James Deakin Hall was born in Londonderry, Ireland in 1854. He immigrated to Brampton, Ontario with his parent in 1867 and moved to Toronto in 1868 to join the Notman & Fraser photography studio. In July 1881, Hall settled in Winnipeg and operated a studio with William Johnston at 360 Main Street. Hall bought out Johnson's share six months later and in March 1882, welcomed Skene Lowe as his new partner.
Hall & Lowe specialized in studio portraits as well as Winnipeg buildings and landscapes. They advertised their work as "Indian photos (taken from life), Xmas cards, views of Winnipeg." They also photographed railway construction in Manitoba.
Following a fire in their Winnipeg studio, Hall & Lowe moved to Vancouver, British Columbia where he opened a new studio in October 1887. Hall & Lowe dissolved their partnership in May 1892 when Hall became the sheriff of Vancouver.
Hall died in British Columbia in 1936.
Skene Lowe was born in 1856 in England. He immigrated to Canada and in March 1882, joined James D. Hall to form the Hall & Lowe photography studio at 360 Main Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lowe had previously been employed at the Toronto firm of Gagen & Fraser. In October 1884, Lowe moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he opened the Hall & Lowe branch on November 10, 1884. Following the dissolution of his partnership with Hall, Lowe continued to use the Hall & Lowe name until later using his own name for the studio sometime after 1900.
Lowe had three children: Margaret Lowe, Dr. Archibald M. Lowe, and "Nannie" Lowe.
Lowe was institutionalized for mental illness at New Westminster, B.C. on April 3, 1919. He was transferred to the Essondale branch on May 10, 1919 where he died on November 27, 1920.
published
Full
Final
The collection consists of 5 photographs taken by James D. Hall and Skene Lowe depicting Indigenous people in 1880s Winnipeg, Manitoba. The subjects were reportedly paid for the use of their imagery in photographs sold by Hall & Lowe.
No further accruals are expected.
Connie Macmillan inherited the collection from her in-laws, Pat and Jack Macmillan, who may have acquired the collection from their relatives, Norman and Ethel-Mae Burke. The collection was purchased via Greenfield Books by University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections in 2011.
Revised by Brett Lougheed on July 10, 2014.
There are no restrictions on this material.