Humphrey Lloyd Hime facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Humphrey Lloyd Hime
Humphrey Lloyd Hime circa 1891
Born	17 September 1833  Moy
Died	31 October 1903  (aged 70) Toronto
Occupation	Photographer

Humphrey Lloyd Hime (1833–1903) was an Irish-Canadian photographer, land surveyor, and businessman. He also held several important positions in the city government of Toronto.

In 1858, Hime joined a special trip called the Hind expedition. This trip aimed to explore and photograph Western Canada to see if people could live and farm there. After this adventure, Hime went back to Toronto. He continued working for a company called Armstrong, Beere and Hime. This company created the Armstrong, Beere and Hime panorama in 1857, which are the oldest known photographs of Toronto.

Later, Hime started his own business that dealt with stocks and investments. He became a member of the Toronto Stock Exchange and even served as its president.

Early Life and Moving to Canada

Humphrey Hime was born in Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland, on September 17, 1833. When he was 15, he moved to England to study business. In 1854, he moved to Canada. He soon found work helping to survey land in the Bruce Peninsula.

In 1856, Hime joined a company called Armstrong and Beere. By December, he became a junior partner, and the company changed its name to Armstrong, Beere and Hime. Around 1856 or 1857, this company took the first full series of photographs of the city of Toronto. These photos were used when Toronto tried to become the capital of Canada, but it didn't win.

Exploring Western Canada (1858)

In the mid-1800s, many Canadians wanted to expand their country westward. This land was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. People needed to be convinced that moving west was possible and a good idea. Before this, the northwest was mostly seen as a place for fur trading, too wild for farming.

To learn more about the land, the Canadian and British governments sent out several expeditions. These trips aimed to see if farming communities could be started in Rupert's Land. In 1857, two groups led by Captain John Palliser and George Gladman (later Henry Youle Hind) explored the west. They mostly stayed within 200 miles of the American border. Their reports showed that the prairie region was better for settlement than people thought.

After his first trip, Henry Youle Hind, a geology professor, got money for a second expedition. In the spring of 1858, Hind asked Hime to join as the photographer. Hime agreed to be paid £20 per month.

The Journey West

The expedition left Toronto on April 29, 1858. They traveled through Detroit and the Great Lakes to Grand Portage. From there, they canoed to the Red River settlement, arriving on June 1. When they got there, Hime took the first photograph ever seen of western Canada.

Hime brought over 200 glass plates for developing photos. We don't know exactly how many pictures he took, but only eight survived until 1975. Hime faced challenges when trying to photograph Indigenous people. They were worried that the photos might be used to harm them or force them off their lands.

Photography Challenges

Hime's work on the expedition had some problems. While Hind was happy at first, he later wrote that Hime "neglected his duty." Hind didn't explain much, but he might have been unhappy with the quality of the photos. Photography was new back then. It needed specific conditions like controlled humidity and temperature to get clear pictures. In the wild western lands, Hime couldn't control these things. He even had to use stream water to develop his photos.

Despite these issues, Hime's photographs changed how people saw the West. Instead of a cold, empty land, the photos of the plains showed that good farming settlements could be built. Hind described a "fertile belt" in the prairies. Later, politicians like Thomas D'Arcy McGee argued that Canada's future depended on settling these rich lands. In 1870, the Red River colony became part of the new province of Manitoba. In 1873, Fort Garry, the main part of the Red River colony, became the city of Winnipeg.

After returning to Toronto, Hime went back to his company. He was in charge of developing the photos for the expedition's final report. He worked with his partner Daniel Beere and charged $80 for their services. Hind thought this was too much and only paid half, which led to a legal disagreement. Even with their differences, Hind knew the photos were important. He included them in his book, Narrative of the Canadian Red River Exploring Expedition of 1857 and the Assiniboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition of 1858.

Life in Toronto and Later Career

Hime continued working with Armstrong, Beere and Hime until the company closed in 1861. In 1860, Hime started his own business dealing with stocks, even though he had no experience. This was common for many brokers in Toronto at the time.

He joined the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1861. He held many important jobs there, including Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President. The Exchange didn't have a permanent office, so meetings often happened in members' offices, including Hime's. He was president when the Exchange faced problems in 1869. Hime joined the new stock exchange when it reopened in 1871. He was its president again from 1888 to 1889 and stayed a member until 1898. Then, his son A. G. Hime took over his spot.

Public Service

In Toronto, Hime also worked in the city government. He was elected as an alderman in 1873. He served on several committees, including the Finance and Assessment Committee and the Board of Health Committee. He also became a justice of the peace in 1874. Even though he left politics after only a year, the city still asked for his help with financial matters later on.

Hime returned to private business. He worked for the Toronto Brewing and Malting Company. By 1882, he became the President of the Copland Brewing and Malting Company. A writer named Charles Mulvany described him as a man with "untiring zeal and energy, great popularity, and of thoroughly practical experience."

Humphrey Hime and his wife Christina had eight children between 1861 and 1879. He passed away at his home in Toronto on October 31, 1903, at the age of 70. His obituary in The Globe newspaper called him "one of the best known and most highly esteemed agents in Toronto." His funeral was held privately on November 2.

Notable Photographs

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  Tents on the prairie, west of the settlement (Red River), September - October, 1858

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  Mr. McDermot's Store was one of the first buildings erected in Fort Garry, September–October, 1858

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  "Wigwam the Half-Breed," September–October, 1858

See also

• Red River Colony
• Toronto Stock Exchange