Melvin Ormond Hammond

Self-portrait, ca. 1910

Melvin Ormond Hammond (July 17, 1876 – 1934) was a Canadian journalist and photographer, known throughout his professional career simply as M. O. Hammond.

Life

He was born in Clarkson, Ontario as the only son of his parents, Alvin and Catharine (née Nauman). They were farmers, and young Melvin had to help out with the daily chores besides his going to school, first in Clarkson, then in Oakville. He first ventured into journalism at the age of 14, when he became a correspondent for the Oakville Star. Three years later, he moved to Toronto, where he got a position with the Toronto Globe. He started out as the secretary of the managing editor, but soon became a general reporter, and shortly afterwards was posted as a political reporter at Queen's Park, the seat of the government of Ontario.

In 1900, he married Clara Williams, a Methodist minister's daughter; together, they would have a son (Harold James, born 1901) and a daughter named Helen Isabel (b. 1909). From 1903 to 1906, Hammond was sent to Ottawa, reporting for the Globe from Parliament Hill. After his return to Toronto, he worked in various editorial positions at the Globe until his death in autumn 1933.

Work

Besides his interests in politics, his different positions at the Globe permitted him to also satisfy his interests in Canadian history and culture. As arts editor of the Globe, he wrote on, promoted, and came to know many Canadian artists and writers of his time.

Although Hammond was a successful journalist, his work as a photographer has proved of more lasting value. He recognized the value of photography early on, and documented his travels extensively. As a member of the Toronto Camera Club, he had been exhibiting his photographic works regularly at various exhibitions, including the Canadian National Exhibition. Hammond illustrated many of his newspaper articles with his own photographs. Over the years, he acquired a reputation as a skilled portrait photographer, and through his memberships in the Toronto Camera Club and the Arts and Letters Club, also had the opportunity to photograph many famous artists of his time.

Beyond journalism and photography, Hammond also wrote three books:

• Confederation and Its Leaders, Toronto, McClelland, Goodchild and Stewart, 1917; a book containing political biographies
• Canadian Footprints: A Study in Foregrounds and Backgrounds, Toronto, MacMillan, 1926; a book on the theory of photography
• Painting and Sculpture in Canada, Toronto, The Ryerson Press, 1931

See also

• Newton McTavish, another journalist and photographer from Toronto
• Centennial of the City of Toronto, 1934, of which Hammond was on the Pictures Committee.

References

• Illustrated biography
• Biographical sketch

External links

• On-line exhibition of Hammond's photographs.

Persondata
Name	Hammond, Melvin Ormond
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 17, 1876
Place of birth
Date of death	1934
Place of death