Public/Private Construction: The Photographic Album of Nellie L. McClung

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Public/Private Construction:

The Photographic Album of Nellie L. McClung by

Lara Jane Wilson

B.A., University of Victoria, 1995

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

in the Department of History in Art We accept this thesis as conforming

to the required standard

Dr. N. Micklewright, Supervisor and Departmental Member (Department of History in Art)

Dr. L. McLarty, Supervisor and Departmental Member (Department of History in Art)

Dr. M. Dean, Outside Member (Department of English)

Dr.

L.

Mar.ks, External Examiner (Department of History)

©Lara Jane Wilson, 1998 University of Victoria

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Supervisor: Dr. Nancy Micklewright

Supervisor: Dr. Lianne McLarty

ABSTRACT

The album of Nellie Letitia Mooney McClung (1873-1951) is housed in the British

Columbia Archives' Visual Records and is the only photographic album in the McClung 11

Papers. This thesis proposes to contextualize the album within women's photographic history

in

general, and McClung's photographic practice in particular.

The following points will be argued: first, photo albums are complex socio-historical

documents which provide insight into gender and class constructions; second, late nineteenth

and early twentieth century album-making was considered a female pursuit linked to the

domestic sphere; third, the Nellie McClung album dates primarily from 1896-1911, the years

McClung lived with her husband, Wesley, and children in Manitou, Manitoba; and fourth, I

propose that a number of the album's photos are not only private mementos, but also public

documents, having been used or considered as illustrations and advertisements for works

written by or about Nellie McClung in these years.

Examiners:

Dr. N. Micklewright, Supervisor and Departmental Member (Department of History

in

Art)

Dr. L. McLarty, Supervisor and Departmental Member (Department of History in Art)

Dr. M. Dean, Outside Member (Department of English)

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