South Pender Island (B.C.)

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South Pender Island (B.C.)

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South Pender Island (B.C.)

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South Pender Island (B.C.)

18 Archival description results for South Pender Island (B.C.)

18 results directly related Exclude narrower terms

Beatrice Freeman interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Beatrice "Bea" Freeman discusses her father Arthur Reed Spalding; her father purchased property from John Tod; her mother [McKay] was from Saturna Island; her home life; visiting by row;boat; childhood activities; visitors; her father was well-educated and cultured; her mother was a very competent person; met many young wealthy Englishmen; story of Lord Loughborough; more on Pender Island settlers and landowners. TRACK 2: Mrs. Freeman discusses sheep rustling; "Old Burke" the smuggler; interaction with the American islands; visitors and strangers; more social contact with Saturna Islanders than those on North Pender; life too easy for young men; rum-running; building of the Pender Island canal in 1903; mail delivery; boat travel; comments about Sidney, BC.

Constance Swartz personal papers

Constance Swartz was the daughter of English parents who had emigrated to Pender Island and Samuel Island. She grew up in Victoria and then lived in Vancouver and Kelowna where she worked as a newspaper correspondent interested in cultural affairs. She returned to Pender Island in the 1950s. The collection contains journals, notebooks, personal correspondence, drawings, poetry and publications pertaining to her family ca. 1923-1981; correspondence and published programs relating to cultural events, mostly in Vancouver, ca. 1930-1970; and correspondence and subject files relating to her life and work as a journalist in the Gulf Islands. Constance Grey was born 16 January 1902 at Victoria, the daughter of Ralph Geoffrey Grey and Winifred Grace Spalding Higgs Grey. Both parents were English immigrants: her father, who was a cousin of Earl Grey, the Governor-General, settled on Samuel Island; while her mother's family, the Higgses, settled on Pender Island. Through her mother Constance was related to the Spalding family also of South Pender Island. Constance ("Contie" or "Connie") and her sister Evelyn ("Evie" or "Eve") were educated at St. Margaret's School in Victoria. Later, Constance was sent to finishing school in England and to France to complete her education. Both sisters spent the summer of 1925 at the Church family ranch in the Chilcotin. On 27 May 1926 Constance married Englishman Barnard Box (born 1900). Their son, Rollo Grey Barnard Box, was born in 1928. Constance and Barnard Box were divorced in June 1933, at which time Constance changed her name back to Constance Grey, and her son's name to Rollo Grey. In July 1934, Constance married an American born musician, Ira Wesley Swartz (born 1902); they were divorced in 1946. Constance retained the name Constance Grey Swartz and never remarried; Rollo Grey subsequently changed his name to Richard (Rick) Johnson. Between the 1930s and 1950s Constance lived in Vancouver, first with Ira Swartz and later with her aunt and uncle, Mabel (Higgs) and Martin Grainger. She worked as a stenographer at a number of Vancouver law firms, hotels, advertising agencies, and cultural organizations. She was also involved in the arts community in Vancouver. During the late 1940s she worked in Kelowna as women's editor, reporter, music, drama, dance and art critic for the Kelowna Courier. In the 1950s she returned to Higgs family land on South Pender Island where she built a house called "Clakili". During the 1960s and 1970s she wrote a social and news column for the Gulf Islands Driftwood under the Chinook name "Cultus Coulee". On Pender Island she assisted her cousin Beatrice J.S.I.M. Freeman complete her book A Gulf Islands Patchwork. She died in 1981. Most notably, the records include musical programmes and correspondence relating to Vancouver's cultural life in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and files relative to the Gulf Islands in the 1960s and 1970s. Letters, journals, photographs, books, poetry, and songs make up the rest of the records. 152 photographs and negatives, including one photograph album, transferred to Visual Records accession 199009-009. File list available. Related records include: MS-0588, Martin Allerdale Grainger, MS-0604, Grey Family and MS-2698, John Granville Orton. The records were received by Richard Mackie and Jonathan Spalding from Mrs. Jean Connors of North Pender Island in the summer of 1988. Spalding and Mackie at the time were collecting garbage for Spalding Sanitary Services. Part of the collection had already been destroyed. Permission to deposit the collection in the Provincial Archives was subsequently obtained from Constance Swartz's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jean Johnson of Regina, Saskatchewan, who was executor of Mrs. Swartz's will.

Swartz, Constance (Grey)

Fortunate islands : impressions of early days on the Gulf Islands

The item is an hour-long sound program produced for the Provincial Archives' Sound Heritage Series under contract, about pioneer days on the Gulf Islands. It includes the impressions and stories of early residents of Galiano, Saturna, North and Sound Pender, and Mayne Islands, emphasizing the arrival of new settlers, lighthouse life, and the joys and tribulations of island life.

Freda and Ida New interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-09-30 SUMMARY: Miss Ida New compares the types of settlers on North and South Pender Island; Saturna Island and Galiano Island; the Payne family of Saturna Island; social life and customs; Scoones family of Galiano Island; the arrival of Miss New and her brother Donald on Galiano Island in 1913; education on the islands. At the end of T0781:0002 track 1, Freda New discusses Mayne Island.

G. Stanley Harris interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1966-01-31 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. G. Stanley Harris describes circumstances of his birth in Ontario; came to BC in 1900; went to Atlin District in 1900; worked in the gold mines in the Atlin District; traveled to Dawson ;City in the Yukon; took a boat trip down the Yukon River; describes Dawson City and Bennett and the Atlin District as he remembers them at the turn of the century; the Reverend John Pringle is described; a description of Whitehorse. TRACK 2: Mr. Harris describes gambling incidents concerning his friend Harold Stone; adventures in the goldfields; moving to Pender Island in 1902; Pender Island pioneers and pioneers on Mayne Island.

Grey Family papers

Diary of R.G. Grey, 1879-1881, giving account of two voyages from London to Melbourne, typescript extracts from diary, 1906-1913, diary 1923-1932, papers on family history, re Josephine Butler (aunt), drafts of essays and letters to editors on world affairs, socialism; reminiscences of Winnifred Grey, 1895-1946, mainly re life on South Pender and Samuel Islands, school exercise books; letter to Evelyn (Grey) Smith, 1917, from army officer.

Herbert and Winifred Spalding interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Herbert Spalding's father, Arthur Reed Spalding, settled on Pender Island in 1886. Mr. Spalding describes: Pender settlers; relations between whites and Indians; details about the family farm; childhood; hunting; life on the islands; visitors. Mrs. Spalding relates details about growing up on the island. Mr. Spalding continues the interview and describes Indians; "Big Tom"; World War I; early telephones; transportation to and from the islands. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Margaret Smith interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-05 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Margaret Smith discusses early agriculture and settlement on Pender Island, 1885 to 1925. Her father, Alexander Hamilton, purchased land on Browning Harbour in 1885; he was a stone mason and had a business in New Westminster. The family moved permanently to Pender in 1898. Mrs. Smith discusses various aspects of island life: agriculture; sheep farming; her childhood on the island; dredging the Pender Island canal; domestic chores; fruit farming; land clearing; shipping cream; chickens; herding sheep; sheep thieves; smuggling and "Old Burke"; the Brackett family; schools; social and political life; Mr. Pollard; rum running; subdivisions; recollections of other Gulf Islands. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Neptune Grimmer interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Neptune "Nep" Grimmer recalls his life on Pender Island. His father, Washington Grimmer, was born in London, England, grew up in Australia, and came to BC in 1877. He then worked in the Cariboo with sheep before settling on Pender in 1882 and marrying Elizabeth Auchterlonie in 1885. Neptune Grimmer describes some of the early island settlers, including David Hope, Mr. Buckley, the Hope family, the Auchterlonie family, and the Davison family. He describes the type of small boats used for transportation; fishing and farming on the island; and his parents operation of a guest house; from 1910 to 1920. Neptune Grimmer was born in a boat while crossing Navy Channel; his older sister was the first white child born on Pender. He recalls childhood activities; schooling and the family; farm. In 1908 he attended the Agricultural College at Guelph; the family exhibited at the local agricultural fairs and supplied cream to the Salt Spring Creamery. He describes the evolution of farming on the island from sheep to dairy and later beef cattle. There is discussion of the early fruit farming and land settlement on the island. [TRACK 2: blank.]

People in landscape : Growing up on the Gulf Islands : [parts 1 & 2]

CALL NUMBER: T1436:0001
SUMMARY: The first of two programs about three families who grew up on three of the Gulf Islands -- Saturna, Samuel, and South Pender. Though their farms could have been called isolated, there was a great deal of coming and going between them, and they all had pleasant and energetic lives. Their vivid and amusing memories are the basis of this program. Voices heard include: Constance Swartz, Beatrice Freeman, Geraldine Hulbert and Dorothy Richardson.

CALL NUMBER: T1436:0002
SUMMARY: The second of two programs about three families who grew up on three of the Gulf Islands -- Saturna, Samuel, and South Pender. Though their farms could have been called isolated, there was a great deal of coming and going between them, and they all had pleasant and energetic lives. Their vivid and amusing memories are the basis of this program. Voices heard include: Constance Swartz, Beatrice Freeman, Geraldine Hulbert, Dorothy Richardson, Dora Payne and Herbert Spalding.

Records about Pender Island collected by Jack Orton

Papers collected by Jack Orton, a South Pender Island farmer. Contains the records of the South Pender Electrification Committee (Orton was the secretary) including minutes, questionnaires completed by landowners and correspondence with B.C. Hydro and others. Also contains material relating to the South Pender Residents Association (1954-1959) and the Gulf Islands Improvement Bureau (1955-1956), originally belonging to Mr. and Mrs. G.B. Jennens of South Pender Island. The South Pender Residents Association was dissolved in 1959 and the South Pender Electrification Committee was active 1960-1961.

Acquired from the estate of Jack Orton per Richard Mackie, 1989.

Finding aid: file list.

Robert Roe interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Robert "Bertie" Roe reminisces about Pender Island. He describes his father, who came from Scotland as a marine engineer, and settled on Pender Island in 1896. He describes Port Washington; the Hope Bay rivalry; clearing land and building up a farm; in 1918 he started a resort; a visit of Premier McBride and a Conservative party picnic; a political speech; sea serpents; the Shingle; Bay fish plant; rum running; Cannonball Baker. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Victor Menzies interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-03 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Victor Menzies recalls early years on Pender Island. His father who had traveled from Manitoba took a job on the Grimmer ranch in 1893; he later rented the Hope Farm and raised Jersey cattle and sent the cream to Salt Spring Island. Victor Menzies discusses some early settlers: the Grimmer family; Rutherford Hope; Auch. [TRACK 2: blank.]

William Higgs interview : [Chapman, 1976]

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-08-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Captain William Higgs recalls how his father, Leonard Higgs, came out from England to British Columbia via Oregon, and settled on South Pender Island. William was born in 1901. Educated at home, then three terms boarding at St. Michael's school. Made boats out of cedar slabs, then out of cedar lumber. Boat trips to pick up supplies at Cadboro Bay, Mayne Island or Sidney. Learned boatbuilding skills from father. William became an apprentice seaman on the CPR steamships, starting with the "Princess Beatrice", rising to quartermaster. Coastal stops visited. After 2.5 years, went into tugboats and towboating. Started his own small towing business in Sidney, Gulf Islands Transportation Company. In 1934, company moved to Nanaimo and changed name to Nanaimo Towing Company. William and his brother Tom designed a ferry, bid on the Nanaimo to Gabriola run, had the ferry "Atriveda" built, and ran the service 1931-1946. Also developed and ran three small ferries to carry passengers from Nanaimo to the CPR resort on Newcastle Island. Sold out of ferry business 1946 and expanded marine salvage and towing work. Sold out to Straits Towing Company 1951. After that, worked as Associate Surveyor to the Board of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco. Retired to Gibsons, then developed the Higgs Lifesaving Search Initiator Buoy system. Towboating work. TRACK 2: More on towboating and marine salvage jobs. Salvaging the S.S. "Catala" from a reef at Lasqueti Island. His first rescue and salvage experiences: rescuing canoeists off Gowland Point when he was "a little lad"; salvaging the CPR rail car barge "No. 6" at the age of 12, after chartering Gerald Payne's tug "Nora" for the job. More about life on Pender: his cousins, the Spauldings; a rough rowboat trip to Sidney. Salvaging Brother XII's boat, the "Lady Royal", off De Courcey Island. Development of diving in salvage work. The story of the murder involving the rum-running boat "Beryl G.".