Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Photograph |
Collection |
Oil Museum of Canada Collection |
Accession number |
OMC FD |
Catalog Number |
OMC FD.002.005.014.p |
Date |
ca. 1911 |
Description |
Black and white photograph of International Driller, William McRae in the passenger seat of an open air car in the Dutch East Indies taken prior to 1911. He is wearing a white muslin suit and a golf cap. A man in white clothing and straw hat is driving the car on the left side and a local boy is standing next to the car. |
Provenance |
International Driller, William McRae spent many years with the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company in Borneo and Sumatra. He was born in Beauharnais, Quebec on February 15, 1867 and moved to Petrolia as a small boy, after the death of his father. He lived with his uncle, William H. Hammond, a prominent oil producer and refiner, and learned the trade of drilling oil at which, according to his obituary, he excelled. William McRae was among the first of the International Drillers to leave Petrolia and spent 25 years of his life abroad in Borneo, Java, and Sumatra. McRae acquired hunting skills from his uncle and became a renowned hunter himself. Many photos had been taken of McRae and his hunting trophies, one of which was an elephant. During his last trip, he was sent home because he was suffering from malaria. McRae did return to work, but eventually had to retire due to his health. He died from the ravages of gangrene and is now buried in Hillsdale Cemetery in Petrolia. |
Print Size |
19.8cm x 15cm |
Search Terms |
Cabinet Card Car Dutch East Indies International Driller Java Photograph Sumatra White Muslin Suit |
People |
McRae, William |
Place |
Sumatra/Java, Indonesia/Dutch East Indies |