Russell Motor Cars Archival Photos

RUSSELL ARCHIVAL PHOTOS

If you have other original Russell pictures, or information about
any of these images, please email russell-knight@shaw.ca

Russell Model A cars on display at City Hall in 1905. T.A. Russell is behind the wheel of the closest car. July, 1905, ads stated that five Russells had departed on a tour of Ontario and Quebec. This scene may be the tour's departure. Click the image for a larger view.

This CCM postcard shows a 1905 Russell Model A with lights and top. Click the image for a larger view.

This image of a 1905 Russell Model A was part of an April 1905 article about the new Russell car.

Click the image for a larger view.

Also included in the Horseless Age article was this chassis-only view. Click the image for a larger view.

This picture shows a 1906 Russell Model B touring car on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. Note the light coloured right angle brackets on either side of the lower radiator. These are seen on the 1905 models (above) but not on the 1906 models (below). It may be that this was an early 1906 model. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item number na-1328-60015)

A1906 Russell Model B, complete with accessory top and windshield. Note the Maple Leaf crest below the driver's seat. This crest has been found on at least one surviving Model B. Click the image for a larger view.

This 1906 Russell Model B belonged to Mr. Udo Schrader of Saskatoon. He was a partner with B.E. Dutcher in the Imperial Land and Mortgage Company (later Dutcher-Schrader Co.). Also in the car is Ernest Schrader and two other unidentified men. Note the single acetylene headlight mounted on the dash. Click the image for a larger view. (Courtesy of Saskatoon Public Library, item #PH-91-158)

This is another picture of Udo Schrader's 1906 Russell Model B, alongside a 1907 REO. Click the image for a larger view. (Courtesy of Saskatoon Public Library, Item #LH-2940-1)

This third picture of the Schrader Russell Model B appears to have been taken later than the others, as the car is looking a little worn. Note the Canadian Maple Leaf on the side of the body. Click the image for a larger view. (Courtesy of Saskatoon Public Library, Item #PH-91-159)

A 1906 Russell Model C at the "World of Autos" show in Montreal, 1906. The four cylinder model C is identified by its longer hood and dropped front axle with semi-elliptical springs. At the wheel is F. L. D. Robertson, manager of The Eastern Automobile Co., and C. M. Ricketts, sales manager of C.C.M.

This is a 1906 Russell Model B two-cylinder touring. The occasion was the 1906 visit of Governor General Earl Grey to the File Hills Reserve in Saskatchewan. Cree leader Walter Dieter is delivering a welcoming address to the Governor General (in the rear seat), who served Canada from 1904 until 1911. The car behind appears to be an identical Russell Model B.

This is another picture of the Governor General's visit to File Hills Reserve, Saskatchewan. The third car may be a Russell also, although it has headlights which the others do not have.

This image shows a group of dignitaries visiting a First Nations reserve in southern Alberta, October 1906. It is uncertain if it is the same tour as the above photos, but the car on the left may be carrying the Governor General. The two cars on the left are 1906 Russells. Click the image for a larger view.

This is a closeup of the previous picture, showing only the two Russell cars. Click the image for a larger view.

This is another picture from the 1906 Earl Grey visit showing the four cars that were part of the group. The two Russells are on the right. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "The Russell")

This is the first new car to be brought to Prince Edward island. It was purchased by William K. Rogers in April, 1906, and is a 1906 Model B. Rogers quickly became a leading automobile activist during the years that P.E.I. banned or restricted automobile travel on the island. He was the first person to receive a ticket for driving on a day when autos were prohibited and proceeded to carry on an extended court case over the matter. Click the image for a larger view. (source: P.E.I. archives and History of Prince Edward Island Motoring book.)

This page is from the 1907 booklet called "The Russell." It was a collection of testimonials from early Russell owners. The Russells shown here are 1906 Model B touring cars in Winnipeg. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "The Russell")

This is another page from "The Russell" booklet. This Model B was in Brisbane, Australia. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "The Russell)

This picture is also from "The Russell". The car is a 1906 Model "C" and was owned by W & H Breweries of Brantford, Ontario. (W & H stood for Westbrook and Hacker.) Of course Mr. Westbrook spoke highly of their 1906 Russell Model C, a 20 HP 4 cylinder touring car that would carry seven passengers, but his testimonial also said, "My daughter Blanche, Mr. Hacker, and myself have kept this car going constantly ..."

It appears that 17 year old Blanche was one of the regular users of the company car. The accompanying photo shows Blanche at the wheel with four friends in the car. The caption indicates they were on a trip from Brantford to London, a distance of about 60 miles. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "The Russell")

An early Russell driving up Capilano Road in North Vancouver, BC. The column mounted shift lever as well as the shape of the radiator make it a 1906. The elliptical front springs make it a four cylinder Model C (source: Vancouver Archives)

This 1906 Russell Model C belonged to Mr. Sydney Vantreight of Saanich, B.C., near Victoria. The Vantreight family had a very successful strawberry farm on the Saanich Peninsula. In later years they grew and sold daffodils. This car has accessory headlights and windshield, and a curious object mounted on the left side of the dash - perhaps a horn? (source: Saanich Archives)

Plimley Automobile Co. Ltd. sold Russells, along with a selection of other makes, from this showroom on Government St. in Victoria, B.C. This circa 1910 image shows a 1906 Russell Model C touring (third car from the right). Perhaps these were hire cars (taxis) provided by Plimley. Click the image to view the full photo. (source: B.C. Archives, Item #A-03052)

In a well-promoted publicity stunt, this 1906 Russell Model C raced against an ice boat on frozen Lake Ontario, winning "by a nose". This car ended up for sale in Victoria, B.C. in 1907, perhaps after a cross-Canada promotional tour. The picture appeared in Industrial Canada in February, 1909. Click the image for a larger view.

This picture, from Industrial Canada March 1908, shows a 1906 Russell Model B in the hollow tree in Stanley Park (Vancouver). The Hollow Tree has been a popular photo stop since the horse and buggy days, and remains so today. The picture also appeared in the 1907 Russell publication titled "The Russell." Further down the page are more Hollow Tree Russell pictures.

This truck was featured in an article in The Horseless Age in October, 1910. It is one of the earliest references to the heavy Russell commercial vehicles manufactured in these times. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Horseless Age October 10, 1906.)

This picture of a pair of two-cylinder 1907 Russells in Australia appeared in Rod & Gun & Motor Sports in Canada in 1908. In 1907, the shape of the radiator trim was changed slightly and the two cylinder models received a flat topped dash, similar to the 1906 Model C. (source: cs.trains.com)

This postcard image shows one of the earliest automobile dealers in Queensland, Australia - The Canada Cycle & Motor Agency in Brisbane. They were importers of a variety of cars, including Russells. The car on the left is a 1907 Russell. Click the image for larger view. (source: RACQ Living)

This 1907 Russell Model E belonged to Mr. A. A. Baylis of Ottawa. Baylis worked in Real Estate as well as investments. He must have been a satisfied customer because he bought another Russell in 1909, a 24 hp Model L. (submitted by I. Hayhurst)

This 1907 Russell Model F touring was registered to James A. Patterson of Saint John, New Brunswick. He was a retailer of fishing gear and manufactured Cape Ann Oil Clothing. It is unusual to see a Russell this early with a painted radiator. Click the image for a larger view. (source: new Brunswick Museum 1964 147Z.)

This picture was taken in Blenheim, in Southern New Zealand. The Griffiths Brothers' Russell is the second car from the right. Russell Agent G. W. Woods had moderate success importing early Russells, mostly the two cylinder models, but by 1909 he was having more success importing other brands. Click the image for a larger view. (source: VCCNZ Beaded Wheels Magazine Dec. 1965)

This picture, from Industrial Canada May 1907, shows Russell two cylinder engines being tested at the factory. Click the image for a larger view.

Another 1907 Industrial Canada picture showing Russell workers assembling cars. Click the image for a larger view.

This picture of a 1907 Model D Russell appeared in the August 1907 issue of Progress magazine (New Zealand). Click the image for a larger view.

This picture of a 1907 Model F Russell appeared in the August 1907 issue of Progress magazine (New Zealand). Click the image for a larger view.

This picture appeared in The Busy Man's Magazine (MacLean's) in February of 1908. Russell had begun producing a two ton chain drive truck around 1907, although the company did not advertise any trucks until 1910. Truck models included police, ambulance, and delivery trucks as well as a sightseeing bus. This truck appears to have the column mounted shift lever, like the 1906 cars. Click the image for a larger view.

This picture also appeared in the February 1908 issue of The Busy Man's Magazine. It shows a lighter duty truck with pneumatic tires and shaft drive, and a more refined finish. The same photo appeared in the February, 1907, edition of Progress magazine in New Zealand with the caption "The Russell Hockey and Golf Brake". (Can seat 10 passengers) Click the image for a larger view.

This is an early Russell sightseeing bus, built on the Russell two ton truck chassis. This image also appeared in the February, 1907, edition of Progress magazine in New Zealand with the caption "The Russell Char-A-Banc or Open Motor 'Bus". The bus is described as a 20 passenger, 24 hp vehicle, fitted with Swinhart solid tires. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Busy Man's Magazine, Feb. 1908 also Canadian Courier 1908-03-28)

This image shows the first sightseeing bus in Vancouver, circa 1908, taking riders around Stanley Park. The vehicle was owned by A.L. Stirton and is identified as a Russell although it probably has a locally built body. It has solid tires and chain drive. The young fellow in the front seat is holding a bugle, which he would blow at the various hotel stops to signal the arrival of the Tally-Ho. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vancouver Archives)

This is another view of the Cheerie Park-Tally-Ho bus in Stanley Park. Interestingly, this same vehicle turns up a few years later in Anacortes, Washington, operating under the same business name. (source: New Westminster Archives, item #IHP0113)

In Anacortes, Washington, the Tally-Ho took sightseers out along Lake Forest Drive. Anacortes businessman John Wagner is in the rear seat of auto at the far side. His wife and sons are probably in the seat next to him. Nineteen people are aboard for an excursion around Anacortes and Lake Forest Drive (later changed to Heart Lake Road).

The ANACORTES AMERICAN, date unknown, states: "... Pictured above is an auto/bus with a capacity of 20 occupants and one of the first automobiles in Anacortes. Included are Wagners and Lowmans off on an all-day outing." Allie Burdon Soule (possibly) sits in the 2nd row of seats from the left with back to front of bus. She was identified by her daughter, Jean Forrest. (source: Anacortes Museum)

This picture was taken circa 1907 in front of the B.C. Auto Company in Vancouver, agents for Buick and Russell cars. The caption on the back lists the cars and some of the people shown. Of note is the last item, the vehicle on the farthest left, identified as "Russel [sic] Sight seeing car sold to Mr. Sterton [sic] for trips around Stanley Park." This would be the same vehicle shown in the previous pictures. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Burnaby Archives)

On Easter Monday, 1908, Southland's (New Zealand) first organized motor races were held before thousands of spectators. A Russell won each of the three heats. In this picture are (L-R): 1907 Model E (W.A. Printz), 1906 Model B (A.J. Johnstone), 1906 Model B (E.B. McKay), the eventual winner. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Progress Magazine July, 1908

"Ebe" McKay, the winner of the Invercargill races on Easter Monday, 1908. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Progress Magazine July 1908)

This is W.A. Printz in his 1907 Russell Model E, one of the winners in the 1908 Easter Monday races. The following month Printz, accompanied by Russell agent G.W. Woods, completed the 145 mile drive from Dunedin to Invercargill (New Zealand) in a record time of 5 hours, 45 minutes. This accomplishment touched off a very public, year long series of disputes and challenges between Woods and Thomas Stone, the De Dion agent. Details can be found in the Articles section of this website. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Progress Magazine, September 1908)

This car is reported to have been the first car in Gympie, Queensland, Australia. It is a two cylinder Russell, either a 1907 Model D or a 1908 Model G. The car was owned by Mr. Septimus Street, a self-taught mechanic who repaired bicycles and operated his car as a hire car. In this photo he is leading the parade at the annual Sports Day in 1909. His passengers include the mayor and several other men who would also serve as Gympie mayor. It appears that the car has a bit of a dent along the left side of the radiator. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Gympie Regional Library oai:bishop.slq.qld.gov.au:288299)

This 1907 Russell Model D (possibly a 1908 Model G) was operated by Campbell Bros. Bakery in Christchurch, New Zealand. The truck body may have been built by the importer. It appears to be well used by the time this picture was taken. Note the belt holding the rear hubcap in place. If the hubcap were to come off the free-floating rear axle would work its way out the side and the car would become immobile. Click the image for a larger view. (source: A. Swain)

Here is another view of Septimus Street's Russell, from a 1911 advertisement for his bicycle shop. Note that there is a box on each running board, perhaps a tool box on one side and a battery box on the other. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Gympie Regional Library)

This image shows the Russell display at the 1908 Toronto Auto Show. In the foreground is a limousine, presumably a 50 HP Model K. Next to it is a touring car which may be a 30 HP Model H and then a smaller car which would likely be a two cylinder Model G. Backed in behind the limousine is another small model.

Around the exterior of the display are Russell engines, a two cylinder alongside the limousine and a pair of four cylinder engines in front of the cars. Overhead are large banners advertising Russell cars and Dominion Automobiles, the local Russell dealer. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Cars of Canada, Baechler/Durnford)

This image is from the 1908 Automobile and Sportsmen's Show in Toronto. Judging by the dropped front axles, the two foremost cars are Model K ( the one on the right appears to be chassis only). The car in behind them, as well as the ones on the right have the straight tubular axle of a Model H or L. The smaller car off on the far right is probably a two cylinder Model G. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1908-03-28)

This is the 1908 Russell Model L that is on display at the Western Development Museum in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It was originally purchased by by Fred Green, an organizer with the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association. He purchased the car in Winnipeg and drove it all over Saskatchewan until his death in 1915. At that time the car was put into storage. It was acquired by the museum in 1948. The V-shaped crank bracket in front of the radiator seems to have appeared on the 1908 four cylinder models and lasted through 1909. (source: Western Development Museum)

This picture of a Russell 1908 Model L was taken in Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia. The roof and windshield look like they were added in Australia. The body may be Russell, but a close look shows that it has a low front door (fake) behind the spare tire. This may have been an aftermarket add-on, or part of an Australian body. Click the image for a larger view. (source: J. Palmer )

This was one of the first cars to appear in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It appears to be a 1908 Russell Model L. According to the archives notes the picture was taken in Spring of 1911. The driver is Fred Edmanson and the passengers (L-R) are George McDonald and Chris Doonan. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-1381-1)

A circa 1908 Russell used by New Zealand's Royal Mail service. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Busy Man's Magazine)

This is another picture of a Russell mail truck, from Progress magazine, August 1908. Wellington began motorized mail delivery in July of 1908 and were reporting delivery times were cut in half. Unfortunately, by February of 1910 Progress was reporting that the motorized mail delivery in Wellington had been discontinued due to the high operating costs. Tire and fuel costs were noted as the chief factors. The truck is a two cylinder 18 HP, probably a 1907 Model D. (The 1908 Model G cars did not have the curved rear fender tips.) It is fitted with Swinehard solid rubber tires. Click the image for a larger view.

This group of onlookers is getting their first look at an airplane, in Weston, Ontario in July 1910. Their car is a 1908 Russell Model K. The fifty horsepower, seven passenger touring sold for $4500. Weston was the location of the Russell factory.

This picture is from the Archives of Ontario Eaton Archives and is labelled as 1904, but all the cars appear to be newer than 1904. The occasion is an outing of the Toronto Automobile Club. J.C. Eaton, one of the club's founders, is driving the second car from the left which appears to be a 1909 Cadillac. The car on the right is a 1908 Russell 7 passenger Model K. Tommy Russell was active in this group and is probably in this car.

The other cars appear to be Packards, with their distinctive hooded fenders and belted hoods - features which would become part of the Russell brand beginning 1909. Click the image for a larger view.

This is another 1908 Model K, with a limousine body. The car belonged to Senator George Cox. The senator was one of the men behind the formation of the Canada Cycle and Motor Company back in 1899. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "A Great Way to Go: The Automobile in Canada")

This 1908 Russell Model G was saved from the scrap yard by Barney Pollard in Detroit sometime around the 1940s or 50s. Pollard collected hundreds of cars, hanging them from the rafters to squeeze more in. Many of them sagged down and rested in the mud, causing serious rust damage to the rear portions, like this car.

In the 1970s the collection was auctioned off after a fire destroyed about 100 cars. This car was purchased by Stan Reynolds in Alberta to become part of his collection, which is now the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskawin, Alberta. The car remains in this condition as of 2020. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Jeff Lee)

This postcard image shows the Canada Cycle & Motor Agency's new warehouse and garage in Brisbane, Australia. The building was probably built sometime around 1909. Canada Cycle & Motor Agency was not part of the CCM company. Click the image for a larger view.

George Kerr was a homesteader north of Franklin, Manitoba, in the 1870s. Along with his brothers, he became quite wealthy in the lumber business. In 1909 he purchased three Russell cars. He gave one to his doctor, Dr. Coad (seated in the car), one to his brother Robert, and kept one for himself. This appears to be a 1909 Model L or H roadster. (source: Manitoba Historical Society)

This appears to be a 1909 Russell Model H. Notice the rear fenders that flip up at the rear and the dual spare tires. The Model H and K cars had wider rear tires than front, so two spares were often carried. The large fold-over windshield was used on 1908 - 09 Russells. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

This is appears to be 1909 Russell Model L. The Model L had 1/2 elliptical rear springs with a horizontal bar that ran between the rear frame tips and spring shackles. This bar is just visible through the spokes of the rear wheel.

Notice the hand pump mounted to the base of the driver's seat, used for pressurizing the gas tank for better fuel flow. This model has rounder front fenders than the Model H in the previous photo. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

This may be the same car as the one in the previous photo as it was located in the same collection of photos and looks identical. Notice the step plate for rear door entry. The painted radiator shell, rather than brass, was optional. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

This is probably a 1909 Russell Model L, out for a winter's drive. The Model L was a smaller and cheaper car than the Model H. It appears that the Model L front fenders became less rounded sometime during 1909.

Russell literature referred to the Model L as the "Light Four." Note the tires chains on the rear wheels. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

A 1909 Model K Seven Passenger Touring. This may have been a CCM promotional shot as the car looks to be quite new. The toolbox and spare tire are not on the running board. The Model K had rounded rear fenders and was the largest of the 1909 models. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Floyd Clymer's Historical Motor Scrapbook)

A 1909 Russell Model K. The radiator shape and v-shaped crank support identify it as 1909. The hooded fenders identify it as a Model K. The rear passenger appears to be sitting on a running board mounted seat. Click the image for a larger view. (source: MacLean's Magazine)

This picture shows the Mitchell family of Nova Scotia in a 1909 Russell Model L Runabout. The picture was probably taken in the Fall of 1909, but the car is already showing a little wear, most notably in its missing right cowl lamp. It is identified as 1909 by its radiator style, V-braced crank, and tubular front axle. As well, the horizontal bar between the rear frame tips is just visible through the rear wheel spokes, suggesting it is a Model L with 1/2 elliptic rear springs. Note the headlight forks that mount into a socket on the frame. This is different from most other 1909 cars pictured and may have been a mid-year change, along with the front fenders.

For some time the Mitchell family lived in Chignecto, near Amherst. Forrest Henry Mitchell was listed in the 1911 census as an electrical engineer and may have been working on the development of a power plant at the Chignecto Mine site. Click the image for a larger view. (source: K. Snyder)

The two cars in the centre of this image may both be 1909 Russells. The one in the front could be a Model L and the one behind a Model K, with its curved rear fenders. Note the interesting paint job on the forward car.

This event was the Calgary Stampede parade and the image is dated 1912-09-02. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item number NB-45-1os)

This image appeared in the February 1909 issue of Industrial Canada and was also used in Russell ads that year. John C. Eaton was the head of the T. Eaton Company and was known as the first person in Toronto to own a car. He held Ontario licence number 1. He purchased this 50HP Russell Model K ($4500) at the 1908 Toronto Auto Show and CCM was quick to let the public know about his choice. Eaton was also one of the organizers of the first Toronto Auto Club (1903). Click the image for a larger view.

This image shows Mr. and Mrs. Herbert C. Cox in their Russell Runabout. It was taken in 1910 and the Cox's are leaving a horse show with a trophy in hand. Cox was in insurance and finances and was the son of Senator George Cox (see earlier image). His car was similar to the J. C. Eaton car (above) except that the Cox car has a "torpedo" style cowl with windshield and perhaps a top. This is probably a 1910 model. In 1911, H.C. Cox had Ontario registration number 321. It is not known who the rear seat passenger is.

In 1910 C.C.M. expanded their West Toronto factory to allow for increased production. This image shows the expansion in progress. At the far right is a 1910 Russell-Knight "38". Notice the signage for the bicycle companies that originally formed C.C.M. Click the image for a larger view. (source: W. Barrick)

This image shows the Canada Cycle & Motor Co. (Russell) display at the 1910 Toronto Automobile Show. The car on the left is a Model "R" (flat fenders and squared off lower radiator) as is the chassis only model on the right. The one on the right looks like a Toy Tonneau model (four seater). On the far right there is a two-seater runabout.

The car in the centre is Russell "38" with the newly introduced "Silent Knight" engine. Behind it the smaller Model "22", also with a Knight engine. Both of these cars have the optional painted radiator shell. It looks like there is a closed car behind the Model "R" on the left, perhaps a limousine model. It could even be just a limousine body, as the factory offered a winter/summer Model "R" package with both body styles for $3350.

From this image, it looks like the factory top on a Model "30" Toy Tonneau had a four-panel rear window while the "22" and "38" had a six-panel rear window. The Toy Tonneau has a lighter paint colour while the others were the standard Royal Blue colour. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1910-03-05)

This is an overhead view of the same auto show. The chassis only Model "R" is seen on the right and it looks like there are a few more Russells in behind. Also visible is the limousine, to the left of the Russell "38" in the centre of the display. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1910-03-05)

This excellent image show Mr. J. F. Cairns and family in their very new looking 1910 Russell-Knight "38". J. F. Cairns was a very prominent businessman and civic leader in Saskatoon. He owned the largest store in town, which was eventually bought out by the Hudson's Bay Company, and was active in politics and recreational life in Saskatoon. He was the first president of the Saskatchewan Auto club.

In this picture, the Cairns car has no top, although the top supports are all there. Also missing is the spare tire, although the brackets are there. Note the monogram on the rear door, the Prestolite tank on the running board, and the extra long speedometer cable hanging down beneath the front fender. The car also has optional seat covers and painted radiator. Click the image for a larger view. (Courtesy of Saskatoon Public Library, Item #LH-6441)

This picture was taken on the same occasion as the previous one. The building in the background is the J. F. Cairns store. The car parked behind the Russell "38" may be a 1910 Russell Model R "30". Click the image for a larger view. (Courtesy of Saskatoon Public Library, Item #PH-95-86-1)

This picture shows the Winnipeg Auto Club Annual Tour stop in Boissevain, Manitoba. It was labelled as 1911, but Manitoba began using porcelain licence plates in that year. These cars are all displaying leather licence plates so this would be the 1910 tour. Car #5 (bottom right) appears to be a 1910 Russell "30." Boissevain is about 170 miles from Winnipeg, a considerable drive in 1910. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Winnipeg Public Library, Rob McInnes Postcard Collection, item #MN0149)

This picture was taken around 1912 at 8th Avenue and Centre Street in Calgary, across from the Hudson's Bay store. The car in the lower right looks like a 1910 Russell. Identification is based on the fender mounted taillight and the window pattern in the top. The rear axle and differential also look like Russell. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-644-9os)

This rather run-down looking car is parked in front of the Ford-REO-Russell agency in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It has a fender mounted taillight, which means it may be a Russell. Other features such as the cowl lamp, windshield, door shape, and tool box do not rule this out. It is definitely not a Ford or a REO. It looks like a 1910 Russell "30" like the car in the photo above.

Manley, Loney, & Co. was a Real Estate and Insurance Company in Moose Jaw. For a few years the company also ran this car dealership. Major Richard Loney was a Boer War veteran who came to Saskatchewan in 1904 and was very active in business and social circles. For a time he was president of the Saskatchewan Motor League. (source: "Fargoguy")

This closeup is from a postcard depicting an outing on Vancouver Island. The location is the road between Nanaimo and Alberni. The car looks like a 1910 Russell "30". Click the image to view the full picture. (source: Automobile Saga of British Columbia)

This is an interesting picture of a 1910 or 1911 Russell. It could be Model "30" seven passenger or a Knight engined Model "22". It appears to be quite new as you can see the reflection of the Rushmore carbide generator in the paint just above it. Russell bodies had 20 coats of finish applied before leaving the factory. This car has a painted radiator shell instead of brass. Surprisingly, it has no spare tire (not even the mounting brackets to hold one).

If the 1911 Russell sales brochure drawings can be trusted this car is a 1911 Model "30" Seven Passenger Touring. Identifying features include: 14 spoke wheels, small Rushmore headlights, and no horizontal door trim across the rear door. For 1911 this model continued with outside shift even though most other 1911 models had inside shift. The seven passenger Model "30" was built on the 120" chassis of the 1910 Model "22" and it may be that the factory was using up some leftover 1910 Model "22" bodies. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

Toronto's streets were not ideal in 1912 when this Russell owner ventured out. It has a one-piece dash and an outside shift, suggesting it is 1911 Russell-Knight Model "30" seven passenger touring. Registration number 1014 was issued to Mr. A.G. Mather of Ottawa. Mather was an American inventor who moved to Ottawa around 1909. Along with filing numerous patent applications he was president of The Silicate Brick Co. of Ottawa and was a partner in Modern Machine Co.

Another view of A. G. Mather's 1911 Russell "30" seven passenger touring stuck in the mud. For 1911 Russell moved the shift inside the body, but not on this model, perhaps using up some leftover 1910 bodies. Also visible is the rear window pattern that is seen elsewhere on this page. (source: Toronto Archives)

A year later, but not much better. This may be another 1911 Russell Knight Model "30" 7 passenger. This one has a two piece dash and outside shift, but the body molding along the door is near the top rather than along the middle of the door. The licence plate (1913?) number begins with 'M'. Apparently this is a dealer plate, with the M referring to either Manufacturer or Merchant. Click the image for a larger view.

On August 15, 1910, Canadian Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier opened the first Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver. Spotted among the crowds and cars was this 1910 Russell-Knight "38" seven passenger touring. Perhaps this car delivered some of the many dignitaries who attended the event. Is that a flag draped over the folded top? Parked just out of picture on the right is a 1910 Napier much like the one that carried the Prime Minister. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vancouver archives)

This unidentified picture appears to show a 1911 Russell, possibly a Model "30" 7 passenger touring. It has the two-piece dash and outside shift of the 1910 models. However, the body side moldings are near the tops of the doors, not in the centre as the 1910 models were. The location of the horn bulb along the body sill was typical of Russells 1910 - 1912. Note the covered side lamp. These covers were listed in CCM's accessory catalogue for $1.50.

This image is taken from a larger picture showing the Vernon, B.C., Auto Club's first event (1912). The touring car shown here appears to be the same as the car shown previously. It has the same body side trim typical of 1911-12 models, with lower front doors, two piece dash, and outside shift typical of 1910 models. Click the image to view the full image. (source: Greater Vernon Museum and Archives)

This is a colourized version of the previous image which appeared on a post card. The artist has chosen a red shade to colour the Russell. Royal Blue was the standard colour for Russells at this time, but Deep Wine was listed as an optional colour.

This car may have belonged to Mr. Raymond Fitzmaurice of Long Lake, near Vernon. (Today Long Lake is known as Kalamaka Lake.) Fitzmaurice was a Notary Public and Insurance Broker who went on to a fine career with the Canadian Army, retiring as Colonel in 1932. He served as Mayor of Vernon in 1920. He was also described as "The Vernon Representative of the Russell-Knight Car in 1912." Click the image to view the full post card image. (source: Greater Vernon Museum and Archives)

This image shows another view of the 1912 Vernon Auto Club gathering as shown in the previous two pictures. (source: Greater Vernon Museum and Archives)

This appears to be a 1910 Russell-Knight "22" belonging to MacLaren Bros. Real Estate in Calgary. The Rushmore generator shows clearly because the car is missing its spare tire. (source: Glenbow Archives)

This is another view of the MacLaren brothers' car, perhaps with the brothers in it? (source: Glenbow Archives)

The MacLaren brothers appear to have had a pair of Russells. Both cars have the distinctive fender mounted taillight. The one on the left is an open door model with 14 spoke wheels, probably a 1910 Russell Model R "30". The one on the right has the small front doors and is a 1910 Russell-Knight "22."

A 1910 Russell "30" Runabout belonging to Joseph Flavelle. The Russell "30" models had the 14 spoke wheels. (source: Toronto World, Feb. 1911)

The notes in the Glenbow Archives identify this scene as a group of hunters picknicking near Strathmore, Alberta, and the car as a Russell. It appears to be a 1910 or 1911 Russell "30" with the rare Toy Tonneau body style. The photo was taken in 1913 and the car appears well-worn. In the photo are Tommy Robinson and Hugh Berry, along with two unknowns.

This poor quality image was found in a June 4, 1911 copy of the Toronto World. Children from the East End Day Nursery are being given a ride to a free concert in a car provided by W. N. McEachren. McEachren was a prominent lumberman and developer and had registration #5846 in the 1911 Ontario registration book. In 1917 his daughter married J. W. Flavelle's son. The car is a 1910 Russell-Knight.

It's tough to see, but this may be a 1910 Russell-Knight "22" Touring. The picture was taken on Foster Ave. in Perth, Ontario, likely in 1912. Behind the car is the building that housed "The Palm Gardens." Is this before the Gardens opened? This may be the same car that was stored in the McLaren barn on Scotch Line Rd. until 1948. That car is now in the Vancouver, BC, area and is used regularly. Can anyone find registration information for Ontario Plate (1912) number 12463?

In recent Perth history books the car in this picture has been identified as either "the Senator's car" (Senator Peter McLaren) or "Millie McLaren's car". (It is not known who Millie McLaren was, but the Senator's son was named Willie McLaren).

The parade may have been part of the 66th annual South Lanark Fair in September, 1912. To mark the opening of the new fairgrounds in Perth, a flower parade traveled through the town from the old grounds to the new grounds with many people lining the streets. The Perth Courier's account of the parade lists Willie McLaren as one of the participants in the motor car parade. Click the image for a larger view.

UPDATE: Recently an original manual has surfaced bearing the name W. L. McLaren and the serial umbers of the car that is now in Vancouver. This appears to confirm that the car belonged to Willie Lees McLaren of Perth, Ontario.

This is a 1910 Russell-Knight Limousine, parked in the centre of Bay and Adelaide Streets waiting for passengers to be picked up. (source: Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 Item 3062)

This tobacco ad, which appeared in The Canadian Magazine in April 1911, very clearly features a Russell (1910?). Is there a reason for that? Perhaps it is the car of choice for Canadian pipe smokers? Or could it be a subtle reference to the Knight engine, known to be a smoker? Click the image to view the full ad.

The three pictures above show the Calgary Auto Club on excursions to Banff, 1910 or 1911. There is one Russell in the group. The top two pictures show the rear view, with its taillight mounted on the left rear fender and centre mounted licence plate, typical of Russell cars. The pattern of the rear window, with two short panes across the top and two taller panes across the bottom is seen in photos of other Russells on this page. The third picture shows the front view of the car (right) with the same window pattern. The car in question appears to be a 1911 Russell, with Gray & Davis headlights. Click each image to view the full photo. (source: Glenbow Archives: NA-2414-6, NA-2811-1, PA-1352-1)

This picture, taken near Brooks, Alberta, and dated 1912, shows a group of Alberta Antelope hunters with their prey. The car looks like a 1911 Russell "30" Seven Passenger Touring. Note the CPR logo on the car. With five men, a dog, and two antelope, the ride home must have been crowded!

The men in the photo are identified as follows (L-R): Mr. Newlands, CPR engineer, F.R. Pike, driver, R.B. Sangster, manager of Duke of Sutherland's Ranch in Brooks, Alberta. The other two are unknown. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-986-5)

This image is labelled as an automobile rally in 1914 in Lillooet, B.C.. The second car from the left has B.C. plate #2503 and is a well-worn 1911 Russell (Model "30" or Model "22") registered to Angelo Rebagliati of Lytton, B.C. Mr. Rebagliati ran the General Store and Lumber Yard in that small community. The drive between the two towns is about 40 miles and travels through a very rugged portion of the Fraser Canyon.

The car on the right may also be a Russell. It has Russell-like flat front fenders, although the left one is rather crumpled. If it is a Russell it is a 1910 model, due to its two piece dash. It could be one of three Russells owned by A. E. Howse of Nicola. Click the image for a larger view. (source: B.C. Archives, item #A-03541)

This Post Card, postmarked July 1913, appears to show a 1910-11 Russell Model "30" Landaulet with updated fenders. Perhaps even the body was an update to the original car. The licence plate is from Quebec. (source: HCCA Ontario)

1911 Russell-Knight "22": This picture is from the 1911 Russell sales catalogue. In 1911 the Model "22" shared the shorter wheelbase and smaller wheels of the Model "30".

1911 Russell-Knight "26" Torpedo Roadster: From the 1911 Russell sales catalogue. The Model "26" was new for this year, the larger engine occupying the 120 inch frame that had previously been the Model "22".

1911 Russell-Knight "38": From the 1911 Russell sales catalogue. The Model "38" was the biggest and most expensive of the Russell-Knight lineup.

1911 Russell-Knight "38": From the 1911 Russell sales catalogue. The 1911 bodies had sleeker lines with inside shift and brake levers.

The car in this picture may be a 1911-12 Russell, perhaps a Model "22". It has its headlights mounted through the fenders as done for 1912 models. It could be the Calgary police chief's car, judging by the way it is posed with this Calgary police vehicle (a White) and its uniformed passenger. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Archives, item number pb-962-8)

The license plate on this car looks to be a 1911 Ontario plate. According to Ontario registration records, number 1241 was issued to Mr. R. C. Cowan of Oshawa. The car is a 1911 model, probably a Model 30 Seven Passenger Touring. This model featured a 120" wheelbase and body similar to the 1910 Model "22" with outside shift and two piece dash. The radiator and door trim distinguish it from the Model "22". Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

Each Russell was driven about 100 miles on a track and around Toronto for thorough testing. If it was deemed ready to go, the body was mounted and new wheels installed, to be ready for shipping. (source: Lost Toronto)

In January, 1911, ice flows blocked the intake pipes of Toronto's reservoir creating "The Water Famine." This photo shows the Canada Cycle & Motor Company's attempts to cope with the shortage. Click the image for a larger view.

This 1911 Russell-Knight "38" looks to be well-used, perhaps in a prairie province. Note the dual spare tires and the dual horns - one electric and one bulb horn. The electric horn was a factory option. Also noteworthy is the monogram on the rear door, suggesting the owner had some sort of social standing. Click the image for a larger view. (Source: L. Schubert)

This image shows a rare 1911 Model 26 with an even rarer Torpedo touring body. The Daimler-powered 26 HP model was sold from 1911 to early 1913, when Russell introduced its own Knight engine in the model 28. Of note are the exposed door hinges, which don't appear on the 1912 Torpedo models shown further down this page. The Torpedo cowl portion is also longer on this 1911 model. It's also interesting to note that the frame dips down beneath the cowl. This doesn't show in other pictures. Could this be some sort of prototype model? Click the image for a larger view.

This is a picture of M. Sydney King of St. Pacome, Quebec, in his 1911 Russell-Knight "26". Every fall he would dismantle the car (for maintenance?) and then reassemble it before the following summer. This picture shows the same rear window pattern as seen in other photos on this page. It also shows the ignition coil mounted through the dash (in 1910 the coil was mounted vertically on the dash) and the exhaust system passing down very close to the dash. By 1912, this was changed so that the exhaust ran straight down and provided more clearance to the dash. The car has an optional electric horn mounted on the left side of the dash.

Sydney King was a son of Edmund A. King, a prosperous member of "King Brothers," prominent in Quebec's Lumber and Asbestos Mining industries in the late 19th and early part of the 20th century. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This is another picture of Sydney King's 1911 Russell-Knight "26" (Quebec plate #35). Beside it (#116) is another Russell-Knight "26" that belonged to his brother-in-law, Harold Harding. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This picture shows Harold (Hal) Harding and his wife Ida in their 1911 Russell-Knight "26". It is the same car as shown in the picture above. (Note the turned down front bumper.) This car also has the optional electric horn. This car has a 4 bow top while the King car (above) has a 5 bow top.

In September of 1912 the Hardings and an unidentified couple (rear seat) set off for a trip to Quebec City, a distance of about 80 miles along the St. Lawrence. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This photo was presumably taken on the 1912 trip to Quebec City (see above). The car is Harold Harding's 1911 Russell-Knight "26". The woman in the light coat is Ida Harding.

Hal Harding appears further down this page with a 1914 Russell-Knight "42". Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This is another picture from the Harding collection, presumably either Harold Harding or Sydney King's 1911 Russell-Knight "26". Based on the 4 bow top, it appears to be the Harding car. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

Here is another Russell Torpedo Touring. It has exposed door hinges as seen in the 1911 Torpedo model shown above. The Torpedo was offered for both the Russell-Knight and Russell "30" models. This one appears to be either a "22" or "30". Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

The three images above all show the official car of the Mayor of Calgary. It is a 1911 Russell-Knight seven passenger touring, a model "38". Shown in the third picture is Calgary mayor John Mitchell, who was mayor for the 1911 and 1912 calendar years, so the car is quite new. The two top pictures are circa 1914-15. Note the crest on the rear doors of the car. This was something that could be ordered from the factory for a cost of $3.00.

Another picture of the Calgary mayor's 1911 Russell "38", this time outside the Albion Hotel.

Another picture of the Calgary mayor's 1911 Russell "38" outside the Albion Hotel. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-3171-17)

In 1911, The Automobile Livery Co. in Toronto had a fleet of Russell-Knight cars at your service, to be rented by the hour or by the day. The 1913 Toronto Directory shows the company address as 197 Victoria and lists E. W. Chantler as secretary. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Toronto World)

This 1911 Russell-Knight "38" was registered to Mr. L.G.B. Ellam of Vancouver. Mr. Ellam is listed as a chauffeur for the Georgia St. Auto Service. It appears he was in the sight-seeing business, stopping at the hollow tree in Stanley Park for this group photo. It seems that some cars had loop style door handles like this one while others had straight handles. L. G. B. Ellam purchased another Russell, a 1912 model, in July of 1912. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vancouver Archives)

A 1911 Russell-Knight at the residence of Sir Joseph W. Flavelle. Flavelle had the largest pork packing business in the British Empire and went on to be involved in other high level Canadian businesses. He was one of the men involved in 1899 formation of CCM and was also a mentor to Thomas Russell. During World War I he became chairman of the Imperial Munitions Board and as such had a role in shaping Russell's wartime munitions production. (source: Toronto Archives)

This image shows Mr. Richard Hall, with his father, wife and daughter, in the back of his car. The car is being driven by Hall's son and the location is just outside Victoria, B.C. The car is a 1911 Russell-Knight, B.C. registration number 149. Mr. Hall arrived in Victoria around 1880 and worked in whaling and sealing. He served as a B.C. MLA from 1898 - 1907 and was also active in the coal and insurance industries. The young daughter in the back seat eventually married into the Dunsmuir family, well-known for their coal and political involvement in British Columbia. Mr. Hall died in 1918. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

The following six pictures show the same car ...

This is the Richard Hall car again. In this photo the $5000 car shows jump seats as well as factory seat covers, an $80 option. This seven passenger touring is a Model "38", evident by the five bow top. The shorter wheelbase models had only four top bows. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

This photo of the Hall car was taken at Great Central Lake, North of Port Alberni in the middle of Vancouver Island. On today's routes this is a 145 mile drive and still out of the way. It would have been a long, rugged journey in 1911. The car looks quite new here as you can see some reflection in the rear door. It has its seat covers on and still has the belt over the hood. The bumper was a $12 option. It also has Gray & Davis lights, although some 1911 models retained the earlier Rushmore lights. Strangely, the left windshield to frame support appears to be missing its top half. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

This picture may have been on the same trip as the one above. The Russell-Knight still has its hood belt and seat covers and they are obviously out in the wilderness somewhere. The car in front is a 1911 Mitchell which appears in many of the family photos. It was registered to Mr. A.T. Lemon of Victoria. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

Here is another photo of the Hall car, along with their "other car," a 1911 Winton. The Halls had a preference for high-end cars. In this photo seat covers are still on and the left windshield to frame support is still half missing. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

This may be the same car as the picture above shows, but at a later date. The windshield has been replaced with a lower, more modern styled one, perhaps from a 1913-14 Russell-Knight. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

This picture just shows a glimpse of Richard Hall's 1911 Russell-Knight behind T.A. Lemon's Mitchell. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Flanagan)

A final picture from the Flanagan collection shows another(?) Russell in behind their Winton. This may be Richard Hall's car, but it has a different top (4 bows instead of 5) and appears to be an outside shift. It has 12 spoke wheels so it is not the Seven Passenger Model "30" shown in an earlier picture. It could be a 1910 model. It has a Prestolite tank on the running board instead of a generator. (source: M. Flanagan)

This picture shows Joe and Lizzie Price (rear) along with sons Leslie and Earl (driving). Seated next to Earl is his wife or fiancee Hazel. The car is a 1911 Russell-Knight Model "38" and probably had Ontario plate #1818. The family lived in Toronto, where Joe Price had a successful advertising business and was also a builder. Learn more about the Price family at the Price Family History website. (source: P. Warner, Price Family History.)

By 1914, jitneys were appearing on the streets of many cities. Jitneys would travel near the streetcar lines, picking up passengers for a small fee (in this case five cents). This picture was taken in Vancouver in 1915. The car is a 1911 Russell-Knight seven passenger touring and it belonged to Mr. A.M. Forbes until at least 1919. Click the image for a larger view. (source: City of Vancouver Archives1911 AM54-S4 Trans N87.03)

This may be the same Russell-Knight as in the above picture, B.C. 2456, although this picture was taken before the first B.C. plates were issued in 1913. Interestingly, this location is on Vancouver Island, quite a drive from the Vancouver location above. It's unusual to see a rear bumper on a car of this era. (source B.C. Archives)

Based solely on the fender mounted taillight, this could be a 1911 or 1912 Russell-Knight. The picture was taken at Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island. This could be a 1910 with its licence plate mounted in the centre of the body. Some 1911 models had the plate mounted beside the taillight on the left. Perhaps it was a mid-year change?

This image shows a 1911 Russell stopped at a watering trough alongside the Malahat Highway on Vancouver Island. It is either a Model "30" or a Model "22" (Knight). The 1914 plate shown was registered to Mr. George Pearson, who was a Real Estate broker who lived in Oak Bay, near Victoria.

The Malahat Pass is a pretty good hill to climb (and descend) so it may be that the driver was getting water for the car, or perhaps to carry in the car prior to making the climb. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Cars of Canada, Baechler/Durnford)

Another 1911 Russell-Knight being used as a jitney, this time in Toronto. (source: Toronto Archives)

This picture appeared in Jaroslav Petryshyn's excellent book "Made Up To A Standard" and shows a Russell Torpedo touring with sporty wire wheels. It is probably a 1911 model since it has gas headlights. It appears to have an Ontario Motor League radiator cap. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Made Up To A Standard, Petryshyn)

In this 1911 photo of spectators watching an air show, one car has its taillight mounted on the left rear fender. is it a Russell? Maybe. (source: Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 Item 68)

This is a closeup of a parade scene on Hastings St. in Vancouver. The date is pre-1913, judging by the licence plate on the limousine shown here. That car has its taillight on the left rear fender making it possibly a Russell. If it is, the rear mounted gas tank suggests a 1911 or later model. Click the image to view the full picture. (source: City of Vancouver Archives CVA 371-1022)

This image was on a postcard and shows James McLean (front passenger). He lived in the Richmond Hill area and this was his first car. It appears to be a 1911 or 1912 Russell "30". Note the electric headlights. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Richmond Hill Public Library Postcard Collection)

Judging from the fender mounted taillight and the squared-off windshield, this looks like a circa 1911 Russell-Knight. Other supporting indicators could be the centre mounted licence plate, the three quarter elliptical springs, and the puff of smoke that seems to be apparent at the left rear of the car. (source: Toronto Archives)

Could this be a Russell-Knight at night? It has the fender mounted taillight and the rear window pattern shown in other photos, such as the Winnipeg Reliability Run photo. Notice the tire chains for winter driving. (source: Toronto Archives)

This is a closeup of a photo taken in front of the Toronto Armouries horse show in 1912. The car on the left looks like a Russell, judging by the fenders, radiator, and windshield. The hanging crank suggests it is a 1911, probably a Model "30". In 1911 Ontario plate #7521 was one of three registered to E. J. Ellsworth of Port Colborne. The woman in the picture is the wife of Herbert C. Cox who had a 1909 Russell pictured above. (source: Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 item 1916)

This picture is labelled as the 1919 visit of the Prince of Wales to New Westminster, B.C., but it is probably the 1912 visit of the Duke of Connaught. The car appears to be a 1911 Russell-Knight Landaulet, fitted with electric lights. The car following looks very similar. (Source: Burnaby Archives Item 001-010)

A view of this car driving can be found at the 36 second mark of this City of Vancouver Archives video link: https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/1912-duke-and-duchess-visit . The brief appearance of the car is also at this link: https://youtu.be/NDa9pp-fbJM

This image shows a 1911 Russell, probably a model "22". Notice its 14 spoke wheels. The driver is Mr. A. M. Chisholm of Windermere, B.C. He settled in Windermere in 1907 and was Government Agent, Coroner, Magistrate, and Justice of the Peace. He also wrote western fiction novels. Click the image for a larger view. (Source: Windermere Valley Museum, # A0307)

This picture shows a 1911 Russell-Knight at the Hollow Tree in Stanley Park, probably a Model "22". Curiously, the rear door handle has been removed just like the car in the picture below. It may be the same driver, Mr. Hanlon G. Wickwire. However, there is no record of Wickwire having two Russells so he may have hired on as driver for someone else.

These two photos provide a good comparison of the 1911 and 1912 Russells. Differences can be found in the crank position, fenders, headlight forks, door hinges, wheels and toolbox. The windshields are different but both styles can be found on both 1911 and 1912 cars. Curiously, this car has a two piece dash which was supposed to be gone by 1911 and body moulding between the front and rear doors, which should be a 1912 feature. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Vancouver Province)

This picture of a 1912 Russell-Knight "22" was taken at Stanley Park's Hollow Tree (Vancouver) in 1915. The car was originally sold to Mr. Elliott Culver, a Real Estate agent, but by 1915 it was registered to Mr. Hanlon G. Wickwire. Wickwire came to B.C. in 1910 as a builder and worked with his brothers in Real Estate. By 1915 he was listed as a Chauffeur and it is likely he who is behind the wheel for this sightseeing trip through the park. By 1917 he moved to Alberta and the car was not registered in B.C. after that. Click the image for a larger view. (source: B.C. Archives)

On August 17, 1912, twenty-seven Russells were lined up for the Winnipeg Sociability Run. They appear to be mostly 1911 and 1912, both Russell and Russell-Knight models. The run went to Portage La Prairie and back, about 60 miles each way, and included about 100 other cars as well. Unfortunately, one of the Russells went off the road and experienced a serious crash along the way. Click the image to view the full image. (source: taxi-library.org)

This is a 1912 Russell "30" Roadster, owned by Telly Van Antwerp of Vernon, B.C. Not much is known about Van Antwerp, although his father was a well-known railway engineer. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vernon Museum #29753)

This is another image of Telly Van Antwerp's Russell "30" roadster. Note the large Gabriel exhaust whistle along the right running board. These were Russell factory accessories. The fact that it is on the right side identifies this car as a Model "30" with poppet valve engine. A Knight engined model would have the exhaust along the left side of the car. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vernon Museum #29754)

This 1912 Russell belonged to Mr. William Moore of Hastings, Ontario. It is either a Model "22" or a "30" and was the first car in Hastings. Notice the hubcaps with painted centres, something not seen in other photos. Click the image for a larger view. (source: H. Vermeulen)

This is another image of William Moore's Russell. Click the image for a larger view. (source: H. Vermeulen)

This is probably a 1912 Russell "30" seven passenger touring. The five bow top and the extra length between the rear door and the beginning of the seat arm indicates it is on the longer wheelbase. The windshield and wheels appear to be those of a Model "30". The trim around the doors is different from that of a "38".

In the car are Dr. Robert Allan Pyne and other York Club members. The occasion was the welcoming of the Duke (of Connaught?) in 1912..

This group is heading out on some sort of special trip in their 1912 Russell-Knight Model "22". The pennant on the driver's side says "Toronto." Click the image for a larger view.

This 1912 Russell was registered to William Penman of Victoria. This photo was from his photo album and was published in The Vintage Car, July 1961. The licence plate appears to be from 1915 and the location is the Malahat Drive, north of Victoria. Penman worked as a shingler.

The car is either a Model “30” or a Russell-Knight Model “22” and looks to be in pretty good condition for a three year old car. Click the image for a larger view. (source: The Vintage Car, July 1961)

This looks like a 1912 Russell Touring after a good day's fishing. Distinguishing features are the exposed brake arms in front of the rear fender as well as the brake linkage at the wheel. The body trim that extends below both doors places it as a 1912 model. The frame details and spare tire bracket also look like those on a Russell. Note the factory seat covers and fine pin striping.

The car belonged to Dr. John Nisbett Gunn, a Calgary eye specialist and avid outdoorsman. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #PA-2118-49)

This is the front view of Dr. Gunn's car from the previous picture. It has some aftermarket springs added to help on the rugged Alberta roads and appears to have had a bumper mounted to the front of the frame. Barely visible behind the front axle is a curved cross member which identifies it as a Russell "30" and it looks to be in pretty good condition for an "off-road" vehicle.

Note the diamond pattern of the rear window also the unusual headlight forks that mount to the fender instead of down to the frame. These headlight forks seemed to appear with the 1912 models. Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #PA-2118-48)

This is probably a 1912 Russell-Knight "22". It belonged to G.W. West of Innisfail, Alberta. In the back seat (L-R) are Mrs. G.W. West, F. O. West, and G. W. West. In the front seat are Jack (chauffeur) holding baby Bernard Stitt, and someone named Gladys.

In 1913, these two cars were photographed on the streets of Edmonton, on their way to Summerland. The car on the left is a 1912 Russell Touring, probably a Model "30". (Summerland, B.C. would be very long drive for these two loaded cars - perhaps there was an area near Edmonton that was known as Summerland?) Click the image for a larger view. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-1328-2058)

In 1911, the Canadian Pacific Irrigation Company purchased six Russell "30" cars for use in their prairie irrigation projects. The company already had several Russell in use and claimed they were the only cars that could stand up to the harsh driving conditions.

This picture was taken at Bassano Dam on the Bow River in Eastern Alberta. A group of people is visiting the dam prior to its opening and they have been travelling in three of the company's Russells. The licence plates on the cars appear to be 1914 (black on white), although they could be 1915 (black on yellow). The car in the foreground is a 1911 model but the car on the left is 1910 (it has a two piece dash). The Russells appear to have held up very well.

Construction was begun on the dam in 1910 and it was opened in 1915, so the occasion could have been the opening or a pre-opening inspection of some sort. The building of the dam was a major undertaking - over a mile long and costing 17 million dollars. Click the image for a larger view.

Behind this very nice Napier limousine is a line of "hire cars" (taxis) in front of the original Hotel Vancouver. It looks like there are two Russells in the group - the car at each end of the line. The picture was taken in 1912, because the Napier still has a leather licence plate. B.C.'s first provincial plates (porcelain) were issued in 1913. See below for closeups of these Russells. (source: City of Vancouver Archives item AM54-S4- SGN 1524)

This is a closeup of the car on the right end of the previous picture. It appears to have flat, peaked Russell fenders and the distinctive body molding around the doors as well as the tall Russell radiator filler. The crank is visible in the upright position, identifying it as a 1912 model, probably a Russell-Knight. (source: City of Vancouver Archives item AM54-S4- SGN 1524)

This is a closeup of the car at the left end of the line, two pictures above. It is taken from a different image. This car also has flat, peaked fenders and the tall radiator filler. The two cars may have had the same owner. Next to the Russell is a Winton, possibly owned by well-known Vancouver driver Harry Hooper. Click the image to see the full picture. (source: City of Vancouver Archives item AM54-S4- SGN 1543)

This picture was part of a 1979 Victoria Daily Colonist article about B.C.'s first car, and registration #1. That number was issued to John Barnsley, manager of the Union Steamship Company in 1904 for his Orient Buckboard. He replaced that car a few years later with a Clement-Talbot and in 1912 bought a Russell-Knight. Each of these cars kept registration #1. This picture may show Barnsley's Russell-Knight. If so, it would have been the recipient of B.C.'s first licence plate (#1) when the province began issuing plates in 1913. (source: Victoria Daily Colonist)

In September, 1912, the people of Calgary turned out to see the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. The Duke was the third son of Queen Victoria and had been named as Canada's Governor General in 1911. Here they are seen travelling in a 1912 Russell-Knight "38".

A 1912 Russell-Knight "22" decked out for some sort of occasion. The "38" often had 10 spoke front wheels. This one has a bumper and a very nice set of accessory headlamps. Click the image for a larger view.

This 1911 Russell-Knight was registered to Hon. William Templeman, Canadian Senator (1897 - 1906) and Member of Parliament / Cabinet Minister (1906 - 1911) for the Victoria, B.C., area. He died in 1914. This picture was taken at Mill Bay on Vancouver Island.

Note the rear mounted fuel tank. The Russell sales literature doesn't mention this as a change for 1911 but it appears that the 1911 models no longer had a gravity feed fuel tank under the front seat. The new system had a hand pump for pressurizing the system prior to starting. Once the engine was running an engine mounted air pump provided very light air pressure to the tank to keep it running. (source: Victoria archives)

This 1912 Russell-Knight "38" is posed in front of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria alongside three Cadillacs - two 1913s and a 1911. One of the 1913 Cadillacs likely belongs to E.A. Todd, the founder of the "Good Roads" movement in Western Canada. Each car appears to have six men in it, making for a pretty large gathering for this occasion. Click the picture to view the full image. (source: Victoria archives)

This appears to be a 1912 Russell-Knight "22". The Victoria police officer is posing with the occupants of the car, which doesn't appear to be too new at this time. The Model "22" had standard universal wheels, while the larger models had demountable wheels. The photo was taken at Humboldt and Wharf Streets in Victoria. (source: City of Victoria Archives, item #PR-0252-M06701

A 1912 Russell-Knight "22" at the Hollow Tree in Stanley Park, Vancouver. This car, B.C. registration number 857, was registered to Helen A. Wallbridge from 1911 to 1916. The driver is Mr. George Linsey who was the chauffeur for the Swedish Consul in Vancouver. In the back are Mrs. Linsey and a nanny who is holding the Linsey's twin sons. Mrs. Wallbridge's husband was a mining broker, so it seems that this was not the car that Mr. Linsey drove as chauffeur. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Findlay)

This scene was part of the Canadian Manufacturer's Association Maritimes Excursion in 1913. A large group of CMA members travelled by train to visit the maritime provinces. Upon arrival in St. John, New Brunswick, the members were taken around the town by local manufacturers. This group appears to be travelling in a 1912 Russell-Knight "38" seven passenger touring. The location of the inside door handle is a change for this year. previously, the handle extended through the top of the door. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Industrial Canada, Nov. 1913)

During World War I, funding was scarce for the Victoria, B.C., Fire Department. So, during that time they converted two cars into firetrucks. One was a Kissel Kar and the other was this 1911 Russell-Knight "38". The frame was extended and the firetruck apparatus added. This truck was used in Victoria for two years before being sold to the nearby Saanich Fire Department. (source: "First Water, Tigers" history of the Victoria Fire Department)

1912 Russell
Firetruck

Another shot of the 1911 Russell-Knight firetruck. This one was taken in the 1920s while it was in service with the Saanich Fire department. At the time it was Saanich's only truck and it remained in use until they purchased their second truck (a Cadillac) in 1926. It looks like they have beefed up the rear end with stronger wheels and larger tires. (source: Saanich Fire Department)

This closeup of cars parked in front of the Toronto Armouries (1913) may show a pair of Russells. The second car from the left appears to have Russell fenders and the square Russell windshield. The crank handle is at the 12:00 position, indicating a 1912 Model, if it is a Russell. The limousine on the right could be a Russell, but there aren't enough details visible to positively identify it. The fenders may be flat, Russell style. Click the image to view the full picture.

This 1912 Russell-Knight may be the "small" limousine, perhaps a model "26". The location is the 1912 Auto Show at the Toronto Armouries and the woman is identified as Miss Dyment. It is possible that the car belonged to, or was hired by, Mr. Albert Edward Dyment who was a three term MP representing East Algoma.

This 1912 Russell Landaulet was owned by a Vancouver car hire company called Terminal City Motors. In this picture from 1914 it was being used in a funeral procession. Terminal City Motors became a taxi company and operated in Vancouver through the 1920s. (source: Vancouver Archives AM54-S4-: Str P115)

This very clear image shows the Terminal City Motors' Russell Landaulet with wonderful detail. It appears to be a Model "30" Russell. It has oil/electric side and tail lamps but gas head lamps. It is also interesting to see that the head and side lamps are painted but the radiator and tail lamp are not. It is probably nickel plated. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vancouver Archives AM1535-: CVA 99-78)

A 1912 Russell-Knight Berlin (enclosed front) Limousine as shown in the February 1913 issue of MacLean's magazine. Click the image for a larger view.

This is another Russell jitney on the streets of Vancouver in 1914. It is a 1912 Russell-Knight "22". Business appears to be very good. Notice the car is driving on the left side of the road. British Columbia didn't change to the right side of the road until 1921.

This car was originally registered to Charles Gardner-Johnson but was sold to E. A. Hooper by this time. During WWI it was shipped to Prince Rupert for use by the Royal Taxi Service and the Prince Rupert Auto Company, then to John Russell Smith in Smithers in 1919.

Another rare body style - the 5 passenger Torpedo. This is a 1912 with its gear and brake levers moved inside the body. Note that it has electric lights, an option that year, but also a Prestolite tank on the running board. The tank would have been part of the (optional) acetylene self-starter system. Also note the cowl, which is shorter and steps up more than that seen on the 1911 Torpedo touring shown earlier on this page. This car appears to be sporting an Ontario Motor League radiator cap.

Aemilius Jarvis was a very successful businessman, founding the Steel Company of Canada and serving as President of the Trader's Bank of Canada, among other accomplishments. He was also a champion equestrian and yachtsman and was involved in the formation of the Royal Canadian Navy during World War I.

Here is another 1912 Torpedo. This one has gas lamps but wire wheels. Plate # 855 was registered to Thomas Long, a successful businessman and provincial politician. Click the image for a larger view. (source: "A Great Way To Go: The Automobile in Canada)

Australian newspaper articles reveal that some Russells were imported as "chassis-only" and then received bodies from local body builders. It is believed the body builder was James Flood & Co. in Melbourne, the largest body builder in Australia.

This 1912 Russell belonged to Mr. William H. Kennedy and the picture was taken at Mt. Gambier. It is probably a Model R "30". Click the image for a larger view. (source: State Library of Australia oai:collections.slsa.sa.gov.au:(AuASA)b20315533)

This is a 1912 Russell-Knight "22". Accessories include bumper, spare tire cover, and seat covers. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Schubert)

This circa 1913 Vancouver image shows the view looking East along Hastings St. from Hornby. The second car from the bottom is a 1912 Russell-Knight Torpedo roadster. Distinctive features are its flat front and rear fenders as well as the windshield. The inside shift makes it a 1912 model, as the 1911 roadsters still had an outside shift.

Also in this picture may be a 1911 or 1912 Russell-Knight "38" touring. It's the fifth car from the bottom, hiding behind another and facing away from the curb. There's not much to be seen, but the radiator looks like it could be Russell and it has the belt loop on the hood. The jump seats and five bow top would make it a Model "38". Click the image for a larger view. (source: Vancouver Archives, item number Str P372)

This is a 1912 Russell Roadster, evidenced by its very squared off front and rear fenders. The crank at 12:00 position makes it a 1912. The picture was taken at Mckay School in Edmonton. The group was preparing for the Shriner's Parade. The roadster appears to have a 1913 licence plate on the front. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #NA-1328-64285)

This picture is from the same event as the previous photo. The Russell roadster is on the left. The car on the right looks like a 1912 Russell touring. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #na-1328-64287)

This third picture from the 1913 Shriner's Parade in Edmonton shows the Russell Touring (right) a little better. Note it has accessory seat covers. (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #na-1328-64286)

A lineup of 1912 Russells in Hamilton, Ontario. From left to right are a roadster (with wire wheels), torpedo, and two touring cars. The Hamilton garage was located at 24 - 26 Charles St. from 1912 - 1916. The passenger in the car on the right is Lloyd Evans. (source: Hamilton Public Library Archives & Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society)

There's not much to go by, but the car in this 1912 image from the Toronto Horse Show may be a 1912 Russell-Knight. It has the same windshield as used on Russell cars and the other visible features could be Russell. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1912-05-11)

Could this be a 1913 Russell-Knight "38"? The body, windshield, and steering wheel look like Russell, but the fenders do not. In 1913, all Russell advertising seemed to be focused on the new models "28" and "42". However, the models "22", "26", and "38" were apparently still offered as 1913 models, at least until the much delayed Model "28" was available. Could it be that these modern fenders were added to the 1912 Model "38" to carry them over into the 1913 model year? There don't seem to be any other pictures to confirm this. Click the image for a larger view.

Or, could this be the 1913 Russell-Knight "38"? The body has the unique "sculpt"at the front edge where it meets the dash, but it has no door moulding and no door handles - very smooth sided like the 1913 models. It also has larger brakes than the 1911-12 models, but the fenders, windshield, and hood latches look like Russell. It has electric lights, which were optional in 1912 and standard by 1913.

The only person identified in this picture is the woman with the white hat. Her name is Selma Ann Henke and she lived the small town of Brouse, B.C. (in the southeast, near Arrow Lake). According to the Arrow Lake Historical Society website this picture may have been taken in the Vancouver area. Selma appears in the Vancouver directory for 1916 only, living with her older brother, so it may be that this picture was taken during that year. (She would have been 20 years old.) Selma seems to have returned to Brouse; she was married there in 1924. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Arrow Lake Historical Society and Archive)

This image was published in a booklet called "The Material The Works and The Car" published in 1914 by RMCC. It shows the final assembly stage in the Russell factory.

The cars shown here have a flat dash like the 1910-12 models. They also have a right side exhaust manifold so they seem to be Model "30" cars. They have a very smooth and straight sided body. These may have been the late 1912 or early 1913 models. Click the image for a larger view.

In 1913, the Lethbridge Fire Department motorized their fleet. Their order included this Russell-Knight "28" Touring to serve as their first Fire Squad car. (source: lethbridgefirefighters.com)

In apparent contradiction to the above photo, this picture shows the Lethbridge Fire Department with a motorized vehicle that is older that the 1913 Russell. This car may also be a Russell (i.e., it has the blunt, flat front fenders like a Russell) but it looks like a 1911 or 1912.

A 1913 Russell "30" with electric lights, out for a winter drive on the Dufferin Street Pier. According to the source, "the man in the car [passenger?] is Mr. McGarry" It may be Thomas W. McGarry, who was the provincial treasurer during WWI (source: Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 Item 1451)

This car, with plate number ??89, may be a 1913 Russell like the one above. It appears to have Russell fenders and steering wheel. The windshield looks the same and it has electric lights. As well, the second car behind it could be a similar Russell. It has Russell flat fenders and a rear fender mounted (oil) taillight

The picture, from March 1914, was taken in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The passengers in the cars were settlers from Colorado who had arrived on the train. They were being taken for a tour of Medicine Hat before settling in Gem, Alberta. The passenger in ??89 is identified as Viola Shanks (later Mrs. Leggett). (source: University of Calgary Digital Collections, item #na-984-1)

This is a second picture apparently taken on the same occasion as the previous one and published in the Toronto World in February, 1913.

This image appeared in a February 1913 Toronto World feature showing Canadian managers of various car companies. Charles M. Rickets was manager of first C.C.M. then R.M.C.C. when it was formed. This car is not one of the new 1913 models, the "28" or "42", because it is a right hand drive. It could be a 1912 model, or an early 1913 Model such as is shown in the previous image. C.M. Ricketts lived at 28 Sussex Ave.

In April of 1913, this Russell-Knight "38" was registered to H. A. Bigelow and William "Wiggs" O'Neill in Northern B.C. Bigelow was a developer and O'Neill had the contract to clear much of the land that would become Smithers, B.C. As well, they operated the Auto Stage, carrying passengers from the end of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad at Hazleton to stops along the Bulkley Valley as far as Telkwa. It was a 12 hour drive, about 60 miles.

This picture was taken at Glacier House in 1913, a few months after the Russell-Knight had arrived in the north. The car had an optional front bumper and would have cost about $5300 in Vancouver, before shipping by barge to Prince Rupert and rail or riverboat to Hazleton. This model was a carry-over from 1912, with electric lights and starter added. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Bulkley Valley Museum, item #P0753)

This is another picture of the Bigelow & O'Neill car. It was on a postcard and this may have been a promotional item. The licence plate is 1914 and the sign behind the car seems to be inviting land purchases in an area called Pleasant Valley, which was about 30 miles south of Telkwa.

It is likely that the man behind the wheel is Wiggs O'Neill. The man beside him could be H.A. Bigelow and the four men in the back may be potential buyers. Notice that the car has had a radiator mascot added since the previous picture. It also has a bit of a crumple in the right front fender. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Bulkley Valley Museum, item #P0153)

In this picture, O'Neill and presumably Bigelow are standing beside the Russell-Knight while a group of people pose in the car. The picture was taken in 1914 at Round Lake, about 6 miles southeast of Telkwa. The two men seem to have put a lot of mileage on the car travelling up and down the Bulkley Valley. Notice that the right front tire is bald. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Bulkley Valley Museum, item #P1397)

This picture was captioned "End of Steel Auto Stage". Wiggs O'Neill married a woman named Steel, so perhaps the Auto Stage was in her family name. The picture was taken in Hazleton, at the end of the stage's line. At the wheel is Olive Wrathall and standing in the back is Jack Wrathall. (William Wrathall, the photographer, opened his photography business in Hazleton in 1908.)

The licence plate appears to be black on white, indicating a 1914 date. The horizontal item below the front door is probably an exhaust whistle, another optional item. (source: Prince Rupert Archives, Record ID 2074)

This final picture of the Bigelow & O'Neill Russell-Knight shows some roadside repairs near Hazleton. The front seat cushion has been lifted, suggesting a gas tank or fuel problem, but the people seem to be using a pole to lift the rear wheel - perhaps the car was stuck on a high rock? The open rear door gives a nice view of the jump seat in the rear. This picture is also from the William Wrathall collection.

This car eventually ended up in Prince Rupert, where it operated as a taxi for the Ford Taxi Service. It was in use there until at least 1919. (source: Prince Rupert Archives, Record ID 2075)

The Russell exhibit at the 1913 Toronto Auto Show, featuring three of the new Russell "28". Click the image for a larger view. (source: Maclean's Magazine)

This photo was taken in Stoney Creek, Ontario, around 1916. The owner of the Russell-Knight "28" is the woman in the centre of the rear seat. The driver is her son and his sister and brother are also in the picture. The son was only allowed to drive the car on special occasions or Sundays to go to church. The rest of the time she drove it herself.

This car is interesting in that it has oil/electric lights while other Model "28" cars have all electric lights. Perhaps it was an early model, although delivery of the Model "28" was delayed until early in 1913 due to production problems. This was the first Russell with four doors, left hand drive, and centre shift - which makes one wonder why the tool box was located at the driver's door. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Nash)

Tucked in behind this 1911 Cadillac is a Russell-Knight displaying British Columbia dealer's plate #51. The event was the re-opening of Kingsway on September 30, 1913. The car is probably a 1913 model but it is possible that a dealer could have an early 1914 model by that time. In 1912, dealer plate #51 was registered to The Columbia Taxi-Cab Co. Ltd. at 833 Pender St. - right next door to the Russell Motor Car Co. By 1913 the company had moved to a Hastings St. address.

Kingsway, previously known as Vancouver Road, had been widened and repaved for this re-opening. The road joined Vancouver and New Westminster and connected to highway 99 to the USA. Local newspapers reported that 600 motorists joined the parade for this occasion. Click the image to see the full picture. (source: City of Vancouver Archives item AM54-S4-2 CVA 371-2295)

This picture, taken in 1914 in New Westminster, B.C., shows a 1913 Russell-Knight "28". The crown shaped radiator cap seems to have been standard on Russells from 1913 on.

At the wheel is the owner, Fred T. Parmiter, and beside him is Mr. Woods, a local bartender. Parmiter was a farmer. It is possible that this is the same car as in the previous picture. Click the image for a larger view. (source: New Westminster Archives item #IHP7138)

This picture appeared in the Sydney Sun (Australia) on April 8, 1914. Mr. Gardiner drove his 1913 Russell-Knight "30" from Sydney south to Begs and then up the 7000 foot Mount Kosciusko. The round trip would have been almost 800 miles. The Sun reported, "Mr. Gardiner drove a 30 h.p. Russell car and speaks well of its performance throughout the run."

This picture is labelled as being taken at Algoma Station in Fort William in June, 1913. It could also be Sault Ste. Marie or Port Arthur. The car fully loaded car on the left is a 1913 Russell-Knight 28. It looks like all these cars are taxis loading off the train. (source: Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 Item 9128)

This image shows a Russell-Knight "28" belonging to Charles A. Warren of Golden, B.C. He was the local General Store owner and Post Office agent at a time when the town was booming due to the arrival of the railroad. In 1909 he became the first car owner in Golden but the make of that car is not known. He drove it until late 1912.

In April of 1913 Warren purchased a Russell-Knight "28" touring. It was registered with B.C. plate #5766 until the end of 1913. Three months later he had a Russell registered with plate #7002 which he used until 1916.

It is possible that both registrations were assigned to the same vehicle, or perhaps that Warren's 1913 car somehow became inoperable by the end of 1913 and he replaced it with another in 1914. In B.C. at that time licence plates stayed with the car from year to year, even if it was sold.

Regardless, this is C.A. Warren's Russell-Knight "28". Note the rear windshield which has been folded down. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Golden Museum & Archives, #P00458)

The 1913 Russell-Knight "28" Touring as shown in the 1913 catalogue. Click the image for a larger view.

The 1913 Russell-Knight "28" Limousine as shown in the 1913 catalogue. Click the image for a larger view.

This image was published in a booklet called "The Material The Works and The Car" published in 1914 by RMCC. It shows a car being road tested prior to the body being installed. It is probably a 1913 Russell-Knight 6 cylinder Model "42". Click the image for a larger view.

This is another photo showing the factory testing, which was done prior to fitting the body. This car is a 6 cylinder, 441 cu. in. Russell-Knight "42". The massive car had a 144 inch wheelbase and a base price of $5000.

Seated in the car is Harold Hunt, who worked in the RMCC factory during the 1913-14 years before moving to Detroit. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Kohl)

This picture shows Harold hunt again, this time in a 1913 Russell-Knight Model "28" ready for testing. Note that this smaller model has only two running board brackets while the larger car (shown above) had three. Also evident here is the unusual round shaped transmission with its progressive shift.

The number 6083 written on the radiator of this car would be the serial number of the car. With no assembly line, each car was assembled individually and most parts were marked with the car's serial number. Click the image for a larger view. (source: M. Kohl)

This third picture from the Harold Hunt album shows a group of RMCC workers posing with a 1913 Russell-Knight "42" that is almost ready for its road test. (source: M. Kohl)

A June, 1915, article in The Toronto World, described the contributions of Russell made ambulances to the war effort in France and Belgium.

In July of 1915 the Canadian Courier reported on this ambulance which had been donated by the Saskatchewan I.O.D.E. for use overseas. It was capable of carrying four patients on stretchers, with room for an attendant, or 10 patients seated on benches. Although its straight dash and open front make it look older, it had rounded front fenders and a Bijur starter and lighting like the 1915 Russell models. It is probably built on a 4 cylinder Model "32" (Knight) chassis. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1915-07-31)

This Russell-Knight six cylinder "42" ambulance was donated to the Toronto General Hospital by John C. Eaton, youngest son of department store magnate Timothy Eaton. The ambulance appears to be built on an automobile chassis but it's interesting to note that it has dual rear wheels. (source: City of Toronto Archives)

Another shot of the T.G.H. ambulance, with John Eaton. John inherited the T. Eaton Company in 1907 and became president. In 1915 he was knighted, becoming Sir John Eaton.

In 1926, an article in the Winnipeg Tribune reported that this ambulance was still in service, having covered over 660,000 miles in twelve years. Click the image for a larger view. (source: City of Toronto Archives)

The first Toronto city ambulance, a Russell-Knight "28". Note: the newspaper caption seems to confuse this ambulance with the Eaton-donated six cylinder ambulance. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Toronto World, July 5, 1914)

This item appeared in the Toronto World in May of 1913. J. A. Jacobs was a dry goods merchant who invested in cobalt and silver mines, making a fortune by 1909. After selling his interests he continued his business interests as a director with several mining companies. (Busy Man’s Magazine, January, 1909)

Although the magazine caption says this is a Russell-Knight ambulance doing Red Cross service, it may be a McLaughlin based on the banner it is carrying. It's not unusual to see some confusion between the two Canadian makes. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Western Call, November 12, 1915)

Nothing is known about this 1913 or 1914 Russell, but it is an interesting photo. The long, sloping front fenders indicate that it is a 6 cylinder model "42". However, it has no top and no toolbox on the running board. It also appears that the hood, fenders, and splash apron are a lighter colour than the body. Could this be a very early or prototype model? It is certainly unique among the other pictures found. (source: AACA Forum, "Sandtrooper")

This image appeared early in 1914 to promote the Model "42" Russell-Knight. The car had a six cylinder 441 cu. in. engine, a 140" wheelbase, and sold for $5000. (source: Canadian Courier 1914-02-14)

This image was published in a booklet called "The Material The Works and The Car" published in 1914 by RMCC. It shows a 1913 Russell-Knight "28" engine being tested. Click the image for a larger view.

This image was published in a booklet called "The Material The Works and The Car" published in 1914 by RMCC. It shows a 1913 Russell-Knight "32" 6 cylinder engine being assembled. Note the large flywheel which housed the USL starter. Click the image for a larger view.

This image was published in a booklet called "The Material The Works and The Car" published in 1914 by RMCC. It is identified as "The chassis Department."

Strangely, though, the chassis on the left may not be Russell. It has a left hand drive and a left side exhaust system. The 1910-12 Russells with the Daimler Knight engine had left side exhaust but right hand drive. As seen in the photos above, the RMCC built Knight engines had right side exhaust. The chassis on the left also has a much larger radiator and a different transmission than the chassis on the right. Click the image for a larger view.

This image appeared after the conclusion of the 1914 300 hour endurance testing of a Russell-Knight "28" engine. In the following weeks Russell offered $10000, then $20000, to any company that could beat their results. Click the image for a larger view. (source: Canadian Courier 1914-02-14)

This picture appeared the November, 1913, issue of "Western Canada Motorist" as part of a review of 1914 models. It shows a 1914 Russell-Knight "42" Berline Limousine, $6200

A shot of the luxurious interior of the 1914 Russell-Knight "42" Berline Limousine. (source: Western Canadian Motorist)

The six cylinder Russell-Knight engine, as shown in the Toronto World, February 15, 1914.

The 1914 Russell-Knight "28" Berline Limousine (source: Toronto World February 15, 1914)

Sir Edmund Walker was a banker, philanthropist, and patron of the Arts. He was president of the Bank of Commerce for 35 years and is credited with charting successful courses through many good times and bad. (source: Toronto World, February 15, 1914)

This post card photo shows a 1913 or 1914 Russell-Knight "28". The licence plate is from Quebec, 1914. Click the image for a larger view.

This image shows a 1913 or 1914 Russell-Knight in Ontario. The licence plate is 1916 and the car still looks quite good so it is more likely a 1914. There is a sheet metal "tray" extending in front of the lower radiator and between the frame rails. This piece is evident on the car pictured above and may be a difference between 1913 and 1914 models. Pictures of the cars in the Manitoba museum (1913) and the Ottawa museum (1914) support this theory. Click the image for a larger view. (source: S. Passfield)

This photo is part of the set showing the cars of Sidney King and Harold (Hal) Harding of St. Pacome, Quebec. It is a 1914 Russell-Knight "42" and it may have belonged to Sidney King. He is also shown earlier on this page with his 1911 Model "26". The Model "42" was a large, expensive six-cylinder car with an aluminum body. This one has optional seat covers.

This photo was labelled "At Mme. Dupuis - St. Roch." Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

Although the caption calls it a 1910, this is Harold Harding's 1914 Russell-Knight "42". It is not the same car as the one in the photo above as this one has a nickel plated radiator shell while the car in the photo above has a painted radiator. This one also has a windshield mounted spotlight.

The caption says" One of Harold Harding's first cars. At the end of each Autumn Harold Harding and Francois Boucher would disassemble the car's engine. In the spring, they would reassemble it." Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This is another picture of Harold Harding's 1914 Russell-Knight "42". The driver is Harding's chauffeur, Joseph Ouellet. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This is another picture of Harold "Hal" Harding in his 1914 Russell-Knight "42". The car looks very new at this point. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This is another picture of Harold "Hal" Harding's 1914 Russell-Knight "42", this time with the top up. The car looks very new at this point. Click the image for a larger view. (source: G. Harding)

This picture was taken in at an automobile run in Victoria, 1918. The car at the front of the line on the right may be a 1914 Russell-Knight. Compared to the picture above, it appears to have the same fenders, radiator, bumper, and cowl lamps. It also may have the tall Russell "Crown" radiator cap. The two round windows in the top are the same as the 1914 Russell-Knight in the National Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.

The 1913 Cadillac in the front (plate #5649) belonged to A.E. Todd, founder of the Victoria Auto Club and the Canadian Highway Association. Click the image for a larger view. (source: B.C. Archives, item #A-00946_141)

This picture was used in a January 1915 Russell advertisement. It shows the factory buildings on either side of the street. (source: Industrial Canada)

This picture appeared in the same ad as the above image. It shows a 1915 Russell six cylinder "Six-48" (Knight) model. Note the sporty wire wheels. Click the image for a larger view.

This picture was on the title page of a 1915 RMCC publication titled "The Pride of Ownership." The booklet featured testimonials of satisfied Russell owners. Some of testimonials were reprinted in Russell advertisements in early 1915.

Of note is the fact that it shows a seldom-seen 1915 Russell Roadster.

This may be a picture of a 1916 Russell Light Six. The car belonged to Mr. William McMillan of Jacquet River, New Brunswick. He was known to have been a Russell owner and also one of the earliest car owners in the area. He was a successful local businessman, operating a lumber mill and then founding the McMillan Co. Store. It was a major department store from 1910 until it burned down in 1930.

The only visible differences between this model and the 1915 Six-30 are the hood (no louvers) and the running board splash aprons (plain). Under the hood was a smaller Continental engine than the 1915 car had, with Westinghouse electrics. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Tissington)

This is another picture of the W.R. McMillan car, stuck in the mud. Click the image for a larger view. (source: L. Tissington)

This photo is labelled on the back as follows:
     Russell Motor Car Co. Employees
     Weston Road Date? Approx. 1910 - 1915.
     Top row 2nd from right - Charles Calhoun,
                                      - father of Reta Calhoun
                                      - resident of 176 Rosemount Ave. Weston

The information above appears to have been added to the picture in the 1990s by Tom or Irene Nease of Woodbridge, Ontario. In the 1911 directory Charles E Calhoun is listed as a machinist living at North Station, near Church, in Weston.

This original photograph was generously contributed by B. Clarke. Click the image for a larger view.

The Russell "Death Machine." In 1914-15 Russell was contracted to build 40 armoured cars for the Canadian Militia, funded largely by John C. Eaton. The cars were built on a Jeffery truck chassis and powered by a Buda engine. After testing in Toronto they were shipped to England, where they sat for 2 years without seeing any action. Eventually half were sent to Ireland and the the other half to India, where they were used until 1928.

The book "War Cars" by David Fletcher suggests that four Russell armoured cars and one Russell-Knight scout car were on board the S.S. Shirala when it was attacked and sunk on July 2, 1918. The ship was making its way to India and also carried a large quantity of spare parts for the Russell machines.

The above pictures are from a Russell Motor Car Company book titled "A Great Achievement" and dated December 31, 1917. It presents the work of the Russell employees producing ammunition at the RMC factory during World War I.

Are there more Russell photos, particularly of the later model Russells?
If you have one, please email russell-knight@shaw.ca.

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