left is wearing a light-coloured collared shirt and a dark-coloured tie. Several of them are holding spears or gaffs. There are several small icebergs, growlers, in the harbour. The harbour is filled, on both sides, with sailing ships with multiple masts. The skyline of St. John's is covered in fog. |
| Subject | Sealers; Ice Flows; Sailing Ships; Newfoundland and Labrador; St. John's; Newfoundland Geological Survey; Children; Geological Survey of Newfoundland; Howley, James P.; Murray, Alexander |
Fish Spread Out to Dry; Women in Background
| Creation Date | 1913 |
| Collection | Postcard Collection |
| Collection Description | The postcard collection features postcards from the early 1900s to the present day. Some postcards are used and have messages, stamps, postmarks and an address. Other postcards have not been used. This section of the postcard collection features postcards of industry. |
| Description of Front of Photo | This postcard has a white boarder. Women are wearing light and dark-coloured ankle-length dresses, light-coloured aprons and light and dark-coloured bonnets. They are walking around fish flakes. Fish are drying and a pile of dry fish is in the foreground. Part of a fence and the roofs of houses in a small community are in the background. |
| Subject | Postcard; Newfoundland and Labrador; Fishery; Cod; Women; Deltiology; Industry |
Newfoundland Servicemen Enjoying Christmas Dinner
| Creation Date | 1915 |
| Collection | Royal Newfoundland Regiment |
| Collection Description | This collection features pictures of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. There are pictures of training in Pleasantville and Stobs camps and fighting on the battle front in France. |
| Description of Front of Photo | This picture has a white boarder. There are rows of tables covered with light-coloured tablecloths. There are flowers, place settings and small bottles of wine on the tables. There are wooden chairs with spindles on the backs for each place setting. The room is filled with men sitting in the chairs. Most of the men are wearing dark-coloured pants and dark-coloured military jackets. Other men are wearing dark-coloured pants, light-coloured collared shirts and dark-coloured ties. There are people standing nest to the left wall. The men are wearing military uniforms or suits. The women are wearing dresses. The left and back walls are covered with Union Jack flags of various sizes. The bottoms of some flags are tied up in a decorative knot. |
| Subject | Newfoundland and Labrador; World War I; Military World War One; Royal Newfoundland Regiment |