Coal Baron Robert Dunsmuir Inspired Historians and Mapmakers
Robert Dunsmuir vs. Sir James Douglas: If Douglas–fur trader, colonial governor and statesman –was ‘the father of British Columbia’ and our greatest public figure, Dunsmuir must surely rank as his peer in the private sector.
Not in terms of ‘greatness’ as most would measure it, perhaps, but in terms of status and influence. He built an industrial empire and founded a dynasty. In his day, he was the province’s Morgan, Rockefeller, Getty and Trump rolled into one.
So who, today, cares?
Where’s the statue to this pioneering giant, the public tributes usually given to men who achieve incredible wealth? Victoria has Craigdarroch Castle, if one counts self-made landmarks as such. Son James Dunsmuir left us Colwood’s Hatley Park, for 50 years Royal Roads Military College and now Royal Roads University.
The Dunsmuirs do grace our maps, albeit in a very restrained fashion when one considers their import on the provincial economy for more than half a century, and that James served as premier and lieutenant-governor. West of Qualicum is the postage-stamp community of Dunsmuir–sparse enough tribute to Robert. Ladysmith Harbour has its Dunsmuir Islands, again, scant acknowledgement of James’s role as its founder, and Burleith Arm, named after his first Victoria mansion.
In Cedar District’s Dodd Narrows there’s Joan Point, a tip of the mapmaker’s hat to Joan Olive (Mrs. Robert) Dunsmuir. There’s downtown Vancouver’s, Esquimalt’s three-block-long, and, behind City Hall and two blocks from the Island Highway, Nanaimo’s Dunsmuir streets.
Running between Albert and Franklyn streets, it inspired E. Blanche Norcross, editor of Nanaimo Retrospective, to observe that the Hub City “whose fortunes had been so intimately linked for two generations with the Dunsmuirs, remembers the name in only one short and unimportant street”.
That’s pretty much all there is in Nanaimo
in memory of Robert (1825-1889). The man who, in clawing his way from Hudson’s Bay Co. miner to self-made coal baron, helped to build Nanaimo. The penniless immigrant who promised his wife that, one day, he’d build her a castle–and did. The man who built the E&N Railway–for a price that many thought too high. The man who built the communities of Wellington, Cumberland and Union Bay. The man who originally treated his employees paternalistically but who’s now remembered for being one of the all-time strikebreakers with the help of hired muscle and armed troops.
Son James Dunsmuir (1851-1920), who’d trained as a machinist and who’d known what it was like to labour underground (as the rich owner’s son), created Ladysmith and Extension. He went on to build a castle of his own and to occupy the highest political office in the province. Of the Dunsmuirs, he’s the one most respected–but with reservations.
Alexander Dunsmuir, brother, the first white child born in Nanaimo, was the black sheep and is rarely mentioned. Daughters Elizabeth, Marion, Mary, Maude, Emily, Jessie and Effie, were more concerned with their social lives beore spending years and a king’s ransom fighting James in court over Alex’s will.
Burleith Arm, east of Woods Island, between Ladysmith and Nanaimo, recalls James’s Victoria residence, named in turn after Burleith Farms, Ayrshire, near his father’s Scottish birthplace. Cdr. James Parry, HMS Egeria, christened Joan Point and the Dunsmuir Islands during the same re-survey of Ladysmith (then Oyster) Harbour in 1904. Dunsmuir Creek, tributary to South Nanaimo River, likely owes its origin to the most famous coal mining family in Island history. As, likely, does the Beaufort Range’s Mount Joan. Crofton has several streets named for Dunsmuir mother and daughters, courtesy of son-in-law Henry Croft.
Four books have been written about the Dunsmuirs. Coal Mine to Castle, by James’s grandson James Audain, has been out of print for years. Apparently its obscurity was encouraged by family descendants who didn’t like Audain’s insider’s version of the facts.
In recent years, playwright Rod Langley wrote a well-received study of this enigmatic family, Alone At the Edge in which he portrayed Joan as the power behind the throne.
The Dunsmuirs didn’t need to be chronicled to ensure their place in B.C. history. But if popularity alone had been the criterion, it’s unlikely that even so insignificant features as Dunsmuir, Dunsmuir Islands, Burleith Arm, Joan Point and Dunsmuir streets would exist.
Craigdarroch Castle
Today it’s one of Victoria’s most visible and best-known landmarks, a tourist attraction well worthy of a visit. In fact, its 32 stained glass windows grace a $20 collector coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. Simulating the colourful windows to the point of creating a glass-like translucence, the coin’s reverse bears six coloured enamelled flowers. It’s the first in the RCM’s series of coins celebrating stained-glass masterpieces across Canada.
John Hughes, Craigdarroch’s executive director, told the Times-Colonist: “This stunning coin is a wonderful celebration of the stained glass windows that are admired by the thousands of people that visit Craigdarroch Castle each year.”
Craigdarroch is thought to have one of the finest collections of stained glass on the continent. Curiously, little documentation exists as to their origin or the artisans who created them.
In keeping with Robert Dunsmuir’s gift of this fairy-tale castle to wife Joan,the coin’s expensive.
Yes, it’s a 20-dollar coin–but it sold for $129.95 each. Plus GST, no doubt! Only 7500 were struck in 2014.
The sad irony, of course, is that Robert Dunsmuir built this castle with the immense fortune he made from Island coal. Coal that was mined by thousands of under-paid miners who laboured under unnecessarily dangerous conditions. If they protested, Dunsmuir fired then blacklisted them. If they struck, he exerted pressure on the provincial government to send in armed troops. (To keep the peace, you understand.)
Yet, upon his death, the Nanaimo Free Press referred to him as “a high-minded gentleman, always ready and willing to assist the needy and unfortunate… His many acts of charity and kindness have always been without ostentatious display, but have been distributed with a generous hand in such a manner as to make the recipient of the bounty feel that he was rendering a favour instead of receiving one.
“A thorough businessman, never taking any undue advantage of an adversary[!], always looking to the best interests of those in his employ[!] lest some accident should occur[!], Mr. Dunsmuir has left behind him a record unequalled by few and surpassed by none.
Well, at least on that point–“a record unequalled by few and surpassed by none”–the Free Press got it right.
Historians haven’t been kind to Robert Dunsmuir. It’s long been accepted that Vancouver Island coal mines were more dangerous than they needed to be. Even if we allow for the fact that coal mining, with its four horsemen of fire, gas, explosion and cave-in, is a perilous occupation.
Of more than 600 deaths in the Nanaimo-area mines over three-quarters of a century, not all of them were Dunsmuir employees, of course. Nor could it be said with certainty that their deaths or injuries were the direct results of company policy.
Where the Dunsmuirs, Robert and James, failed their employees was in caring enough to enforce safety over production. They could have done so much more to ensure a safer work environment beyond providing an ambulance railway car to rush the injured to a hospital. They could have shared some of their millions with their hard working employees.
So much for Robert Dunsmuir, richest and most powerful man in the province, and our first robber baron.
I sit here with my mouth agape after reading these chronicles, TW. The way the Dunsmuir’s ran their empires was not really a secret to me, per se, but the depth of which they favored profits over the well-being of the miners is. I have photographed the Craigdarroch Castle and Hatley Park Castle myself extensively and plan to go back yet once again soon. These places are full of the ghosts of the Dunsmuirs and are really must-see places for those who live or are visiting Vancouver Island. Great article here today, TW, one of my favorites from you of one of my favorite subjects.
Hi. I have to say that the Dunsmuir story is one of my favourites–note that I said ‘Dunsmuir story–not the Dunsmuirs themselves. Because Vancouver Island coal mining has become my number one passion I’ve done a great deal of researching the various companies and the miners and their families over the years.
In fact, I’m writing a book about it–my personal tribute to these unsung thousands of men–and boys, too!–who laboured underground in the dark, damp and dangerous.
All so that the Dunsmuirs could live like royalty in their castles! That said, both Craigdarroch and Hatley are indeed beautiful and wonderful photo subjects. To keep these castles in context, however, check out some of the surviving miners’ cottages in Nanaimo and Cumberland some time. Even though they’ve been fixed up, the contradiction cries out even today.
A side-by-side photo essay would certainly tell the tale!–TWP
Thanks for drawing attention to this lack of commemoration for these giants of BC history on our maps. Of course we could add to this meager list about the Dunsmuirs that Craigdarroch Castle is located at 1050 Joan Crescent.
Joan Crescent which provides access to the castle from Fort Street winds it way up past a whole series of stately homes which grace the Victoria Heritage homes registry and commemorates the castle’s first inhabitant, Roberts wife, Joan.
I recall seeing on an old map that this street is built on the original old carriage road to the castle from the former gate to the estate on Fort Street.
Your article brings to mind another fascinating though lesser known character from that era.
William Fleet Robertson was Provincial Mineralogist from 1898 to 1925 and apart from his many duties which included being the person responsible for the publication of that epic picture into our past, the Annual Minister of Mines Reports, was also the designated provincial representative for geographic names. In spite of this there are very few geographic locations commemorating him.
Perhaps the best known is Damfino Creek, a tributary of the Kettle River east of Kelowna.
As the story goes, on one of his legendary journeys into the British Columbia wilderness, Robertson’s pack horse train was crossing an unnamed creek and he asked the wrangler what the name of the creek was. “Damned if I know” was the reply and Damfino Creek entered the Geographic names registry for posterity.
I would appreciate any information on how I could get a copy of the book you have written about the Dunsmuir family.
I haven’t written a book about the Dunsmuir family, Ian.The late Terry Reksten did it years ago with her Dunsmuir Saga. My interest is in Vancouver Island coal mining history, yes, and the Dunsmuirs only to the extent of their involvement in that saga. James, however, fascinates me as a psychological study of man born with a silver spoon in his mouth who went on to incredible wealth, corporate power that he exercised ruthlessly, and the offices of premier and lieutenant-governor, neither of which he seems to have enjoyed. Other than public office, shades of William Randolph Hearst! –TW
Dear Sir
I have enjoyed reading your article on the Dunsmuir family.
I found your site during my journey looking at archive sites. I’m looking for designs of two small coal washing dams in Nanaimo, BC. It is very puzzling that there is very little information on them as Nanaimo has been dilengent with archive records.
I have seen records of Dunsmuir, Canadian Colliers dams but nothing for Western Fuel Company which own this coal washing dam.
I have been through archive sites in California, Ottawa, UBC, U of T, VIU, BC Energy & Mines, Glencoe, BC and Nanaimo with little luck. Time is running out as our Government has ordered a second spillway without doing three remaining studies. These dams do meet the Dam Safety requirements for seismic but our province claims they still may fail in a Noah arc flood. We need proof of the capacity of the spillway. The original designs would have it documented.
I would appreciate any knowledge you may have on this coal washing dam in Nanaimo.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely
Mary
How I wish I could help you because I share your concern for the collilery dams!
I don’t even know what to suggest as your research to date has been so extensive… There might have been newspaper coverage (Nanaimo Free Press) at the time: you’d have to choose a time period and go through each issue of the microfilmed copies at the Nanaimo Library.
I’m sorry I can’t be of more assistance. Good luck with your campaign to save the dams from bureaucratic overkill–the knee-jerk response to a mainland dam failure several years ago that was caused by the neglect of those same government gnomes. –TWP
Thanks for finally wriing about > Coall Mining Dunmuir Family Inspired Historians,
Mapmakers and Playwright – TW Paterson | TW Paterson < Loved it!
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The construction of the railway from Victoria up to Parksville and then on to Courtenay was truly an undertaking. My daughter lives in one of the section crew houses, she thinks, in Qualicum, built about 1919. Is there any information out there that you are aware of to give her more information? Original footprint? Occupants? The house across the street (Hemlock dead-ending on Harlech with the railway tracks on the other side of Harlech) is reputed to have been the section boss’s house. I have done an on-line search of BC Archives but no hits, and am in the process of searching Qualicum Beach town archives and the Qualicum Beach Museum holdings.
Hi: You’re on the right track by approaching your local archives–almost always your best bet for the information you’re looking for.
For an excellent history of the E&N, try your library for Don McLaughlin’s (sp?) book, published for the railway’s centennial in 1884-5. It’s unlikely to mention your daughter’s house specifically but, with its wonderful photos, is a great overview.
Also look up Robert Turner’s book on Island railways. If you can’t find them in your library try an online book store. Cheers, TW