In recognition of New Brunswick Day 2022, a selection of 150-year-old images of the province extracted from the Canadian Illustrated News is being featured. All the works are in the collection of the New Brunswick Museum (NBM).

The Canadian Illustrated News was published between 1869 and 1883 by George-Édouard Desbarats of Montreal, Quebec.  The francophone version, L’Opinion publique, first appeared in 1870. The magazine was one of Canada’s first “national” publications that featured current affairs and information from across the newly created country. By 1872, the original four provinces of Confederation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario) had been joined in 1870 by Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, in 1871 by British Columbia. Prince Edward Island was in negotiations to join, which it did in 1873.   The newspaper provided Canadians with glimpses of places, events and people from across the country and created a base of common knowledge.

These images are prints: mostly wood engravings, lithographs or the newly invented photographic half-tone process.  They were cut from individual issues by collectors during the 1920s and 1930s and most have come to the NBM as part of the John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection.  The NBM’s Archives & Research Library Department also houses intact individual issues and bound volumes in its holdings.   Most of the images were made by artists who transformed original drawings, paintings or photographs done by New Brunswick artists like Edward John Russell (Canadian, born in England, 1832-1906), George Thomas Taylor (Canadian, 1838-1918) or John Warren Gray (Canadian, born in England, 1824-1912) into prints.  Originally the images were produced in black and white and some of these versions have been hand tinted.

All the works are dated based on the publication date of the issue of the Canadian Illustrated News in which they were found.  The subjects or events, however, would have taken place a few days or even weeks before publication. The original titles and spelling has been retained.

Online versions of the Canadian Illustrated News can be found at:

Canadian Illustrated News, 1869-1883 - Library and Archives Canada (bac-lac.gc.ca)

L'Opinion publique | BAnQ numérique

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: Opening of the Academy of Music, St. John, N.B., 1 June 1872

     hand‑coloured wood engraving on wove paper, laid down on board

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W6725

Eugene Haberer, after George Thomas Taylor

     print: Edmundston, or Little Falls Village, N.B., 17 February 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W6342

Artist Unknown, after Notman & Fraser

     print: G. Stewart, Jr., Founder of "Stewart's Quarterly", 28 July 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W1685

Artist Unknown, after George Thomas Taylor

     print: Hartland or Becaquimic, 23 March 1872

     Collection of the New Brunswick Museum, W6330

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: View up the River St. John, 9 Miles above the Falls, 20 April 1872

     Collection of the New Brunswick Museum, W6343

Artist Unknown, after George Thomas Taylor

     print: View Looking up the River St. John, N.B., 3 Miles Above the Grand Falls, 16 March 1872

     William B. Tennant Collection, 23539

Artist Unknown

     print: Turning the First Sod on the River du Loup Railway, 1 June 1872

     New Brunswick Museum Collection, W6851

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: Grand Fancy Ball at the Skating Rink, St. John, N.B., 2 March 1872

     New Brunswick Museum Collection, W6718

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: Rescue of the Tug "Xanthus" by the "Hiram Perry" Off St. John Harbour,  6  January 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W1544B

Artist Unknown, after George Thomas Taylor

     print: Woodstock, N.B., 9 March 1872

     Collection of the New Brunswick Museum, W6314

Artist Unknown, after George Thomas Taylor

     print: Andover or Tobique, New Brunswick, 23 March 1872

     Purchase, 1936 (26061)

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: Snow Storm in N. B.: the E. & N. A. Railway Under Difficulties, 30 March 1872

     New Brunswick Museum Collection, W6381

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: St. John, N.B.: the Suspension Bridge, 20 April 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W1544

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: St. John, N.B.: The Clipper Ship "Great Republic", 25 May 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W636

Artist Unknown

     print: "Off the Track," Douglas Mountain, 8 June 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W5022

Artist Unknown, after Notman Studio

     print: Hon. Geo. King, M.P.P., Attorney General, N.B., 15 June 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W787

Artist Unknown, Canadian Illustrated News V:9 (2 March 1872) 132

     print: Quarry on Section 10 of the Intercolonial Railway, Newcastle, N.B., 2 March1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W1231

Eugene Haberer, after William Ogle Carlisle

     print: View up the Miramichi River from Newcastle, 21 December 1872

     New Brunswick Museum Collecction, W6339

Bohuslav Kroupa, after Edward John Russell

     print: New Brunswick: Wreck of the Steamer "New England", 24 August 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W756

Eugene Haberer, after John Warren Gray

     print: Mount Allison Weslyan College and Academies, Sackville, 3 August 1872

     New Brunswick Museum Collection, W6313

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: New Brunswick: Woodstock Camp, 28 September 1872

     Collection of the New Brunswick Museum, W6604

Artist Unknown, after Edward John Russell

     print: Masonic Celebration in St. John, N.B., 13 July 1872

     Webster Museum Foundation purchase, 1966, 1966.8.9

Bohuslav Kroupa, after Edward John Russell

     print: The Monster of Lake Eutopia, 30 November 1872

     John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W6433

Eugene Haberer, after Edward John Russell

     print: Collision on the Western Extension R.R., N.B., 14 December 1872

     Webster Museum Foundation purchase, 1966, 1966.8.2

Bohuslav Kroupa, after Edward John Russell

print: Rescue of the Survivors from the Wreck of the Schooner Reward during the Gale at St. John, N.B., on  30th

Ult., 21 December 1872, Webster Museum Foundation purchase, 1966, 1966.8.8

Artist Unknown

print: New Brunswick: Mill at French Fort Cove, Miramichi, 10 August 1872

John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W6618

Artist Unknown, after William Ogle Carlisle

print: New Brunswick: View from the Court House at Newcastle, 10 August 1872

John Clarence Webster Canadiana Collection, W6644