SUMMARY: In "Okanagan People", number 4 in the series, we hear about the Indians, cattlemen and fruit growers of the Okanagan Valley; the lively society of the British people; the hard work of converting the dry hills into orchards. Voices heard include: Myra DeBeck, Dorothea Walker, Primrose Upton, Charlie Shaw, Bob Gammon, Len Hayman, and H.V. (Paddy) Acland.

The fonds consists of benchbooks created by Judge George Stephen Denroche who sat as Magistrate in Armstrong, Enderby and occasionally in Salmon Arm and Penticton from 1959 until 1990.

The volumes are notes of cases heard by Dencroche and are in his handwriting.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-05 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Herbert G. Clark talks about Penticton and the Keremeos/Ashnola Creek area after 1914. He discusses his family background; school days at Allen Grove near Penticton; people in the Penticton area; a story about an old Indian man named Toppy Louie; chores on the ranch; pioneers; old timers in Keremeos; a discussion of the area; a description of an imaginary trip from Keremeos through the Ashnola Creek area, including the roads, landscape and vegetation. He concludes by describing wildlife in the area. [TRACK 2: blank.]

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Paddy Acland remembers a few anecdotes about hunting and hiking in the BC interior. He explains how he came out to British Columbia from England after serving with the British Army duri;ng the Boer War. He describes expectations of life in BC and offers comments on the background of his father, John Acland. He arrived in BC in 1908; he describes the appearance of Summerland. He discusses his first jobs in the Okanagan; building his first log cabin; an anecdote about digging a basement for "Old Johnson"; buying and pre empting land in the Okanagan. TRACK 2: Paddy Acland describes the development of his own property near Eneas Lake between Peachland and Summerland. He discusses his first impressions of the Okanagan Valley, coming into it via train and boat. He describes ;the sternwheeler "Aberdeen"; labouring for a tobacco farmer in Kelowna; working for a dairy farmer, the meanest man Mr. Acland had ever met; comments on another employer, named "Fluffy" Williston. Mr. Acland offers further comments on British immigrants who came to the Okanagan during this era.

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Paddy Acland mentions his first jobs in the Okanagan, including lumber sorting and surveying. Mr. Acland returned to England for two months, and then returned to the Okanagan. He offers an; anecdote about a man being thrown into Lake Okanagan with all of his belongings, for making a pass at a local girl, and the "rough" justice of the era. More anecdotes about promiscuity between wives; of landed settlers and hired working men. Mr. Acland discusses his marriage to a girl from Summerland, and a digression on the different types of English immigrants, including the class that settled; in Vernon during the early decades of the century, which he found snobbish and pretentious. He describes the mixture of settlers in Kelowna during this era. TRACK 2: Mr. Acland offers comments about the Edgelow family of Kelowna, particularly Mrs. Edgelow, who delighted in shocking Kelowna residents prior to World War I. He comments on the background of the Acland family and offers anecdotes ;about his mother-in-law, Mrs. Hutton of Kelowna, an ardent Catholic convert who often entertained in her large home. He tells a story about an English orchardist who planted his trees upside down, an;d describes dances and social activities in the Okanagan Valley during this era. He describes the growth and development of Summerland during its early years and reflects upon the different currents ;of immigrants and settlers which have made up the fabric of Canadian society.

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Paddy Acland discusses some early Okanagan Valley residents. He admits that he joined the Baptist church choir to meet young and single women. He discusses relations with the Indians in the reserve near Summerland; the story of Sam McGee; comments on how the capital of early settlers was used and misused; a recollection of J.M. Robinson; comments on the Manitoba farmers induced to come; to the Okanagan Valley by Robinson; comments on how young men made a living in the Okanagan during this era; a story about the fortunes of three young working men; and comments on the Dominion Experimental Farm at Summerland. TRACK 2: Mr. Acland recalls several characters at Cobble Hill, Duncan, and offers a comparison between Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley during the early years of t;he century. He discusses personalities and experiences at Thetis Island; then he tells a story about two young men who shot a policeman in the Okanagan Valley, and were hunted by posses throughout the valley. More comments on English settlers; the story of the Belleview Hotel; anecdotes about the antics at the Belleview Hotel, and a physical description of the hotel.;

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0004 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Paddy Acland retraces early working experiences and life in the Okanagan Valley. He describes Okanagan Falls around the time of the First World War; the town of Kaleden; a story about Tom E;llis; stories about rattlesnakes; a story about competing in the long jump against an Indian at Penticton; comments about Penticton and Naramata; a description of Peachland; comments about settlements; on the west side of Okanagan Lake; J.C. Dun-Waters and the building of Fintry; dairy farming; comments about the simple funerals of several wealthy Okanagan residents; and an anecdote about the funeral of Matt Wilson. TRACK 2: Mr. Acland recalls his service with a military regiment in the Okanagan Valley; organizational and disciplinary problems with the Okanagan military regiment; military stories and training with different military regiments in BC and eastern Canada.;

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0005 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Paddy Acland discusses military training and service overseas with a Canadian battalion during the First World War. He offers further recollections of aspects of military training in British Columbia. TRACK 2: Mr. Acland tells a story of bear hunting behind his homestead with a local Indian. He describes his service as a government weed inspector along Lake Okanagan, and tells a story; about entry into the military. He comments about training in the Okanagan and he traces his military career.

CALL NUMBER: T1085:0006 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-12 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Paddy Acland discusses further aspects of his military experience overseas during World War I. TRACK 2: Mr. Acland offers recollections about flying aircraft and training pilots during World War I; returning to the Okanagan Valley after the war; a story about losing his land after the war, and serving as a manager at the Eldorado ranch. Finally, he discusses hard times.

Series consists of alphabetical indexes for Penticton Supreme, County, and Family Court civil cause books and case record cards between 1958 and 1990. The location of the cause books and case record cards to which they refer is unknown. Indexes provide only a case file number. They do not provide volume and folio numbers necessary to locate civil orders and judgements.

CALL NUMBER: T0612:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Fruit farming in the Penticton area, 1906-1950 PERIOD COVERED: 1906-1950 RECORDED: Penticton (B.C.), 1976 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Harris describes his background: born Oak River, Manitoba, 1910; family to Penticton, BC, 1917. Mr. Harris discusses: the Ellis Ranch; Southern Okanagan Land Company; irrigation of the Penticton area. Details about the construction of early irrigation works, circa 1906 to 1910. Details about irrigation. Thomas Ellis and the Ellis Ranch. Orchard and irrigation work. Varieties of fruit. TRACK 2: More on varieties of fruit. Attitudes and ideas of early orchardists. Learning the fruit business. Insects and pest control. Spraying techniques. Poison problems with insecticides. Changes in the fruit industry. Harris' early memories of fruit farming. Sizes of orchards. Changes in fruit marketing. CALL NUMBER: T0612:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The Okanagan fruit industry, 1920-1960 PERIOD COVERED: 1920-1960 RECORDED: Penticton (B.C.), 1976 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Harris discusses: the formation of fruit marketing co-operatives after 1920; problems of fruit marketing, 1930s; B.C. Fruit Growers Association; conflicts between growers and shippers; problems of the fruit economy; the seasonal round of work in the fruit industry in the 1920s. TRACK 2: The seasonal round of work (cont'd). Holidays and celebrations. August heat. Mosquitoes. Orchard workers. (End of interview)

This series includes records related to forest tenures in the Kamloops Forest Region from 1987-1998. The series currently includes records from the Kamloops Forest District, Penticton Forest District and Vernon Forest District within the larger Kamloops Forest Region.

Types of forest tenure records in this series include non-replaceable timber sale licences (TSLs), including licences issued under the Small Business Forest Enterprise (SBFEP) program and BC Timber Sales Program.

Records regard the issuance, evaluation, administration, monitoring, planning, replacement, cancellation and extension of forest tenures under the Forest Act.

Records include correspondence; licences; logging plans; log hauling and harvesting contracts; preharvest silviculture prescriptions, reviews and amendments; harvest inspection reports and appraisals; stumpage calculations; records related to right of ways and Forest Service Road permits; reports; maps; and photos.

The series also includes legal documents for cutting permits for replaceable forest licences and tree farm licence (TFL) 35. These files may include some of the records described above, but primarily contain records related to silviculture prescriptions and surveys.

The records have been classified as 19500-45 and 19620-25 in the Forestry Operational Classification System (ORCS).

The ministries responsible for these records, and the years that they were responsible, are:
Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-05-26 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Miss Kathleen Ellis recalls her father; pioneer Okanagan rancher Tom Ellis. She discusses how her father came to the valley in 1865; pre-empted land at the present site of Penticton; returned to Ireland to marry; a description of Mrs. Ellis, nee Wade; Judge J.C. Haynes; Ellis' early travels; relations with native people; cattle brought from Oregon; early families; business dealings; Ell;is' treatment of newcomers; visitors; a description of the house; and how Ellis built the first church. TRACK 2: Miss Ellis describes early settlement at Penticton; Father Pandosy and his death; daily life; governesses; pastimes; chores; Ellis' cattle herd of 4,000 head; how Eileen Ellis met Pat Burns; visits with the Burns family in Calgary; cattle driven to Hope or Rossland; hard feelings when; Ellis bought Haynes Ranch in Osoyoos after J.C. Hayne's death; rivalries; and the Kruger family.

This series consists of civil cause books from the Kelowna Supreme Court, from 1951-1977. Only indexes are available for the years 1923-1946. The books includes cases related to adoption, divorce, estate administration, probates and other civil matters. Some files are noted as Penticton files.

CALL NUMBER: T0458:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], [1965?] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Leonard Hayman recalls life in the Okanagan, 1901 to 1945. He discusses how he came out to the Okanagan Valley in 1901; worked on a ranch near Vernon; worked on CPR steamboats; incident;s on the farm; crews on boats; Indians on the reservation south of Kelowna [Westbank?]; working his way up to captain on steamboats; early days in Kelowna; cows in the streets; drinking in Kelowna; Reverend Thomas Green; an anecdote about Tom Ellis and the church organ in Penticton; and a Pauline Johnson concert. TRACK 2: Mr. Hayman discusses steamboats coming into Penticton; people in Penticton; how Mr. Hayman came to run the ferry across Okanagan Lake; a story of a boat which was wrecked in a storm at night; a man lost on a canoe in the lake; the Okanagan Brigade Trail; running ferries under the government; roads on the west side of the lake; stories about "Wild Goose Bill"; Indians and ferry operations.

CALL NUMBER: T0458:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], [1965?] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: This track begins with an anecdote about Mr. Hayman stealing his own pig; stories about the police; Sam Lee of the Chinese Laundry at Okanagan Landing; a funny story about a minister at Field; pioneer supplies such as flour sacks; stories about Indians; a story about an Indian in court who wanted a receipt for his fine; and a story of a Chinese man who was shot by mistake. TRACK 2: Mr. Hayman offers more stories about a bear shot from a sternwheeler; swimming the lake to see loon eggs; a story of Joe Casorso and an Indian and a cougar skin; Reverend Solly and the burning down of the Naramata church; a new organ in the Penticton church; a story about Tom Ellis and the church organ; Price Ellison; lake ferry problems; how Mr. Hayman took the ferry over; church services; a story a;bout a funeral and poison ivy.

Penticton Supreme and County Court letters of administration handled by the Official Administrator.

The item is a composite print of a travelogue film made in 1073-1974. It uses unusual optical techniques (mainly mirror-image and "kaleidoscopic" effects) to present the scenic splendours of B.C. Includes footage of abandoned Nickel Plate mine, Fraser Canyon, whitewater rafting, Nicola Valley, cattle ranching & roundup, rodeo, Kalamalka Lake, Kelowna Regatta, Penticton Peach Festival, autumn scenes, snowmobiling and skiing.

Travelogue. Uses unusual optical techniques (mainly mirror-image and "kaleidoscopic" effects) to present the scenic splendours of B.C. Includes footage of abandoned Nickel Plate mine, Fraser Canyon, whitewater rafting, Nicola Valley, cattle ranching & roundup, rodeo, Kalamalka Lake, Kelowna Regatta, Penticton Peach Festival, autumn scenes, snowmobiling, skiing.

The item consists of six film reels including:

1. Liquified petroleum gas to Japan, shots of storage tanks; the cargo ship "Mundogas West"; aboard ship; ship departing, 1966: negative
2. New winery Penticton: negative outs
3. B.C. Government tours, airplane taxiing; passengers disembarking; etc: negative
4. Carter report, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, 1967: negative picture with optical sound
5. Vigor Mines, 1967: negative
6. Pacific Centre opening, 1971: negative.

CALL NUMBER: T1089:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Myra DeBeck and Mrs. Ellen Sovereign are the daughters of Price Ellison (1853-1932). Mrs. DeBeck begins the interview by discussing her father's background; how he came to the Okanagan; the story of her mother's wedding ring; how her mother, Sophie Johnson, came to the Okanagan and married Ellison; Ellison's youth in England; his apprenticeship as a Whitesmith; neighbours in Vernon; the Ellison Ranch; a description of the house; her mother's involvement in the women's council; Lord and Lady Aberdeen. TRACK 2: Mrs. Ellen Sovereign discusses her father as an Okanagan pioneer and as a politician with great vision for the valley. She describes social life in Vernon; various visits to Victoria around 1900; impressions of Victoria; Premier Richard McBride; the Aberdeens; the Barnards of BX Ranch; a trip to Simpson Ranch.

CALL NUMBER: T1089:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Myra DeBeck recalls life in Vernon and the area from 1890 to 1910. She describes Vernon as it was around 1900; the strawberry festival and social events; the story of how her mother came to; the valley; a trip to the World's Fair in 1893; Okanagan Mission; a visit to the Simpson Ranch; roads in the Valley; Coldstream Ranch; W.C. Ricardo; Lady Aberdeen and the Womens' Council, and the Cottage Hospital. TRACK 2: Mrs. DeBeck continues describing Lady Aberdeen's visit; the visit of Earl and Lady Grey; the Aberdeen family and their children; Lady Aberdeen's Irish village at the Chicago ;World's Fair; Coldstream; hop growing and Indian pickers; other ranchers and ranches in the area; the O'Keefe family; the Greenhows; BX Ranch; the Barnard family; the MacDonald family; young Englishmen; the Womens' Institute; Penticton; the Ellis family.

CALL NUMBER: T1089:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Myra DeBeck recalls a 1910 trip with her father, Provincial cabinet minister Price Ellison, into what became Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. She also describes the creation of Ellison Park on Okanagan Lake; Premier Richard McBride; electioneering with her father; and stories about an old hand on Ellison Ranch. [TRACK 2: blank.]

The sub-series consists of oral history interviews recorded in the Okanagan and Similkameen regions, mainly dealing with the history of those regions in the years 1880-1914.

Footage. Various shots of businesses, streets, factories, warehouses, schools, recreation, resorts, transportation, etc., in Penticton, Summerland, Kelowna, Vernon and surrounding area. Includes footage of the Kelowna Regatta and the Vernon Races and "Klondike Nites".

The item is an audio recording produced for the Provincial Archives' Sound Heritage Series under contract. The speaker is H.V. "Paddy" Acland, one of the many young Englishmen who came to settle in the Okanagan Valley in the first decade of the 20th century. He and his compatriots saw in the Okanagan a reflection of their own youth, vitality and optimism. This sound program was based on an 1964 interview with Mr. Acland, recorded by Imbert Orchard of the CBC.

The item is a film print of a travelogue made in 1951. It depicts the Hope-Princeton Highway and the Penticton Peach Festival and Rodeo. Footage includes: Manning Park and highway scenes en route to Penticton; Peach Festival parade (including girls' pipe band); crowning of Queen Val Vedette; festival midway; harness racing. Rodeo events include pattern riding, bronco riding, calf roping, bulldogging steers and bull riding. Also lake shore and orchard scenes. BC highway construction is promoted in the commentary.