Childhood Memories – Page 2 – Lighthouse Memories

Sister’s Island c. early 1950s

February 10, 2012Art | Swanson, exploration, Fiddle reef, life, lightouse, litehouse, promotion, Sisters IslandBeachcombing, Books, Childhood Memories, Children, Foghorns, Incidents, Lighthouses, On The Job, Recreation, School, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

Here is a continuance of the tales of Juanita (Swanson) DuLong. Somewhere around the early 1950s, probably after a year at Fiddle Reef lighthouse the family was moved to Sisters Island. Juanita says: Fiddle Reef’s plumbing was a cistern and hand pump. Cold water only. Sisters was a little tamer and had a bathroom. When we arrived […]

Hurricane on Langara Island – 1962

February 4, 20121962, Freda, hurricane, Langara Point, lighthouse, litehouse, storm, typhoonChildhood Memories, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Stories, Storms, WeatherretlkprLeave a Comment

– Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Langara 1957 – 1963) I had gone by myself to the cabin for a weekend, and in the evening of the second day I was sitting in front of an open campfire watching the sun set. As the sun sank in the sky, a […]

Surviving on Fiddle Reef Lighthouse c. 1950s

February 3, 2012Art | Swanson, childhood memories, children, Fiddle reef, lighthouse, litehouse, Oak BayAdult Memories, Childhood Memories, Children, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Recreation, Rowboat, School, Weather, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

View Larger Map On January 21, 2012 I wrote about a family that lived on the lighthouses in the 1950s up to the 1960s, all in the days of no electricity – only kerosene lamps. I now have another installment from Ms. Juanita (Swanson) DuLong. She was only four years old at the time on […]

Day of Departure – Going on Leave c.1970s

January 29, 2012helicopters, holidays, leave, lighthouse, litehouse, shipsAdult Memories, Childhood Memories, Children, Coast Guard, Communication, Helicopters, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Radio, Ships, Transportation, Travel, WeatherretlkprLeave a Comment

In the days before portable radios and instant communications, we were always apprehensive about the day we headed out for holidays. First there was the weather which as everone knows on the West Coast of Canada is always unpredictable even with modern weather forecasting. We observed the weather but rarely got any weather forecasts. Next […]

The Wind Speed Indicator Episode c.1935

January 27, 2012C.E. | Carver, Kains, Kains island, lighthouse, litehouse, Quatsino, weather reports, wind, wind indicator, wind speed indicatorChildhood Memories, Equipment, Government, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Operators, Radio, Ships & Shipping, WeatherretlkprLeave a Comment

– Roy Carver (son of C. E. Carver on Kains Island 1933 – 1944) One of the daily duties of a light house keeper was to estimate the wind speed during each day and record it, along with other meteorological observations and measurements, which also included sea water temperature, and a sample of sea water […]

Before the Manuals – Applying for the Job c.1930s

January 25, 2012C.E. | Carver, HAM, Kains island, lighthouse, litehouse, Quatsino, radio beacon, radio operatorChildhood Memories, Children, Communication, Equipment, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Operators, RadioretlkprLeave a Comment

– Roy Carver (son of C. E. Carver on Kains Island 1933 – 1944) The Civil Service Commission (CSC) of Canada was a very imposing body of bureaucrats who controlled the hiring and firing of government employees. It was a bit intimidating when I applied in 1969, and from the evidence on the documents […]

Life on the Lighthouses c. 1950s to 1960s

January 21, 2012Cape Mudge, children, Fiddle reef, lighthouse, litehouse, Pine Nootka, SistersChildhood Memories, Children, Christmas, Equipment, Foghorns, Groceries & Mail, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, On The Job, School, Travel, Visitors, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

I receive links to lighthouse stories in the most unbelievable ways. This one arrived in the middle of an email addressed to someone else, which was then passed on to me. After contacting this first writer I was passed on to another. To keep track of all my contacts I think I will soon need […]

Life on First Narrows Lighthouse and Fog Station c. 1915+

January 20, 2012Capilano, death, First Narrows, foghorn, George Alfred | Harrop, lighthouse, litehouseAutomation, Childhood Memories, Communication, Equipment, Foghorns, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

– a letter written by Dorothy Mawdsley (Harris) Harrop (daughter of first light keeper, George Alfred Harris, at Capilano 1915 – 1925), with special thanks to Alfred Harrop, grandson of George Alfred Harrop, for letting me post the text of the letter. ******************************* This letter is a bit long, as people were prone to write […]

I Remember . . . c. early 1960s

January 18, 2012children, groceries, holidays, Jeannie Hartt, Lanagara, lighthouse, litehouse, memories, schoolingAdult Memories, Boats, Books, Childhood Memories, Children, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Hobbies, Lighthouses, Travel, WeatherretlkprLeave a Comment

– from Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Langara 1957 – 1963) SmellsGrowing up on a total of five different west coast lighthouses I remember certain things that were common to them all. The best day was always supply day (see also the Groceries & Mail Categories). When we were on […]

Mise Tales One

January 17, 2012father, lighthouse, litehouse, misc, miscellaneous, mise, videosAdult Memories, Childhood Memories, Humour, Lighthouses, On The Job, VideosretlkprLeave a Comment

No, it’s not a misprint, but what is a Mise? When I was a teenager I always had stuff to repair, and my Father had drawers of spare stuff that I needed for the repairing. In the wall of small drawers was one labelled Mise. These were very small drawers and the hand-written label on meical […]

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