Showing 175 results

SUMMARY: "Best Seat In The House" was a weekly series of Kunstkopf programs, produced in stereo. This episode, "Steveston", is a dramatic documentary in verse and prose by the well-known West coast poet Daphne; Marlatt. It is a sound portrait of the waterfront community of Steveston, BC -- its history, people, fishing industry, canneries and Japanese heritage. Recorded on the location in the spring of 1976;, with a narrative by the author. The voices heard include Walter Marsh, Rae Brown, Bill Buck, Merv Campone, Lillian Carlson, Robert Clothier, Catherine Croll, Peg Dixon, James Johnston, Jan Mortil, H;.S. Olson, Sam Payne, Al Pearce, Susan Ringwood, Eric Schneider, Shannon Shepherd, and David Stein. Source material was provided by the Aural History Programme at the Provincial Archives of British Co;lumbia.;

CALL NUMBER: T1016:0005 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The Finnish community at Sointula, B.C. RECORDED: [location unknown], 1967-06-22 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Arvo Tynjala was born in 1897 and discusses the origins of Sointula. The arrival of the Tynjala family at Sointula in 1902. Early activities and settlers at Sointula. The meaning of the name.; Early buildings and living arrangements. The fire of 1903. TRACK 2: The fire of 1903 and its consequences. Plants and animals around Sointula. Fishing, lumbering. The end of the Kalevan Kansa Colonization Co. Ltd. Early settlers. Leaders of the community.

CALL NUMBER: T1016:0006 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The Finnish community at Sointula, B.C. PERIOD COVERED: 1902-1940 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1967-06-22 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Arvo Tynjala discusses printing "Aika". The Finnish library. Opposition to religion. Temperance. Education. Athletics. Finnish organization and co-op store. Saunas. Fishing and working in the; canneries. TRACK 2: Fishing work in canneries. Chinese people. Native people. Farming. Finnish Sointula songs. Meaning of Kalevan Kansa.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Jemima Dobbie : Kitselas, 1895-1910 PERIOD COVERED: 1890s-1910 RECORDED: Copper City (B.C.), [ca. 1960] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Jemima Dobbie (nee Stewart), wife of Simeon W. Dobbie, remembers her father, David Stewart, and his coming from the United States to the Skeena region in the 1890's. He worked in the Inverness Cannery and moved with his family to Kitselas in 1895, he was the first to farm in the area and supplied the riverboats with produce. Jemima Dobbie speaks about changes in the Skeena, the Kitselas t;ownsite, construction of the telegraph line and the railway, Kalum Indian Villages, totem poles and the river canyon. (pause in the tape) Jemima Dobbie speaks about the origins of Copper City, the Kitselas townsite, the wreck of the "Mount Royal", and Port Essington c.1894. [TRACK 2: blank.]

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): George Draney recalls his father Tom and early life in Bella Coola Valley, 1892-1930 PERIOD COVERED: 1892-1930 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1960-08-18 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: George Draney recalls his father Thomas Shaw Draney and early life in the Bella Coola Valley (1892-1930). Draney discusses his fathers arrival in the Bella Coola Valley and his work as a cannery manager, his father's impressions of the valley (1903-1914), the moving of the town in 1925, trails, amusing settlers, and characters in the valley.

SUMMARY: This episode was broadcast as a fill-in for the "People in Landscape: Queen Charlotte Islands" time slot. In this program, Walter Wicks recalls his early life at a cannery near the mouth of the Skeena River.

CALL NUMBER: T0445:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Iverson recalls his work on the Sumas Lake dredging project and the King Edward Dredge. He talks about his family; his Norwegian father; his early life; his father's work as a fisherman; arriving at Sunbury in 1901; riverboats; living in scow houses; Collingwood; Tronjeim (Little Norway); Norwegian fishermen. TRACK 2: Mr. Iverson continues discussing the community of Norwegian fishermen; Mr. George Mackie; other ethnic groups in the area; Chinese workers in the canneries; canneries along the lower Fraser River; methods of fishing; Easthope brothers engines; setting nets.

CALL NUMBER: T0445:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Iverson discusses gillnetting and seining methods; Steveston; canneries; Annieville; selling fish; contracts with canneries; fish runs of 1913; salmon prices; nets. [TRACK 2: blank.]

CALL NUMBER: T0735:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-02-05 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Nick Stevens recalls his early years on Salt Spring Island; his early life as a fisherman in the Gulf of Georgia; anecdotes about his childhood; fishing on the Fraser River; types of boats; living in a scow house; anecdotes; the Greek community on Deas Island; the Austrian community; the Spanish community; other ethnic groups in the Lulu Island area; community life and provisions. TRACK; 2: Mr. Stevens continues discussing various groups along the Fraser River; the Japanese community at Steveston; Spaniards on Duck Island; Portuguese; Kanakas from Salt Spring Island; Indian cannery ;workers; Austrians in Ladner; Chinese on Deas Island; cannery work; cannery equipment; the "Iron Chink"; the "Iron Squaw"; Deas Island; his work as a pirate fish buyer; land taxes on Lulu Island; life; on Lulu Island; fishing seasons; Chinese/Indian relations; Japanese/white relations; unloading German tin plate in Steveston; growing up in Steveston.

CALL NUMBER: T0735:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-02-05 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Stevens talks about survival in the forest; canoe trips with his mother, Emma King; characters from the Ladner area; Steveston; Ladner; travel to New Westminster; steamboats on the Fraser; in 1905; fishing procedures, circa 1900, on the Fraser and the Gulf of Georgia; sealing; sturgeon fishing; Canoe Pass; Port Guichon; the railway. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-02-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Parmiter recounts coming to Ladner in 1874; his father's involvement in coal mining in the Queen Charlotte Islands; early Ladner; the family farm; other residents; early roads; transportation; early farming; Vancouver; cattle; growing oats and hay; Pemberton's farm; sloughs; canneries; Deas Cannery; Canoe Pass; recreation; floods; dykes; flood boxes; his work at the Standard Cannery on the Skeena River; fishing and farming in Ladner; winters; ice skating; roads; dances. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-05-15 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Swenson talks about his father [Paul Swenson] who came to Westham Island in 1881 from Sweden, and later managed the British American and Canoe Pass Canneries and bought a farm on Westham; Island in 1886. Mr. Swenson discuses the bridge to the island in 1909; early family history; local Indians; anecdotes about his father and family; Tamboline Slough on Westham Island; history of the Ladner/Delta area; the sturgeon banks; farming; development; Canoe Pass; early settlers of Westham Island and dyke construction. TRACK 2: Mr. Swenson continues discussing dyke construction on Westham Island; Chinese labour; farming; canneries; fishermen; ethnic groups in the area; Japanese; inducements for fishermen to join a cannery; Icelandic immigrants; Finnish immigrants; getting fish to the canneries; local characters; strikes; Count [Alvo von] Alvensleben; Tsawwassen Reserve; raising sugar beet seed.

Industrial film. Fishing for pink salmon off the Queen Charlotte Islands. Prince Rupert scenes. Sequence at Clover Leaf Packers canning plant -- unloading salmon from boat, footage of cannery operations, machinery and workers, and stacked cans awaiting shipment. Special plant to convert fishery by-products to cattle and poultry feed. Return to Vancouver, entering Burrard Inlet (before construction of Lion's Gate Bridge).

Industrial film. The British Columbia salmon industry. The province's salmon runs. The work of fishing vessels and their crews. The B.C. Packers cannery at Steveston: salmon being unloaded at the dock; cannery operations and processes (including brief shots of an "Iron Chink" salmon butchering machine); cannery workers (lunchroom, housing, other amenities); canning of salmon. Concluding scene of a family dinner.

Industrial film. British Columbia's salmon fishing industry. Includes footage of: sport fishing; salmon runs; map of fishing grounds on Pacific coast; fleet of gillnetters at work off the coast; cannery operations; the canned product with colourful labels[spliced-in silent colour section]; the felling and milling of lumber for shipping boxes; quality control laboratory; loading product onto a freighter. Includes footage of an "Iron Chink" salmon butchering machine.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-03 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Slide at Allison's Camp. Ellingsen's camp at Phillips Arm, 1941. Stuart Island. Rock Bay. Blind Channel. His father was an independent logger. Acquiring a hand-logging claim. Logging partnerships. Steam donkey. Comparison of sky-line logging and tight-line logging. Elmer Ellingsen. Travel and amenities on Union Steamships boats. The "Chelhosin". Thurlow Island. The Depression. Cannery, shingle mill and store at Blind Channel. Cannery used as a saltery. Entertainment. People recalled. TRACK 2: Story about community outhouse. Settlement at Roy. Loughborough Inlet. Logging camp characters. Moonshine still at Blind Channel. Old-timers. Suicides common. Anecdotes about machinery. Other camps and characters.

Item consists of one oil painting on canvas by W.F. Robertson and dated 1928. The title of the painting is not known, but it depicts an unknown cannery, possibly Rivers Inlet.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Tom and Vera Parkin RECORDED: Richmond (B.C.), 1976-01-28 SUMMARY: Tom was born in Vancouver and entered the fishing industry prior to WWII. Following War he became the organizer for the U.F.A.W.U. Spent 7 years in the north as North Representative for the Union. Returned to Vancouver in the late 1950s as Public Relations Director to campaign against dams on the Fraser. Union improved income, vacation with pay, etc. as well as dealt with the racial inequalities felt by the Japanese, Chinese and First Nations. In 1945 the U.F.A.W.U. emerged from the amalgamation of the previous unions. 1946 passed resolutions allowing Japanese back into the Union. Canneries all up and down the coast have disappeared. Only Sunnyside and Port Edwards up the coast remained in 1976. Originally agreements were reached with each company on an individual basis. He used to carry a binder of agreements in 1950. Later the companies formed the Fisheries Association of B.C. and there was one contract for the whole industry. Vera was one of the representatives on a trip to the Soviet Union to help organize international regulations concerning fishing in the North Pacific. She worked in fresh fish operation in Prince Rupert in 1951. Soviets are (1976) far more advanced and mechanized -- no independent fishermen, but mother-ship trawlers and traps. Union organization history. Discusses the future of the industry, and how important it is to the economy of the province.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Elsie Ono RECORDED: Steveston (B.C.), 1976-01-21 SUMMARY: Elsie Ono started working in canneries in 1938 and worked mostly in summer for B.C. Packers and Nelson Brothers. Was never paid overtime wages in early years. Her first job was washing fish, which can be a tiring job. In 1937 they were only processing salmon. The can filling was done by hand then. There were extra benefits. Before Elsie's time, the children of cannery workers were babysat by one of the cannery workers (they took turns) in a building provided by the company. The person who was babysitting was paid about the same amount she would have made in the cannery. This babysitting practice stopped during the War. B.C. Packers used to be called Imperial. A new machine that skins fish. Salmon is easier to work with than some of the different fish they are now processing. Herring was canned before the war for food. It was not processed for roe. It was packed by hand by women. The ladies worked about 8 hour shifts when they were working on herring. Before the War, there was some Chinese people working in the cannery. She lived in a 3 bedroom house provided by the company before the War. All those company houses have been torn down. The Chinese were hired by contract. The contractor would get a certain percentage of the profits accumulated by the workers. There used to be a fishermen's co-op store at the end of No. 2 Road. There were less women working in the cannery in 1937. She worked in piecework filling cans and was paid by the tray, i.e., 24 tins to the tray. She was never injured at the cannery. There never used to be a lunchroom, so the ladies ate wherever there was a space. There were no coffee breaks in 1937. The ladies would start working at 8 and work until noon with no coffee break.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Ron Malcom RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-01 SUMMARY: Ron Malcom started fishing in 1935 when he was 23 years old. His father was an engineer for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. He has always had his own boat. He was born in Cranbrook. Several of his childhood friends also became fishermen. Description of early fishing and fishing equipment. Discusses fishing for dogfish when they were in demand around 1948 at the mouth of the Fraser with a sunken net. The wharves in Steveston have changed: the boats are better protected and there is a breakwater. He believes that electronic technology on boats is too efficient: it has cut the number of days you are allowed to fish from 5 to 2. Monofilament nets are illegal to use in this country but they are legal for the fishermen in Japan. The Japanese are the best fishermen in the world. He discusses Canada getting a 200-mile boundary. Canadians have 100 ft. draggers whilst the Russians have freighters. Canadian draggers may pick up 3 tons of fish whereas the Russian freighters will pick up 25030 tons at a time plus the Russians work 24 hours a day: "fishing can't stand that sort of thing". Canadian fishermen can't go off the coast to catch salmon. Discusses the difficulties of establishing international fishing regulations. Discusses the internment of Japanese during the War. There was a meeting of Steveston residents to protest this action by the government, which he attended. He was getting 50 cents a piece for sockeye in 1935. Discusses and gives an example of the high mark up of fish prices between the fishermen and the consumer. Deckhands used to be called partners of boat pullers, they got about one third of the profit. He recalls the first strike he was involved in. If a fisherman went out during the strike, others would get two rocks with a rope tied between them and drop it over the guys net who was fishing thus causing the net to sink. Discusses the various improvements the union has made. Log barges pollute the water with wooden needles that get in gills and kill the fish.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Eva Vaselenek RECORDED: Surrey (B.C.), 1976-01-13 SUMMARY: Eva Vaselenek began work in 1943 at the Phoenix Cannery because her little girl was sick; washed and then inspected fish as they went into the cans, got paid thirty-five cents an hour. There was no union at the time. Next season she went to the Gulf of Georgia plant to work on herring. Then later to Imperial Cannery. Couldn't count on hours, depended upon whether the fish were in or not. You could sit around all day and not get paid. That changed with the union. Worked at Imperial Cannery filleting for one year. Next year became a supervisor. Describes the first organization of the union at the Imperial Cannery. Began holding meetings with management. Cannery workers became part of the U.F.A.W.U. but negotiations remained separate. Advantages of union. The return of Japanese fishermen after the War. Discusses Indian women who chose to remain outside the union, they joined the Native Brotherhood. Finally she did sign the Indian women to the union. She describes the company's reaction to her organizing attempts, and confrontation. She had to fight for every wage increase. Safety features slowly improved. Remained at the Imperial plant until 1968. Different species of fish described. She describes the changes in mechanization in the plant and dangers in the fresh fish part and the fish and chip line. Used to be a big difference in men's and women's wages, but that has changed. Describes early incident of discrimination against women. Describes the living conditions of cannery workers. Houses were rented to the workers, social conditions, dances, Christmas party, children's conditions -- no day care. Steveston is described as a "real bad place". Her children came to the cannery so she could keep an eye on them. Was laid off at 65. Her five children are all well educated now (1976). Story of being threatened by a hammer-wielding captain. Describes hectic union meetings and her ability to control them. Comments on drinking problems and liquor licenses during prohibition.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Harold Iverson RECORDED: Delta (B.C.), 1976-02-26 SUMMARY: Harold Iverson was born in 1912, the son of a long line of fishermen. Fishing in skiffs at 7 and 8 years old in the river for salmon. At age 16 he got a powerboat, a 5 HP one cylinder engine. Powerboats came in the 1920s, and power winches came in 1938. Fished mostly in the Fraser River until the 1950s, then the off shore Japanese fleet and fishery closures made it necessary to go further a field. Used to fish at San Juan and Queen Charlotte Sound and the Skeena River. As a kid, he remembers the stern-wheelers that used to deliver to farmers up and down the river. Not much farming on River Road, too expensive and too boggy. Came from a family of 6. Long lined halibut for 20 years, trolled and also gillnetted salmon. Changes in fishing and equipment. Lost a 50 ton boat in 100 mph gale in 1970 in Queen Charlotte Sound, and his partner ship came to pick him up in the thick spray. He was wired to the rigging, and had to dive to free himself and then swim to the other boat. His clothes weighed about 100 pounds with water. Just about quit fishing, but changed his mind. Discussion of fish prices. The Americans don't practice conservation, but they take more than their share of the Fraser River salmon. Discusses fishing history, unions, practices and restrictions. At one time there were 40 canneries in the Fraser, but now (1976) there is only one. He fished for the Canadian Fish Co. for 20 years. The Vancouver Co-op worked for a while but it went bankrupt due to people being greedy. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were ignored until after the War because there was lots of other fish to eat. Discusses the old Union Steamships, they were very comfortable. Discusses canneries. Discussion of wild life around his River Road home. Discussion of the herring fishery and reasons why it depleted before 1971. Wants a Minister of Fisheries from B.C., not back east. Discusses halibut fishing. Fishing in Smiths Inlet. Pollution in water. Rum running during prohibition.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Kal Kaisla RECORDED: Delta (B.C.), 1976-03-04 SUMMARY: Kal Kaisla was born on Malcolm Island, Sointula, in (1904). Sointula was primarily all homesteads, fished sockeye at Rivers Inlet. Logging was also an important occupation. He got his first fishing license when he was 15 by appearing older in big boots and south-wester in front of the fisheries officer. First boat was a skiff with oars up at Rivers Inlet. Started as a boat puller when he was 8 years old at Rivers Inlet. Discusses canneries, canning fish, and fish prices. He lived in Sointula for 20 years. First gas boat in 1927, a converted cannery skiff with a 5 HP 2-cycle "Eagle" put in by his father. Changes in fishing equipment. He owns a 41 foot troller now (1976). He discusses and critiques "license limitation". He lived in Bella Bella for 27 years. Discusses unions. Used to hand log at Bella Bella as well. Discusses grade school at Sointula, had to move to lower mainland for his kids' high school education. Dislikes cars and pollution -- would rather live in Sointula. Both his boys have trollers and are fishing herring. During the War, you had to stop and check in with the navy boats. Describes hand logging. Discusses local history and tells stories.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Isaac Nelson RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-27 SUMMARY: Isaac Nelson's father came from Norway in 1896 to settle in Squamish and then they went to Whonnock, a Scandinavian community. He was born in a boat. Began rowing boats at an early age, 24 foot skiffs. Skiffs were flat bottomed and supplied by the canneries. He started rowing out in the Gulf at age 7. Built his own boat in 1909, a 32 foot skiff, because he was too young to get a cannery boat. His father died when he was one year old, and he lived unhappily with a step-father. Used his skiff for one year then bought a round-bottom boat with a 2 cylinder Easthope. Fished sockeye and springs. Later became a fish buyer for the companies. Bought his own packer; ran company boats up the coast. Then he was a net boss for Nelson Brothers, getting the gear ready for the fishermen. He had eleven children, the oldest was lost in the War. Wife the daughter of Jake Lehman, a pioneer family. He was in the carpentry business and built a couple of sawmills. No relief in those days; if you wanted to eat you had to work. Learned to be a carpenter from his step-father. Lots of canneries on the Fraser at one time, but mechanization has done away with it. He worked at Arndale on the Nass River as carpenter and net boss. Cannery machinery is described. The Iron Chink did away with hundreds of workers. He rebuilt the boat that his father had bought for $10.00. The Lee boys started building round-bottom boats and his job was to blow the dust away from the saw; that's how he learned about boats. He packed fish for B.C. Packers, Nelson Brothers, and he also worked as a net boss. He got along well with the Indian fishermen. There were off-years (poor catches) in the early years because of spring floods. 1913 was a good year. Discussion of the Westminster fire of 1898. He actually saw the fire. He never had trouble getting work during the Depression. Married three times. He plays a tune on his fiddle; he is self-taught.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Charlie Gillespie RECORDED: Richmond (B.C.), 1973-02-23 SUMMARY: Charlie Gillespie was born in 1916 in Vancouver. His dad started in a cannery in 1910, and worked his way up to manager. Lived on Sea Island his whole life. When three canneries joined together to make B.C. Packers in 1928, his father was made the manager of the Fraser River District. Remembers going to Star Cannery and looking out the window at the boats going out on a Sunday night. The boats had sails in those days, and they fished both night and day. More boats now (1976). Worked in the net loft one summer when he was young. Helped fill the net needles so the men could make the nets. Three years later in 1932, started work in the Great Northern Cannery in North Vancouver for 3 years. Worked in the boiler, and on the lines, then was night watchman for a while. All cannery machinery was owned by American Can Co., canneries only leased them. Discusses wages. When to the Skeena River for two years, and worked for Oceanic Cannery on Smith Island. Looked after the retort machine and the oil and gas shed. In 1937 came back down to Steveston to work in the Imperial Cannery, pipe fitting and working with the engineer, also did carpenter work. Worked in a reduction plant one winter doing odd jobs. Then went to warehouse for 2 or 3 years. No fork lifts in those days, salmon moved by hand. Bought a gillnetter, and went fishing with his dad one season. Didn't catch much fish that year, and only fished one season. After that he went to work in the stores department at Imperial. All canneries had their own stores where they sold all supplies to the fishermen. When the store closed in 1965 he moved to the stock room. Discusses the work of Chinese workers in canneries. Canning fish by hand. Describes canning. Discusses company houses. Japanese workers. Unions. Discusses employment by canneries, month to month, and season to season.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): John Kacer RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-14 SUMMARY: John Kacer living on Dinsmore Island in 1919. The Dinsmore Cannery was closed at this time because of the trend to automation and also because if you have to go up coast to a cannery you have to haul coal, fuel and cans up there. Steveston better located. Dinsmore had no electricity and no water on Island, had a telephone and kerosene lamps. The cannery was run by steam power: "Steam engines very popular in them days". The early fishermen had flat-bottomed skiffs, many of them had a mast. There was one man per boat although some had a boat puller to do the rowing for them. The nets were pulled by hand over stern. They didn't bring in too many fish in those days, maybe 150-200. Nets were of Irish linen at that time, got four to five years out of a net. Japanese nets lasted a year, "they were not as good material as Irish linen nets". Mentions different engines, the Yale, which was built in New Westminster which Dave Scott designed. The Easthope, Palmer, Union, Regal, and Ferrow. Talks on the "workings" of the engines. There was an English engine called the "Lockwood Ash:, it was a single cylinder. Another engine built in Steveston called the "Ben Sid" (?). The most popular engines. In the early 1930s got around 50 cents a salmon. Most of the fishermen in those days lived on the river in one or two room shacks with wood-burning stoves and kerosene lamps. The fishermen made just an existence. There was a shrimp cannery in Bridgeport that only operated a short time, "in the hungry 1930s". They brought shrimps in from the Queen Charlotte Islands, only a small place and you got paid $1.10 a day. "I remember it being in operation only one season". Recalls stories of the funny things fishermen did. Recalls the trouble fishermen had when gas first came. The Fairbanks Morris was a very noisy engine; the North Arm fishermen didn't want those engines on the river. Mentions many of the old fishermen.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Edna Tremeer RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1976-01-08 SUMMARY: Edna Tremeer worked on Quadra Island in 1932 and came to Steveston in 1948. In 1932, every job was done by hand except can cutting. Kids were tied to their mother's backs. Worked from 7 am to 12 am at night, no overtime. Better quality of fish then. No day-care. Describes "steam-box" a vacuum packer. Describes the steps in processing the fish from tallyman to packing, took about 4 hours to complete and cans had to be lacquered. Women paid less than men. Non-Indians get a guaranteed income. Whites and non-whites kept separate. Piecework was more profitable, no quota set. Had dances in the net loft. The internment of Japanese during WWII allowed the native people to make more money.