Catalogue description Daniel McDonald Photographic Collection

This record is held by Ballast Trust

Details of DM
Reference: DM
Title: Daniel McDonald Photographic Collection
Description:

5000+ photographic negatives detailing a variety of sailing vessels and related imagery.
Date: 1913-1980
Arrangement:

The collection is sorted into nine series, by vessel type or content/context type.
Related material:

Shipping postcards and some notebooks held by GlasgowLife Museums.
Held by: Ballast Trust, not available at The National Archives
Former reference in its original department: n/a
Legal status: Not Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Daniel McDonald
Physical description: 15 index boxes (2.5 linear metres)
Dimensions: n/a
Physical condition: 5000+ photographic negatives held inside 17+ card index drawers/boxes.
Access conditions:

No restrictions.
Immediate source of acquisition:

William Lind purchased collection from Muriel McDonald in 1996.
Accruals:

No further accurals expected.
Publication note:

'The Clyde Puffer', published by David & Charles, 1978. The Ballast Trust Flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ballasttrust/albums/72157621779896773/
Subjects:
  • Ships
  • Photography
  • Sailing Vessels
  • Steam Vessels
  • Motor Vessels
  • Clyde Steamers
  • Passenger Vessels
  • Puffers
  • Yachts
  • Fishing
  • Negatives
Unpublished finding aids:

Electronic list of items within the collection is available as a spreadsheet from The Ballast Trust.

Administrative / biographical background:

Daniel (Dan) McDonald was first and foremost a ship photographer, having developed the hobby in his youth. He was born on the 13th November 1899 in Kingston, and died on the 4th April 1988. Throughout his life he worked as a member of the Glasgow Corporation Parks Department, briefly interrupted by the First World War through his service to the King's Scottish Borderers and the Highland Light Infantry. On the side, he studied and photographed a wide variety of sea-faring vessels, writing numerous notes and articles on the subject and eventually, a book entitled 'The Clyde Puffer'. Due to his accrued knowledge he became a popular lecturer with many different clubs and societies, including the Old Glasgow Club and the Master Mariner's Club. This collection of his negatives was accrued on the 6th March 1996, and shares ties with other records that can be found in Glasgow's Museum of Transport (now GlasgowLife Museums).

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