Found Film: The Alberts visit Quebec

For the last few months, I have been sharing photos believed to have been taken by Raymond Albert in the late 1940s thru the mid-1950s.  This latest post features photos from a trip the family took to Quebec, circa 1955.

On this trip, they visit a number of different cultural and/or religious sites.  I was able to identify a few of them.  If you’ve been to Quebec, I welcome help on the rest!

To start out, here’s a picture of the “Pont du Quebec” (Quebec Bridge), which spans the St. Lawrence River.  It was started in 1903 and collapsed twice at the cost of 88 lives, and took 30 years to complete.  It is now a National Historic Site.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

As far as I know, Raymond Albert only had one daughter – the other girls are his cousins, who consistently appear together in almost every roll in this collection. I believe the other woman is an aunt.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

While we are on the banks of the St. Lawrence, it’s worth noting that the camera in the above two photos is an Argus / Argoflex Seventy-five.  It took square pictures on 127 film and was manufactured from the late 1940s to the late 1950s.  Pretty modern camera for its time.  The woman above is holding the camera in the position required to snap a photo.

Then we have a few unidentified sites.  Below it says “A mari usque ad mare.”  No idea?  it’s Canada’s national motto.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Here are the three girls again.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

I couldn’t identify this large building either. I believe it is facing the roundabout directly below. Googling the motto on the grass didn’t help – it’s most likely “de bon vouloir servir le roy,” but that brings up a number of different things other than a roundabout. On the backside, it says “Quebec.”

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

In the photo below, the family is visiting the Basilica of St Anne de Beaupre, about 30 kilometers east of Quebec and an important site for Catholics.  Near the Basilica is a walkway leading up a hillside with the “14 Stations of the Cross.”  This statue is the second in the walk, depicting Jesus receiving his cross.  A video showing all 14 stations can be seen here.  It took me some time to identify the correct “station” because in the photo below, there is an additional figure which does not appear to exist in the video (start at the 30 second mark).  I’d be curious for any explanation.  Was the figure on the extreme left removed since the mid-1950s for some reason?

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

There is also a double (or is it triple?) exposure on the roll, which I was able to partially identify as a statue of Samuel de Champlain.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Lastly, I would have expected the family to snap a few photos at the Citadelle. I thought that might be the photo below, but I am unable to reconcile the wall in the background with any other photos I can find of the Citadelle. There are, however, a number of these cannons there as shown in this blog.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

For fun I’ll end with a couple of photos that seem to be out of place on this roll. I like them both, especially the last one. Men with odd expressions.

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

Raymond Albert's Photos - roll 18

To see other posts about the Alberts, check out this link.  To see more of Raymond Albert’s photos on Flickr, check out this album.

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