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)
– Ray MacKenzie (Assistant Keeper on Boat Bluff 1982 – 1986)
Boat Bluff at low tide, Summer 2003; Mike Higgins photo
My wife Petra and myself and our dog Butch arrived on Boat Bluff Lightstation on the 2nd day of October, 1982 aboard the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker “CCGS Wolfe”, having been picked up in Port Hardy by Capt. Mellis on the CCGS WOLFE whilst it was on it’s fall re-fuelling run.
It had been a very nice, albeit long trip, as we were on the fall refuelling run. We had an opportunity to go ashore at a few of the stations which made it very interesting to a couple of greenhorns with stars in their eyes. Continue reading Memories of Boat Bluff c. 1980s→
Lawyer Island Lighthouse; photo - CCG Prince Rupert
In the Lighthouses of British Columbia guestbook I came across an entry by an “M. W. Harding”. He stated that his grandfather had been the first lighthouse keeper on Lawyer Island, near Prince Rupert, BC, and had accidentally drowned. I contacted Mr. Harding and got more information from him about his grandfather’s death. – JAC
– Ned Harding (Grandson of Thomas Harvey who was Senior Keeper at Lawyer Island 1921 – c.1905)
I have some information regarding the Lawyer Island Lighthouse. This information was given to me by my mother who was the daughter of the original keeper. The keeper’s name was Thomas Harvey who took care of the light starting approximately 1901. He was married to my grandmother in 1898 and my mother was born in Vancouver in 1899.
My mother and grandmother were also at Lawyer Island from about 1902. The grandmother’s name was Hannah G. Harvey, and my mother’s original name was Frances T. Harvey. The light was tended by this duo until 1904 when my grandfather was lost in the sea while rowing to Prince Rupert as was his practice from time to time.
CCGS Quadra; photo - CCG
When he failed to return, the light was tended by my grandmother. She kept the light operating for about two weeks after he disappeared. She also lit a huge bonfire on the beach to attract attention to her plight. After the incident, she and my mother were returned to Vancouver on the Coast Guard Ship “Quadra”.
I have no knowledge as to who the new lightkeeper was after my grandfather was lost. We have little more than this account since it appears little other history remains of this light and the Coast Guard has been no help. When I grew up as a youngster I was apprised of this account by my grandmother and my mother, both of them sadly long since passed.
In the early days women were not listed as lighthouse personnel, even though they often did the work of a second man. A lady in the US has written a book about the “Ladies of the Lights” on the Great Lakes. The following quote from the Great Lakes Echo will explain more:
However, the people who operated the lighthouses, often in bleak and isolated conditions, are less known – especially the 52 women who served as keepers and assistant keepers for more than a century on lakes Michigan, Superior and Huron and the Detroit River. Continue reading Book – Women on a Lighthouse? You Bet!→
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.
