Purdy was a guard for the Canada Atlantic Railway Line (now the Queensway). He manned the Main St. crossing in Ottawa East near the canal.

These photos were taken by James Ballentyne who lived just south of Purdy’s Crossing at 54 Main St.

Ballantyne was an original member of the Ottawa Camera Club (1894) and there are more than 750 of his photos online at Library and Archives Canada.

R Taylor’s House

Someone called R Taylor lived just north of Ballantyne on the other side of the tracks across from Main St. and Harvey St. which used to be called 5’th St. back in those days. I’m guessing it’s named after Mrs Harvey and her sisters. They raised cows in a field near 5’th St.

More Photos