Betty Odlum (1924-2015)

Photographer

Betty Odlum was a life-long resident of Brampton with deep roots in the area. Her working life was spent as a service representative at the Queen Street Bell Telephone facility.

A talented and energetic amateur photographer, Betty had an eye for capturing moments of historic change at a personal level. Her photographs of her beloved hometown show shifts in the landscape that affected so many. As a keen observer, she documented everything from natural landscapes, to historic buildings, land even the “Privies of Peel” (her personal project to photograph and catalogue vanishing outhouses).

It was Betty’s fun-loving personality, curiosity, and kindness that made her a legend to her Brampton friends, coworkers and neighbours. Humorous scrapbooks compiled at her job show how she cared about her Bell coworkers, and how sensitive she was to technological changes affecting their jobs. Betty’s friendship and creativity touched the lives of many people in her private and working life.

Along with photos and scrapbooks, Betty and her family also donated personal items to the PAMA collections. We are grateful to be able to preserve and share such a wonderful story.