2

Charles Gay arrive à New York à bord de La Gascogne, le 14 juin 1896. Il a 38 ans et exerce la profession de photographe. Il pourrait s'agir du "Charles Gay" qui est l'opérateur du cinématographe Lumière présenté à Ottawa (Canada) en mars 1897 : 

FIRST EXHIBITION OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHE IN OTTAWA
Lumiere's Wonderful Instrument Delights a Large Audience at Association Hall Last Evening-Pictures From Real Life Vividly Portrayed.
The first performance of the cinematographe in Ottawa was given in the Y.M.C.A. hall last night. The attendance and the satisfaction expressed by all present speaks much for the success of the entertainments yet to be given in the same place.
Some of the most prominent citizens were noticed in the audience last night, among them Sir James Grant, F. P. Bronson, Mr. E. Seybold, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Odell, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. French, Mr. and Mrs W. J. Gerard, Mrs W. G. Perley, Rev. Df. Saunders and Mr. A. A. Dion.
The cinematographe is a wonderful instrument wonderfully constructed. It is the invention of M. Lumiere, of Lyons, France. The pictures presented by it are obtained from snap shots, and each one is about the size of an ordinary postage stamp. The pictures are upon a strip of gelatine film, 36 yards long, and about 11-2 inches in width. Each strip contains over 2,000 pictures of the same scene as it would appear to a person looking upon it in real life. This strip passes with great velocity before a powerful magic lantern and produces a continuous and remarkably interesting scene of almost life size figures.
Mr. Chas. Gay, who was the first to show a picture with the wonderful invention is in charge of the machine here, and manipulates very cleverly all the lights in connection therewith. Mr. Frederico Hammille, is the lecturer, and announces each picture as it is about to be shown
Were Educative.
The scenes presented last night were all of a very high order, and were an excellent education in themselves. Everything appears to have life. In a view of Washington street, the busiest thoroughfare of Boston, the citizens could be seen crossing the street, the newsboys with their uniforms and badges, the policeman on duty, a street car passing and stopping to allow a lady to dismount, she having done so, it moves rapidly on; in fact, nothing was lacking but the accustomed din to make the scene a perfect reality. In other scenes children could be seen at play, processions could be witnessed in the large European cities, pleasure seekers could be observed, bathing and tobogganing on the Thames; wrestling, running and in various ways creating untold amusement for themselves.
The scenes are gathered from all parts of Europe and America, including such places as Paris, London, Lyons, Buda Pesth, Brighoton Beach, New York, Brooklyn, St. Petersburg and Moscow. There will be introduces here some local scenes taken upon Sparks, Bank, Wellington and other busy street in Ottawa. Even persons who are upon the street at the time the photo is taken will be able to see themselves walking upon the canvas in a few days.
In addition to the entertainment provided by the cinematographe, there is an excellent musical programme rendered by Miss G. Cunningham. Miss Cunningham’s musical ability certainly deserves great praise, and undoubtedly added much to the delightfully pleasing entertainment that was furnished las night.

---

The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, 31 mars 1897, p. 1.

Un "Charles Gay", de 74 ans, est recensé à Québec, en 1931. Il est arrivé au Canada, pour la première fois, en 1876 et obtient sa naturalisation en 1879. Il est français d'origine et excerce la profession "ingénieur" en électricité.

Sources

3

4