Imperial Bell, in 1989

This was a porn theatre in Lower town in 1989 - it was originally a very fancy concert hall but the area became a prostitution and drug area  - it was called Midi-Minuit (noon to midnight) during its porn days. I never went in but the facade was beautiful under all the grime  - I thought it would be demolished, but I'm very glad to see it was renovated into an arts theatre that opened in 2015. Imperial Bell

The Doll Man, Boulevard Charest, 1989

The doll man of lower town. He'd push this cart that had Christmas decorations all over it all the time along Charest Boulevard in Lowertown. It had two dolls the size of children that were dressed in snow suits - sometimes he had a radio playing music on the handle bars. He didn't talk to people, but someone told me that he'd had two children who died in a fire, but that might just have been the legend that grew up around him.

Delivering Flyers, Lowertown, Quebec City, about 4 a.m., c. 1989

Lowertown SIDA, Children in toy jeep

Little boys in an electric toy jeep. It was a very poor neighbourhood, with street prostitution and drug sales, so it was surprising to see little boys by themselves on an expensive toy like that. SIDA is AIDS in French, and there was AIDS there too.

Ship entering the St. Lawrence River seen from Dufferin Terrace, Quebec City

Ship entering the St. Lawrence River seen from Dufferin Terrace, Quebec City around 1989

Graffiti, Lowertown, Quebec City, Quebec

Graffiti, Mail St-Roch, Lowertown, Quebec City, c. 1989

Livernois - 19th century Canadian photographer's carte de visite

Portrait of Livernois

Carte de Visite - the Livernois studio operated as a family business for more than a century in Quebec City - J.E. (Jules Ernest) Livernois was the son of the founder. I found one photo by him of the Prince of Wales when he visited Quebec City for the 300th Anniversary in 1908. He may have been appointed photographer to the Prince of Wales as the three feathers badge on the back of his card would suggest. Also I found this tintype of three women with this Carte de Visite but I don't know if it is from Livernois' studio. Click to see the enlargement to see the hand coloured pink on the cheeks.