George A. Gauvin

George Alfred Gauvin (8 August 186318 July 1933) was an American-born Canadian photographer and co-founder of Gauvin & Gentzel.

Early life and education George Alfred Gauvin was born of French descent in Burlington, Vermont, United States, on 8 August 1863. His father, Léon (or George) Gauvin, and his mother, Rose Gilbert, were both from Quebec. By the mid-1890s, they established the Elite Studio in Halifax under their commercial photographic company, Gauvin & Gentzel.

G.A. Gauvin was a founding member of the Halifax Camera Club, serving as one of its vice presidents in 1896.

He attended the annual photographers' convention held by the Photographers Association of America in Jamestown, New York, between 11 and 16 July 1898. Gauvin also attended the second annual convention of the Photographers' Association of New England, which took place in Boston at Grundmann Studios in late July.

Gauvin was elected in 1907 as a delegate for the Maritime provinces at the 10th Annual Convention of the Photographers' Association of New England in Boston. On 2 October 1908, G.A. Gauvin photographed the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone for the Memorial Tower at Sir Sandford Fleming Park. The group photos included Sir Sandford Fleming and Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia Duncan Cameron Fraser, among others.

The photographer remained in Halifax in 1905 as his partner, Adolphe Gentzel, launched a branch of the company in Winnipeg. The Halifax studio, later run by Gauvin's son, remained active until at least 1944.

Personal life He married Margaret C. Gough, a Halifax native of Irish descent, on 4 October 1892, and they had three children. His first son was named George Alfred Gauvin Jr. G.A. Gauvin resided at 263 Tower Road in Halifax for four decades.

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