Connecting the Postcards dots. . . .
/Our readers will recall our article on the Oakman postcards and the importance of the collection to the historical record. We also wrote of the famous Roy Studio of Peterborough, which supplied an historical album of local activities for almost 100 years. But less famous was the Parks Studio of Peterborough, which supplied thousands photos for post cards from 1918 to 1980.
This photographic studio was operated by Lewis R. Parks (1899-1993) and his son Gordon Parks (1929- ), two prominent professional photographers. Lewis Parks was a self-taught photographer who had worked for the Air Force during World War I installing aerial cameras. His first business was opened in 1918 or 1919 on Townsend street, but was moved shortly thereafter to Park Street in front of General Electric.
Gordon Parks first worked for his father as a child in the studio's darkroom on Saturdays. He joined his father's studio in 1951 after graduating from Shaw Business College(business administration) and Ryerson (photography), both in Toronto. Gordon and Lewis worked together as a father and son until his father's retirement in 1966. Under Gordon's influence Parks Studio was greatly expanded and a camera shop was added. The studio's last location, until its closure in 1980, was at the corner of Brock and Aylmer Streets.
Mrs. MacKechnie with "Jean" born 1910 and "Marjorie" born 1909 Photo appears to have been taken on west side of river opposite Pearce mills. note Pearce grist mill still standing.
Gordon Parks sold the negatives to the Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives during the winter of 1999. There were 70,000 negatives accumulated by the Parks Studio, documenting daily life, local business and industry, urban development, and key events in Peterborough from the late 1930's to 1980. The business's early negatives survived until the early 1950's, when they were disposed of by the studio. (www.archeion.ca)
We recently received two postcards produced by the Lewis Parks Studio, for which one we could identify the writer, Jean MacKechnie (daughter of Dr. MacKechnie), who described her ride in the rumble seat to Crowe Lake in 1929, while her sister, Marjory got the front seat.
