Looking Down King Street, 1970's and Today

 

I've tried to 'wrap my head around' the above photo for some time now. I was recently in contact with the photographer, Leonard Poole. Not only did Leonard have some engrossing photos of the old version of Portsmouth village and harbour, he also fortuitously photographed the demolition of CLC on Ontario St. But the top photo, which I now know was taken by Leonard, has always been an enigma wrapped in a conundrum when it comes to the photo angle.

Leonard mentioned the photo was taken in one of two timeframes in the 1970's: 1972-74 or 1978-79. Note the presence of two yellow-doored CN forty-foot newsprint boxcars and a script-lettering CP 40-foot boxcar at left. The early timeframe may be more likely, since 50-foot boxcars would more likely be in newsprint service in a later timeframe.

For my own use, and maybe yours, I've included two different angles of Leonard's vantage point (below - camera) and a labelled version of his photo (above) showing Millard & Lumb (M), grocery store now Food Basics (G), City Hall (C.H.) and St. George's Cathedral (St.G.). Note that the streets 'bend' at Brock Street which accounts for the angle of the two latter buildings' domes. The side wall of Millard & Lumb and the receiving door of the grocery store are the two buildings framing the view straight down King Street in Leonard's photo.

The Anglin's coal crane was always a red herring to me. I had seen photos showing it on the left hand side of the view down King Street. But in this photo, it's on the right side. I'm glad to finally get the vantage point straight in my mind!

Modern-day view (left) and 1978 view from Snapshot Kingston (right). It's important to note that Frontenac Village and the arena would now block the since-repurposed M&L building on the left side of Leonard's photo.