Scenes of Nova Scotia in Wartime

Edward A. Bollinger was a professional photographer and filmmaker who moved from Buffalo, New York, to Halifax sometime around 1939, when he opened The Camera Shop on Blowers Street in partnership with his brother-in-law, Reid Sweet. The business became a Halifax landmark, selling cameras, film and related photo equipment, but Bollinger also remained very much a commercial photographer. The virtual exhibit featured here presents his surviving photographic archive from 1941-42, after which time he returned to the United States for several years.

All good photographers know that a single shot taken from one angle only is never enough — so, although we've eliminated most of the split-second duplicates, you'll still see many images here that look very much alike. We've also chosen to present the collection in close to its original order, which means that there's a world of variety in the display, but not too much logic in the sequence. As well, we've used the original image captions, likely provided by Bollinger himself.

Although based in Halifax, Bollinger travelled widely throughout Nova Scotia. His speciality work included commercial photography for government, industry and small business; wedding photography and family portraiture; his own family, friends and leisure activities; and, of course, many, many photos of wartime work and recreation. We've duplicated numerous of the latter elsewhere in 'East Coast Port', since they illustrate perfectly — and are sometimes the only known surviving photographs — for subjects discussed in other chapters.

So....step in and explore over 3000 images showcasing Halifax and the rest of the province at work and at play through 1941-42. You'll see weddings and families, homes and businesses — Colwell Brothers, the Green Lantern Restaurant and Kay's Department Store in Halifax, for example, and industrial activity around the province, including Lunenburg Foundry and Engineering, Stanfield's Woolen Mills and the L.E. Shaw Brick Plant. And you'll see the face of rural Nova Scotia, looking much the same as ever, seemingly untouched by the war at its doorstep.

Archival Description for Edward A. Bollinger