Well, another year down of sold-out performances for the Mill Bay/Malahat Historical Society’s Seeds and Salt Theatre. This year’s theme was Dreamers & Schemers, composed of three 20-minute-long mini-plays.

As the theatre company’s theme is “Fascinating True Stories From Vancouver Island’s Past,” this year’s performances began with Maj. James Lennox MacFarlane’s dream to create a link by road between Victoria and Mill Bay which, at that time, was accessible only by train and boat as the Malahat’s mountainous game trails all but defied overland traffic.

Government engineers said it was impossible. But, of course, MacFarlane persevered and proved them wrong. If you have any doubts, just drive the Malahat today!

The second play told the story of Vancouver Island’s own Grace Darling, Minnie Paterson (Google her), wife of a west coast lighthouse keeper. She hiked on foot, alone, with just her dog for company, through miles of wild forest at the height of a storm to alert the Dominion Coast Guard cutter Quadra that a ship was being driven ashore and facing imminent destruction.

Thanks to her heroism, the crew of the barque Coloma was saved. But her ordeal ultimately proved fatal for Minnie who never recovered her health and within a few years she passed away.

Her incredible story should be taught in our schools.

The third and last act was pure comedy, the story of the dentist, Painless Parker. He barely graduated from dental school but went on to become a household name thanks to his innovative—and outrageous—self-promotion which has been described as a circus act.

He once pulled 357 teeth in one day!

At a time before novocaine, a local anaesthetic drug introduced to temporarily numb gums during fillings, extractions and root canals, Parker came up with his own temporary painkiller. The key word being “temporary,” of course. We can only imagine his patients’ discomfort when it began to wear off!

Nevertheless, thanks to his advertising, there were always new patients and he made a fortune. For a time, he had a waterfront home in Crofton, which gives him his Vancouver Island link.

MMBH Society President Maureen Alexander is already scouting for next year’s subjects.

This is where the MMBHS shines. Unlike most historical societies it is pro-active. It takes history to the people rather than waiting for them to visit a museum of historical attraction. More power to them!

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As you know, we never make mistakes here on the BC Chronicles.

But serious railway historian Tom W. Parkin caught us out two weeks ago with an incorrect photo caption. He followed up my recent Chronicle about the 1902 Coal River Mine disaster with this photo and explanation:

“It belatedly occurred to me that this photo is far more aligned with your readers' interests, Tom.

“This is a shot I took just last week at the commemorative stone interpreting the Hillcrest Mine disaster. It stands at the entrance to the cemetery where many of the dead were buried en masse. The small black stones surrounding it mention coal miner group deaths across Canada, with date, number of men/boys lost, and likely cause (not all being explosions). Those you've mentioned on Vancouver Island are listed.

“In the background, the scar of the 1903 Frank slide is still visible.”

Thanks, Tom!

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After all these years I’m still slightly surprised by the number of current news stories with fascinating historical roots.

This week, a front-page story in the Victoria Times Colonist reported that a James Bay man was suing the company that owns his condo, Orchard House, 647 Michigan Street. It overlooks Beacon Hill Park, immediately to the east.

That’s today’s story. My interest in Orchard House goes back much, much further. This 1960s high-rise was built on the site of pioneer banker A.D. Macdonald’s mansion, hence the name Orchard House.

I told the story of Macdonald’s rise and fall in the Chronicles (click here to read that story) several years ago. If you haven’t read it, I suggest that you do so—it’s a heckuva great story—recalled, for me, by the headline in the Times Colonist.

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In my own backyard, a massive apartment building is going up beside the Cowichan River and within steps of our Superstore. It replaces the ca 1987 Malaspina College building.

I know this because, while filing old newspaper clippings, I came across a full-page article heralding the completion of the Malaspina College (since changed to Vancouver Island College) structure.

In 30 years they tore it down for an apartment building. Tell me again how we’re going to save this planet....

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