May 2004 - Vol Four, No.6

History Helps, Volume Four, Number 6, May 2004
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HAPPY MAY DAY!

The first May Day celebration in Delta was reported in The Daily Columbian, 02 May 1896, page four, as follows:

"May Day at Ladner

The people of Ladner, yesterday, held their first May Day celebration. The proceedings were carried out without a hitch, to the entire satisfaction of everyone taking part. After the dance around the May pole, there was a general distribution of fruit and bon bons, in a truly royal style, all present sharing alike. The people of Ladner threw themselves into the festivities of the occasion with a vim which carried all before it, and this, with the excellent weather with which they were favored, ensured the success of the fete. In the evening, there was a dance, in which the children and adults joined heartily. The town hall was well filled, and the dance was kept up until a late hour, the music being furnished by Messrs. Rickman, Shelby, and Darcy, of this city [New Westminster]."

Reconstruction Post World War Two

"WILL YOU HELP?

AN APPEAL TO THE RESIDENTS OF DELTA

Recent slashes in the food ration of the British people have excited much sympathy among Canadians, even in this period of postwar shortages and austerity. Many of you have sent individual food parcels to Britain, but due to high food prices and almost prohibitive mailing charges you have been unable to do, as individuals, all you might wish.

During war time the Milk for Britain Fund, sponsored by the Association of Kinsmen Clubs, enabled Canadians to send over Thirty Million quarts of milk to Britain. Now its sequel, the Food for Britain Fund, has been launched to send food to British families. All items shipped will be those specified by the British Ministry of Food as most needed.

We believe you will welcome an opportunity to make a contribution to this fund, which will multiply the effectiveness of your dollars for the following reasons:

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Your generous support of previous Kinsmen projects has always been appreciated, and we now solicit your help for this most worthy cause.

Here’s how you can help: On Friday, April 23, beginning at 1 p.m., the Kinsmen Club of Ladner will hold a Monster Auction in Ladner when Joseph Gibson, well-known auctioneer of Langley Prairie, will dispose of hundreds of articles that are being donated by citizens throughout the district. All the proceeds of this Monster Auction will go to the Food for Britain [Fund] and every dollar realized will help to deliver another parcel of food to the people of Britain.

You must have many articles around your home, farm or business that you could donate to this worthy cause ... things you do not need but that someone else could use. Furniture, household effects, livestock, hay, oats, potatoes, vegetables, tools ... the list is endless. Whatever you give will be turned into a contribution of food from you for the people of Britain.

When you have decided what you can give to be auctioned, bring the items to Ladner and leave them at the hall next to the Ladner Optimist office. If you can’t get your articles into Ladner, have one of your neighbors pick them up and deliver them, or else phone George North, Overwaitea Store in Ladner, telephone 88, who will see that your donations are picked up. In order to cut expenses and to have as much money as possible to turn over to the Food for Britain Fund, we are anxious to have as much material as possible delivered by the donors. We know you will co-operate.

And don’t forget to come to the Monster Auction on April 23. It will be a gala afternoon and one that you’ll thoroughly enjoy.

But right now find out what you can give to this Food for Britain Auction. You’ll be making a contribution to the people of Britain that you’ll never miss.

The Kinsmen Club of Ladner

Dr. Gordon L. Davis, President Fred Bangle, Secretary.

Source: The Ladner Optimist, 18 March 1948, page eight.

A Warning About a Scam

Since we sometimes find ourselves researching in unexpected places, the website warning us off e-mail scams relating to inheritances may be of some use, even though it is an American site.

The designers of this one are after your money, hoping you'll fall for the old "a rich relative has died and left you a fortune" ploy. Remember, legitimate law firms, executors of wills, and others who have been named to distribute estate funds to rightful heirs do not ask you to pay a fee to find out about your share of the estate. The urban legends website at Snopes.com has a page debunking this myth. Check it out at http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/inherit.asp

Incidentally, if you want to keep abreast of what is current in scams, especially on the Internet, an excellent source can be found at http://www.scambusters.org/

The Pioneer Laundry, Vancouver, British Columbia

"THE PIONEER LAUNDRY

Tenth Anniversary of a Growing Institution in Vancouver

Last Saturday was the 10th anniversary of the Pioneer laundry, under the management of its present owner, D. M. Stewart. In its early days the Pioneer had a checkered career, it having changed hands some seven times in less than two years.

It required a long and hard struggle to bring the business, then employing only about a dozen people, up to its present capacity and efficiency.

The Pioneer laundry is a big concern, it is more important than the majority of the citizens are aware of. It is in fact one of the most important industries in the city, having in its employ about 75 people. It has branches all over the Province, which contribute quite a sum for circulation in Vancouver.

The weekly payroll of the Pioneer is nearly $600, or about three-fifths of the running expenses. The other two-fifths, $400, is consumed in such items as fuel, light, insurance, supplies, maintenance of plant, buildings, horses, wagons, etc. In all about $1,000 weekly is being spent here in Vancouver as a result of patronizing a white laundry.

The Pioneer employs white labor exclusively and this question of white help for laundry work is as hard a problem to solve as the one of white help for domestic purposes.

Though the prices for laundry work are practically the same here as in the east, yet much higher wages are paid here, the new beginners receiving as much pay as experts in the east receive, although these apprentices have to be taught their work before they can be of any assistance, or can be a source of revenue to the institution employing them.

The Chinese competition is another difficulty that white laundries have to contend with. The Chinese do their work in a cheap and questionable manner and on account of the cheapness many people are content to close their eyes to the methods employed.

In the face of these difficulties the Pioneer laundry has forged ahead and is now an institution that would well repay a visit. Every department is spotlessly clean and thoroughly sanitary in every respect.

Although there are other white laundries in the city competing for business, still the Pioneer easily manages to hold its own."

Source: The [Vancouver] Daily World, 04 June 1901, page 8.

A Website for the B. C. Penitentiary, New Westminster, B.C.

Subscribers may remember that I was looking at one time for information in respect of potters field in New Westminster. I can’t report that I am any the wiser about that subject, but I did come across the following website dealing with the B. C. Pen Cemetery. The site is called Boot Hill: Stories from the British Columbia Penitentiary Cemetery, and can be located at http://www.boothill.ca/index.html.

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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.