approx. 2575 b&w and colour negatives & slides
approx. 655 b&w and colour prints
(Various formats including 4 x 5, 1 x 2
35 mm etc.)
Physical Condition
negs are in good condition.
Scope and Content
This Series contains an extensive collection of scenes and subjects of the Renfrew, Sand Point, Portage Du Fort area as well as Handford family photos taken between the 1890's to approximately 1975 when the Handford Studio went out of business. Some of the negatives from the early period may be copy negs.
The bulk of this most valuable series was separated from the rest of the collection by Edward Y. Handford Jr. before acquisition of the collection. Mr. Handford considered these to be of particular significance and historical interest. They include a significant number of postcards taken by A. L. Handford of scenes of Renfrew, Sand Point and Portage Du Fort. Included in this series are insurance photos taken for various companies (including Sutton-Perry and W. Nichols) by Edward Handford Jr.
A number of negatives were added to this Series by the Archivist (mainly from Series 4) because they were of similar subject matter. Where prints exist, they are noted in the listing below. Quotation marks indicate that the photographer assigned a title to the negative. Descriptions without quotation marks have been supplied by the archivist. Negatives are described at the envelope level as follows with multiples noted:
no date Close up of Boiler at Hospital - Renfrew? (8 negs)
no date OPP Station - Renfrew? (8 negs)
no date Golf Club - Renfrew (2 col prints, 3 negs)
no date Fall Scenes (7 col prints)
no date Airplane under snow (5 prints)
no date Cobden Air Field - Aerial photos (20 negs)
no date House pictures - Somerville, Burns (4 negs)
no date "Smith's Creek" - postcard; "Mr. D.W. Stewart, Residence" - postcard; 2 Views of unidentified town (4 negs)
no date Baseball (10 negs)
no date O'Brien's Cattle (12 negs)
no date Lindsay Mill - Ottawa Valley Grain - interior (4 negs)
no date Galbraith's Cattle at yard (2 negs)
no date St. Anne's Convent (5 negs)
no date Renfrew Scene
no date Stand pipe for water tower? (2 negs)
no date Business & Professinal Woman's Club - Business Women's Week (8 negs)
no date Bonnechere Manor (3 negs)
no date Kiwanis Club (8 negs)
no date Factory or Mill (?) (4 negs)
no date Pipe Band & Presentation to soldier- Ron Fraser, K. McCanna (7 b&w prints, 6 col prints, 9 negs)
no date Valley Hotel (Renfrew) - interior (5 negs)
no date Golf Club - Renfrew showing old building on #18. (6 col prints, 2 negs)
no date Handford Booth at Fair - Exchange Hotel (3 negs)
no date Wilson Tire Service - Grand Opening with Gary Wilson (18 col prints, 30 negs)
no date Pipe Band - Renfrew at Armouries (7 col prints, 5 negs)
no date Airplane (4 negs)
no date D.O.T. Snowplow acident - Bill Nichols Insurance (2 negs)
no date Victoria & Grey (12 negs)
no date RCAF Park - Legion parade, opening ceremony, wreath laying etc. (15 negs)
no date Shorgas Ltd. - Renfrew, ON (6 negs ,1b&w print
ca. 1870 Horton Town Hall (copy of framed photograph)
ca. 1890's Aberdeen Dairy horse with covered cart outside Cameron's Drug Store, Renfrew
ca. 1900 "Renfrew Looking North from the Post Office" postcard (taken from roof)
ca. 1900 Renfrew Fairgrounds during fair (5 negs)
ca. 1900 Overview of Renfrew
ca. 1900 Family Theatre (2 negs)
ca. 1905 Rifle Range, members (6 negs)
ca. 1905 "Renfrew Collegiate Institute" - postcard
1907 "View of Sand Point from the Hill" - postcard
1907 The Norway Belle (paddle boat), Sand Point Ontario - postcards
ca. 1920 "Main Street Renfrew, Ont." - postcard showing Post Office
ca. 1920 Visit of V.I.P. (possibly Lord Aberdeen?) to Renfrew. 17 views of people gathered to meet train, shows Renfrew Pipe Band and Renfrew Refrigerator Company building in background (17 negs)
ca. 1920 Raglan St. parade showing corner of Raglan and Renfrew streets
ca. 1920 Car parked on Raglan (full of men, after parade) (2 negs)
ca. 1920 Print of House
ca. 1920 Various Scenes of Renfrew including bridge (7 x b&w prints, 1 neg)
ca. 1920 Unidentified wedding party
ca. 1920 Fraser House on Barr Street, Renfrew (2 b&w prints)
ca. 1920 Lindsay home and Barn, Renfrew ON (b&w print)
ca. 1920 Madawaska River taken from Burnstown Bridge (b&w print)
ca. 1920 "Opera House, Renfrew Ont" - postcard
ca. 1920 "Victoria Hospital and Nurses Home, Renfrew, Ont" - postcard
ca. 1920 Methodist Church, Renfrew, Ont
ca. 1920 Print of Renfrew Collegiate Institute
ca. 1920 Row houses on Lisgar St., Renfrew, Ont
ca. 1920 Children on street
ca. 1920 Corner of Raglan and Renfrew streets (shows Hotel Renfrew)
ca. 1920 Excursion on Country Roads
ca. 1920 Two prints of Renfrew Post Office
ca. 1920 Renfrew Fire Fighter and boy at Fire station on horse drawn pumper (b&w print)
ca. 1920 Renfrew Fire Fighters outside Fire station (b&w print)
ca. 1920 Cafe in old house on corner of Renfrew Ave. S. and Raglan Street, Renfrew (2 b&w prints)
ca. 1920 Swinging Bridge, Renfrew
ca. 1920 T. Low's gardens (possibly) (3 b&w prints)
ca. 1920 Mr. Mason Thacker in Scottish dress
ca. 1920 Fire Fighters on Main Street (during race) and with hoses (2 negs) - one neg is ripped
ca. 1920 "Stewart St. Renfrew" - postcard (3 negs)
ca. 1920 "O'Brien Theatre" - postcard
ca. 1920 Handford Pottinger - title on envelope (shows house with flower garden)
ca. 1920 Renfrew Pinacle Views and Calabogie (5 negs)
ca. 1920 Ball Team with manager (3 negs)
ca. 1920 Gathering in Low Square, Renfrew
ca. 1920 Boat Houses on the Bonnechere River, Renfrew
ca. 1920 "Home of Hon. T. A. Low", Renfrew - postcard (2 negs)
ca. 1920 Thacker's Garage, Raglan St. Renfrew (b&w print, neg)
ca. 1920 Raglan Street, Renfrew
ca. 1920 "Renfrew Street, Renfrew" - postcard
ca. 1920 "Raglan Street, Renfrew" - postcard
ca. 1920 "Raglan Street, Renfrew" - postcard (showing Pipe Band)
ca. 1925 Thurston, Mr. Alec - Lake Clear, Lumber Works (7 negs)
ca. 1925 Ottawa Valley Grain - Nat Lindsay's Renfrew flour Mill (3 negs)
ca. 1925 Imperial Oil Limited, Ferguson's Gas Station
ca. 1925 Dominion Tire Depot (Frontenac dealer)
ca. 1925 Renfrew Scenes (boys in field, house etc.) (3 negs)
ca. 1925 Burton Wedding at Presbyterian Church (15 negs)
ca. 1927 Renfrew Jubillee parade (8 negs)
ca. 1928/29 Renfrew Hockey Team Champions U.O.V.H.A
ca 1930 Northcote Church - Mr. Bunt? (3 negs)
ca. 1930 Scenes of Renfrew - including Thacker's garage (7 negs)
ca. 1930 Renfrew Fire Department Band with Truck on Raglan Street
ca. 1930 McGarvey Ford Dealership
ca. 1930 Street Scenes and various houses in Renfrew (19 negs)
ca. 1930 Renfrew Public Library
ca. 1930 "Trinity Church, Renfrew, Ont" - postcard (2 negs)
ca. 1930 Bank of Montreal Building at corner of Renfrew Ave. S. and Raglan Street, Renfrew (2 negs)
ca. 1930 Phil Bolger Barber Shop on Raglan St. (3 negs)
ca. 1930 Handford Homes on Raglan Street South, Renfrew (2 negs)
ca. 1930 Unidentified man (a Handford?) (2 b&w prints)
ca. 1930 Dr. Ed Handford and wife Lillian Hooper (print and neg)
ca. 1930 R. D. Scott Shoe Store (men standing outside)
ca. 1930 Horse show (13 negs)
ca. 1930 Raglan Street towards Pinacle (showing businesses)
ca. 1930 Handford family road trip (12 negs)
ca. 1930 Handford family outing - canoeing and camping (23 negs)
ca. 1930 Ladies shopping on Raglan Street, Renfrew
ca. 1930 Camping at a lake (2 negs)
ca. 1930 Postcards - "Presbyterian Church, Renfrew"; "Library, Renfrew", "Pentecostal Church, Renfrew"; "Sand Point", "St. Paul's Anglican Church, Renfrew"; "Rehabilitation Centre, Renfrew"; "St. Francis Xavier Church"; "Trinity-St. Andrew's United Church"
ca. 1935 Renfrew Santa Claus Parade (Royal Bank of Canada) (6 negs)
ca. 1935 Fire - Renfrew Creamery? (8 negs)
ca. 1935 Handford family road trip (12 negs)
ca. 1935 Young Handford boy with a drum
1937 "Photos of Hederick murder scene taken August 4, 1937 at 2:00 pm" - 10 prints
1937 "Photos of Hederick murder scene taken August 4, 1937 at 2:00 pm" - 10 negs
1937 Renfrew Post Office
1937 Coronation Day Parade, Renfrew Ont, (7 negs)
1938 Gordon Cup Team (golf) (2 negs)
ca. 1939 H. Elliott Garage
1939 Bankers Day (Tournament participants at Renfrew Golf Club) (10 negs, 1 print)
1939 Girl Cadets on Inspection Day
ca. 1940 "Raglan St. Renfrew" -postcard (showing A. J. Freiman Dept. store)
ca. 1940 "Smith's Creek Renfrew Ont."
ca. 1940's "Horton Street, Renfrew"
ca. 1940's "Presbyterian Church, Renfrew Ont." (4 negs)
ca. 1940 Upstream and Downstream from Swinging Bridge Renfrew
ca. 1940 child in snow [Handford child?] (1 print)
ca. 1940's Bark Lake[?] - soldiers on exercise[?] (13 negs)
ca. 1940's Handford homes in Renfrew (2 negs)
ca. 1940's "The Madawaska River" - postcard (1 neg)
ca. 1940's "The Ottawa River" - postcard (2 negs)
ca. 1940 "Recreation Center, Renfrew" - postcard (1 neg)
December 1962 Car accident (head on collision) on country road, Fawcet car accident for Sutton-Perry Insurance, including pictures of cars at Armatage Motors (20 negs)
1963 Karen Handford (baby in crib) and photos with cone and with Elliott grandparents (1 b&w neg, 4 colour negs, 2 prints)
1963 Tommy Kerr, Russ Paget at Hunt Camp (1 slide, 1x 35mm colour neg)
8 June 1963 Bank of Montreal golf tournament (32 negs) 8 June 1963 McArthur Accident (8 colour negs, 5 prints) 4 September 1963 Woodworks fire - taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (10 negs & prints)
8 June 1963 McArthur Accident (8 colour negs, 5 prints)
4 September 1963 Woodworks fire - taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (10 negs & prints)
6 December 1963 Smith Tranport Oil Trucks Collision and fire - taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (10 b&w negs, 10 colour negs)
1963 Larry Ritza, House Fire
1963 Renfrew Municipal Garage
1963 Wilson Tire Service (Gary Wilson, BP Photos)
1963 Steadman Store Break in
1963 Handford Film Lab vehicle
20 April 1963 Portage de Fort Train Crossing Accident
19 July 1963 Renfrew Hotel (smorgasbord)
ca. 1964 Kirk Hall fire (Presbyterian Church, Renfrew) (8 negs)
1964 Beth Phannenhour (Mrs. Jim Handford) (2 colour negs)
ca. 1965 Howie's Tomato Plant (Howard Haramis - mayor of Renfrew) (1 neg)
ca. 1965 Renfrew, 4-H display at Fair (2 negs)
ca. 1965 Microwave Installation (at factory?) (5 negs)
ca. 1965 Renfrew Co. Travel Bureau - Bernie Bedore and others looking at publication "Holiday in Canada" (3 negs)
ca. 1965 Presbyterian Church & manse, Renfrew (1 neg)
ca. 1965 New Royal Motel, Highway 17 (3 negs)
ca. 1965 Renfrew, McDougall Mill Museum (11 negs)
ca. 1965 Curling Club - Men's dinner (2 negs)
ca. 1965 Boston - air show and scenes of the city (37 colour prints)
1965 Highland Games (Lanark & Renfrew Pipe Band)
7 February [1965?] Accident Highway 17 involving Renfrew Bottling Works Ltd. truck - taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (5 negs)
1965 Mountain Hunting Club (18 x 35mm colour negs)
February 1965 Ontario Hydro - Mountain Chute Construction equipment (16 negs, 3 prints)
19 June 1965 Renfrew Highland Games (12 colour negs)
19 June 1965 Renfrew Highland Games (47 colour prints)
19 June 1965 Renfrew HIghland Games (47 colour negs)
26 June 1965 Wall of O'K & R Style Centre, Raglan St., Renfrew, showing crack in brickwork and deposition signed by Ed. Y. Handford (4 negs)
1965 Renfrew Hydro Scenes
1966 Airplane crash
ca. 1966 Portrait of Insurance agent Bill Nichols (11 negs)
ca. 1966 Car Accident in Eganville, short for Bill Nichols Insurance (16 negs)
ca. 1966 Singer Sewing Machine - window display (4 negs)
ca. 1966 Don Campbell accident - for Sutton-Perry Insurance (8 negs)
ca. 1966 photos of a Volkswagon taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (6 negs)
ca. 1966 Toronto Dominion Bank, Raglan St. - interior & exterior shots (6 negs)
ca. 1966 Fallen tree at Legion Playground - taken for Sutton-Perry Insurance (9 negs)
1966 Air crash - Fly In (17 colour prints)
1966 Renfrew Legion - exterior (6 prints)
February 1966 Aerial and other photos of plane crash and birds (7 colour prints)
4 June [1966?] Car wreck (12 negs)
15 June 1966 Sawmill, Eganville - for Ontario Hydro (10 b&w prints)
6 October 1966 Beaver Construction Site (3 negs)
October 1967 Wabtec Hunt Camp from air
October 1967 Renfrew Scenes (Stemco Plant, Water Treatment Plant, Bridge at Stewart St., R.C.A. Victor Plant, Renfrew Bottle Works, Town Garage, Presbyterian Church & Manse)
1967 Renfrew Hotel (interior & exterior)
20 April 1967 Beaver Construction (bridge below Chenaux dam)
10 July 1967 Beaver Construction (bridge below Chenaux dam)
12 September 1967 Beaver Construction (bridge below Chenaux dam)
1967 Beaver Construction (bridge below Chenaux dam)
ca. 1967 Renfrew Fair Grounds - Highland Games - aerial photos (12 colour prints)
1967 OPP motorcycle ride at Renfrew Fair - "Golden Helmets" (8 colour negs and prints)
ca. 1967 Central Public School, renfrew - construction (14 negs, 14 prints)
1967 Expo 67 - E.H. on envelope [assumed Ed Handford] (40 35mm colour negs)
June 1967 Airplanes - Golden Centenaires? (33 x 35 mm colour negs)
11 June 1967 Antrim Accident (24 negs with list, 1 print)
ca. 1968 Calabogie Roman Catholic Church (10 b&w negs and prints, 4 colour negs and prints)
1968 Hotel Renfrew fire (6 negs)
ca. 1969 Far North Explorations Envelope - "Bat cave on Condon Lake" - mine site - miners at work in cave - bats nesting - malidinite (lubricant) (14 b&w negs, 7 colour negs)