Astle Family Photo ID Project
HLSL is currently researching a collection of artefacts pertaining to the rich history of Métis. Part of the collection are early black and white photographs pertaining to the Astle family.
Beyond documenting the bustling operations of the Seaside House Hotel, the Astle photographs offer important insight into the everyday life of people living in wartime Canada. From hoteliers to handmaids, soldiers to sailors, bathers to busboys, these images provide a glimpse into the stories that shaped our community as we know it today.
HLSL needs your help to reconstruct these stories.
We encourage you to use the links provided below to browse some of the Astle photos and to share your insights on their contents.
Whether you recognize a person, place, or simply have a story to share about the hotel, we are eager to weave your thoughts into the development of our research.
(Then above link will open to a Google Drive file of images to peruse.)
(The above link will open to a Google form which may be filled out.)
These objects will eventually be displayed both online and in-person in a curiosity cabinet to be installed in the new Espace Métis. We invite you to come and view some of these artefacts and to read about the people they unite. The exhibit launches on July 1, 2026 at Espace Métis, 160 Rue Principale, Métis-sur-Mer, QC G0J 1S0.
Iris Bednarski and Tommy Wylie are working on the Astle Family Photo ID Project and the Cabinet of Curiosities with the generosity of the McGill Arts Internship Office of the Faculty of Arts
We’re grateful to our funders for supporting this project: Canadian Heritage and the Jack Herbert Foundation
