Category Archives: Lighthouses

Descriptions of different BC lighthouses.

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

Childhood Memories, Children, Communication, Equipment, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Operators, Radio, , , , , , ,

– Roy Carver (son of C. E. Carver on Kains Island 1933 – 1944)

Qualifications for 2nd Class Fog Alarm Engineer - scan Sandra Vigna & Roy Carver

 

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 that have been given to me, it was equally, if not more so, in 1933. 

 

Clarence Edgar Carver applied for temporary employment as a lighthouse keeper on Quatsino  lighthouse (aka Kains Island) and was accepted.  

Continue reading Before the Manuals – Applying for the Job c.1930s →

Fairbanks Morse Type “N” Gasoline Engine c. 1900s

Adult Memories, Automation, Equipment, Foghorns, History, Information, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, , , , , , , ,

– With thanks to Harry F. Mathews and his Harry’s Old Engine website for permission to reprint this old information on how to fire-up the old Fairbanks Morse gasoline engines of the 1900s. 

Photo Harry Mathews & Railroading Online website


The following text is borrowed with permission from Harry’s Old Engine website. I never had the chance to work with these monstrous engines and found this information very interesting and wanted to pass it on here. Remember, he is referring to a farm engine, but I imagine the lighthouse engines were also close to 32 Hp.  Continue reading Fairbanks Morse Type “N” Gasoline Engine c. 1900s →

Coast Guard Auxiliary’s New Rescue Boat is Big Improvement Over Last One

Boats, CG Auxiliary, Coast Guard, Incidents, Lighthouses, On The Job, Reprint, Search & Rescue, , , , , , , ,

With many thanks to the Prince Rupert Northern View website, I have the following article to reprint for your information. More volunteers helping the Coast Guard. Pretty cool rescue boat too!

The Canadian Coast Guard Auxilliary  is a nonprofit organisation and a registered charity made up of volunteer resources throughout Canada. The CCGA has been in existence since 1978 and provides assistance to the Coast Guard and the National Defense with search and rescue and safe boating programs.

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Coast Guard Auxiliary’s new rescue boat is big improvement over last one

The Coast Guard Auxiliary's new rescue boat the Orme G. Stuart cost over half a million dollars, all of it fundraised - photo Alan S. Hale

Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzles

Children, Christmas, Hobbies, Jigsaw Puzzles, Lighthouses, , , , , , , , ,

I am not a fan of jigsaw puzzles, and I do not think I would have thought of this one, but the website Squidoo has done all the work for me.

They have a new story called Lighthouse Puzzle. Shown below are photos of some of the lighthouse puzzles they have described in their three categories:

Realistic Lighthouse Puzzles

[nggallery id=33]

  Continue reading Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzles →

Canadian Coast Guard 50th Anniversary

Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Facebook, Government, Lighthouses, Reprint, Souvenirs, , , , , , ,

On January 26, 2012 the Canadian Coast Guard will proudly celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Special celebrations will be held at Coast guard bases across Canada. There is a also Calendar of Events running from January to July 2012.

There is even a Facebook page advertising the event.

According to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Press Release page:

The Golden Jubilee Web Site also features the history of the Canadian Coast Guard, information on its plans for the future, a selection of wallpapers, as well as a calendar of events. Throughout the year, photos and videos will be added to the Web site, as well as to Canadian Coast Guard social media sites.

 

There is a special webpage on the Canadian Coast Guard website.

 

 

Continue reading Canadian Coast Guard 50th Anniversary →

Life on the Lighthouses c. 1950s to 1960s

Childhood Memories, Children, Christmas, Equipment, Foghorns, Groceries & Mail, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, On The Job, School, Travel, Visitors, Women, , , , , ,
Nootka light

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 a secretary!

The first writer was Ms. R. Dawson, and her grandparents were on five British Columbia lighthouses for a total of twenty plus years staring in the 1940s. Ms. Dawson describes herself as an activist and I believe she is onboard with the lighthouse keepers against automation as she says: “Lighthouses have been under attack for decades by federal government politicians who have no idea as to their worth and see them as an easy target.”

After contacting Ms. Dawson, I was told that her Aunt Juanita was older and had more stories to tell, and that Aunt Juanita is the sole surviving child of Ms. Dawson’s grandparents/Juanita’s parents. So, Ms. Dawson contacted Aunt Juanita, and I then received an email from Juanita’s husband Roy DuLong. Continue reading Life on the Lighthouses c. 1950s to 1960s →

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

Automation, Childhood Memories, Communication, Equipment, Foghorns, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Women, , , , , ,
Capilano Lighthouse behind the Empress of Japan - photo Dudley Booth

 

– 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.

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This letter is a bit long, as people were prone to write a lot before the advent of computers. If you have the time, this is a fascinating story of life way back then. – JAC

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Perhaps my grandchildren will take time to read this when I am long gone. We came to Vancouver  in 1909. I had just turned my 13th birthday. My father could not get work of any description. He had a Chief Engineer Ticket from Liverpool [UK]  but owing to the B.C. laws he was not allowed to work as an engineer even on a small tug in the inlet. It must have been very hard on both my father and my mother.  Continue reading Life on First Narrows Lighthouse and Fog Station c. 1915+ →

Lighthouse History – 36 (1909-12-07 to 1910-09-30)

Construction, History, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, Newspapers, , , , , , ,

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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Captain Gaudin, Agent of Marine, has received details from David Logan, lineman at Clo-oose, regarding the wreckage washed ashore near Carmanah as recently reported by wireless despatches. Mr Logan’s report says that among the things found were 12 sacks of flour, 23 tins of coal oil, 2 50-gal barrels of coal oil, a case of bird seed and some broken things. At Ucluelet a bottle was found containing some pieces of paper, it having been thrown from Steamer President in Oct. 
Lumber seen floating off the Vancouver Island coast recently was probably from Schooner Yosemite which has arrived at San Francisco and reports having 60,000′ of lumber washed from her decks on Nov 27, when 30 miles from Columbia River. The coal oil found on Vancouver Island coast is supposed to have been part of that included in the cargo of the wrecked Schooner Argo consigned to the Tillamook lighthouse. [Colonist, 1909-12-07] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 36 (1909-12-07 to 1910-09-30) →

I Remember . . . c. early 1960s

Adult Memories, Boats, Books, Childhood Memories, Children, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Hobbies, Lighthouses, Travel, Weather, , , , , , , ,
Langara Point

 

– from Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Langara 1957 – 1963) 

 

 

Smells
Growing 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 Langara lighthouse in the early years (1957 – 1963) we received supplies every three months. I can remember the first thing I listened for in the early morning of landing day was the clicking sound of the damper in the chimney of the kitchen’s oil stove. When I heard that I knew that there would be no supplies landed that day as the wind was too high.

One December I heard that dreaded sound twenty (20) days in a row, and each day the ship tried to bring our groceries. We would watch as it would come into view just off Langara Rocks. They would assess the landing conditions, then we would watch with growing dispair as it turned back to the safety of a nearby harbour. Finally on the 21st day, the supply tender (itself running out of provisions) was able to deliver our supplies.  Continue reading I Remember . . . c. early 1960s →

Mise Tales One

Adult Memories, Childhood Memories, Humour, Lighthouses, On The Job, Videos, , , , , ,

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 adhesive tape was also small and very hard to read.

In the Mise drawer were small nails. In my naivety I assumed that Mise was a special designation of Mice, and these small nails then became Mice Nails to me.

It was not until I was out and working did I discover they were actually called finishing nails, and the drawer label actually read Misc, which naturally stood for Miscellaneous!

So I will dedicate these pages to my Father, Alec F. Coldwell. This is Mise Tales One and I will post here miscellaneous things I find that are too short to make a full story. I do hope there will be many more Mise Tales later.

********************************** Continue reading Mise Tales One →