Decoux Photo Studio fonds

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Physical Description: Close to 100,000 photographic images, predominantly negatives

Scope and Content: The fonds includes photographs and negatives from Vern Decoux’s work as a commercial, newspaper, and police photographer, as well as private family photographs. The photographic materials are organized in 6,120 envelopesby order envelopes, system typical for a commerical studio. The original order …

Physical Description: Close to 100,000 photographic images, predominantly negatives

History / Biographical: Vern (Vernon) Decoux was born January 18, 1920 in Blairmore, Alberta. During WWII, he served in the #13 District as a sergeant instructor and was stationed in Camrose and Calgary. He also served with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (commando rifles). On December 26, 1942, Vern married Florence (nee Taggart) in Hillcrest, Alberta. Vern and Florence had three children, a son Bruce, and 2 daughters, Gini and Susan. Vern was the Crowsnest Pass correspondent with the Lethbridge Herald from 1950 to 1985. He did news stories, took photographs, dealt with circulation, sold advertising, and looked after all of the region’s newspaper carriers. Throughout the years, he was an active member of a variety of clubs and organizations in the Crowsnest Pass. He was a member of the Elks for 48 years, acting as Exalted Ruler with the club for many years. He was also a member of the Lions Club (and received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award), the Knights of Columbus, and the Blairmore Legion. He was also a member of the Alberta Professional Photographers Association. Vern was also a Roman Catholic.

Custodial History: The vast majority of the images were created by Vernon Decoux, donor’s father, in a professional capacity as a photographer and owner of a photographic studio in Blairmore. After Vern’s death in April 2000, the materials were kept in his wife’s residence. In 2015, when Florence Decoux passed away, the materials came into the possession of their son, Bruce Decoux.

Scope and Content: The fonds includes photographs and negatives from Vern Decoux’s work as a commercial, newspaper, and police photographer, as well as private family photographs. The photographic materials are organized in 6,120 envelopesby order envelopes, system typical for a commerical studio. The original order of records had been obliterated over the years of reboxing, therefore the materials were organized according to several thematic clusters: 1 Box: Art/Automobile/Boat/Certificate/Insurance/Landscape/Memorial/Plane/Miscelleaneous/Portrait, Animal/Trophy (includes photographs of jewelry for insurance, copies of employment certificates, gravestones, etc.) 1 Box: Accident/Disaster (includes car accidents, natural disasters/storms, etc.) 3 Boxes: Building/Industry (includes buildings under construction, mining operations, etc.) 3 Boxes: Graduation/Prom and Graduation/Kindergarten (includes graduation ceremonies, graduate portraits) 1 Box: Event, Outdoor/Event, Service Club/Event, Sports (includes Legion, Lions Club, Elks Club events, etc.) 1 Box: Event, Religious (includes baptism/christenings, first communion, confirmation) 4 Boxes: Event, Special (includes birthday and anniversary parties, banquets, etc.) 5.5 Boxes: Portrait, Family 6 Boxes: Portrait, Group 9.5 Boxes: Portrait Individual (includes passport photographs) 0.5 Box: School, Class 9.5 Boxes: Weddings 0.5 Box: Oversized materials 1 Box: Glass plate negatives (14 in total)