History Helps Volume Two, Number 8, July 2002
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• Summer at Boundary Bay
• Bathing Costumes in the 1890s
• Canadian Architect and Builder On-line
• Wills, Estates and Probates
• More Old Holdings at B. C. Archives
• Old Directories, Part Two
• Recent Encounter With Passenger Lists
• Self-Promotion (Ladner Walking Tour)
• Something to Think About
• Subscription, Privacy Policy

SUMMER IS HERE!

Summer in this community in the early part of the 20th century was synonymous with Boundary Bay, a popular resort where families from Vancouver and New Westminster, as well as local families, spent the summer. In those days there wasn't much differentiation between the Canadian side and the American side.

And every summer the exodus to Boundary Bay was reported in the local newspaper, in a fashion similar to the following example from The Delta News, 12 July 1902:

“Every trip of the steamer Transfer to Ladner brings campers for Boundary Bay. Until a few days ago the weather has been a little too cool for much enjoyment at the Bay, but now campers are blessed with beautiful warm weather. Although the season is late quite a number are enjoying outdoor life at the beach. If more convenient accommodation were provided at the Bay, as a summer resort that place should be very popular. It is an excellent place for bathing, has a beautiful sandy beach, and plenty of shade from the hot sun.”

On the Subject of Bathing

This article from the Vancouver Daily World, 21 July 1899, page one, sets out attitudes of the era. The amendment, by the way, didn’t pass.

“NO MORE BATHING

Will Be Allowed in English Bay Except in Regulation Dress
There was a kind of extra general deliberation this morning in the City Clerk’s office, of the civic authorities, on the question of the proposed bathing regulations. A by-law was introduced on Monday night to this effect by Ald. McQueen. After a good deal of discussion as to the wording, it was suggested that the by-law be amended by adding the following clause:

No person shall bathe or swim in the waters of Burrard Inlet, English Bay or False Creek within the limits of the city of Vancouver without a bathing dress covering the body from the neck to the knees, such bathing dress to consist of drawers from the waist to the knees and a tunic or jersey extending from the shoulders to within __ inches of the knees, but any person wearing such proper bathing dress may bathe at any time in the said waters.

The matter will be discussed and the blanks filled in at the Council meeting next Monday evening.”

Canadian Architect and Builder Online

This is a most useful Website for anyone interested in architecture, architecture history in Canada, or just old houses generally and can be found at http://collections.ic.gc.ca/architect/

This quote from the Introduction on the Website sums up this valuable asset: “The Canadian Architect and Builder (CAB) was published between 1888 and 1908 and is the only professional architectural journal published in Canada before World War I. Beautifully filled with photographs, drawings, advertisements and valuable articles, CAB provides a wealth of information on the state of architecture and building in Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also of immense historical importance as a cultural treasure that makes up part of the Canadian heritage. The CAB is an invaluable resource in understanding late 19th century architectural developments, permitting the study of the role of the Arts and Crafts movement in Canadian interior design. Access to CAB on the Web will be a significant benefit for museum exhibition purposes, for in-depth research and for access by museum audience and students. The CAB is the most significant journal for the history of architecture in Canada and is of importance in a variety of disciplines including architecture, art history, geography, and Canadian history. To date, CAB remains one of the most important primary research sources for architects, conservation architects, building technologists, architectural historians and social historians.”

Wills, Estates and Probates

We carry so much information around in our heads that it’s not surprising when some of it gets shoved out of reach. That’s my excuse when I lose sight of good ideas.

In a recent research assignment for a client, I was stumped as to where to direct her attention next. But in a moment of clarity I remembered how much use I had made of wills and probates of estates when I was researching my Master’s thesis on farm women. Here in B.C. wills and estates are available for varying periods, depending on the different region of B.C. For New Westminster District, for example, wills and probates are available up to and including 1943; for Prince Rupert, they are available up to and including 1944.

The B. C. Archives located in Victoria holds a vast collection of wills and probates, with finding aids and microfilm collections for public use. On the B. C. Archives Website (URL is http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/index.htm) the finding aids are now on-line. Using the search terms “probate/estate files” I did a trial search in GR-1422 British Columbia Supreme Court (New Westminster). There I found in the listing the number of the reel (B11288) on which to locate the file for Mary Ann Ladner (388/1896), first wife of William Ladner. The estate and probate information is not on-line, but this new index capability on-line allows us to complete one step in the process at home, before setting off on an expensive and time-consuming trip to Victoria.
I’m told the Surrey Library (Cloverdale branch) in the Lower Mainland also has a substantial collection of same. The Website for the Library is

http://www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/SearchtheWeb/Genealogy/Default.htm

For anyone researching social history or family history, there is much to be learned from this resource.

More Old Holdings at the B. C. Archives

In the April 2002 issue of “History Helps,” I listed some of the items held at the B. C. Archives in Victoria under the category “Old Manuscript.”

One that I didn’t include in that list, but may be useful, relates to arrivals in the colony. So far there seems to be no one taking on the monumental task of transcribing ships’ lists for the Pacific ports.

NW 929.3711 V645 “The Victoria gazette and the British colonist, Victoria, Van. Is.: Victoria, ship’s [sic] passenger lists, 1858 - 1861 arrivals. 6 leaves; 28 cm. Typescript.”

A quite separate listing of manuscripts, etc. that are not available on-line can be found under “Main Manuscripts and Government Records Catalogue.” In my notes concerning that catalogue, I found the item below, which anyone doing research on Victoria, B.C., may find useful (or not).

Add. MSS 1908

“Microfilm (pos.), 1891, 1 reel, 35 mm. Victoria City Official Census, 1891: returns of census taken as a result of the city’s belief that the federal census had placed Victoria’s population at too low a figure. Lists heads of households and single people alphabetically with either address or occupation, number of members of household and numbers who were either Indian or Chinese. Residents of Protestant Orphans’ Home, St. Ann’s School and St. Joseph’s Hospital, Indians, and crews of barques Callao and Serica are listed separately at back of volume. Finding aid: xerox copies of difficult to read pages. Copied from carbon copy at Public Archives of Canada (MG 9 F 3), 1983.”

Old Directories as a Source of Information

This is a continuation of the item begun in “History Helps,” June 2002, presenting a sampling of information found in B. C. Directories from the 19th century:

Reel Eleven

“Williams 1881 Directory” - unremarkable except it also lists Blaine, Wash. (including White Rock).

“Lynch’s Ready Guide to Victoria and British Columbia” -- begins about 1890 -- also a pocket calendar with pages for each month. Also advertised “The B.C. Handbook and General Guide to British Columbia” dated March 1893, published by B. C. Guide Publishing Co., 49 Five Sisters Block, Victoria, B.C.

Reel Twelve

“Williams Illustrated Official B. C. City Directory 1892” includes, for example:
Medical Register of British Columbia
University of British Columbia Members of Convocation
Active Militia
Telegraph Offices in B.C.
Distances in B.C.
Benevolent and Other Societies
Newspapers and Publications
Provincial Museum
Aerial photos of Victoria
Canadian Pacific Railway Officials and Employees in Vancouver.

Reel Sixteen

“New Westminster and Burrard Inlet Telephone Company, Limited Exchange Lists,” 1890
= Vancouver and New Westminster Telephone Exchange

“The Williams Official British Columbia Directory 1895,” published Victoria, B.C.
The Colonist Printing and Publishing Company
Preface is dated January 1895, and the Addenda are located at the front of the book.

“Merchants’ Agency Red Book,” 1896
A Gazetteer and Trade Directory of British Columbia; Issued: semi-annually
April 1896; Victoria B.C.; T. R. Cusack, Printer, Times Building; 1896; includes:
a) advertisements
b) information on individual communities
c) entry for Ladners [sic] lists all businessmen
d) “Laws Relating to Failures, Collection of Debts, & c., British Columbia” -- “There are no insolvency or bankruptcy laws in force.” -- “INTEREST Where not otherwise agreed upon, and where due by law, is six percent. No usury law.”

Recent Encounters With Passenger Lists

In my recent reading of the Vancouver Daily World newspaper, 1892 and 1893, I have been coming across lists of passengers, both inbound and outbound, on ships sailing the Pacific. The traffic occurred between Vancouver and China/Japan or Australia.

I can't figure out whether these lists, collected in some kind of database on my Website, would be of use to a wider audience. I would appreciate hearing from anyone with a thought or opinion about this.

This is not an offer to search through these lists for specific names; rather, it’s a request for opinions on the value of going to a lot of time and effort to make these lists more widely accessible.

Self-Promotion (Inevitable and Unavoidable)

For the last two summers I’ve done walking tours of specific areas of Ladner village for the Delta Museum and Archives.

This year I’ll be doing the walk along Arthur Drive on Saturday, July 13th, from 1 to 2:30 in the afternoon. In the past we have tended to emphasize houses, but this year we’ll also be looking at trees, as there are some beauties along this street, one of the main and historical thoroughfares in Ladner.

Pre-registration is recommended as there is a discount on the price for early birds ($8 instead of $10) The phone number of Delta Museum and Archives for registration is 604-946-9322.

Something to Think About

From a colleague, who would prefer anonymity: “Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t botherin’ you none.”

Reminder

These newsletters are all dated. Consequently, some of the websites recorded therein may no longer be operating at the stated web address.

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Gwen Szychter, M.A.
P.S. Here's a favour you can do for me: If you liked this newsletter and found it helpful or just interesting, please pass it on to a friend or colleague. Thank you.

Newspaper Obituary Database coming to

History of Delta, British Columbia On-line

Delta History On-Line

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