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A guide to the Robert S. Boyns photographs, 1883-1911
P78-318a (SAFR 23375)  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Access
  • Publication and Use Rights
  • Processing Note
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition Information
  • Historical or Biographical Note
  • Collection Scope and Content
  • Collection Arrangement
  • Related Materials

  • Title: Robert S. Boyns photographs
    Date: 1883-1911
    Identifier/Call Number: P78-318a (SAFR 23375)
    Creator: Boyns, Robert S.
    Physical Description: 5 items.
    Repository: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
    Building E, Fort Mason
    San Francisco, CA 94123
    Abstract: The Robert S. Boyns photographs, 1883-1911, (SAFR 23375, P78-318a) are comprised of images photographed by Robert S. Boyns showing a group of sail and steam vessels, FAIRFIELD (built 1855; scow schooner), and a lateen rigged small boat on San Francisco Bay, California. The collection has been processed to the Item level and is open for use.
    Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
    Language(s): In English.

    Access

    This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
    Glass lantern slides may require special handling by the reference staff.

    Publication and Use Rights

    Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

    Processing Note

    Each photographic image has been assigned an Item number; in one instance, there are three forms of one image (1 black-and-white lantern slide, 1 black-and-white preservation contact negative, and 1 black-and-white copy print) which has been noted in the physical description field.
    The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
    Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

    Preferred Citation

    [Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P78-318a (SAFR 23375), Robert S. Boyns photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

    Acquisition Information

    SAFR-00001
    GOGA-00789
    These photographs were a gift from an unknown source on an unknown date. They were formally accessioned on May 17, 1978.
    SAFR-00001 is a blanket accession that was transferred from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in September 1988. GGNRA had previously acquired the collection from the San Francisco Maritime Museum when it became a unit of the National Park Service in 1977.
    GOGA-00789 was transferred from the J. Porter Shaw Library to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in February 1985.

    Historical or Biographical Note

    Robert S. Boyns (1867-1935) was an employee of the Young Men's Christian Association and Prudential Life Insurance Company in the San Francisco Bay Area of California circa 1880s-1910.
    Robert Smith Boyns was likely born in 1867 in Cornwall, England. He immigrated to the United States circa 1883-1884 and he settled in Northern California. San Francisco and Sacramento area newspapers from 1888-1900 occasionally advertise lectures by Robert S. Boyns at various Young Men's Christian Association locations where he served as secretary. He evidently changed professions and became an employee of Prudential Life Insurance Company in 1902 (Prudential's New Pacific Coast Division, 453). He married Grace Miller in 1909 and around 1911 they moved to Seattle, Washington. While in Seattle, Robert continued to work for Prudential and served as president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1921. He died in 1935 in Seattle.

    Sources:

    • "Breaking Ground for the New Building of the Young Men's Christian Association." San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), March 11, 1893.
    • Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Accessed May 21, 2013 from www.ancestry.com.
    • Great Registers, 1866-1898. Microfilm, 185 rolls. California State Library, Sacramento, California. Accessed May 21, 2013 from www.ancestry.com.
    • Inkersley, Arthur. "What San Francisco has to start with." Overland Monthly and the Out West Magazine vol. XLVII, no. 6 (June-July 1906): 486.
    • "Marriage Licenses Issued." Sausalito News (Sausalito, CA), November 20, 1909.
    • "Prudential's New Pacific Coast Division." The Standard 64, no. 18 (May 1, 1909): 453.
    • Seattle City Directory, 1921. Seattle, WA: L R. L. Polk & Co., 1921.

    Collection Scope and Content

    The Robert S. Boyns photographs, 1883-1911, (SAFR 23375, P78-318a) are comprised of images photographed by Robert S. Boyns showing a group of sail and steam vessels, FAIRFIELD (built 1855; scow schooner), and a lateen rigged small boat on San Francisco Bay, California. The collection has been processed to the Item level and is open for use.
    Contains photographs of San Francisco Bay sailing scenes as photographed by Robert S. Boyns, 1883-1911. There are 3 unique photographic images in 5 physical forms (3 glass lantern slides, 1 preservation contact negative, and 1 photographic print). One photograph shows a group of sailing and steam vessels underway on New Year's morning. In the second photograph, FAIRFIELD (built 1855; scow schooner) is underway. A boat rigged with a lateen sail is underway in the third photograph.

    Collection Arrangement

    No arrangement due to the small size of the collection.

    Related Materials

    The SFMNHP Classified photograph collection contains additional lantern slides photographed by Robert S. Boyns depicting scow schooners in the San Francisco Bay Area and ELECTRA (built 1868; bark, 3m) on the San Francisco waterfront. See A12.14513, A12.15177, B11.14172, and B11.14173.
    • This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Scow schooners
    Small craft
    Fairfield (built 1855; scow schooner)
    San Francisco Bay (Calif.)
    San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)
    Lantern slides
    Black-and-white negatives
    Black-and-white prints (photographs)