History Helps Volume Two, Number 6, May 2002
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• May and May Day
• The Hardships of Settlement
• More About Settlement
• A Defining Website
• A Successful Fund-Raiser
• A Fun Website
• The Chinese in British Columbia
• Another Town Name
• Postal History
• Something to Think About
• Subscription, Privacy Policy

The flavour of May a century ago, from The Delta News, 31 May 1902:

"Mud Bay Picnic

The people of Mud Bay and Delta held their annual picnic on Saturday, at Blackie's Spit. Quite a number from Ladner being in attendance. [sic] There has scarcely been a break in holding this 24th of May reunion since it was organised in 1880 and as the weather was propitious there was a good turnout of settlers, young and old. Over 350 found their way to the rendezvous via road or water, and many came from more distant places such as Vancouver, New Westminster, Tynehead, Blaine and Surrey Center..."

An even earlier item, from The Daily Columbian, 03 June 1897, reported the annual "pic-nic" as follows:

"TWENTY-FOURTH AT MUD BAY

From an Occasional Correspondent
ELGIN, May 29 -- From the earliest settlement of Mud Bay, it has been customary to hold an annual pic-nic on the Queen’s Birthday at Blackie’s Spit, a beautiful spot on the bay. The property was leased of recent years, and the lessee, without providing any accommodation, notified the public that a fee of ten cents each would be demanded from all visitors. Last year, there was considerable animosity displayed towards the pic-nickers, and shortly afterwards he modestly demanded $150 as damages for the wear and tear of his private road leading to the beach.

As a natural result, another suitable place was sought for this year’s pic nic and White Rock was selected. Its sandy beach, grassy shores, and sparkling water make it an ideal pic nic ground.
All the surrounding districts were well represented -- Blaine, Cloverdale, Boundary Bay, and even New Westminster. The weather was perfect, and all enjoyed themselves to their heart’s content..."

The Hardships of Settlement in Delta, British Columbia

"ROAD WANTED -- The settlers on the South Arm of the Fraser, complain bitterly of the hardships they are exposed to, in communicating with this city [New Westminster]: they have no means of approach, except by canoe, or boat, which occupies 6 hours of incessant labor to propel against the current from their farms to New Westminster. As settlement is now going on very rapidly, and the necessity for constant intercourse is becoming daily, more pressing, they ask for a road which can be constructed at a small cost, and will be equally servicable to the settlers from near chewassen [sic], to the point likely to be chosen by government, near this city."

Source: Mainland Guardian, Wednesday, 18 September 1872, page three. To my recollection, this is the earliest reference in the newspaper to chewassen, the area that we now refer to as Tsawwassen.

Other Problems Related to Settling in Delta, British Columbia

"PETITION FOR SURVEYS -- The residents at the South Arm, we are informed, have decided to petition the government for the survey of the various claims in that vicinity in order that improvements may be effected with certainty as to boundaries. This is the really desirable survey that we have always advocated as being of the first necessity for the settlers. The more expensive operations to ascertain how much land is available for sale is quite a different matter, and the cost to our mind will be so much of the public money thrown away."
Source: Mainland Guardian, Saturday, 09 August 1873, page three.

"SOUTH ARM":

"The Surveyors are making rapid strides on behalf of the Government, but not one step towards marking off the claims, which neglect is retarding in no small degree the settlement of this magnificent district."
Source: Mainland Guardian, Wednesday, 05 November 1873, page three.

"SURVEY OF CLAIMS AT THE SOUTH ARM -- Since our last issue, we have been informed that the surveyors are busily engaged in laying off these claims, so that this source of inconvenience will be removed."
Source: Mainland Guardian, Saturday, 08 November 1873, page three.

A Defining Website

This is pretty nifty for finding definitions of old words, http://www.onelook.com/
I was interested in a definition of "accoucheur" which I had seen in an 1870s newspaper advertisement by a physician. The word, as defined by one of the dictionaries available on this website, means "a man who assists women in childbirth; a man midwife; an obstetrician."

There are also links on this site that provide translation, a need we all encounter at one time or another.

Fund-Raiser for the Delta Museum and Archives

In the last issue I mentioned the “Garage Sale of Treasures” that I was hosting as a fund-raiser for the Delta Museum and Archives Building Fund. It was a great success, for a first effort, which will lead us to another next year.

Naturally, as garage sales go, there are leftovers, several of which I will list here, on the off-chance that someone may be a collector of historic clothing.

1. A christening gown, circa 1900, not fancy, has been mended, requires some needlework to secure the lace on the bodice front. Asking price, $10.

2. A woman’s apron, 1930 - 1940, made from white cotton flour sacking, embroidered and appliqued, edge bound with bias tape, asking price $10.

3. A woman’s apron, 1940s, made from white cotton flour sacking, embroidery at waistband and red-and-white polka dot panel added to bottom. Asking price $5.

4. Souvenir silk handkerchief, with “Vancouver” embroidered in one corner, two tiny holes. Asking price $5.

If anyone is interested in any of the above items, please contact me by clicking on this link which will lead you to me, mailto:gwens@dccnet.com?subject=clothes-from-the-past. I can have the item photographed and the photo scanned for sending in an e-mail. I’m a push-over for things made from flour sacks, having childhood memories of blouses and other pieces of clothing made from print sacking. In fact, I still have an apron that was made for me from print flour sacking about forty years ago. There we have it, my trip down memory lane.

By the way, the money from these items will go to the Delta Museum and Archives Building Fund.

Another Website to Explore

This one may be more fun than useful, depending on one's needs. It's called Behind the Names: The Etymology and History of First Names, and may be worth a look.
The link is http://www.behindthename.com/

The Chinese in British Columbia

“CHINESE RETURNING HOME
Chinese by the score were standing around the terminus of the Vancouver - Westminster tram line this morning and there was likewise the usual number of packages of blankets and other paraphernalia that the heathen Chinee [sic] takes with him when he goes travelling. These Chinese had the most of them been living in British Columbia for several years, and they were just making their arrangements to go back to China with their earnings. The stack of their possessions, before they were removed to the Empress [ocean liner] this afternoon, made a pile that nearly blocked the streets. The money that the men take home with them is said to average from $300 to $500.”

Source: The Vancouver Daily World, Monday, 07 November 1898, page five.

Another Town Name

From The Vancouver Daily World, 19 April 1899, page 8, under "Daily City Gossip":

"Another new town was started recently just to the north of the international line in the Boundary country, by the name of Nelson. As there is at present another Nelson in British Columbia, the name of the new town has been changed to Danville."

Postal History

For anyone interested in postal history, this item may have appeal:

"A REAL GRIEVANCE -- The farmers in the Fraser Valley, although daily communication is had with the farms bordering on the river, are subjected to the most extortionate rates for carriage of their letters; for instance, a farmer 12 miles back from the river is charged $ 1 each, for every letter or newspaper sent over to him."

Source: Mainland Guardian, Saturday, 24 June 1871, page three.

Something to Think About

This is an old Russian proverb, quoted on CBC, Radio One, on April 7th, 2002:

“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”

Reminder

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

Subscription, Privacy Policy

To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail with either SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line and mailto:gwens@dccnet.com.

Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone.
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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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