What city is this?

This photo is from an old family album. It was taken by my grandfather on a trip to Scotland, in July, 1920, but I don’t know where.

It could be Canada (Montreal or points east), or England, or Scotland. Being the waterfront, it may have been bombed flat in WWII, so the buildings here may be long gone.

The hills in the background are right by the harbor and should make it recognizable, but I haven’t a clue. Also, there’s a distinctive building off to the right. The ship in the middle distance looks to me like a ferry, but I’m sure no expert.

Any ideas? Many thanks.

It looks a bit like Quebec City.

Thanks Giles-- I think you’re correct! The hill overlooking the waterfront is the Quebec Citadelle. I should have known that-- I was last there in the summer.

I wondered why I couldn’t see the Chateau Frontenac, which dominates the Quebec skyline, but a brief googlage shows the big central tower of the Frontenac went up around 1924. I think you can just make out the old part of the hotel to the right of the Citadelle. The ferry would be to Levis, across the river. I don’t know what the big buildings are to the right.

Quebec makes sense. In the pre-air travel pre-Seaway days, he would have taken the train to Montreal or Quebec to catch an Atlantic passenger ship.

I looked at the photo and immediately thought “Quebec City” too. The distinctive spire on the right of the photo appears to be the Camille-Roy building at the Séminaire de Québec, built in 1855.

Thanks all! I’m chastened-- I really should have recognized this-- I’ve been to Quebec City half a dozen times, most recently in July 2013.

I’ll bring a print with me next time I’m there. I bet many of the other buildings in the photo are still standing.