Pages Navigation Menu

British Columbia history that informs readers while entertaining them.

Most Recent Articles

For S.S. Princess Victoria, Haste Meant Disaster

Posted by on Nov 6, 2023 in Articles | 5 comments

Throughout the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the last century there was no argument as to the Speed Queen of the Seas: the CPR flagship Princess Victoria. With three funnels belching black smoke, the sleek liner raced between Victoria, Vancouver and Puget Sound ports, showing her stern to all challengers. There were many CPR Princess ships over the decades but, in her own way, the SS Princess Victoria was one of a kind. —Author’s Collection courtesy of Canadian Pacific But there was a price to be paid for such lightness of step; more than once, emphasis on speed meant carelessness and disaster. A century and more ago, speed meant prestige, even glory. It was little short of “Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!” and nothing like the ships of today’s B.C. Ferries fleet which err on the side of caution. Such was B.C. seafaring in the good old days—and in next week’s Chronicles. * * * * Want to Read the Full Article…? Consider becoming a Chronicles...

Read More

Forest Workers Memorial Park, Lake Cowichan

Posted by on May 12, 2020 in Articles | 2 comments

With everyone’s thoughts on the COVID-19 crisis, this year’s national Workers’ Day of Mourning passed quietly. For some years now April 28th has been officially designated the annual Day of Mourning to “remember those who have died on the job, and to reflect on what needs to be done to prevent more deaths and injuries”. Locally, it has become the practice of representatives of various labour councils and others to gather at Forest Workers Memorial Park, the first of its kind in B.C. It’s situated in Lake Cowichan because the Cowichan Lake region has a long history of logging and milling and because it’s where a loggers’ union, the IWA, first took root in the 1920s. Funded by the sale of Commemorative Bricks, the local Credit Union Legacy Fund and local industry, the small park consists of a fountain, three carved signboards depicting various logging scenes, and a chunk of concrete foundation from the Canadian National Railways bridge that used to span the Cowichan River at this site. The piece of bridge symbolizes the many logging railways that once worked around the lake; the fountain recognizes the mountains, lakes and rivers in the area; the interpretative panels carved in yellow cedar depict historic events from the forest industry. One of the carved signboards that...

Read More

RUMMINGS BOTTLES MORE POPULAR THAN EVER

Posted by on Aug 6, 2022 in Articles | 6 comments

Rummings bottles, with their logo, a crossed pick and shovel, are as ‘Nanaimo’ as the Bastion, but don’t forget the much-sought-after bottles of John Mitchell, Union Brewery, Alex Phillips’ Pioneer Soda Water, and Louis Lawrence. W.E. Rumming siphon bottles. —www.theouthouse.ca Nanaimo is highly collectible these days. Old Nanaimo, that is. We’re talking pioneer bottlers: Besides Rummings bottles, Louis Lawrence, W.E. Rumming, John Mitchell and Union Brewery have become much sought-after since the bottle collecting craze arrived on Vamcouver Island...

Read More

VANCOUVER’S OWN TRUNK MURDER

Posted by on Jul 16, 2022 in Articles | 0 comments

Although it doesn’t rank with the infamous trunk murders of Brighton, New Orleans and Winnie Ruth Judd, Vancouver does have its own sort-of ‘trunk murder.’ –Courtesy www.pinterest.com This bizarre case, which first broke the news with garish, glaring headlines in the July 12, 1969 Vancouver Sun—B.C. MURDER SUSPECT SEIZED WITH HOSTAGE; Buried Body Discovered—was described by an RCMP spokesman as one of “the most bizarre, unbelievable” cases ever recorded in B.C. The story broke with the arrest of former...

Read More

Charles Taylor remembered Alberni’s colourful pioneers

Posted by on Jul 10, 2022 in Articles | 3 comments

“And a very interesting man he was, too,” the late Charles Taylor remembered, years ago. He was referring to Robert Parkinson who appeared in the Alberni Valley in 1885 from London, Eng. A professional shoemarker, he settled beside the small bay which unofficially honours him. Although it’s not formally listed as such in the B.C. Gazetteer, locals have long known the indentation on the west side of Alberni Harbour as Shoemaker Bay. There has to be a story behind...

Read More