Fonds consists of a broad-ranging commercial negative collection. Includes four series. I. Scenic and documentary views, 2839 items; includes film and glass negatives in sizes up to 8 X 10 inches. Pertains to Banff and area buildings, facilities, activities, events, such as Banff Winter Carnival a…
George Noble, 1879-1965, was a professional photographer at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Noble was born in Woolwich, England where he apprenticed as a photographer. He came to Banff in 1909 to operate a photographic business for his uncles, George and Bill Fear, who owned a curio business. In 1919, Noble bought the photographic business and, in 1932, acquired the remainder of the Fear Brothers business. He built a new studio and shop, which offered portraiture, photo- finishing and framing services and sold photographic supplies, camera equipment and English china. In addition to portraiture, George Noble and employees, such as photographer Bill Jamieson, produced a wide range of documentary, scenic and commercial views. Noble's shop offered black and white and hand-coloured prints of local events and Rocky Mountain views. George Noble was an active member of the community, serving on both the Banff School Board and the Banff Board of Trade for many years. Upon his retirement in 1957, his business was acquired by a group of investors which included Bill Jamieson, lab-technician and photographer for the Noble business from 1936 to 1957
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of a broad-ranging commercial negative collection. Includes four series.
I. Scenic and documentary views, 2839 items; includes film and glass negatives in sizes up to 8 X 10 inches. Pertains to Banff and area buildings, facilities, activities, events, such as Banff Winter Carnival and Banff Indian Days; Indigenous; scenic views of Banff and area and other Rocky Mountains locations.
II. Commercial views, 765 items; includes buildings, businesses, facilities, sports events, organizations, conventions, group portraits, displays and presentations.
III. Mixed views, 242 items; includes scenic, documentary and commercial views similar to material in previous series. Also includes some views know to have been produced by Fred Armbrister, a professional photographer who operated out of Lake Louise, Alberta, ca.1930.
IV. Portraits, ca.4600. This series contains four groups: A. 1920s-1950s, most unidentified; B. 1930s and 1940s, arranged alphabetically, many unidentified; C. 1950s, arranged alphabetically, most identified, many with proofs (prints); D. 1950s, arranged chronologically by job number.
V. Other, ca.50 items. Includes 36 colour stereo transparencies, ca.1955, re Administration Building and gardens, Banff-Jasper Highway scenics, mountain sheep, autumn colour, Banff Avenue, George Noble and staff. Also includes small number of commercial prints produced by Noble, including several large hand-painted views.
Fonds is accompanied by business record books, 1950-1958, 2 v. (M533)
Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply
Language
Language is English
Finding Aid
Finding aids and reference tools: arrangement outline
file description and index
electronic finding aid
selected modern reference prints
Related Material
Related commercial photographs made by Bill Jamieson in the employ of George Noble are located in the Ron Duke fonds (V180 / II.A.i. - V180 / II.A.vi.; V180 / III.A.)
Portrait camera and electric 3D viewer reside in Heritage collections, Whyte Museum
