Monthly Archives: September 2011

Sisters Island Fog Horn & Light c. 1927

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– Elizabeth Kate (Stannard) Smithman (Wife of Henry Herbert Smithman who was Senior Keeper at Sisters Island 1927 – 1929). Story donated by her grandson Allen Smithman. 

Sisters Island c. 1927 - photo Allen Smithman

The fog alarm has to be kept going when it is foggy or snowing a blizzard. This alarm is also used when it is smoky in summer from forest fires. 

In the fog alarm building there are two big Fairbanks-Morse gas engines. It only takes one to run the fog alarm but when one breaks down the light keeper has to get the other one going. He then must fix the one that broke down in case the other fails, for the fog alarm must be kept going when it is foggy.  Continue reading Sisters Island Fog Horn & Light c. 1927 →

Life on a Lighthouse by Grandma Stannard c. 1927

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– Elizabeth Kate (Stannard) Smithman (Wife of Henry Herbert Smithman who was Senior Keeper at Sisters Island 1927 – 1929) 

Ballenas  and Sisters  Islands 

I thought you might be interested to hear about “Life On a Lighthouse”. 

We lived on them for about 5 ½ to 6 years and I guess we would have stayed and made a lifetime job of it but Bert [my husband] got very sick and had to be taken off to hospital where after a lingering illness he passed away. 

Well some folks think it must be very lonesome life but there’s too much to do to get lonesome and besides, it’s a wonderful, interesting life. 

We were on two different lights. The first one was the best as it was a bigger island and we could have a garden and there was lots of room for the children to play, however I took sick and as we thought lighthouse life did not suit me, Bert asked to be replaced by another light keeper. 

We moved to Parksville, [Vancouver island, BC, Canada] where we had been getting our mail, etc. 

Anyway I was no better (for awhile anyway) but after some time I improved but we had learned that it wasn’t being on a lighthouse that caused my sickness so we put in for another.  Continue reading Life on a Lighthouse by Grandma Stannard c. 1927 →

Lighthouse Automation Could Loom Again

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Harper will need to watch his backbench, by Stephen Maher

Read the above article from the National Post online – September 16, 2011 – my condensed version below. – JAC

Is this the future?

On May 2, 2011, Harper’s Conservative Party won a majority government in the May 2011 federal election, by winning 166 seats.

With this majority the Prime Minister (PM) can plan long term. With a minority government the PM handed out money as if it were his own, trying to entice the public to support his party. Now that he has the much-coveted majority seats, he can relax a little, and begin to tighten the purse strings. Now the public will have to beg for funds, instead of having them freely given.

How will this affect lighthouses? We do not know, but if the past has been any clue, we may be in for another fight to keep our remaining lighthouses manned..

I think we need to keep the matter of automation in the public’s eye until it is definitely settled that the Canadian government will not automate any more lighthouse in Canada. Let me know what you think. – JAC

 

Lighthouse History – 18 (1902-02-07 to 1902-03-09)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: “Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Queen City, which returned from Ahousett and way ports on the West Coast last night, brought news of further wreckage off the island coast, which may have a connection with the fate of the missing Condor. When bound in, Queen City passed a … sail boom floating about 4 miles out from shore, and about 6 miles South of Clo-oose. The boom was about 40′ long or thereabouts, and was either yellow painted or scraped bright. As there are few sailing ships afloat these days which carry studding-sail booms other than warships, it may be that this wreckage is from Condor. Whether this is so cannot be determined, nor could it be learned last night whether Condor carried any booms such as that seen from Queen City. Steamer passed some distance from the boom, but it could be plainly seen, and it was noticed that the heel ropes were gone, evidently broken away.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 18 (1902-02-07 to 1902-03-09) →

In Memorium – Evelyn Bruton (1930 – 2011)

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A friend of mine passed on to me the obituary notice of Evelyn Bruton, wife of retired Sheringham Point lighthouse keeper Jim Bruton – left, and directly below

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BRUTON, Evelyn [August 10, 1930 – September 17, 2011] Passed away on September 17 at Cowichan District Hospital. Born August 10th, 1930 in Ellerslie, Alberta to Michael and Adeline. At the age of 18 Evelyn moved to Vancouver and worked as a stenographer for a local paper. She met Jim Bruton in Vernon and a year later they were married on December 22, 1951, shortly after they moved to Bella Coola where Jim worked in the logging industry. Five years later they moved to lighthouses where Evelyn learned to help with lighthouse work, to run a boat, fishing for extra income for the family. She also became teacher to her four children, instructing them in their schooling for many years. After working on various lighthouses for 30 years Jim and Evelyn retired to enjoy traveling, gardening and visiting with family. After Jim passed away Evelyn moved to Duncan where she became active in the community, especially enjoying the many crib tournaments she participated in and her garden. She will be missed by her family and friends, 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren and 2 more on the way. A memorial service to be held on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 2 pm at First Memorial Funeral Chapel 4725 Falaise Drive Victoria, BC. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Evelyn’s name to a charity of your choice. 637755

– Published in the Victoria Times-Colonist on 9/20/2011

To include your memories in Evelyn’s memorial please click this link.

******************************* Continue reading In Memorium – Evelyn Bruton (1930 – 2011) →

Book – Godships by Oliver R. Howard (1927 – 2008)

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Godships – Little Ships Carry the Gospel Up the BC Coast by Oliver R. Howard

This is a story of the pioneering efforts of the United Church (UC) Marine Mission on the coast of British Columbia. It involves boats and boating in missionary work up and down the BC coast, visiting Indian villages, lumber camps, mining camps, isolated hermits and lighthouses.

 

 

Paperback: 8vo, 239 pages, : ill., maps, bibliography 237-239.
Publisher: United Church Observer (1984)
ISBN-10: 0919920071
ISBN-13: 978-0919920071
Library of Congress: E78.B9 H68 1984
Availability: Used (Out of Print)

Continue reading Book – Godships by Oliver R. Howard (1927 – 2008) →

Lighthouse Libraries and Their Book Boxes

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Thomas Crosby V

After writing about the Bookboats and how the Thomas Crosby V used to bring us books to read from their onboard library, I was reminded of the libraries on each lighthouse I worked on. Each keeper that worked the island would leave a few books behind, mostly pocketbooks, and they would take with them new ones from our library.

Library on McInnes Island - photo Paul Kurbis

On McInnes Island lighthouse we had a library of a few hundred pocket books of all sorts. Sometimes, when we got desperate for new reading material we boxed up a bunch of books and sent them off to another lighthouse in return for a box of theirs. We also traded off magazines and newspapers whenever a helicopter came by. Continue reading Lighthouse Libraries and Their Book Boxes →

Lighthouse History – 17 (1902-01-17 to 1902-01-28)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: “Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Queen City returned to port yesterday, bringing further advices regarding the derelict Schooner which has been washed onto the coast after the seas have exhausted their wrath upon it, but the identity of the lost vessel still remains in doubt. It seems that the crew of the wrecked vessel have been lost, for, although a boat has been found by Indians at Village I, intact and unbroken, no trace has been found of any shipwrecked seamen. This boat, which was located by Indians and reported by them to Captain Townsend, is a common ship’s boat, but as far as could be learned, there was no name, number or mark upon it, by which it might be identified. Sails, running gear, blocks, etc, are also coming ashore amongst the miscellaneous wreckage which the seas are casting upon the rocks, Continue reading Lighthouse History – 17 (1902-01-17 to 1902-01-28) →

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Lost Boats #1 – Thomas Crosby V

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One of the interesting things about writing articles about lighthouses, is that one gets to do a lot of research on maritime matters such as boats, shipping, photography.

TCV underway

My last article on the Thomas Crosby V (TCV) left me with the question, what happened to the ship itself? According to all the reports she was sold to Kennford Limited, a cruise operator in the Cayman Islands. The only listing I can find in the Cayman Islands is Kennford Hotels, and then it is a dead end. Continue reading Lost Boats #1 – Thomas Crosby V →