Port Moody incorporation

April 7th, 1913 is when the legislature, allowed Port Moody to incorporate.

The Daily Colonist, ( Victoria )  18 September 1912

Port Moody a city

Former terminus of Canadian Pacific will be incorporated―large area included.

Port Moody, the original terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, called after the commander of the detachment of Royal Engineers which came to the province in the early days; is to become a city. Application was made by the government by petition by the residents and land-owners, and an interview was had with the attorney-general some time ago by a committee of those who desire the change.

A difficulty which arose on the case was that the people wanted to have included in the limits of the new city an area of some 3,500 acres, or the whole territory between Coquitlam and Burnaby at the head of Burrard Inlet. The limit of land which can be included in a city under the ordinary charter is 2,000 acres, but as the people affected were able to show over the fifty per cent of property-holders in the whole area sought to be included the government informed them that no objection would be raised if a private bill was applied for the next session and the legislature saw fit to grant the request to include the larger area.

It is understood that a bill will be applied for to this end. Apart from the particular of the area the new city will, of course, be governed by the Municipal Act under which all municipalities except Vancouver operate. There are two canal projects on foot to connect Port Moody with the Pitt River and so on to the Fraser. One of these follows the old route surveyed by Colonel Moody forty years ago and lately revived by Mr. Gilner, of Vancouver, and the other is a proposal of a private company which has not yet got far enough with its plans to make any announcement.

[ This canal idea, repeats itself at least five times through the years. One proposal was authorized by  the Municipality of Coquitlam in 1910, Kilmer & Holland created a quick plan of the scheme.  John Ham Kilmer (1861-1938) would go on to be Port Coquitlam's engineer for many years. Prior to working for Coquitlam, Kilmer worked for North Vancouver, and is remembered by there with the naming of Kilmer Creek .

Plan of proposed dam, locks and wharves, Second Narrows, Burrard Inlet
1910.  Kilmer and Holland, engineers & Surveyors; Coquitlam Municipality.

Sketch of proposed interurban canal and harbour development for Greater Vancouver, B.C.

 1910 Engineer's Office, Municiplity of Coquitlam
{ Although no names appear on this document, it is obvious that it was created by the makers of the first drawing } ]

Map of the incorporated area, bold lines define the boundary.

A good overview of Port Moody's incorporation challenges can be found on the village of Belcarra's website, entitled:  Port Moodys first attempt to incorporate  (PDF)

No mention of those who were opposed to incorporation in that article though, there was oppositition.

Criminals in Coquitlam

While doing a search "Pitt River" I came across this:

Well that piqued my interest, this is way back in 1918 a big deal back then.

Here is a good part of the story nearly all from the newpapers of the time.

 The Daily Colonist   10 Sept 1918

VANCOUVER ROBBER KILLS HOTELKEEPER

Another Member of House Party Shot and Died From Wounds Last Night—Police Have Arrested Suspect.

VANCOUVER. Sept. 9.—Thomas J. Roberts, proprietor of the Grand Hotel, and one of the best known of the city's pioneers, was shot and killed on Saturday evening by a masked robber with whom he had grappled to avoid handing over a diamond ring which the bandit had demanded. The tragedy occurred shortly before 11o'clock at 1304 Jervis Street near the corner of Harwood, a fairly large residence, surrounded by a thick screen of trees.

A second victim of two of the robber's six shots was Henry Eames, aged about 50, manager of an upcoast logging camp. He is so seriously wounded that slim hopes are entertained for his recovery.

The police have one suspect under arrest the most important evidence so far obtained is from A. Harradine, a taxi driver who conveyed a fare to Broughton Street; a block away from the scene of the murder, on Saturday night the man left the taxi with orders to await his return. He came back in ten minutes, became much agitated when the driver had difficulty in starting the car and finally was conveyed downtown, where he disappeared in the alleyway alongside the Alcazar Hotel, on Dunsmuir Street east of Homer.

The house where the shooting took place is occupied by Oscar Olesen, his housekeeper, Mrs. McLennon, and her children. Eight men were in the drawing-room when the robber's unheralded arrival took place. Five or six members of the party were playing a card game. They and several neighborhood friends were in the habit of coming in once or twice a week to spend the evening at cards.

Fleet of Maxwells Auto Stand, Seymour Street;  cars for hire at $1.50 per hour and up.

date: March 1918  photo: Stuart Thomson.   Van Archives  A17663

The taxi driver was Archibald Stephen Harradine, (1879-1972), good chance that he is in this photo.

Story of Shooting

The robber first demanded a ring from O. Jay, who handed over a three-stone ruby which encircled one of his fingers. Then the robber turned to Roberts with: "Now, hand over that ring," motioning to a large solitaire which the hotel man wore on the third finger of his left hand. It happened that this ring fitted very tightly Mr. Roberts made an effort —real or assumed—to remove the ring and failed. Then he held out his hand with the words: "Here, take it off yourself, if you want it so badly." Suiting the action to the words, which were the last he uttered, Mr. Roberts stepped towards the highwayman.
The robber reached forward and in a fraction of a second the men had grappled and the robber began to shoot. Cartridges found later showed the weapon to be a .33 calibre automatic. At least five probably six shots were fired. The first went wild across the room and crashed a window. Another went through the floor. Another struck Mr. Roberts head just in front of the ear and he slipped to the floor. A fourth shot pierced the opposite wall near the ceiling and two others struck Eames.
Mr. Roberts was one of the most familiar figures amongst the younger business men of the city. He was 47 years of age; coming to Vancouver from New Brunswick thirty years ago. He has been continuously with the hotel of which in recent years he was proprietor. He leaves a wife and two daughters of 10 and 8. His brother, Harry Roberts, is proprietor of the Beaver Transfer Company. Two sisters live in British Columbia, Mrs. T. Mambrick, of Comox and Mrs. Roy W. Brown. Mr. Roberts death is the first break in a family of thirteen.
J.F. McCabe, held as a suspect in the Jervis Street murder case, appeared before the magistrate today and was remanded until September 16, McCabe was in court on August 14 last, when according to the police records, he was fined $26 and costs for having morphine in his possession.
The  coroner’s jury late this afternoon returned an open verdict following the examination of  witnesses.

[  Thomas  "Tommy" Joseph Roberts  was born in Red Rapids, New Brunswick 12 June 1874. Son of Charles Roberts and Jane Crock. Came to B.C. in 1887.  d. 7 September 1918, 44 years old.  buried at Mountain View cemetery, Vancouver, B.C.  Married in 1905,  to  Pauline Margaret Roach, (1880-1929)
Sisters: Phebe Roberts; Lucy Ann Roberts; Harriet Roberts; Mary; Emily; Elizabeth; Margaret; Theresa
Brothers: Harry Roberts; Charles Roberts
Tommy Roberts owned the  Grand Hotel, 24 Water Street.
And also the  Roberts block, 307-311 West Pender Street, which was built in 1908    ]

Grand Hotel, 22-28 Water Street, 1929

 photo: W.J. Moore.  Van Archives A09208

Bar inside the Grand Hotel, ca,191?    Second right: Tommy Roberts

 Thomas  "Tommy" Joseph Roberts

 C.H. Jones & Son Limited, Pioneer Brand. Grand Hotel.
Date: May 1928. photo: Stuart Thomson. VPL 8966

Grand Hotel 1911 Insurance map, Plate 3

More history about the Grand Hotel, at the Changing Vancouver blog.

 Alcazar Hotel at the northeast corner of
Dunsmuir and Homer Streets,opened in 1913. Demolished in 1982
date: 5 July 1937. photo: W.J. Moore. Van Archives A08993

Shows the location of the Alcazar Hotel, and the Roberts Block.
1912 Insurance map Plate 6

Interior of British Columbia Cattle Co. Limited - 202 Carrall Street. ca.1890   Van Archives  A24911
(L to R): Tommy Roberts, Tom Langham, Harry Graham, George Causton, Harry Reading and Alfred Coughtrey.  This store was in the same block as the Grand Hotel

---o---

The Daily Colonist 11 September 1918

MURDER IS STILL AT LARGE

Inquest on Second Victim of Vancouver Gambling House Tragedy Throws No New Light on Identity of Criminal

Vancouver, B.C., Sept., 10. --- The death of Harry Eames led to another searching examination of witnesses at the inquest conducted by Dr. Jeffs today, but again the verdict that the man died from gunshot wounds inflicted by some person unknown had to be recorded. Additional witnesses were called, but little fresh light was thrown on the double murder. The new testimony went, in fact, to strengthen the story told from the beginning that a masked man entered the house and when he was grappled with, shot to kill.

 "There is absolutely no evidence to throw suspicion on any members of the party so far as I can see," said Coroner Jeffs in summing up the evidence. He had thought that perhaps some of these men were keeping something back, but having heard them again it did not seem to him they were holding anything back.
Mr. R.L. Maitland, city prosecutor, again conducted the examinations, and thought he was off on an important clue when the impression was left after hearing the evidence of Dr. Mahony that Eames had been very reserved in his statement and that others had visited the hospital to see him after being brought In on Saturday night.

"I asked him if he had any idea who the man was who had shot him, but he would not answer me," said the doctor. He believed there were others who came up to see Eames beside the police officials, but he was not sure if they saw Eames. Chief of Police McRae helped to clear this point up. The chief said that he got an account on Saturday from the various people who were around the card table, including Eames at the hospital. It was not an exhaustive account he got from Eames, because under the circumstances he did not press him, but it was a very fair account, and it was substantially the same as that related by the other men.
Olson, he pointed out, was taken into custody the night of the shooting and kept in custody until he had given his evidence the previous day.

As to the men who saw Eames at the hospital on Saturday night, they were the police officers who went up with Eames, and also Cameron, who went up in the evidence. Cameron, who was one of the card players, testified at both Inquests.

When W.W. Steele was again called to the witness stand, Coroner Jeffs told him he was particularly impressed with the candid way he gave his evidence the previous day, and he wanted him to rack his brain to see if he could not collect anything else that would help in the capture of the murderer. Mr. Steele again gave a detailed account of what happened in the room when the masked man made his Imperative demands, but could not improve on the evidence of identification.

[ Hiram Albert Eaman  born: 24 August 1869 Ontario. d. 9 September 1918, age 49  buried in Mountain View cemetery, Vancouver, B.C., as Harry Eames.
1871 census Cornwall, Ontario. with his parents:  Hiram Jacob Eaman and Margaret Ellen Gardner
1891 census finds him in Brownsville, Surrey,B.C. working as a bartender, and the following year in New Westminster working as a  machine hand at McGillivray's works. He has proved difficult to trace,  fault primarily being with the various miss-spellings of his name.  ]

Police Chief William McRae mounted on horseback 1917

  photo: Stuart Thomson. Van Archives  A16229

William McRae Deputy Chief of police.

 ca.1914 or 1915   Van. Archives A34696

 The City prosecutor at the time was :  Royal Lethington "Pat" Maitland, K.C. (1889-1946)

photo: 1941. Van. Archives A34776

The coroner Thomas William Jeffs,( 1858 - 1923) Physician, coroner, City alderman,(1906), police Commissioner (1907) moved to B.C. in 1894 Built a home in 1907-8, at 1240 Salsbury Drive
   He was known for his distinguished, but outspoken manner; impartial  and common sense approach to getting to the truth of the matter being investigated.

Witness: William Wilson Steele, (1884-1967) on his death certificate, it says he retired in 1946  after running the Arctic Club (718 W. Pender) for forty years; AKA the Cave in later years. In 1903 at Nanaimo,  he was working as a druggist for Harry James Rogers, and married  Henrietta Gibson Bell, (1885-1969)
1902 directory, for Nanaimo.  lists his father, Father W.W. Steele as proprietor of the Grand Hotel in Nanaimo.

---o---

The Daily Colonist, 15 September 1918

Outlaw Operated Here—Local police records show that the outlaw now, being sought by a posse of Vancouver police and believed to have been the man who murdered two prominent Vancouverites in a private gambling establishment on Jervis Street there last week followed his criminal career in Victoria.

     Known now to the Vancouver police as George Layton or George Leaf, the man was arrested here and convicted under the latter name, with a number of aliases, in November, 1914, on a charge of stealing $40 from John Oleson; and with being in possession of instruments for housebreaking. He served a six months term and, the local records show, subsequently he was convicted at Calgary of theft and was sentenced to two years In the penitentiary, from which institution he could have been released only a comparatively short time ago.

The crime scene 1304 Jervis Street;  insurance map 1912 of area.   Today the original home has been replaced by a large apartment complex known as 1330 Jervis Street   Plate 16

---o---

The Daily Colonist, 25 September 1918

POLICE CLOSE IN ON GEORGE LEAF

Vancouver, Sept. 24. —That the fugitive George Leaf had been located in the Pitt River district and was practically surrounded by a cordon of officers who were steadily closing in on him was the report received in the city this morning.
While the exact location of the hunted man was not given, it was stated that he had been seen entering a house in the district and had obtained food there from, afterwards making his way carefully through the bush to the place where he has been hiding.
Reinforcements were sent out from police headquarters early today, and the officers are now said to be gradually closing in on their man, who, they expect, will fight to the death before surrendering himself.

---o---

The Daily Colonist, 5 October 1919

GEORGE LEAF DIES BY HIS OWN HAND

Vancouver, Oct. 4—A desperado known in Los Angeles under the name of Nyland and In Vancouver as George Leaf, who killed himself in Los Angeles last Sunday to avoid capture after a gun fight with the police, has been identified as the man held responsible by the local police for the murder here thirteen months ago of Thomas J. Roberts and Harry Eamen, who were shot in a card game.
The man's real name is thought to be Lehtenen.

---o---

The Daily Colonist, 7 October 1919

VICTORIA RECORDS ESTABLISH IDENTITY

Desperado who, eluded capture in Los Angeles by suicide had police record here—Suspected of Murder,

To criminal Identification records of the Victoria detective department can be given credit for the identification of Nyland, a desperado killed in Los Angeles, with the George Leaf, wanted in Vancouver for the murder, over a year ago, of Thomas J. Roberts and Harry Eamen in a Jervis Street gambling resort ever since the murder at Vancouver thirteen months ago the police of that city have been looking for Leaf.
   
     They insisted he was the murderer of Roberts and Eamen, though the murder mystery for some reason or other was never fully cleared up, and time and time again it was asserted in the press of that city that all the facts concerning the shooting were not brought out.

Last week at Los Angeles In a running gun fight with police officers a burglar was wounded. To avoid capture he deliberately shot himself with his own revolver, and was dead when the pursuing policemen reached his side. The desperado was known in Los Angeles under the name of Nyland, but has been identified as Lehtenen or Leaf. The identification was accomplished through photo and finger prints of Leaf as supplied to the Vancouver police by the Victoria authorities shortly after the Vancouver gambling house murder.

Leaf, alias Samson, alias Anderson, alias Necthern, alias Lehtenen, was arrested here on November 17, 1914, for theft of $40 from the person of John Olson. He was dismissed on that charge, but upon the charge of being in possession of burglar's tools he was sentenced to six months. The next heard of him was at Calgary, where he was sentenced for theft.

Leaf's photo and finger prints were taken when he was sentenced here, and when the Vancouver police were searching for him for his alleged participation in the shooting of Roberts and Eamen, the Victoria records were supplied. Circulars bearing his photo and finger print classification were circulated far and near, and it was by that means that the Los Angeles police made their identification of the desperado Nyland.

A standing reward of $1,000 for the arrest of Leaf was offered by the Vancouver police following his escape from that city. But so far as any publicity was given to the case there has never been forthcoming anything from the police there to show why they considered that it was Leaf who shot Roberts and Eamen. True, Leaf was then residing in Vancouver and, it was alleged, when the police posse were chasing a suspect in the woods near Vancouver they got a good look at him and he answered the description of Leaf. But the latter got away and was last seen; it was stated, In Montreal. Now comes word that he has terminated his career at Los Angeles.

The mystery continues to this day, what exactly was this fellows name?

Davison Park

Pete McMartin: Port Coquitlam's little park with big history

The size of a tennis court, this green space honours two brothers killed in WWII.

Location: HERE
The tiny park commemorates two fallen brothers killed in WWII
George Davison. 1922-1944   Memorial  --- Death Certificate --- Service File
Douglas Davison. 1924-1945   Memorial --- Death Certificate --- Service File.  And a nice picture of the headstone  in Holland, thanks to Flickr user:  Frans van Cappellen  )

Their father was James Davison,( 1890-1947) Attendant at Essondale, who served in WWI  as a Sergeant ( attestation paper ) and in WWII, as a Company Sergeant-Major.  Married at Fernie in 1912, to Stewart  Jackson Arbuckle.(1894-1971)  (who was miss-named as Stuart on the marriage certificate. ) She is buried in Port Coquitlam Cemetery, her headstone.

Stewart Jackson Arbuckle and James Davison, the parents

History Today! Garbage truck gets crushed

     I always knew that this spot was an accident in the making, just a matter of time; actually many years ago there was a similar structure nearby that was near the Hudsons Bay loading dock area, it got lightly bumped a few times, but never fell down; they were smart and removed the problem in one of their renovations.
This accident happened near the southwest end of the mall, in an area used as the main loading dock for London Drugs, among others. The accident caused the stores to move their incoming stock through the public areas of the mall into their stores, creating a lot of traffic.
Garbage truck driver miraculously survives as huge beam crashes down on his cab at Coquitlam Centre mall
A few pictures of the area at Flick:   One --- Two  --- Three
The driver was very lucky to get away from this with his life; he was okay.

More gravel pit proposals

Yikes ! Every few years some schemer wants to destroy the land and remove some rocks on OUR lands.
If they all got their way there would not be much left, other than some hazardous pits, poorly remediated.
UPDATE: I am keeping a more up to date informational listing of this proposal at my Minnekhada blog  the original proposal for this pit, has the potential in the future for a much larger footprint than outlined in the disposition being applied for at this time.
---

 Click to enlarge

John Carley, of Langley, wants to gain access to sand and gravel deposits on 45.13 ha +/- of Crown Land, (OUR LAND) posted online July 8, 2013, but only put into the local newspapers on July 31, 2013.
Land  File No: 2410903
  Notice of intention to apply for a disposition of Crown Land
Management plan   (pdf)
General and detailed maps  (pdf)

Have your say about the proposal HERE
          The term, due diligence, comes to mind, none if any done here;  a little homework from the proponent would discover huge problems to overcome to get what he wants, and he would give up, before he wastes any more money. He must be after the rock, there is very little gravel there, mostly scree. And somehow the proponents Agent: Corey Tomiye, totally missed the salmon-bearing Dairy Creek that runs through the property, it is too large to jump across in one leap.  There are other more nefarious activities in mind for the property from the proponent other than lessons in mining, I fear.  This proposal would have huge negative impacts on Minnekhada Park too, sight-lines destroyed, silt, gravel erosion into the park,,,,,

Overlaid onto Google Earth, (roughly)

Henry Emerson

This post is not about the Tri-Cities, but about B.C. (you never know, maybe there is a Tri-Cities connection in the following story )

HENRY EMERSON   ( 6 December 1889, Victoria - 8 April 1917, Vimy Ridge, France )
      I came across this short story at the Salt Spring Archives,  and just knew that I should be able to find out some more about him and his family. Hopefully researchers will see this and hopefully add some more life to the story, and some pictures too!  Lest We Forget

Inset of Henry Emerson

The inset above was taken from this photograph

Ganges (soccer) Football Team. (c1913) (Jessie Toynbee)

Rear l to r: Robbie Norton, Gavin Mouat, Stanley Dean, Godfrey Milne.

Centre: Tom Lang, Eric Springford, Henry Emerson (killed WWI)

Front: Cecil Springford, HH Robinson, Ernest Stanford, Vernon Cass-Morris, Basil Cartwright.

 From the Toynbee collection, Saltspring Island Archives

There are errors in the above photo description; here is a more correct and revised version:

Rear L to R.:  Robert "Robbie" Percy  Preston Norton,(1889-1916, front - back - killed WWI  );  Gavin Colvin Mouat,(1893-1961- Cem);   Stanley William Dean, (1882-?); Godfrey Herbert Cecil Milnes,  (1894-1917, front - back - killed WWI )
Centre:  Thomas "Tom" Beattie Lang, (1892 - marriage - 1938);   Eric Springford, (1893 - marriage - 1984); Henry Emerson, (1889-1917 killed WWI )
Front: Cecil Springford, (1891- marriage - 1949); Hubert Arthur Robinson,(1885 - marriage - 1969); Ernest Henry Stanford, (1883 - marriage - 1921); Vernon Bryham Case Morris,(1890-1968); Alan Basil Cartwright, (1884 - marriage - 1971)

*     *     *     *

Henry's  parents were Arbuthnot Macaulay Emerson, (1) of County Antrim, Ireland and Emily Hill (2).  The family immigrated to Canada circa 1888-9, with their first born Florence "Flora"  Emily Emerson (3).  Henry Emerson  was born on the 6th of December 1889 in Victoria BC, and baptized on the third of September 1900, in Victoria; Henry was the family's first child born in Canada;  quickly followed by a brother: George Macaulay Emerson (4) and a sister: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Maude Emerson (5)

In 1890  we find the family in Victoria. Arbuthnot was working as a freight clerk, for R.P. Rithet and Co., a wholesale merchant, shipping and insurance agent.

Rithet's Pier, Victoria. ca.1890  BC Archives B-02694

Robert Paterson Rithet, 1844-marr cert.-1919.  Arbuthnot Emerson's boss
short biography found on pages 1134-5 of; BC from the earliest times to the present Vol IV
see also Canada Bio.         BC Archives F-07390

The 1891 census captures the family: 20 April, Johnson Street Ward, Div. No. 1  District No. 4 Victoria city
Arbuthnot Emerson age 36,b.Ireland. freight clerk, for R.P Rithet.
Emily Emerson,  age 31, b.England 1860
Florence Emily Emerson, age 3 b.England.
Henry Emerson, age 1, b. B.C.
In 1892 the father is working as a night watchman, and then all hell breaks loose the following year

British Colonist 8 October 1893, page 5;
" Mrs. Trounce (6) , who has kindly interested herself in relieving the necessities of Mrs. Emily Emerson and her little family, takes this opportunity of thanking all who contributed to the relief fund. Mrs. Emerson, it will be remembered, was left almost destitute and with four children dependent upon her, by the desertion of her husband last March."

Mrs. Trounce ca. 1870       BC Archives  A-01870

From 1893 to 1895 all four children were put into the care of the British Columbia Protestant Poor Orphans Home, (7) in Victoria.

BC Protestant Orphans Home, Victoria; Workers after laying of cornerstone. July 1892

 Photo: Richard Maynard,1832 -1907   BC Archives  E-01296

The completed Orphans Home ca.190-   BC Archives  D-03597

Today's building, also known as the Taylor building.
  Pic. Cridge (click for Large version )

     Henry Emerson, age 4 along with his brother George Macaulay, age 2 were surrendered to the Orphanage on the fourth of October 1893, the Taylor building would have been very new at this time.
Their sister Florence, age 6 years, 4 months was given to the care of the Orphanage on June 29, 1894.
Followed by their youngest sister Elizabeth  on the third of April 1895 age 1 year, 4 months !!!

1895 The children are all in care, and both parents are nowhere to be found

Page one of the 1901 census - IMG  Finds the children still in the Protestant Poor Orphans home, Cook and Hillside Ave, ( Hayward Heights, today ) Victoria along with sixty other souls,(  page 2 - IMG )
"Flora" Emerson                        Inmate     b. September 20, 1888.
Henry Emerson                          Inmate     b. December   6, 1889
George Macaulay Emerson        Inmate     b. September 19, 1891
"Lizzie" Emerson                        Inmate     b. September 23, 1893

      The children appear to have stayed under the care of the orphanage until they came of age to fend for themselves as adults; they do not appear in the ( 1911 Census listing - IMG ) of the Orphanage.

 Henry Emerson

     He died in the Vimy Ridge Battle in France, sometime between April 8th - 10th in 1917
and  is buried in the Arras road Cemetery in Roclincourt France.

Arras road Cemetery

Canadian Virtual War memorial page for Henry Emerson
Private. service No. 180216. age 27 Canadian infantry 7th battalion. (B.C. Regiment)

 Colours of the 7th Battalion C.E.F. - The B.C. Regiment . ca. 1923 Van. Archives A32332

The original Salt Spring Island memorial, ca. 1917   BC Archives D-08846

The original memorial ca. 1917   BC Archives D-08847

Later the cenotaph was replaced by a stone Cenotaph  that exists today.

Henry was/is memorialized on both monuments.

Ganges Memorial/ Cenotaph pictures

1917 memorial unveiling,  BC Archives D-08844;  1917 memorial, BC Archives D-08846;  1917 memorial, BC Archives D-08847 
New cenotaph:  1923? memorial, BC archives D-08842 ; 1947 cenotaph,  BC Archives I-20717;  1947 cenotaph,  BC Archives I-20718;  1949 cenotaph, BC Archives I-26712; 1956 cenotaph, BC Archives I-26716
More pictures from Salt Spring Archives of BOTH memorials, and of the New cenotaph with names.

Attestation Front --- Back;  Henry joined the 88th Battalion Victoria Fusiliers, Canadian Expeditionary Force,(C.E.F.)
Based in Victoria, British Columbia, the unit began recruiting in the autumn of 1915 in Victoria. After sailing to England in June 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 30th Reserve Battalion on July 18, 1916. The 88th Battalion, C.E.F had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. Harold Joseph Rous Cullin. (1875-1935)

Living at Ganges, Henry listed his next of kin as his sister Florence Songhurst, (3) his year of birth as the sixth of December 1892, (the year is wrong, he wanted to appear three years younger than he was ).
He signed his life away on the 8th of December 1915
Blues eyes, fair hair, fresh complexion. 5'4" apparent age 23.

Two other residents of Salt Spring Island signed up the same day as Henry Emerson;

 Edward Cartwright ( June 1882  -  11 October 1916 details )  attestation papers, Front --- Back
Virtual Memory page for Edward .  1911 Census details  Edward  Married Mary Margaret Royal, on Salt Spring Island on the fifth of May 1908, Mary's death certificate . Edward left his wife and two daughters; Mary Margaret,(1909-) and Lettice Sybil Cartwright,(1911-) to mourn his loss. Henry Emerson played soccer with Edward's brother, Alan Basil Cartwright,(1884 - 1971)  [ SEE picture above ]
               Note: Edward and Henry were also in the same battalion.

And Wilfred Sharpe ( Oct 1877 - 1956, Saanich )  attestation papers, Front --- Back   1911 census Chemainus  Married Margery Cheshire Lort, in Victoria on the seventh of March 1919.
  At least Wilfred made it back alive.

Henry worked as a clerk at the Mouat Brothers store (8)  for at least three years  at Ganges on Saltspring Island

Mouat's Boarding House (1905)

Percy Purvis  (9) and Joe Malcolm (10) built a store and blacksmith's shop at Ganges in 1904. Purvis had previously had a store at Central. His brother-in-law, Malcolm, was a blacksmith. The future for their joint enterprise appeared bright, but, following the sudden death of "Joe" Malcolm, Purvis sold to Jane Mouat and her son Gilbert James Mouat (11).      Accession number  1994.137.006

ca. 1920

>>>    NOTES   <<<

(1)   Arbuthnot Macaulay Emerson.  In the 1911 Census, I found the father living at PHI (Public Hospital for the Insane;changed name in 1950 to Woodlands now closed)   A.M. Emerson, resident of Vancouver,  Patient   ( listed under Emmerson )
Arbuthnot Macaulay Emerson: died later that year in New Westminster, at PHI  on the fourth of November 1911, at the age of 59. Unknown at this time where he is buried, in theory it should be New Westminster.

(2)  Emily Emerson
1903, 1904, 1905 Vancouver directory:  Lists  Emily Emerson, nurse city hospital, rooms 579 Howe. Nurses house. (would have worked at Vancouver City Hospital

Man and nurses on lawn in front of the Vancouver City Hospital - 530 Cambie Street  1902

 Photo by: William Stark.   Vancouver Archives

1910 Vancouver directory, lists an E. Emerson, retired. rooms 407 Keefer. {Home of Richard T. Jones, mariner.} None of this listing for Emily probably applies, but it is the only listings that I could find in B.C. that have her name.
Otherwise she just disappears from the local scene, or more commonly changed her name.

(3)  Florence  "Flora" Emily Emerson
                ( b. 20 September, 1887, Reading, England  -  24 August 1958 )
1908 Victoria:   Florence Emerson, domestic., living at 516 Rupert; home of accountant, Walter Gilbert Sparrow, (1856-1913) looking after Walter's large family. On the eighteenth of December 1908 Florence married John William Songhurst,d.14 October 1943, Victoria. John worked as a mail carrier, but mostly as a shoemaker, he also served his country:  page1 he joined  "S" Company of the Royal Canadian regiment:
Service No.: 479928  John William Songhurst, b.Shere, Surrey, Eng. 27 Nov., 1876, shoe maker. Sworn on the 20th of April 1917. Note:  Interesting that John W. Songhurst enlists three days after Henry Emerson's death.
page1a   --- page2   --- page2a  previously married to Florence Annie Street, at Farnham, Surrey, England 26 Sept., 1899. At least two children with Florence Emily Emerson:
Arthur Emerson Songhurst,( b. 31 October 1909, Saanich - Marriage cert. -  1985)
George Weston Songhurst, b. 25 January 1911, Saanich - Marriage cert. [Wife: Helen, Death cert., one - two ] Children: Karen Georgina,(1939-1959); Denis George,(1940-); Myrna Helen,(1944- )
For many years the family ran the Songhurst Grocery and shoe repair from 2427 Fernwood Rd, Victoria.

(4)  George Macaulay Emerson, 
      ( b. 19 September 1891 - baptized 11 January, 1891{something wrong here}, Victoria - )


1916 Vancouver directory:  I find a George Emerson living at 992 Hornby. Unknown if this is Henry's brother. George has proven to be difficult to find locally, he may have moved away, died young. . .

(5)  Elizabeth "Lizzie" Maude Emerson
       ( b. 26 September 1893, Victoria, B.C.  -  22 October 1980, age 87 )
Elizabeth married  Roy Garner Hutchinson on 3 March 1920 in Vancouver, he was into real estate at that time. Note: at the top of  the marriage certificate is says that the marriage was dissolved at Vancouver on May 11, 1937
1911 census, Oak Bay:  We find that Elizabeth, a 17 year old maid from the poor house, head of house was Henry Austin Goward, ( 1879 - Marriage cert. -  1952 ), Real estate agent for Grant and Lineham, (Roland A.C. Grant and Arthur Lineham) 941 St. James. "Lizzie" was looking after the Goward's four young daughters.
It was common practice for the Orphanage to indenture, or place into service the children under their care.
Husband:  Roy Garner Hutchinson, ( 1891 --  1983  )
Daughter:  Beverley Maude Hutchinson, of Vancouver

(6)  Mrs. Trounce: Emma Richards b. May 10 1839 in Fraddam (Gwinear), Cornwall, England. She died on April 27 1902 in Victoria.  She married Thomas Trounce on January 6 1889 in San Francisco, second marriage for Thomas.

 

Thomas Trounce, ca.188-.

Photo by: Stephen Allen Spencer, 1829? - 1911

BC Archives A-01866

       Thomas was a prominent Victoria architect, who was born  on September eighteenth 1813 in Feock, Cornwall, England. He died on June 30 1900 in Victoria.


(7)    Protestant Orphans Home
B.C. Protestant Orphans' Home, reports. ( which are also listed separately below ).
British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home BC Archives fonds (1883-1926)
The British Columbia Protestant Orphan's Home  ( detailed UVic history website )

Later known as The Cridge centre for the family was located at the peak of King's Road in Victoria, British Columbia. 1873-present, in 1969 the building was converted into a daycare center. It raised more than 1600 orphans by the time it closed. There are about 800 of these orphans still living who say it was a great opportunity to be raised here. Most of the records are still held at the Cridge Centre.

Amateur dramatic entertainment in aid of the Protestant Orphans Home, on Thursday eve'g, Nov.'r 18th, 1880 [microform] : Tom Taylor' s celebrated comedy, in three acts, Still waters run deep (1880)

      An example of some of the things they had to do
to generate the monies needed to run the orphanage.

The sixteenth annual report of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home, Victoria, for 1888 [microform] (1889)
The seventeenth annual report of the British Columbia Protestant Orphan's Home, Victoria, for 1890 [microform] (1890)
The eighteenth annual report of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home, Victoria, B.C., for 1890 [microform] (1891)
The nineteenth annual report of the British Columbia Protestant Orphan's Home, Victoria, B.C., for 1891 [microform] (1891)
Constitution and by-laws of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home [microform] : incorporated under the Benevolent Societies Act (1892)
British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home [microform] : incorporated under the "Benevolent Societies Act, 1891 (1893)
22nd annual communication of the M.W. Grand Lodge of British Columbia A.F. and A.M. [microform] : laying corner stone of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans Home, Hillside Avenue, Victoria, B.C., on Saturday, June 24th, 1893 at 3 p.m (1893)
The twenty-first annual report of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home, Hillside Avenue, Victoria, B.C. [microform] : [presen]ted at the annual meeting held in the City Hall, Victoria, B.C., January 30th, 1894, F.H. Worlock, Esq., in the chair (1894)
Report of the twenty-second annual meeting of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home, Hillside Avenue, Victoria, B.C. [microform] : held at the City Hall, Victoria, B.C., on Friday, March 15th, 1895, Mr. Charles. Hayward in the chair (1895)
Report of the twenty-third annual meeting of the British Columbia Protestant Orphans' Home, Hillside Avenue, Victoria, B.C. [microform] : held at the City Hall, Victoria, B.C., on Friday, February 28th, 1896, Mr. Charles Hayward in the chair (1896)

 (8)  Malcolm and Purvis; later Mouat Brothers store

Malcolm and Purvis and Mouat Picnic (1904) (Jessie Toynbee)

About the time the business moved from Central to Ganges. Both ran for a period. (Mr George Howard (Fred's father) kept Central Store going for awhile.
Rear L to R: Mr Joe Malcolm, Mrs Margaret Malcolm, Mary Mouat, Will Mouat, Percy Purvis, Gilbert Mouat, W.H. McAfee.
Middle: Laurie Mouat, Bill Purvis, Ethel Purvis, Mrs Jane Mouat, Jessie Mouat, Beth Purvis,
Mrs Susan Purvis holding Jack
Front: Jerry Mouat, Lydia Mouat, Belle Nightingale, Herbert Purvis, Margaret (Minnie) Mouat, Jean Purvis, Eva Jenkins.        Salt Spring Archives Accession number 1994.137.128

(9)  Percy Purvis   ( 1869 - 1960 Cemetery )

Percy Purvis, came to Saltspring Island in 1898, was born in Bruce County, Ont. married  on the fifteenth of June 1892 Susan Helen Malcolm, (1865 - 1949 Cemetery ) also of Bruce County, Ont. Percy was the  Ganges Postmaster 1901-8, store owner 1904-8, along with Joseph Malcolm, who was married to Percy's sister. After Joseph Malcolm's death, Percy sold out to G.J. Mouat, and moved to eastern Oregon, near its border with Idaho.

"Gems" of our valley : a written and pictorial history of Gem Valley located in southeastern Idaho along the Bear River, 1811-1977, and the people who have lived there (1977)
       (numerous mentions of the Purvis family)

(10)  Joseph "Joe" James Malcolm, blacksmith 
       ( b. 7 February 1863, Ontario - d. 25 January 1907  Cemetery )
 Joseph James Malcolm,  married Margaret Purvis  on the eleventh of September 1901, at Victoria . Margaret was the sister of Percy Purvis, whom "Joe" was in business with.
Malcolm 1891 census

(11)  Gilbert James Mouat 
   ( b.15 May 1886 Saltspring Island  -  5 August 1946 )

Gilbert James Mouat      pic. from Mouat Trading

          The Mouat family came from the Shetlands, settling  on Saltspring in 1885. In 1908 after Joseph Malcolm unexpectedly passed away, Percy Purvis (9) sold out to Gilbert who along with his mother Jane, bought the Malcolm and Purvis store, which is still operating today as the  Mouat Trading.  Founder of G.J. Mouat and Company, he contracted polio in 1915, wheelchair bound for the rest of his life. Henry Emerson worked for Gilbert at the store for at least a few years.
Father: Thomas William Mouat (1853-1898) Mother: Jane Manson (1859-1935)

Jane Mouat, nee Manson (1859-1935)  Pic. from Mouat trading

Gilbert was married to Martha Isabelle  (1890-1950)

Miscellaneous

Salt Spring Island Ganges Cemetery listings, other cemeteries on SSI

Map of Saltspring Island 1895

 Click on the list below to download 20K scale PDF maps that cover Salt Spring Island
092B093  --- 092B094
092B083  --- 092B084
092B073   --- 092B074

LEST WE FORGET