Missing Images of Saint John, N.B. - I have enough photographs of the old UNION STATION to fill a book. Shots taken from every possible angle, but one. I have not seen a single photograph of the station, Mill Street or the Viaduct, taken from a window of the Lord Chamberlain Hotel, and that defies logic. Think of all the ceremonies that took place at the station, including Royal Visits. You don't have to think like Lee Harvey Oswald to realize what a great perch the hotel was.
Missing Images No. 2 - a year or two ago I joined in discussion of this Isaac Erb photograph of the old Shamrock Grounds (Fairview Plaza in our time). This image is pre-WW1. It was the practice of Saint John photographers to seek elevation for unique shots - church spires, grain elevators, hotel roofs, etc. In the North End, the spire of St. Lukes Church on Main Street, offered the best unobstructed view from height. I am amazed that no professional photographs taken from the spire have yet turned up. All of our elevated shots of the area were taken from Fort Howe hill.
Missing Images No. 3 - I have frequently discussed missing images with my old pal, Harold Wright, who has one of the larger private collections of Saint John photos. I'm sure we both have images of streetcars on each of the track lines which once threaded through the city, and we agree that one line still goes undocumented with photos. There are no images extent of street cars on the the tracks which ran from Hawker's Corner up Paradise Row and then right onto Wall Street. Passengers had to change cars at the bridge, crossing the old humped bridge on foot.
Missing Images No. 4 - and finally, one more Valley landmark that simply disappeared without a trace. There was once a very popular performing stand erected at the base of Garden Street, on the triangular lot. In the late 19th Century press it was mentioned more often than any other band stand and it must have been photographed many times, yet we never see it. Our loss.
