Archie Renwick’s Iconic Portraits of Nelson’s Community in the 1970s

In the small town of Nelson, British Columbia, a dedicated photographer named Archibald Albert “Archie” Renwick turned his lens towards the people, capturing the essence of the town and its residents in a series of remarkable portraits. From the late 1940s until the mid-1980s, Renwick’s Portrait Studio became a cornerstone of Nelson’s community life, creating a visual tapestry of the town’s evolution through four decades.

Archie Renwick, a native of Nelson and graduate of Nelson High School, had initially dabbled in other ventures. He worked at Renwick’s Transfer and Taxi on Vernon Street, and later started a grocery business called Renwick and Romano in the 1930s. His interest in photography, however, led him away from Nelson in the early 1940s. He graduated from a photography school in Chicago in 1942, armed with a newfound skill and a vision to create.

Returning to his hometown, Renwick opened his portrait studio at 316 Baker Street, later moving to 577 Ward Street in 1958. It was here that he documented the lives of thousands of Nelson residents over the next forty years. His work earned him a reputation as a trusted portrait photographer, capturing the faces and lives of the people of Nelson, from everyday citizens to the most prominent figures in the community.

Among his notable subjects were the Bishop of Nelson, Martin Michael Johnson, and Mayor Louis Maglio, lending an air of prestige and significance to his work. Furthermore, his ability to gain the trust and respect of the Kootenay Doukhobor community speaks volumes about Renwick’s character and his passion for his craft.

Renwick’s wedding photographs were particularly admired and were often featured in the Nelson Daily News. These photos, brimming with joy, love, and hope, offer a deeply personal insight into the lives of Nelson’s residents and a time capsule of the town’s social history.

On May 22, 1992, the Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History Archives received a precious gift: the Renwick’s Portrait Studio Collection. This treasure trove of portraits taken during the 1970s now serves as a historical snapshot of Nelson’s residents during that era.

#1 A group of women’s bowling team from Nelson, May 1970

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#2 Doukhobor wedding portrait of John Kooznetsoff and Christine Posnikoff. The couple are both holding a bouquet of pink-and-cream flowers, April 25, 1970

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#3 Leonard Maida. She is wearing a short white dress, white veil, and white gloves, holding a book and prayer beads, June 12, 1970

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#4 Wedding portrait of Edward Strelive and Marlene Verigen, September 5, 1970

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#5 Wedding portrait of Mr. Couch and Mrs Raymond. The married couple are flanked by the best man (to the left) and the maid of honor (to the right), November 28, 1970

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#6 Wedding portrait of Mr. Verigin and Mrs Robert. The bride is holding a bouquet of yellow flowers, August 15, 1970

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#7 Mother and father are seated on chairs. Four young male figures are standing behind, and a young boy with blonde hair, August 30, 1971

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#8 Portrait of a large family of Mr and Mrs E. Johanson who are the two elderly individuals in the two middle seats of the middle row, August 10, 1971

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#9 Portrait of Kitty Gilbert who dressed in a floor-length gold velvet evening jacket that has been adorned with a corsage of purple flowers, January 28, 1971

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#10 Portrait of Mr and Mrs Albert Miller. Mrs Smith is on the left and is wearing a blue dress over a high-necked white top. Mr Smith is on the right and is wearing a dark suit over a pink shirt and patterned tie, November 23, 1971

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#11 Wedding portrait of a Doukhobor couple. The groom is wearing a brown suit, with a white shirt and silver tie. The bride is wearing a knee-length white dress, a corsage, and a traditional white headscarf, May 8, 1971

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#12 Wedding portrait of a Doukhobor couple. The groom is wearing a dark suit, with a white shirt and blue tie. The bride is wearing a white dress, a corsage, and a traditional white headscarf, November 27, 1971

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#13 Wedding portrait of Fred Chow and Catherine Choquette. The groom is on the left and wearing a green shirt with a brown suit and tie. The bride is on the right and is wearing a long white dress, August 1971

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#14 A married Doukhobor couple, Mr and Mrs Wayne Ostoforoff, June 17, 1972

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#15 Family portrait of the Jay family. Tim Jay is standing at the back of the arrangement. Patricia is seated and is flanked by her two children, February 15, 1972

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#16 George Roland Zubick in Shriner dress. He is wearing a red, tasseled hat with with the word “GIZEH”, a plaid suit jacket that has a patch attached to it which reads “No. 1 Shrine Club Nelson, B.C.”, September 23, 1972

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#17 Linda Barber in ceremonial Masonic dress. She is wearing a tiara, a white dress, and a dark purple cape, September 28, 1973

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#18 Mr and Mrs James Miller. Mrs Miller is wearing a light blue, sleeveless top. Mr Miller is wearing a light blue shirt with a tie and dark-colored plaid sports coat, September 15, 1973

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#19 Mr and Mrs Kinoshita. Mrs Kinoshita is wearing a purple top with a metal pendant. Mr. Kinoshita is wearing a white shirt, blue-silver tie, and a charcoal suit jacket. Both individuals are wearing black-framed glasses, February 1973

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#20 A married Doukhobor couple, Peter and Ann Chutskoff, with best man and maid of honor, April 6, 1974

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#21 Portrait of a couple. The man is on the left and is wearing a plaid sports coat over a white shirt and plaid tie. The woman is on the right and is wearing a pink top, and dangle earrings, October 26, 1974

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#22 Portrait of a man and a woman with a black background. The photographer used double exposure for this work, which means that the two individuals were photographed separately, November 12, 1974

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#23 A group wedding portrait of a Doukhobor couple. The image contains four female figures and three male figures. The bride is wearing a white dress with a white headscarf, July 26, 1975

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#24 Portrait of an old man wearing a dark grey suit jacket over a white shirt and diagonally-striped tie. He has a large white beard and black-framed glasses, September 10, 1975

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#25 Portrait of a young woman wearing a long, cream-colored dress. She also has a pink flower in her hair, June 4, 1976

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#26 Married couple Gordon Webb and Anne Farrell. The bride is holding a bouquet of white and red flowers, June 24, 1977

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#27 Portrait of a woman dressed in traditional Scottish attire, posing with three trophies. The woman is wearing a black hat and is holding a set of bagpipes in her right hand, June 22, 1977

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#28 Portrait of Bob Allen with a German shepherd dog, June 1977

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#29 Family portrait of John Kirkhope and his family. The children, comprised of two girls and one boy, are standing behind their parents, February 25, 1978

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#30 Portrait of a girl posing with three trophies. The girl is dressed in a Highland dance outfit and the trophies have been placed on a low, draped table on the right-hand side of the image, March 29, 1978

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#31 Portrait of a man with a bear hide and hunting paraphernalia. He is wearing a cap and plaid button-up shirt, June 3, 1978

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#32 Portrait of a man. He has a mustache and glasses, wearing a mustard colored button-up shirt with a brown corduroy sports coat, September 9, 1978

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#33 Portrait of an older couple. The woman is wearing a blue pant suit over a white shirt with a broad collar. The man is wearing a charcoal grey suit over a white shirt and plaid tie. Both individuals are wearing glasses, November 22, 1978

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#34 A family portrait of two men and one woman, 1979

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#35 Portrait of a man in purple pants, a turquoise cap, and a long-sleeved light shirt. He is holding a gun, and standing before a green background, 1979

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