Pioneers of Print

Vancouver Pioneers of Print event poster

“Pioneers of Print” tells the story of two migrant families who created their own sites of culture, community, and commerce at the turn of the 20th century.

The exhibit features the history of Vancouver’s first bookbinder and printer, German-born Gustav Roedde, through examples of his family’s early print work and historic photographs. Along with Gustav, Hon Fong Lam and Lat Tong Lam opened the city’s first Chinese-English print shop, Ho Sun Hing Printers. This display shows examples of Chinese character lead type, family photographs from the business’s century-long standing, and samples of the print shop’s work, which are generously on loan from the Lam family.

Through their businesses, both of these pioneering families contributed to the history and building of metropolitan Vancouver through industry, communication and language as we know it today.

Watch Video: Vancouver’s Pioneers of Print – The Roedde House Museum at IKBLC April 2017

Asian Heritage Month    BC Museums Week