Kamloops thrift store gets unique family albums, looking for owners
Something very unique and historical was dropped off at a thrift store in Kamloops, and the store owner is concerned it may have been a mistake.
SPCA Thrift Store owner Bonnie McBride found family albums full of photos of World War II and a tour taken through Europe in the early fifties.
“They are fascinating and meticulously put together with dates, names and places,” she said.
McBride said she has received personal family memorabilia in thrift store donations before, and sometimes the special items ended up there by mistake. She is determined to check for family connections before passing the archives on to a new owner.
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The albums came with an intake form from the Okanagan Military Museum that shows they were loaned to the museum for the year of 2004 by someone named Barbara Pollard.
“They include incredible detail of Europe during and after the war but also clearly have family in them,” McBride said. “I’m hoping someone will recognize the family they belong to and confirm they were meant to be donated.”
McBride discovered the donated albums just a few days ago.
“It is funny how often we end up with things we are nervous about processing,” she said. “We try to converse with people when they are donating and sometimes we just don’t. We’ll find special things like baby albums and try to connect people with things they accidentally donated.”
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McBride said there is a market for historical family albums and if she is unable to find the owners she will find an appropriate place for them.
“We have old things go to antique stores that are looking for something like this,” she said. “We have stuff go to collectors and to people who are really interested in memorabilia.
“Someone has done such a good job which makes me think these albums are loved. If that love and story made it through the generations of this family then it might be very important to someone.”
If you have any information on the archives please phone the BCSPCA Second Chances Thrift Store at 1-236-425-1615 or stop by at the store at 1211 8 Street, Kamloops.
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