– Ted Smithman (Son of Henry Herbert Smithman who was Senior Keeper at Sisters Island 1927 – 1929)
I was allowed a lot of freedom there [Sisters Island ]. I would find a broad flat chunk of log and sit on it and explore the coast of the whole island. Mum worried but Dad seemed to trust us not to do anything really stupid. Continue reading Kids and Boats on Sisters Island c. 1928
Rene Kitson (January 22, 1944 – August 06, 2011) was a long time lightkeeper at Bonilla island , McInnes Island as Assistant lightkeeper and he was the Principal lightkeeper at Ivory along with his wife Sherrill, the assistant lightkeeper for 15 years plus, until they retired and moved to Nova Scotia, Canada. He was also the Shop Steward for many years in the northern Prince Rupert district and fought long and hard for the lightkeepers against the de-staffing attempts, and spent many many hours in Ottawa negotiating lightkeeper contracts. He will be missed by all who new him. He was a dedicated lightkeeper and he was a great friend.
To include your memories in Rene’s memorial please click this link.
In the early twentieth century there were many navigational lights on the British Columbia coast maintained by individuals under contract. These were not lighthouses but pylons, piles, posts, rafts, or dolphins of wood or cement, or metal tanks made from disused military mooring buoys.
Upon these moorings was placed a kerosene (coal oil) lamp which would have to be tended. Some of the lights in accessible locations were lit before sunset and extinguished after sunrise, daily, weekly, for years, and with little pay.
Other lights were supplied with a two day lamp that remained lit for two days (the extent of the fuel reservoir) and then were changed over with a full, clean lamp. A later invention was a low maintenance, thirty-one day coal oil lamp. This also proved useless as it carboned up and was not very bright.
For example, before the real Capilano lighthouse (aka First Narrows) was established 1913 at the mouth of the Capilano river – List of Lights #394 – near the entrance to Vancouver Harbour, a black cylindrical tank was installed on a dolphin or piling, and a man was hired to row over and maintain the light and also wind the fog bell when it was installed at a later date. This was not an easy job because tides and fog competed with the Capilano river outflow to hamper any but the strongest of men.
When the Capilano lighthouse was automated in 1969, the lighthouse, complete with the engine room and residence on its wood pilings was burnt to the water and again a light beacon was established on a concrete pillar. This was later replaced with another beacon on a wood dolphin which stands today.
Another local light that was unwatched was Garry Point – List of Lights #333 – off the mouth of the Fraser River. Because of its location, this could be easily be reached by land and so did not require a manned station. It was probably maintained by a man from Steveston. Continue reading Unwatched Lights – All Automated
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.
************************************
Captain Gaudin says that in addition to the lighthouses for which tenders are already being invited, there may be a few new ones built on the northern coast but they will be small. Those which have been called for will be located at Cape Mudge, on Sister I, on Egg I, in Queen Charlotte Sound, on Fiddle Reef off Oak Bay and in Burrard Inlet narrows… [Colonist, 1898-05-06]
Dominion Government Steamer ‘Quadra’ leaves for Cape Beale and West Coast lighthousestations tomorrow. [Colonist, 1898-06-07]
Dominion Government Steamer ‘Quadra’ leaves for Cape Beale and other coast lighthouse points this morning. [Colonist, 1899-04-04]
Dominion Government Steamer ‘Quadra’ returned to port yesterday afternoon after a short and uneventful trip to Cape Beale and Carmanah, at which stations stores were landed. Captain Walbran reports that a heavy sea was running on the West Coast Tues, which moderated sufficiently the following day to permit of communication being made with the lighthouses. [Colonist, 1899-04-07] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 10 (1898-05-06 to 1899-11-28)
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.
************************************
“Jan 24, 1893, 1 – I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife, Adeline Victoria Grive, or any other person, without my written order. Joseph T Grive, Comox, Grantham Post Office. Walter H Piercy, Yellow Rock (Chrome Island – ed.) lighthouse keeper, died at Courtenay, TB. Leaves wife, 4 children. [Colonist, 1893-01-21*]”
“Dominion Government Steamer Quadra, Captain Walbran, leaves for the West Coast on lighthouse duty this week. Steamer Mischief leaves for the West Coast Fri. [Colonist, 1895-06-05]”
“Whether or not Dominion Government Steamer Quadra, which left here for West Coast yesterday, is on police patrol duty, is a question the authorities are reticent about answering. Captain Gaudin, Agent of Marine, when asked as to the Steamer’s mission yesterday, said that she had gone to complete some extensive work already started on one of the Coast lighthouses, and also to land coal at one. He expected her back in less than 2 weeks. [Colonist, 1895-06-15]” Continue reading Lighthouse History – 09 (1893-01-21 to 1897-07-06)
A month or so ago, Richard Crawford wrote me to say that he had been on Langara Point Lighthouse as a radio operator back in the late 1940s. I asked about his duties there and he wrote me back . . .
“My Langara story is short as we were not there for long – March 1948 to July 1950. I started as a radio operator in Prince Rupert and was sent out to Langara to run the radio beacon and send weather reports. I should mention that we were married before going out (some honeymoon, eh?).” Continue reading Pregnancy Provides Problems
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.
As I was collecting this information from the newspaper archive website, I noticed that many articles were in consecutive order and applied to Carmanah Point (earlier planned at Bonilla Point), so I collected them all together here. It is a bit long, but interesting, as it describes the building of a lighthouse from the ground up as they say. Take note of the dates at the end of each article. it surely was not done overnight. More extensive information can be obtained from the actual scanned copies of the newspapers themselves on the above website.
*****************************
“From all I [Colonist correspondent] can learn there is every prospect of a lighthouse and signal station being erected at Bonilla Point (eventually at Carmanah Point – ed.) at no distant day…. [Colonist, 1888-04-21]”
A lighthouse, steam fog alarm and signal and telegraph station will be erected at Bonilla Point. [Colonist, 1888-08-28]”
“William Smith, deputy minister of marine arrived for the purpose of visiting Bonilla Point and San Juan Harbour to determine the most suitable site for a lighthouse at the entrance to the Straits. Mr Gisborne, Superintendent of Government telegraphs will accompany him… [Colonist, 1888-09-02] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 07 – Carmanah Point (1888-04-21 to 1908-11-22)
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.
*****************************
“The party who went to Alberni to survey a lighthouse land reserve have returned. (but which lighthouse? – ed.)They report about 170 Chinese miners at work, only 40 of whom pay the Government tax. [Colonist, 1878-07-19]
Died at Esquimalt, British Columbia, Aug 5, 1879, William Henry Bevis, aged 49, Native of Birkenhead, England, 3rd Son of late Captain Thomas Bevis, RN. Funeral will take place from Fisgard Lighthouse and from the Royal naval cemetery. Keeper of Fisgard lighthouse, deceased came to British Columbia in 1858, previous to which year he was employed in the capacity of purser on steamers running between Panama, Lima and Callao. Shortly after his arrival here he received an appointment in the Revenue Department and was stationed at Langley. In 1860 he accepted a position in the Police Force of this city, but the performance of his duties in this office was of brief duration, as in 1861, when the Fisgard light was first exhibited, he was appointed keeper, a position which he held until the hour of his death. His father was a commander in the English navy. A-Row-12-P-0057 [Colonist, 1879-07-26*]”
“Tender call, Wm. Smith, Deputy Minister of Marine &c., for Fraser River Lighthouse (Sandheads – ed.) [Colonist, 1881-02-16, p. 2]”
“PLUMPER PASS tenders invited for erection of wooden lighthouse (Discovery Island lighthouse – ed.) [Colonist, 1884-03-28, p. 3]”
“Tugboat Pilot with Captain Revely returned to Victoria, British Columbia, having been unable to discover anything of the lighthouse keepers, and the conclusion came to is that he, with his brother and a half-breed, have been drowned. The keeper’s name was H C Fraser, native of Pictou, Nova Scotia, aged 30, unmarried. Half-breed was Frederick Williams, aged c 19, of Metchosin. The pilot brought down the effects of the late keepers. two new keepers have been placed in the lighthouse, which will now beam as usual. The light is situated about five miles from shore where the shallowness of the water renders it very rough in stormy weather. (but which lighthouse? – ed.) [Colonist, 1884-10-17, p.3]”
Cape Scott lighthouse is located at the north end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC) Canada. It is situated in Cape Scott Provincial Park.
To quote from the Provincial Park Website:
“Cape Scott Provincial Park is a truly magnificent area of rugged coastal wilderness that is located at the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, 563 kilometers from Victoria.
Established in 1973 and named after the site of a lighthouse that has guided mariners since 1960, Cape Scott is characterized by more than 115 kilometers of scenic ocean frontage, including about 30 kilometers of spectacular remote beaches . . .
. . . The lighthouse and the Cape are outside the provincial park boundary and are private property belonging to the Department of National Defence. The old trail and foghorn were built during World War 2 by DND staff to give access to the beach, etc. but as the old structures, boardwalk and suspension bridges deteriorated, they became dangerous and were removed by the Federal Government. BC Parks is not responsible for this trail and not allowed to trespass on this private property.”
The photos were taken by the lighthouse keeper Harvey Humchitt, and his assistant Todd Malezewski. More photos are available here.
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.
As I was collecting this information from the newspaper archive website, I noticed that many articles were in consecutive order and applied to Cape Beale, so I collected them all together here. It is a bit long, but interesting, as it describes the building of a lighthouse from the ground up as they say. Take note of the dates at the end of each article. it surely was not done overnight. More extensive information can be obtained from the actual scanned copies of the newspapers themselves on the above website.
*****************************
Lighthouse recommended at Cape Beale, will provide a first-class light and powerful fog whistle. [Colonist, 1872-05-29]
Steamer Sir James Douglas, with Mr Pearse, will sail for Cape Beale in a few days. Mr Pearse will select a site for the lighthouse to be erected at that point. [Colonist, 1872-10-22]
Dominion Government Steamer Sir James Douglas will sail for Cape Beale with Mr Pearse to select a lighthouse site. Cape Beale is a bluff about 125′ in height with a bold rocky shore against which the breakers incessantly beat. Access to the Cape can only be had by going outside the Straits and running into the mouth of Bamfield Creek where a snug little harbor exists. From Bamfield Creek a road or trail about 2 miles in length to the Cape will have to be made. [Colonist, 1872-10-26]
Continue reading Lighthouse History 04 – Cape Beale (1872-05-29 to 1909-01-23)
