In Philip Timms' Vancouver, the city's "golden age" has been captured with spirit and style by one of British Columbia's foremost photographers. Philip Timms was a man of many accomplishments, but one of the most notable was his photographic record of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, created between 1900 and 1910. As Vancouver evolved from a colonial outpost to a modern centre of industry and tourism, Timms sought to preserve views of the maturing city and its people, from landmark buildings to street scenes to children and families.

James B. Stanton, a former curator of history at the Vancouver Museum, wrote: "All of Timms' photographs have a certain recognizable quality about them; much of the kindness and gentleness of the man himself comes through. His shots are candid and uncluttered and capture dramatically the feeling and mood of the time."

Fortunately, Vancouver's adolescence coincided with the "golden age of postcards," when billions of them were being sent, exchanged and hoarded all over the world. By 1910, numerous photographers were producing postcards in the Vancouver area, but Philip Timms stood well above the others. This sampling of Timms' best work is full of life: people in action on the streets, in the parks, on the waterfront and on ships.

Bob Scullion (1937-2009) was born in Glasgow, Scotland, one of Britain's best-preserved Victorian cities. Living there gave him an enthusiasm for and appreciation of cities and their history.

He and Fred Thirkell published eight books with Heritage House in the postcard genre. Four of their books won City of Vancouver Heritage Awards: Breaking News, Frank Gowen's Vancouver, Vancouver and Beyond and Postcards from the Past.

Bob Scullion's profile page

Fred Thirkell (1930–2009) was born and educated in Vancouver. He obtained his Licentiate in Theology from Anglican Theological College in 1954, and worked as a minister in communities throughout BC and Nova Scotia. He also worked as program coordinator for the Anglican diocese of the Kootenays in Nelson, BC, and as a social worker for the Children’s Aid Society in Vancouver. Fred was keenly interested in history, and he got hooked on collecting vintage postcards while living in Nova Scotia. He later began matching these rare images he had collected with mini-histories. He and Bob Scullion published their first book featuring postcards in 1996.

Fred Thirkell's profile page

More than pictures, Fred Thirkell and Bob Scullion have fleshed out the city's history as it relates to Philip Timms' outstanding photographs. —Lori Henry, Suite101.com

[Fred Thirkell and Bob Scullion's] seventh book using picture postcards to illustrate local history . . . is as delightful and informative as the others . . . Much to interest local historians. —Ann Turner, Canadian Book Review Annual