John Alfred (Alf) Flett and his wife Agnes Maud Flett were photographers and journalists on Vancouver Island. Alf Flett was a descendant of one of the Cowichan district's first pioneer families; he farmed and logged before becoming a photographer. The Fletts operated their photography business, Flett Studio Ltd., in different locations, including Duncan (at 35 Station Street), Langford and Lantzville. As journalists they were regular contributors to television news for 25 years.
The Fletts moved to Nanaimo in 1960 , where Alf was active in civic affairs and served as an alderman from 1980-1984. He was also a well known ornithologist.
Alf Flett was born in Duncan in 1912 and died in Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, on March 11, 1991.
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Final
Fonds consists of four Series: Flett family history records; Personal papers; Broadcasting scripts; Photographs
Condition is generally good. Some photographs are curled.
Donated by daughter Ruth Bankhead
Series description is available
published
The series consists of documents, genealogical charts, and family papers on the history of the Flett family including information on family roots in Scotland, branches of the family in New Zealand, and connections to the family of John Newell Evans.
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Series consists of business and personal correspondence, stationery with their letterhead, newspaper and magazine clippings about the Fletts and media accreditation ephemera. Some of the records refer to royal visits where the Flett were present as photographers.
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These are carbon paper copies of the typewritten scripts created by the Fletts for news stories. They apparently took photographs while on broadcasting assignments, so there is correlation between these broadcast scripts and some unlabelled photographs in the fonds. There is information on Vancouver Island events, activities and history.
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The Fletts took photographs for personal use, for photography contests, news reports, private commissions on location, and in their portrait studio. Photographs depict scenes, events, and people in a wide variety of occupational and recreational activities in the Cowichan Valley and other Vancouver Island communities.
There are 163 photographs of the building of the Crofton pulp and paper mill in 1956-1957. There are also photographs of the royal family visits to Vancouver Island, and of Tommy Douglas, Lt. Governor George Peakes, federal and provincial politicians, and Duncan community leaders. There are also numerous photos of Agnes Flett on the job, working with her camera.
Files arranged alphabetically by subject
File inventory is available