The fonds consists of prints and negatives taken by surveyor Frank Swannell (1880-1969) during his surveys of the interior of British Columbia between 1900 and 1932, when he retired, and in 1934, when he accompanied the Bedaux Expedition across north-western British Columbia in its unsuccessful attempt to find its way from the Peace river country to the Pacific. Included are photos of survey operations at several locations in British Columbia including: Dean River, Bella Coola River, Nechako River, Cheslatta Lake, Blackwater River, Finlay River, Ingenika River, Morice Lake, Eutsuk Lake, Tesla Lake, Sigutlat Lake, Reef Canyon, Ft. St. James, Lillooet District, Quesnel, and several Indian Reserves; land and river surveys in several locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories including: Cheslatta, Milnes Landing, Ft. Babine, Ft. St. James, Ft. McLeod, Finlay Forks and Prince Rupert, B.C.; Ft. Norman, Arctic Red River, and Aklavik, N.W.T.; Ft. Chipewyan, Alta.; views of Eutsuk Lake, Oosta Lake, Dean River, Peace River, Morice Lake, Fraser Lake, Ingenika River, Columbia River, Skeena River, Stikine River, and Chilcotin River, B.C.; Cowichan-San Juan survey, 1937; S.S. Kaiwo Maru; aircraft of Western Canada Airways, Fokker Super Universal, Junkers; several unidentified aerial photos; Alexander Mackenzie's route, 17 July, 1793; L. Spencer-Palmer, and portraits of Joseph Hunter and Palliser.
Swannell, Frank : Photographer; British Columbia Land Surveyor.