BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Arthur Leslie Bell

June 9 1884 - November 29 1969

Cleland-Dibble Engraving Company (President)
Cleland-Bell Engraving Company (Partner)
British Columbia Art League (Founding Member)
Northwestern Photo-Engravers Association (Member)
Vancouver Photo-Engravers Club (Vice President)
British Columbia Institute of Journalists (Member)
Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (Member, Hon Treasurer)
Rotary Club (Member)
100 Percent Club (Member)
Wingrove Fur Farms Ltd. (Managing Director)
Bell's Mink Ranch (Owner)
Hammond Furs (Operator)


Arthur Leslie Bell was a photographer and photoengraver, born in Australia, possibly in the town of Carrawa. According to a biographical file on Bell compiled by researcher Deborah T. Haynes, Vermont, he "emigrated from Sydney to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1903 at the age of 19." He arrived on the Aorangi, a well known passenger ship.

He moved to Nome, Alaska by 1907, where he advertised his services as a photographer and photoengraver. His work included views of life in and around Nome, mining activities, views of Eskimos, dog teams and races, and ships loading and unloading.

In 1910 he was again living in Vancouver, where he was employed by Bullen's Photo Company as a photographer.

The City Directory for 1911 lists Bell as an engraver, working for the Dominion Illustrating Company at 331 Seymour Street.

Bell began working for the Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. as a photoengraver around 1914. He was exempted from service in World War One, and by 1918 he was listed as President of the Cleland-Dibble Engraving Company. In 1919 he became a partner and the firm's name was changed to Cleland-Bell.


1920 advertisement Vancouver Sun

In 1920 Bell became one of the 13 founders of the B.C. Art League, of which at least half were prominent local artists.

In the early 1920s Bell had two motor yachts, the Cawarra and the Arrawac. In 1925 he was reported to be "living on the Arrawac with a companion." In March 1926 Bell apparently left Cleland-Bell, with Harry Kent becoming the new partner.


Vancouver Province, May 17 1925

Bell moved to Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island by 1929, and became Managing Director of the Wingrove Fur Farm (Wingrove was his mother's maiden name). In 1940 he moved to New Westminster, living on "Rural Route 3" and from 1941 to 1943 he was listed in the City Directories as an engraver and photoengraver, working for his old company Cleland-Kent Engravers. Presumably the younger staff had gone off to fight in World War Two, and he was asked if he could come and help them out.

He later established Bell's Mink Ranch in New Westminster. In 1950 and 1951 he is listed as the "operator" of Hammond Furs in North Burnaby, although the City Directory does not list that as a business. His death certificates notes that he retired in 1949 after 30 years of employment as a "printer" and moved to Langley around 1962, where he died single. He was living at 8814 - 216th Street in Langley at the time.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I decided to put together this biography file after receiving the email from Deborah T. Haynes. Creating a new file is fairly easy, but it encourages further research to see if the person is noted in other documents. I went through the City Directories from 1905 to 1955 (so far, some years not checked) and compiled the following information:

YEAR NAME EMPLOYMENT RESIDENCE COMMENTS
1905 - 1907 - - - not found in Directory
1908 Bell, Arthur J. clerk Thompson's Studio 629 Cambie St. note middle initial J.
1909 Bell, Arthur J. clk S.J. Thompson 2133 Pine residence of Peter Archdekin, teamster
1910 Bell, Arthur L. photogr Bullen Photo Co. 772 Richards St. residence of Alfred L. Jeffreys, bartender
1911 Bell, Arthur engraver 331 Seymour 991 West Pender residence of Fred S. Whiteside
331 Seymour = "Empire Block Side Entrance
      Dominion Illustrating Co."
1912 - 1913 - - - not found in Directory
1914 Bell, Arthur engrav Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. No Van residence North Vancouver
1915 Bell, Arthur engrav Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. 38 Manvers Lodge Manvers Lodge = 1516 Powell St.
1916 Bell, Arthur L. engrav Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. 977 Cardero St. residence of Fred S. Whiteside
1917 Bell, Arthur engrav Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. 977 Cardero St. residence of Fred S. Whiteside
1918 Bell, Arthur L. President Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. 977 Cardero St. residence of Fred S. Whiteside
1919 Bell, Arthur L. President Cleland-Dibble Engraving Co. 977 Cardero St. residence of Fred S. Whiteside
1920 Bell, Arthur L. of Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. 977 Cardero St. residence of Fred S. Whiteside
1921 Bell, Arthur L. pres Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. 500 Beatty St. 500 Beatty = Tower Building
1922 Bell, Arthur L. pres Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. 500 Beatty St.
1923 Bell, Arthur L. pres Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. 300 - 500 Beatty St.
1923 (Whiteside, Fred S.) (bkpr Van Breweries) (977 Cardero St.)
1924 Bell, Arthur L. pres Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. - no residential address
1925 Bell, Arthur L. pres Cleland-Bell Engraving Co. Ltd. - business address 300 - 500 Beatty St.
1926 Bell, Arthur L. - 534 Cambie St. business address Cleland-Bell
1927 Bell, A.L. electrician Burnaby not Arthur
1928 Bell, A.L. telegraph opr Burnaby not Arthur
1929 Bell, A.L. laborer Trixie Mine (gold) Refuge Bay may not be Arthur
1930 Bell, A.L. fur farming Refuge Cove population 200
1931 Bell, A.L. mng dir Wingrove Fur Farms Ltd. Refuge Cove
1932 Bell, A.L. mng dir Wingrove Fur Farms Ltd. Refuge Cove
1933 - 1934 not checked
1935 Bell, Arth L. mgr Wingrove Fur Farms Refuge Cove
1936 Bell, Arth L. mgr Wingrove Fur Farms Refuge Cove
1937 Bell A - RR3 N Westr no listing found in Refuge Cove, Vancouver, Burnaby, or Brighouse
1938 - - - no listing found
1939 - - - no listing found in Refuge Cove, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, or Brighouse
1940 Bell, Arth L farmer Brighouse, Richmond
1941 Bell, Arth L. engr Cleland-Kent RR 3 Bby/New West Burnaby/New Westminster
1942 Bell, Arth L. photo engr Cleland-Kent Engrav RR 3 Bby/New West
1943 Bell, Arth L. engr Cleland-Kent RR 3 Bby/New West
1944 Bell, Arth L. - RR 3 Bby/New West
1945 Bell, Arth L. - RR 3 Bby/New West
1946 - - - no listing found in Lower Mainland
1947 - 1949 not checked
1950 Bell Arth L opr Hammond Furs 4156 Frances N. Bby
1951 Bell Arth L opr Hammond Furs 4156 Frances N. Bby
1952 - - - no listing found in Lower Mainland
1953 - 1954 not checked
1955 Bell A L - 9066 Clow RR 5 N Westr


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK

References

ARTHUR L. BELL, CANADIAN 1884 - 1969
      Biography compiled by Deborah Tear Haynes, Independent Researcher, Norwich, Vermont
      Provided by the author, email March 16 & 18 2026
      Special thanks to Deborah for sharing not only the biographical article but also her research notes.

CAMERA WORKERS web site by David Mattison
      https://cameraworkers.davidmattison.com/getperson.php?personID=I1955&tree=cw18581950

B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE death (refer to BCVS)

CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1905 - 1955 (refer to DIR)

Additional research courtesy Neil Whaley, Vancouver BC

Clippings

"A.L. Bell, who has the power cruiser Arrawac, though engaged in business in the city, lives aboard his boat with a companion, and has all the comforts of home; and like the happy clam, when he travels takes his home with him. Like most of the boats of this size there is pilot-house control of the engine and clutch, so that the man who is steering also has the engine controls at hand."
      From "Cruising the B.C. Coast" by G.B. Warren
      Vancouver Province, May 17 1925 page 33

"Retired printer and lithographer Mr. Arthur Leslie Bell, 85, of 8814 - 216 St., Langley, succumbed in Langley Memorial Hospital on Saturday, November 29th. A native son of Australia, Mr. Bell had been in B.C. for the past half century. He formerly owned a prominent commercial printing and lithographing house in Vancouver, was a member of the Vancouver Yacht Club and a member of the 100 Percent Club. Following his retirement he came to Langley seven years ago. ... (continues)."
      From "Retired printer succumbed"
      Langley Advance, Langley BC, December 4 1969

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