Editorially speaking...
There’s lots happening so let’s start with the most time-sensitive:
The Ladysmith & District Historical Society is hosting an ‘online’ event, David Hill-Turner’s talk in the Historically Speaking Series of ‘The Robert Kerr: From Global Trader to Coastal Collier’ on June 16, 2022, 7pm. Admission is free.
That’s this evening, folks!
The Robert Kerr: among her achievements is the fact she was the first vessel to go up on the ways at the Esquimalt Marine Railway Co. Ltd. —https://nauticapedia.ca; photo from the John MacFarlane collection
I quote: “Since 1911, the remains of the Robert Kerr have rested on a reef just north of Thetis Island’s Pilkey Point. Launched in 1866, she roamed the world’s oceans. Damaged while being towed to Burrard Inlet, she achieved fame as ‘the ship that saved Vancouver’ during the 1886 fire that destroyed much of the new city. This is a story of a ship associated with people and events that helped shape Canada in the 19th century.”
To register for the free talk via zoom email museum@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca for a link.
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The Cumberland Museum is celebrating the 37th Miners Memorial Weekend, June 17-19. The popular event honours “Cumberland coal miners and their families, Ginger Goodwin, and the spirit of resistance and solidarity” of the Comox Valley’s coal mining days.
According to their promo, “There are countless reasons to participate in this celebration, but five good reasons below are listed.
Come to Songs of the Workers is back at a new venue, the Masonic Hall in Cumberland.
Participate in the ceremonies at the Cumberland Cemetery and the Japanese Cemetery by lying a rose or bouquets commemorating the workers of the past and their families. Roses are free; Bouquet can be purchased here.
Take a Tour, Dawn Copeman and Meaghan Cursons will be hosting community tours of No. 1 Town (Japanese Historical Settlement) and the downtown core.
Join the Community Picnic with special guest Rod Mickleburgh, hosted outside of the Cumberland Cultural Centre. We invite you to share in a cold plate dinner sponsored by CUPE Local 556.
This event will also be holding space to honour three extraordinary individuals; Wayne Bradley, Mike Keelan, and Heather Kennedy-MacNeill who passed recently.30 min Museum Tours will be hosted on Sunday by Executive Director Rosslyn Shipp. Explore all our newly renovated spaces and exhibitions!
Again, that’s this coming weekend.
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Speaking of museums, the Royal Ontario Museum is offering free admission through this summer “as part of a branding campaign it hopes will usher new people through the door and redefine its role in Toronto”.
According to The Canadian Press “The downtown landmark wants to become a gathering place rather than a fusty day-trip destination, where people can stop to drink coffee and engage with culture,” according to the museum’s director Josh Basseches.
Quite unlike our own Royal B.C. Museum which is going to close its doors for the next eight years.
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Last week’s post on Paldi’s rebirth from the ashes inspired Genevieve Singleton and husband Dave to take a hike along the Cowichan Valley Trail (the former E&N Lake Cowichan Subdivision). Just west of the former town site is what was known as Mayo Siding where you can still find a dump of rusty steam donkey parts and a ‘crummy’ used to transport loggers to and from work.
She sent along these photos of the abandoned equipment that have intrigued many a hiker and cyclist over the years.
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Also from faithful reader and friend Andrew Waldegrave, a brief report of his recent visit to Camp McKinney, an 1890s ghost town in the Boundary Country. Camp McKinney is famous for its robbery of a shipment of gold bullion and the fatal shooting of the highwayman who took the secret of one of the gold bar’s location to the grave.
I’m sure Andrew was hoping to find more than a pair of scissors with his metal detector!
Morden Colliery during repairs (left) when it was supported by shipping containers and (right) as it looks today. —Author’s Collection
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Quote(s) of the Week
Frontier journalist Robert Chambers “Bob” Edwards became a legend as much for his social conscience and keen wit as for his jousts with alcohol.
But it’s for his humour that he’s remembered today; he used it to skewer crooked politicians, sanctimonious preachers and social snobs of his day, as his biographer Hugh Dempsey put it.
Today and in succeeding weeks I’m going to cherry-pick some of his pithier observations, beginning with this self-satirical reference to booze:
Look not upon the wine when it is red. Drink gin.
On aging: The sign of old age is never a forgery.
On ambition: No man ever does as much today as he is going to do tomorrow.
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