Camera Workers, 1858-1950

The British Columbia, Alaska and Yukon Photographic Directory, 1858-1950

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West, Walter David[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Male 1916 - 2008  (91 years)


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  • Name West, Walter David 
    Nickname Wally 
    Birth 8 Feb 1916  Vermillion, AB Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Gender Male 
    Business Address/Year 1930s  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address not determined or confirmed 
    Address:
    F.W. Sunday
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1938  Victoria, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address not determined 
    Business Address/Year 1939  Victoria, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    1122 Government St., no. 500
    Savannah Studio
    Victoria, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1947-1950  Prince George, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Continued past 1950 
    Address:
    Wally West Studios
    Prince George, BC
    Canada 
    Death 24 Jan 2008  Prince George, BC Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Association Savannah Studio (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Wally West Studios (Relationship: Proprietor) 
    Association Sunday, Fred William (Relationship: Assistant photographer) 
    Person ID I1583  Camera Workers | W, vol. 2, 1901-1950
    Last Modified 22 Mar 2021 

  • Notes 
    • STATUS: Commercial.
    • BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: West penned an autobiography, parts of which were recounted in Northword Magazine (27 Jan 27 2010); URL (accessed 21 Mar 2021): http://northword.ca/february-2010/northern-exposures. In the article it appears that the start of his photographic career was at age 19 (1935) with the Vancouver photographer F.W. Sunday.
      West later moved to Victoria and worked for the Savannah Studio in Victoria and then moved to Prince George in 1946 to set up his own studio. He claimed to have photographed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939 during their Royal tour and caused a minor incident with an exploding flashbulb.
      According to the MemoryBC fonds description for the Wally West fonds:

      Mr. Wally West opened his photography studio called "WD West Studios", in Prince George, British Columbia in 1946, at which time he also purchased the Jacob Simonson Photograph Studio. Mr. Wally West sold his photography business in 1991. Mr. West was named "Photographer Emeritus" in 1996 by the Canadian Professional Photographers Association.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1120] COLLECTION: BFFGRM.
      Wally West fonds
      MemoryBC fonds description URL (accessed 21 Mar 2021): https://www.memorybc.ca/wally-west-fonds

    2. [S771] SUN37, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1937).
      Vancouver and Victoria: not listed

    3. [S772] SUN38, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1938), 1672.
      Victoria: West Walter (May) photog r 733 View

    4. [S773] SUN39, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1939), 1655.
      Victoria: West Walter coml photog 500, 1122 Govt h 10 Regina

    5. [S777] SUN43, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1943).
      Prince George and Victoria: not listed

    6. [S714] SUN46, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1946).
      Prince George and Victoria: not listed

    7. [S715] SUN47, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1947), 234.
      Prince George: West Walter D prop Wally West Studios

    8. [S780] SUN48, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1948).
      Prince George: West Walter D prop Wally West Studios

    9. [S1119] BCPG51, (Vancouver, BC: B.C. Directories, 1951), 140.
      Prince George: West Walter D (May) prop Wally West Photo Studio h 2135 Laurier Box 936

    10. [S651] (Vancouver) Sun (Newspaper).
      Walter David West
      Obit.; URL (accessed 21 Mar 2021): https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/walter-west-1066097073