30 Funny Photographs Capture Canadians Have Fun While at Work and Play From the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

Reuben R. Sallows (1855-1937) was born and raised on a Huron County farm in Canada. He moved to Goderich in 1876, becoming a traveling salesman for local photographer Robert R. Thompson. Two years later, Sallows became Thompson's apprentice, and, in 1881, bought the business.

During the next decade, Sallows developed a reputation as a craftsman in formal portraiture, pastoral photography, and stereoscopic images. Besides building a substantial business, Sallows subscribed to the professional trade journals and was an active member in the Huron Photographers' and Canadian Photographers' Associations.

A rogue photographer, Sallows did not wait for clients to enter his studio. He took his camera everywhere: in his black Ford Model A truck, in a hired canoe and on the newly installed trains that crisscrossed Canada between 1881 and 1937. He photographed people at work and play in the small towns, farmlands and in the expansive Canadian wilderness of Ontario, the western rovinces and northern Quebec.

His photographs are full of detail and drama, lightened at times with a bit of humor. Below are some of interesting photographs from his work.

Posed picture of four men and bicycles after crash on path, 1897; three women in background; trees frame view on either side.

A boy holding a stick contemplates hitting backside of a large man, Jonathan Miller who is standing in front of fence reading a newspaper.

Group portrait of five men, some of whom are dressed women's bathing attire posed on dock in Lake Huron, 1897.

Young boy sits on an overturned pail feeding a piglet with a bottle, 1920.

Two women laying among foliage; both wear long-sleeved blouses with ties at neck; woman in front lays across the lap of the other; two hats in foreground, wide-brimmed straw hat on left, hat trimmed with flowers on right.

Group photo of seventeen men and women in park setting in 1897; lake bank in background; musical instruments in foreground or in hands of people; single chair on extreme right; y-shaped tree frames image on left.

Posed group portrait of fourteen men and women, 1897; figures alternate between men and women with men seated on bicycles; all men wearing hats; building in background with banner suspended from pillars.

Group portrait of thirteen men and women, facing front, 1897; six lay in foreground with bicycles; six women stand holding banner in background; central character wears hat, holds guitar in front; tent in background.

Fifteen men and women seated on porch, 1897; many wearing hats or holding instruments; bicycles in foreground; banner suspended from pillars.

Menesetung Park, July 1897. Group portrait of five men, some of whom are dressed women's bathing attire posed building a pyramid on beach; canoe in foreground; dock in background.

Parade of bicycles in centre of streetscape in Goderich; buildings in background; small boys, pole and puddle reflecting same on right.

Studio portrait of ten women; each wears large hat, crepe paper aprons, plus crepe paper collars and large ties; two women seated on floor in front; three in centre are seated on chairs; five stand at back; woman standing on extreme left wears dark striped jumper over light blouse; woman standing on extreme right has bow on shoe.

Two men cutting a pine tree with a cross saw in 1917; both wearing hats, pants, shirts and suspenders; large tear in left knee of pants worn by man on left; axe leaning against large tree on right.

Two women standing in snow-covered field wearing snowshoes in 1910; women wear dark skirts, light woollen sweaters with dark collars, cuffs and trim, dark mittens; woman on right has sweater unbuttoned, black ribbon tie around neck and hat with long tassel; trees in background.

Man on snowshoes carries timber wolf on back across flat snow-covered surface in 1919; wears dark cap and pants, dark woollen sweater and leather vest; carries rifle in his left hand; moustache; faces right; treed shoreline in background on right.

Lumber jacks, 1917. Eleven lumber jacks standing in front of cookhouse or bunk house with two men in background to the left; all wearing hats; man to the extreme left wearing darker colored clothing; man to the right wearing lighter colored overalls; building has icicles hanging from it.

Man sitting on stump receiving haircut from man standing behind him, 1917; both shown in profile facing right; man giving haircut wears dark clothing; man receiving haircut has bushy, grey beard; building in background has icicles hanging from it.

Four women in a field of wildflowers; head and shoulders of woman seated on extreme left is shown in profile, she wears a bonnet; woman second from left is shown crouched with back to camera; oldest woman, positioned right of centre is standing, wears a light hat trimmed with coloured ribbon and large single flower, holds bouquet of flowers; woman sitting on right has knees drawn up in front of her, wears a light bonnet with large bow at back; trees in background.

Seven people posed sitting on grass in field, 1900; woman on right wears dark dress with high ruffled collar, dark cape with light buttons and dark hat; man, second from right has dark suit, hat, and tie, two chalk stripes on bottom of each shoe; four women, dressed in suits, wearing hats, seated in back; man laying in foreground, Reuben R. Sallows, wears dark suit with vest, light fedora, dark tie, light shirt, hands are crossed and left hand holds air release cable for taking photograph; rail fence in background on right; trees in extreme background.

Two women, dressed in bathing costumes pose in field beside inland lake; woman on left stands with foot resting on log, wearing dark bathing costume with wide light stripes; woman on right is in crouched position, facing the photographer, with hand holding chin, wears striped costume with wide lace collar; trees in background; lake on right in background.

Two women standing on either side of an urn filled with flowers in a garden; both women wearing long light dresses with lace collars and three-quarter lengthened mutton sleeves; woman on left wears a light hat, dark gloves and a broach; woman on right wears a dark hat, dark gloves, belt and necklace while holding a small box-shaped purse; trees in background; wooden ladder leans against tree on right.

Little girl sitting in rocking chair bottle feeds lamb in 1919; girl in profile faces left; wears cotton smock over corduroy coat, dark stockings, high-topped buttoned boots; hair tightly braided, large bow in hair; set in pasture field; bush in background on right.

Three young women paddling in a canoe with bow in lower right corner, 1909; subjects face the photographer; woman on right wears light colored striped skirt, light colored blouse with brooch at neck and dark cardigan; woman seated in middle wears dark skirt, striped blouse; woman on right wears light colored skirt, blouse and sweater with black trim; all have upswept hair; treed shoreline in background.

Man shooting rifle from kneeling position in canoe, 1909; back to photographer, rifle pointing left; wearing felt hat pulled down over ears, woollen sweater and dark pants; canoe positioned horizontally; reeds in foreground; water and distant shore in background.

Woman seated on right, facing left, takes photograph of standing infant and dog; woman wears light-colored dress with long sleeves, high-necked collar and lace ruffle at shoulder; holds camera on her lap; infant, standing on right; back to photographer; wears bonnet and long dress; small white dog sits on round piano stool in centre of image; blurred image of houses in background.

Woman standing, facing left, taking photograph of large man seated; man on left wears dark vest, pants, bow tie, white shirt, pocket watch chain, seated on wooden chair, facing right; woman wears white floral dress, upswept hair, stands facing left, holds camera at waist; orchard in background on right; road extends from lower right corner to upper left quadrant.

Young girl stands, facing left, holding lead of a horse; girl wears knee-length dark dress, white tights, black shoes; long hair tied back with large bow; horse has white blaze and markings at rear hooves; tree at right of frame and in upper left quadrant.

A group of people gathered in front of 2 wagons with a grove of trees in the background. Snowden farm, Bayfield, ca. 1900s.

Young girl stands, in profile facing left, in middle of field; holds black pail; wears dark striped dress, bare legs, high-topped boots; fair hair pulled back with large white bow; chickens to left and in foreground; wooden gate and line of trees in background. 1920.

Florence Sallows and friends, c. 1910. A group of women leaning up again a fence. They are all holding hats. One of the women is identified as Florence Sallows.