Norman with his camera collection, c.1940 City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1244, Series 1453, File 27

The Archives recently acquired the Norman James scrapbook, containing dozens of photographs from the personal life of this former Toronto Star photographer. Norman followed his father William into the photography profession, and it was Norman who sold his father's collection to the City Archives in 1976.

The William James collection, which consists of approximately 12,000 photographs, is one of the most popular and heavily used of all the collections within the Archives.

Norman joined the Toronto Star in 1933 as a freelance photographer covering everything from royal visits and state funerals to snowstorms and elections. He received several awards for his work, including a National Newspaper Award in 1967 and was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame in 1981.

Press scrum surrounding Prime Minister Mackenzie King, with Norman in background, 1945
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1244, Series 1453, File 31

Retirement came in 1973, after over forty years since starting as a junior with his father's firm in 1929.

Norman married Kay in the 1930s and they had one child, Mary-Louise. The family moved to Markham where Kay became the first woman to be elected to that municipality's Council. He died in 1992, at the Aurora Resthaven nursing home, aged 85.

Baby Mary-Lou in bathtub ca. 1930 City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1244, Series 1453, File 12

Kay and Norman James cutting their wedding cake. City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1244, Series 1453, File 11