Among the many artifacts the Nuclear Heritage group has received and are eager to collect are photographs of the early days in Deep River or Pinawa, particularly those associated with the nuclear pioneers and their families. Recent interactions with the family of John Cockcroft have resulted in the donation of a number of photographs of Beach Avenue children at play in 1946-1948, general views in Deep River and a set of photographs taken during a fishing expedition undertaken by W.B. Lewis, John Cockcroft and Hugh Carmichael.
Diana McElroy has been working through the papers, newspaper clippings and photographs of her father, Bob Graham, and has recently donated several early views of Deep River to the Society for the Preservation of Canada’s Nuclear Heritage Inc. One of them, believed to be from 1946, is an aerial view of the west end of Deep River looking down Ridge Road from just beyond the crest of the hill. The former prison camp buildings, later truncated to become Hill House, are seen at the lower left of the photograph. Hill Park, now a grassy field, was then a heavily-treed area. A 1945 map, originally published in a 1995 Supplement of the NRT and donated to the Society by Alice Leung, helps with the orientation.
The Society welcomes any additional photographs as well as newspaper clippings of the early days in town either as physical or digital copies. J. Ungrin at 613-584-3055 ungrinjr@gmail.com or any member of the executive would be very pleased to receive them. Originals will be returned after scanning if so requested.
