Most of the photos in my grandmother Winnie Foote McBride’s collection lack specific identification, but this one of a scene at Ward and Vernon intersection dates itself with a banner on a streetcar promoting a July 11, 1902 performance at the Nelson opera house by visiting entertainers Marietta Ladell and Teresa Flanigan.

Intersection of Ward and Vernon streets in Nelson, BC. Date is identified by banner on streetcar publicizing a show at the Nelson Opera House on July 11, 1902 featuring performers Mariette Ladell and Teresa Flanigan. Winnie Foote Collection

It looks like construction work is happening on the heritage building that today houses Touchstones.I did a search on the BC Historical Newspapers web site, and saw a write-up in the Nelson Daily News of July 12, 1902, which is posted here.

Article in July 12, 1902 Nelson Daily News

The Daily News writer suggests that the performers made a big mistake in not advertising their event in the paper, resulting in the event being cancelled due to lack of attendance. In another search, I found an ad promoting the pair in a concert with others in the Winnipeg Tribune of May 8, 1902, posted here.

Perhaps they missed the deadline for ads in the Nelson paper, or just could not afford it, and thought they could attract enough people by putting a banner on a streetcar that many would see and spread word to others. Online searching shows that Ladell was an elocutionist and impersonator, while Flanigan was a soprano singer. Based on news articles, Ladell was on the road with different partners for many years, performing in small towns in Canada and the U.S.