CUNNINGHAM – Gail Cunningham of 321 Catalina Rich: 1352R

GRAUER – Barbara Grauer of 788 Grauer Rich: 1257L

GUSTAVSON – Muriel Gustavson of 176 Myron Rich: 1428R3

HATCHER – Noreen Hatcher of 154 Wellington

KREMER – Dalton Kremer of 173 Myron

CLARK – Beverley Clark (no address stated)

PALMER – Ralph Palmer (no address stated)

*N.B. where a line is stroked through this school register entry; this may indicate that this student may have moved from Sea Island or transferred to another class part way through the school term.

Thanks to Doug Carmichael of Brandon, MB we have been able to post scans of his father’s interesting RCAF memorabilia in connection with ParaRescue duties on Sea Island. Can anyone confirm that a photo of Neil Carmichael is the same as the person on the bottom right of the group photo of the RCAF crew that was involved with “VIPPING” RCAF Dakota 485 – see 53/54 picture by Bob McQueen on our RCAF webpage and compare it to the photo showing the #18 SE Sqn c1954-56 where Neil Carmichael is in the middle row, second from the right. Both pictures are posted to our RCAF webpage: http://www.seaislandhome.org/RCAF.html Doug Carmichael added in a Nov 7 2009 email, “It would be great to have someone from [either of] these photos get in contact with me”. Doug can be reached at bobcat78ATmts.net

There is an online article of Sept 2007 by Charles Campbell about Vancouver International airport (YVR) that includes comments from a look around the rest of Sea Island, too. Peek at: http://www.straight.com/article-110575/yvr

Sad to see October 2009 online obituaries for former Sea Islanders: Patrick Jarvis and John Campbell. Our sincere condolences to their families and friends.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the Sept 26 2009 Open House. We received numerous photographs about life on Sea Island right from a 1904 Sea Island School class room picture to wartime photos of English evacuee children taken in by a Sea Island family, Sea Island pioneer farming families from the Shannon Road, Goulding Road / Cannery Road and West Miller Road areas in the early to mid 1940s; to the terrific Paddington photo collection from the 1940 and 50s, to Boeing Aircraft worker uniforms, people and memorabilia; plus great wedding photos – the first marriage in the new 1958 United Church; to a mid 50’s colour print of the ole’ Steveston Interurban Tram #1222. Memorabilia collected included: A January 21 1945 invitation to attend the Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd Family Day on Sea Island, a 1943 U.I.C. card for a former Boeing employee and her personal story of working in Plant #3. This same lady provided an article about the Boeing Plant #7 in Chilliwack from the Chilliwack Museum and Archives. Another two former Sea Islanders donated 2 VHS video tapes about Sea Island history! One of the VHS tapes shows photos of the former Japanese Community on Sea Island, the Bicknell Family, the rural Sea Island Farms, and the other a VHS tape and two CDs of the 1994 Rogers T.V. Production, ‘Sea Island Then and Now’, plus a 1969 report and scrapbook on the Vancouver International Airport by a group of Gladstone High School students, a small colour print of the McDonald Farm by the late Joan E Anderson, a Commemorative Booklet by the Local 280 Sheet Metal workers Union (that produced the metal sculpture of the Rocket Ship that stood out at the old Airport Administration Building (now South Terminal) on Sea Island. Eunice provided old aviation memorabilia relating to 1960’s air operations at the Vancouver Airport. Thanks everyone.

Thanks to Clive Martin, too, for providing a large scan of his Sea Island “Indian’s” Baseball Team photo from the early 1950s, coached by Mr. Bowman.

The Sea Island Heritage Society has quite a few “people” photographs now taken by the former well-now Vancouver City Street photographer Foncie Pulice. If you have any of Sea Island related people, we’d be interested in adding them or scans of them to our growing history collection. For more information on “Foncie”, please click on: http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/archives_foncie.htm

Former student, J.W. Hattie and the Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) are seeking any information on a former teacher at Duncan McDonald Elementary School on Sea Island. John.William Hattie lived at 55 McDonald Road and attended the Duncan McDonald School from fall 1969 to the summer of 1972. His family moved away when the Airport took over the land in 1972. Mr. Hattie has a picture of his grade one class with teacher, Ms. Enns. Does someone out there know where SIHS or John W. Hattie can locate Ms. Enns if she's still around?

The 39.5’ fishing boat “Markwell” was built in 1918 on Sea Island. The 1919 owners of this vessel appears to have been Jack and James Martin. Does any one know the name of the builder on Sea Island? Were the Martins residents of Sea Island? http://www.halfmoon.ca/boats/boatsM.html

Mylinda and Harald emailed the Sea Island Heritage Society September 18, 2009, “Your website brings back a lot of memories but no mention of Ted, Mary & Allan Pearson who lived at 68 Myron Drive, across from the Grauers (Carl and Bev), Johnny, Carol, Debbie. I have so many memories of the latter 50s and 60s there until the expropriation in 1975. Ted ran for mayor, wrote a newspaper column for the Richmond News and owned the Richmond Travel Agency in Brighouse. They toured the world via the cruise ship Oriana and were among the first to inaugurate Whistler - the first hotel - in (I think it was 1967). Ted served in the 1st & 2nd world wars and they built their house in the late 40s, moving from the Kerrisdale area. They used to own property on what now is the Bentall Centre and sold it to Charlie. My grandmother used to canoe over to Stanley Park to pick berries when the natives had their teepees there and she remembered Joe Fortes. My sister, Susan and I were grandchildren but we spent many weekends, summers vacations and winters exploring Sea Island. Their house was across from the Palmers (their daughter Laura with the Dalmatian), and Robbie (was it Johnson?) and his older sister, next to the Summers (the 2 boys), across from the Grauers, just down the road from the Bicknells, across from the Bujaks (their little daughter Ruby I remember), next to the park which used to brim with activity, esp. in the summer (and the swings which I fell off of at age 5), and Mrs. McGillicutty or cuddy who was in her 90s who we used to visit for tea in her big old weird house on McDonald (next to the now boat launch beach), the little old European egg man - so much - it was a thriving community!

My grandmother also told me of the "squatters" of the day - one who used to live on the banks of the Fraser but his shelter burnt down one night in a blaze - can't remember if he died, but he was a renegade.

I recall a wonderful summer party - a gathering at the Fraser River, with marshmallows and hot dogs and the works - radios blasting the tunes of the day.

We used to attend the garden parties across the river at the fancy Southeast Marine Drive homes where everyone congregated in their best attire to have tea and socialize, go to Steveston, Marpole and Oakridge which was then a little outdoor collection of stores - Purdy’s' chocolates being favoured.

Summers in the 50s, early 60s had time to get away for hot, lazy days at Point Roberts, gathering clams for chowder, or watching the cars cruising at Boundary Bay - awesome stuff. The music, the energy! The great selection of US merchandise - flip flops, beach balls and chocolate bars! The Beatles arrived in the early 60s and things were already changing.

In the winter, everyone skated on the frozen "pond" by the river, bonfires alit and warming everyone. I remember the the cow barns (the moos we used to call out) and the horses and chickens and farms, the pear trees and the fall duck hunters with their guns (uugh). We used to play fox and hen at the river and the Oolichans used to wash up - we would have them with the shaggy mane mushrooms which sprouted up from nowhere and an abundance of fruit and veggies. Also recall my grandfather using DDT as it was thought of as a new wonder solution to garden pests.

The pear trees divided the fields from the dunes and the river, and we used to see the barges floating down the Fraser at any hour of the day or night. I grew up living in West Van, but Sea Island was my other home for those years and when I climbed the biggest tree, I could see the North Shore Mountains from its branches.

My grandparents put in an above ground swimming pool which everyone used to splash in, a patio where we all dined in the summer months and a wonderful garden, and grew all sorts of flowers, trees & veggies. I lost my grandmother's mother's ruby ring in the ditch biking to the candy store (maybe it's still there) and recall countless hours "catching" frogs and garden snakes and making forts in the fields (crop circles), etc. It was all pretty amazing now that I recall it!”

Thanks Mylinda and Harald. Can anyone else share such endearing memories about their connection to Sea Island?

Our RCAF webpage is updated with additional photos of Michael Gee’s time with the RCAF on Sea Island. Thanks Michael.

Kerry Kocil (nee Sullivan) of Edmonton, AB said in a March 29, 2009 email that she is looking for Simone Vautier, “I went to school with Simone when she was in Queen's Hall School for Girls. It was a local private school in Vancouver. The school closed in 1969, at which time she would have been Grade 11 and 17 years old (approx). The last I saw of her was somewhere in the early '80's in Delta, BC; she was living with a young man at the time and had no children. I have been looking for her ever since. Her parents were from the Isle of White just off the coast of England between England & France. I believe it was the more French community. There was one sister & one brother. I currently live in Edmonton, Alberta and have so since 1978. My maiden name was Sullivan and I left the school at the same time it closed in 1969 at the age of 18. Attached, please find a 1968 photo of the girls from the school. I think Simone is 2nd Row, 9th from the left. I'm right behind her (thus the pencil, thanks to my kids :>)) Her picture is on your [Sea Island Heritage Society] website - Class Photo page, Sea Isle. She is in pic "N" - 3rd row, 4th from left D. McDonald School, Div. 1. If you have ANY idea where she is, please let me know. It would be greatly appreciated.” John William Hattie said in an Aug 17 2009 email that he went to Duncan McDonald School 1969-72 and remembers a Naomi Vaudier (sic). The Sea Island Heritage Society research notes have a Charles & Roselle VAUTIER, residing at 509 Edgington Avenue, Richmond, B.C. Ch: Simone, _____, ______? R & C Vanter (sic) are listed on the 1960 petition to protest the removal of the #5 Eburne Bridge. - r 509 Edgington Avenue. Charles Vaultier (sic) (electrician) and Mrs. Norma Vaultier are listed at 508 (sic) Edgington Drive on the 1968 voter’s list. Charles Vaultier - electrician and Mrs. Roselle - janitoress, are listed in the 1972 Polling Division No 120 enumeration at 509 Edgington Avenue. Charles Philip - electrician & Roselle May - housewife - same address (1972 Voter’s List)

If you have any information on the Vautier / Vaudier, Valtier / Vanter family who may have lived in the Cora Brown Subdivision on Sea Island please contact Eunice Robinson at the above email or phone number.

UPDATED December 2009 – one of our helpful viewers reported finding an email for Simmone and SIHS passed it along to Kerry. Thanks Jane!

Mick Kern of Toronto posted to our website guest book seeking a map of the road he lived on in the RCAF base while he attended Sea Island Elementary School in the 50s. Does any have an old road map they could send us to help pin point the location of 651 Heakes Street? That address was located in the Permanent Married Quarters subdivision (PMQs) in the former Sea Island RCAF Station (Richmond, B.C.). The houses and most of the streets are no longer there. The PMQ area was located in what is now the Park ’N Fly parking lot at 6380 Miller Road for the Vancouver International Airport.

In July 2009, Donna Macleod (nee Powers) sadly reported the passing of her mother, Billie Rodgers. She and the late Mrs. Etta Thompson both lived on Lancaster Crescent for many years, They were great friends and were the same age, both worked together at CPA. Both were heavily involved with the operation of the Army, Navy and Air Force Club on Miller Road.

We’re pleased that Leigh Hislop of Denver was able to provide the Sea Island Heritage Society with information on her grandparents, Edmund George Coppin and Ethel Isabel Scott who lived on Sea Island in the 1930s. Does anyone know where on Sea Island they resided?

Ron White and his wife Barbara (nee Bachelor) of Nanaimo BC both worked at Sea Island Boeing Plant on Sea Island; as did their neighbours Inglis Edwards and Jack Nellist. All four have been very helpful in providing an interesting insight of the workings of this large wartime aircraft manufacturing plant plus have recently submitted their “Sea Island-related” stories and/or photographs, and memorabilia. Good stuff! Thank you, Ron, Barbara, Inglis and Jack. We’re grateful that “Rosie the Riveters”, Mary E. (MacDonald) Johnson and Doreen (Olson) Solly recently contacted the SIHS with information about their interesting work for Boeing on Sea Island. Also a big thanks to Mary and Doreen. In May 2010, Sharon Bennett provided her Dad, John (Jock) Thomson’s Boeing ‘Sea Island story’ and some photos of other employees in his Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd (Purchasing Department) office during World War II. Thanks Sharon and Jock. The SIHS is still trying to track down the memories and photographs of a few more of the 7000 Boeing Employees. Can you help us?

Speaking of memorabilia. The Sea Island Heritage Society is still seeking additional tangible items that are Sea Island related for its history collection. Donations are gratefully accepted for such items as, photographs, report cards, vital statistic records and family genealogies, newspaper clippings, letters, aircraft parts from Sea Island.

Someone donated the seat from the child’s swing in the former Cora Brown Playground, a pewter mug from the RCAF Station, a fine model of a Boeing PBY, a retirement platter for a Sea Island Kindergarten teacher – items such as that are welcome. Does anyone possess a Boeing Shop Button, old identification plates or examples of the rivets that were used for the construction of the PBY and B-29 aircraft? If you’re shy about sharing your ‘prized possessions’, how about letting us know what you have so we can at least document its existence. Thanks.

Sea Island Card Club – As reported in the Dec 8, 1944 issue of the Boeing Beam (pg 5)

A very successful Bridge-and-Cribbage Night was held November 27, with Mrs. E. Glusman and Len McVicar winning in bridge, and Mrs. P. McKenzie and Mr. R. McNichol cribbage winners. Prize-winners for Community Night, December 4, were: Bridge – Mr. McCaw and Mrs. Fairley; Cribbage – Mrs. Walker and Mr. Ron Harley; Whist – Mrs. Paddington and Miss Brenner. The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) would like to know where in Burkeville the above noted Mr. McNichol, Mr. McCaw and Mrs. Walker resided. Can you please put us in touch with any family members?

The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) is seeking photographs of the June 21 2009 Burkeville Daze events. If you’d like to share, please contact anyone in the SIHS. Thank you.

Please watch this space and our homepage for details when we’ll have our next Open House to display our photo collection and memorabilia binders.

Sea Island Heritage Society President, Eunice Robinson of Delta, B.C. has been busy. She is also involved with the British Columbia Genealogy Society and provided talks to various family history groups and clubs around B.C. In May 2009 she spoke to the Nanaimo Family History Society and mentioned our Sea Island Heritage Society involvement gleaning the names and stories of wartime Boeing Aircraft of Canada Ltd employees from Sea Island. Several members of the audience came forward with information regarding how to contact friends that they knew who worked there. This turned out to be a very lucrative “find” for us. We’re grateful for Eunice mentioning this in her talks. Other communities she “hit” in May included Campbell River and Powell River. Thank you to Inid Lighthart for putting us in touch with her former Boeing worker friends in Nanaimo.

Dale and Brian Morton of Powell River recognized several former Sea Island School classmates in photo J posted to our class pictures webpage. Dale said in a May 29, 2009 email, “Top row third from left is Margaret Dunn, second row third from left is Dale Anderson and bottom row 4th from left is Jim Whiting (I think)”. Doug Eastman added in a reply, “The girls in the middle row l-r Barb Thomas, ___ Tewnion, you, ?, ___ Zaruk, ?, Marta Wik, ? . The boys on the bottom row l-r ?, Keith Abbott, Reg McDonald, John Cruikshank, ?, Larry Volen, ?.” Can anyone else name some of the students? See photo J at http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html

Dale Morton (nee Anderson) also posted on our guest book webpage that she is seeking contact with former kids from the RCAF Station Sea Island: Richard Short, John and Barbara Reasbeck from the RCAF base. We hope her posting helps locate them and they also let us know so we can chat with them about submitting something on their family times on Sea Island for our history project - maybe they'll have some photos to share too!

The Boeing Beam (Feb 2 1945 Vol. 3 No. 3) reported that Renton–built B-29 “Tokyo Rose” flew over Tokyo Bay on Nov 1 1944. The mid sections of the Renton production of Boeing B-29 bombers were built on Sea Island’s plant #3 (SIHS). Tokyo Rose: Ser # 42-93852, was the first B-29 and crew to fly a B-29 mission over Japan. The USAF 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron based was initially at Saipan and later at Harmon Field on Guam. See photo at: http://home.att.net/~sallyann2/westenberger.html Would anyone have any information on the whereabouts of any Renton-built B-29 in museums around the world. We’re curious if anything was attached or installed on the mid-section (bomb bay section) - like a plaque, naming the Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd as being the manufacturer (Vancouver, B.C. or Sea Island, (Richmond, B.C.) Perhaps something in the aircraft serial number would indicate that it was built by Boeing in Canada?

Thanks to everyone for signing in on our guest book on the homepage. What a great way to reconnect with old friends and neighbours.

Is John T. McDonald of 479 Ferguson Road (c1958-1965) the “Uncle” Jack referred to in the following?: The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) is working with Peggy Fedor, sister to the late Drew Parker in locating additional information that Drew held about a family (s) living on Sea Island with sketchy details provided in an undated, handwritten note addressed to a Marilyn (no address) The note reads “This is Alan’s Uncle’s house on McDonald Road (no photo). Uncle Ralph. Jack and Mary Falls, Bert Hall and wife, and Pete Christie [all] lived on Ferguson Road. Alan’s Uncle Jack, wife Ann and daughter Laurel lived on the corner of Ferguson Road and McDonald Road. Other roads Alan’s mom mentioned are Tapp Road and Grauer Road. Can anyone out there help contact any of these former Sea Island folks and solve a mystery?

The Sea Island Heritage Society would like to contact the Hughes family, formerly of the Cora Brown subdivision. Christina Connie Hughes (b. May 13, 1954) of 107 Abercrombie Dr. is listed on the register for the grade 3 (Div. III) class of Mrs. Mary L. Paxton at Duncan McDonald Elementary School in 1962/63. Ph: CR8-6832. Parent or guardian is listed as: David T Hughes. Another phone number CR8-5209 was crossed out on this register.

2009 Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) regrets an error in our 2009 calendar. Former Cora Brown (Sea Island, Richmond, B. C.) resident Ted Steele brought the following error to our attention. We apologize for this error. Thanks Ted. The President of the Sea Island Heritage Society said in a December 15, 2008 email, “We are very pleased with the 2009 calendar, but are somewhat embarrassed by the faux pas in identifying Major General Pearkes [on the February 2009 calendar page]. Unfortunately when we were given the photo, he was not identified, and it was suggested that this gentleman was Roland Michener. Obviously we'll have to triple check in future.
Thank you for bringing this error to our attention, and we'll ensure this is corrected in our archives.”
Eunice Robinson

Norman Findlay of Lake Suzy, Florida, USA said in a March 28, 2009 email, “I saw your web site http://seaisland1.homestead.com/classphoto.html and have some pictures you might be interested in receiving. I have my Grade 1 [1948], Grade 2 [1949] and Grade 3 [1950] and my brother’s Grade 5 [1950] class photographs. We use to live at 332 Douglas Crescent as my father [James A. Findlay] worked for Boeing Airplane Company during the 2nd World War. We moved away in 1951 [to Terrace, B.C.].

Norm Findlay kindly scanned and emailed pdf copies of the following Boeing Beam employee magazines to the Sea Island Heritage Society in April 2009:

Norm kindly mailed the 27 original issues to the Sea Island Heritage Society in May 2009. It is planned to display them for a year before turning them over to the Richmond Archives. Many many thanks, Norm.

Question: Does anyone know the name of the contractor or construction company that built the Boeing Plant on Sea Island and/or any of the Boeing worker homes built in Burkeville on Sea Island in 1941-1944 period or later (1945-47) in the Cora Brown subdivision? Also, if anyone knows of someone that worked for the Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd during WW11 in British Columbia (Canada), please let us know as we’d like to record their place in Boeing’s history. We are also willing to look up any names you might be interested in. Please contact the SIHS. Thx.

Al MacNeill added in a November 19, 2009 email, “Smith Bros and Wilson were the contractors that built Burkville. I was about 15? and worked for them on the project one summer as a go fer!!. The company is still very active and is located in Marpole at 8729 Aisne St.,Vancouver B.C. V6P 3P1 .. Phone 604-324-1155… Al MacNeill

I was a gopher for the west side gutter and bargeboard gang (2 Swede carpenters). We did all the gutter and bargeboard on the west side of the perimeter road. The carpenter crews were made up of gangs. One gang would do nothing but hang doors another gang would do framing etc. A saw filer was on hand to look after the needs of the carpenter’s handsaws. It was another educational experience for this kid.”

Retired Vancouver Airport worker, Doug Barry has been busy scanning and sharing some old photographs of things around the Vancouver Airport. Thanks Doug

Editor and friend of the SIHS, Masako Fukawa said that their book had been published. It’s called “Nikkei Fishermen on the BC Coast: Their Biographies and Photographs”. The book also contains the names of many former Sea Island (Richmond, B.C.) family fishermen. Go to www.amazon.ca for purchase info. More info in the interesting, online newsletter called the Bulletin http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/tag/nikkei-fishermen-on-the-bc-coast-their-biographies-and/

Scott Teasdale of Comox, B.C. provided the following comments on the RCAF base parking map posted on our military webpage from page 9 of Station Sea Island Air Force Day Program, June 14, 1958 -kindly donated by René Bousquet of St Stephen, New Brunswick on March 15, 2005. This map is posted on the Sea Island Heritage Society [RCAF Station Sea Island] webpage: http://www.seaislandhome.org/RCAF.html      Scott said in a March 29, 2009 email, “On the map of the base:
     Buildings 7 and 8 were definitely TMQs. I lived in one from 1954 to 1957 or 58.
Across from building 8, beside the parking lot was a tennis court. It is not shown here.
     Buildings 78 and 79 were some kind of storage buildings. They were made of corrugated metal in a half-moon cross-section configuration, and long. They were called ''Steelox" buildings by people on the base. (amazing what trivia occasionally pops out of this old head!) They were 1 story high.
     Building 30 was for some military use, I forget what. Heavy equipment I think. It was not on 'Breadner' St.    Breadner St was in PMQs and I lived there at 621 Breadner for many years.
     Bldg 77 was a gym. It was the "new" gym because it was newly built back in the '50s......It has a gym upstairs, a 4 (?)lane bowling alley, a snack-bar and a tv room downstairs. There was an open space beside the bowling alleys that held ping-pong tables. That's all there was. We practically lived in this place as teenagers during the rainy season.
    Bldg 5, 26, 27 were barrack blocks..Two story, steel slide for fire escapes. Fun for kids.
    Bldg 11 was a gym/theatre. We kids had Saturday movies there. Coke machine was 5 cents. Fave movie was Captain Marvel.............Shazam!!! The TMQs were across the street from it, not on the same side of the street as mentioned on your website.
     Bldg 12 ( I think it is 12, beside number 11) was the main guardhouse/MP shack. There were two guard houses, the other one was at the entrance to PMQs on the other side of the base where the road "to Miller Road" enters the base. This just held a comissionaire to check people and cars entering from that road.
     The Fire Chief's house was opposite the main guard gate, the other side of the parking lot, where the empty square is. A 'Longstaff' was living there while I was in TMQs. Ralph Longstaff was my age. (9-10)
     Across the street from bldg. 7 is a small empty square. This was a single-family house. A family named "Thorburn" lived there in the '50s. Ken Thorburn was my age. I don't know what position his father held to be entitled to this house.

59. Norman Findlay of Florida kindly donated scans of some of his and his brother’s school class photos plus many other photos from the 1940s around his former home at 332 Douglas Crescent. Norm said that he attended Sea Island School from 1948 to 1951. Thanks Norman. Bob Findlay’s 1949/50 grade 5-6 split class photos is posted on our webpage http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html see photo “Q”

60. Does anyone have photographs or news to report on the former Sea Island students that attended the 40^th grad reunion for Richmond High School in May 2009 that Richard Kellett, formerly of the Cora Brown subdivision, posted details about on the SIHS website guestbook in March 2009,

61. Can anyone please put us in contact with the former grade one students of the Sea Island Elementary School from 1951/52. Their teacher was Miss Barbara Irene Short. We’d like to hear their Sea Island story (s) too. The Sea Island Heritage Society also wants to send special greetings and congratulations as these students will soon be Canada’s newest senior citizens. What have they been doing since they were 6 years old:

BIANCHIN – John Paul Bianchin of 113 Shannon Road

BOONE – Carol Alice Boone of 609 Breadner St.

DALE – Robert Grant Dale of 128 Lancaster Crescent

DEBERT – Wayne Morris Debert of 218 Aylmer Avenue

DICKISON – David Brian Dickison of 539 Edgington Avenue

DUNN – Cheyrl Ann Dunn of 170 Wellington Crescent

DUVAl – Nancy Jean Duval of 214 Croil Avenue

FISK, Marian Dorothy Fisk of 101 Douglas Crescent

HALABY – Lila May Syria Halaby of 304 Lancaster Crescent

HAMILTON – Roderick Bruce Hamilton of 213 Anson Avenue

HARWOOD – Diane Lynne Harwood of 332 Douglas Crescent

HAYES – Donna Jean Hayes of 544 Ferguson Road

HOGGARD – Douglas Arthur Hoggard of 330 Ferguson Road and 238 Miller Road

JOHNSON – Richard John Johnson of 353 Catalina Crescent

KEEN, Helen Donna Keen of 104 Lancaster Crescent

MacKINNON – James Ross MacKinnon of 119 Abercrombie Drive and 229 Wellington Crescent

McLEAN – Helen Lewis McLean of 265 Wellington Crescent

McMILLAN – Susan Elspeth McMillan of 151 Abercrombie Drive

MOORE – James Everett Moore [Jimmy] of 216 Boeing Avenue

MOWATT – Robert Allan Mowatt [Bobby] of 22 West Blvd

ORMSON – Jack Edward Ormson of 201 Wellington Crescent

PERKINS – Carol Ann Perkins of 221 Catalina Crescent

PHILLIPS - Donald Elliott Phillips of 42 Douglas Crescent

ROSE – Sharon Heather Rose of 620 Breadner St.

SIMPSON – Penny Marie Simpson of 204 Douglas Crescent

SUTTON – Thomas Edward Sutton of 120 Douglas Crescent

TUPPER – Marilyn Joyce Tupper of 204 Croil avenue

WALMSLEY – Patrick John Walmsley of 6 Douglas Crescent

WENSINK – Kenneth George Wensink (of 124 Lancaster Crescent

WHITE – Wesley Jean White of 2 East Blvd

WIK – Linnea Kristina Wik of 220 Anson Avenue

WILLIAMS – Mary-Ann Williams of 108 Greenway Avenue

CALDECOTT – Denis Barry Caldecott of 660 Shearer Street

WIERDA – John Weirda of 238 Miller Road

62. Does anyone have any information on the outcome of the 1983 Boeing Worker’s reunion held at Sea Island’s RCAF Forum on Miller Road? We’d like to document the names of the attendees for our history project. Photos of the event are welcome.

63. The late Dick and Elma Alexander lived in two different homes on Boeing Avenue in Sea Island’s Burkeville Community from 1948 to 1955. Their daughter Carole of Abbotsford, B.C. recently submitted some terrific photos from the early 1950s of some of the Boeing Avenue homes and the neighbourhood children. This is Carole’s second donation of old family photos. Thanks so much Carole!

64. We are grateful to Dianne O’Brien for submitting photographs of the green t-shirts with the logo, “Best Little School in the World – Sea Island” on them. Apparently they were bought by the then new Principal of the Sea Island Elementary School for its re-opening ceremonies in 1991. Diane also kindly provided a copy of a March 14, 1991 4-page letter to the Richmond School Trustees from the Sea Island Community Association signed by, then President, Gordon Tull, outlining the history of Sea Island School and the need to re-open the school in time for September 1991. Diane also submitted copies of the official re-opening invitation and programme for the November 14, 1991, plus a photograph of the Principal and the students all wearing their new green t-shirts. Please see the class picture webpage for a copy of this at: http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html The t-shirt and class photo were kindly loaned by Bob and Lorna Clare of Richmond. Thanks “Bob and Lorna”. Does anyone else have any additional details or photographs on the either the 1947 grand opening or the 1991 school re-opening ceremonies?

65. The Sea Island Heritage Society would like to obtain photographs or scans of the little Seabee aircraft, CF-GPY owned by Ed Jorgenson. It flew in and out of the sea plane dock at the south terminal area of YVR in the 1950s and 1960s. In February 2009, Colleen Brooks (nee Cruikshank) submitted a 1948 video clip of this SeeBee landing on the Middle Arm at Vancouver Airport’s Sea Island Seaplane ramp. This little amphibian, aircraft then taxied up the ramp to offload. Piloted by her Uncle, Ed Jorgenson and aunt. They were accompanied by Colleen and her two younger brothers who enjoyed staying at the camp for the summers. Colleen said, “My Uncle owned and piloted the plane to his logging camp at Ruby Creek, Jervis Inlet. And later on Vancouver Island. On Easter weekend, 1964 it was heavily damaged by the tidal wave caused by the Alaska earthquake” [in a logging camp on the West coast of Vancouver Island]

66. Is the annual calendar produced by the Sea Island Heritage Society really gone for good? Can you help? Regrettably, Colleen Brooks, one of the founding directors of the Sea Island Heritage Society has stepped down as calendar editor. Many, many thanks to Colleen Brooks whose wonderful talent and unending patience created this popular calendar since 2001. THANK YOU COLLEEN. The Sea Island Heritage Society is seeking a replacement editor for the production of our annual fund raising calendar. Please contact Eunice Robinson, SIHS Pres. euniceATdccnet.com (604) 596-2811

67. Vancouver Airport Authority and Environment Canada are building a landscaped pedestrian trail and new drainage ditch in the Sea Island Conservation Area next to Ferguson Road on the northern part of Sea Island. In honour of the area which it is being built it will be named the Cora Brown Pedestrian Trail. For more information about it click on: http://www.yvr.ca/latestinfo/index.asp?id=549

68. Tony Padula wrote in October 2008 that he was a member of RCAF Auxiliary Band on Sea Island. The [Reserve] band started November 1, 1949 and was disbanded March 30, 1964. Joe Michili was the first bandmaster followed by Dominic Lastoria and ended with Ozzie McComb conducting the band. Tony said, “We had a dance band originally lead by Dominic Lastoria until he left and then taken over by myself. It's strange that during the 15 years I have no pictures of either the Military/Concert Band or the Dance Band. What I do have is RCAF Certificate of Service, a 442 Squadron label pin, a long service medal and a photo taken at the presentation. So, if any pictures of the band should show up, I would be very pleased.” Tony added, “While searching on the internet under RCAF Bands, came across a Tribute to Arnold Emery. It's a long tribute and in it is mentioned he played in The RCAF Reserve Band some where between 1947 to 1953. Also, mentioned are two musicians Arnie Chycoski & Bill Trussell who I am pretty sure Arnie was in the band for a time & possibly Bill. You can see the tribute at www.kitsband.com/emery

Tony lived mostly in the Vancouver & Burnaby area then and now resides in New Westminster, B.C.

Tony recalls a few:

Ozzie McComb lived on Lulu Island [Richmond, B.C.].He played sax & clarinet in dance bands and bassoon with the Vancouver Symphony. He took over as bandmaster when Don Lastoria retired.

Lance Harrison [of the Cora Brown subdivision on Sea Island] played sax & clarinet and oboe. Played with Dal Richards & other dance bands as well as having his own band. Dal, like Tony, played in the Kitsilano Boys Band. Lance Harrison had his own show with CBC for several years. Lance was mostly known for his Dixieland music.

Some band members that come to mind are:

Fraser McPherson, clarinet

Earl DeLuca, clarinet

Dick Brown, clarinet

Bill Stonier, sax {Operates NorthWest music Store on Main St.}

Vern Gish, sax

Micky McMartin, drums

Stu Barnett, trumpet

Ray Lowden, trumpet & xylophone

Al or Don sweet, horn

Fred Whitamore, horn

Don Lastoria clarinet, bandmaster after Joe Michili went East.

Joe Michili, original bandmaster

The only officer that comes to mind at the moment is Dave Comparelli.

Since my last email I recall a few more names Eric Muir, trumpet, Jack Reynolds, clarinet and an Officer Chambers (associated with All State Insurance at the time). More back ground for your information. Joe Michili was dance band leader at The Embassy Ballroom near Davie & Burrard, 1949, when he got word to organize a RCAF Auxiliary Band. He had served in one of many RCAF bands during the war. Ozzie McComb and I were members of Joe's dance orchestra at the time & were two of his first auxiliary members. He was well know among the local musicians and many had been in the service bands as Don Lastoria (RCAF), Lance Harrison (RCAF) and others. The calibre of musicianship about 30 or so was extremely high. Over the years the band put on many concerts such as on the grounds of St Paul's Hospital, Band stand at English Bay, Christmas Concerts in Marpole and marched in cold, rain or sleet in every Armistice Day to Victory Square Cenotaph. The RCAF dance band played many Airmen's & Sergeant's mess on Sea Island and Officer's mess in the Jericho Beach area.

If you know the whereabouts of any of the above, both Tony and the Sea Island Heritage Society would like to be put in touch with them. If you have photos or recognize any of the RCAF band members or know of the details in the photo that we posted on our RCAF webpage http://www.seaislandhome.org/RCAF.html, please contact us.

The book 442 Squadron History, 1987 by Capts. Grant MacDonald and Terry Strocel

ISBN 0-660-12455-6 has a B&W photograph of the RCAF band on page 61. The photo shows a large dinner gathering with some of the band members visible. It is headed: First Annual Battle of Britain Dinner held at the Wing Sergeant's Mess, RCAF (Reserve), 15 Sep 1951 (P. Holborne). Tony Padula said in an Oct 30, 2008 email, “the musicians in the picture are not too clear. Not sure if it was our Band. If it was the 1st chair clarinet player looks a like Lance Harrison and from the back the bassoon player would be Ozzie McComb. According to my wife the person sitting right of Lance Harrison could be me.” Please feel free to contact us if you recognize anyone in the 75 or so RCAF attendees in the image on page 61 of the 442 Sqn History book. Thank you.

Working with the Comox Air Force Museum, the SIHS has been slowly compiling an index for the book 442 Squadron History, 1987 by Capts. Grant MacDonald and Terry Strocel. The index is of planes, people and places We have completed Chapters: The Aleutian Campaign, and the European Theatre. We’re willing to do look-ups for family members of 442 Squadron and others mentioned up to page 51 in the 146 page book. Contact Doug Eastman for further information.

70. Frank Steven was the officer in charge of the RCAF Flying Boat Station on Sea Island (Richmond, B.C.) in the 1950s. He is most interested in preserving a piece of history that has a Sea Island connection. An amphibian PBY Catalina is sitting at Nanaimo Airport and has been for sale since 1999. Of course the price tag for this large twin-engine former coastal patrol aircraft and bomber is beyond the means of the average person. Frank said that C-FNJB (now tail- labelled as Canso #9) was RCAF #9815 or 10040 Apparently this aircraft was once with search and rescue and transportation units of the RCAF Sea Island in the early 1950s). Frank later flew this aircraft as a waterbomber pilot for the Saskatchewan Gov’t.

Frank has a dream of relocating this piece of aviation memorabilia to the Comox Air Force Museum (Air Park) on Vancouver Island. If you can help Frank in any way, please do not hesitate to contact him at 1-250-339-3529 or email normaentATshaw.ca.

In February Frank donated a B&W photo of him standing beside Canso #9 at Nanaimo and said his flight log book details that in 1980 he last flew this for the Saskatchewan Government, Northern Air Services. It was its last flight as a waterbomber for the Sask. Gov’t as they were converting their pilots to the Tracker Aircraft. Frank also kindly donated an 8x10 B&W photo of PBY Canso 015 of RCAF 121 Communication and Rescue Squadron on standby at Sea Island in 1957. Frank, the oldest (still flying) pilot in Canada, is a board member and a regular contributor to the 888 Komox Wing of the Air Force Association Newsletter “Contrails”. He wrote several articles about his SAR duties with the RCAF while based on Sea Island. Frank donated the Winter 2008 issue of Contrails with his article about the RCAF’s longest hours-flown rescue titled “Flying Boat Saga #2”. You can also read this article online at: http://www.888wingrcaf.com/id321.html Thanks again Frank

Images of this ‘bird’ are at www.warbirdregistry.org/pbyregistry/pby-rcaf9815.html

For sale info is at: http://www.ventureaviation.com/aircraft/CansoPBY-5AFlyingBoat-CFNJB.html

71. We also regret to report the passing of another former Cora Brown resident, Alfred Frontin. The death of Alfred Frontin of Darlings Island, NB, formerly of Maple Ridge, BC, occurred Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008. Condolences are passed to Mr. Frontin’s family and friends.

72. The Sea Island Heritage Society was saddened to hear of the passing of Mrs. Barbara Lidkea. Mrs. Lidkea was a long time resident of Burkeville and at one time contributed a newspaper column in the local paper about Sea Island. Our sympathy to Mrs. Lidkea’s family.

73. Muriel Evans (nee Erskine) passed away December 19, 2008. She spent her formative years on a Sea Island farm before expropriation for airport expansion. Sympathy is expressed to her family.

74. We’re also very saddened to hear of the passing of Don Gordon on July 6, 2008. Don was a Sea Island historian and helped our project along on numerous occasions. His grandparents, the Murphy’s, farmed on Sea Island. Our sympathy is expressed to Don’s family.

75. And yet another sad passing to report is that of Marion Moodie (nee Laing), Nov 5, 2008. This 100 year old grand lady shared a wealth of knowledge about the early days on Sea Island as part of the Laing family of Sea Island. Our condolences to her family as well.

76. Frank Honey of Wilmot, N.S. was in the R.C.A.F. Frank said that after the war he was at Sea Island from 1945 to 1950 as a flight engineer on Cansos and Lancasters. When I phoned Frank on April 14, 2005 to thank him for his kind photo donations, etc., he mentioned that when he was attached to the Flying Boat School on Sea Island, they used to train over near Pat Bay where the RCAF had a fast “crash-boat”. RCAF Stn Sea Island only had a small boat tied up on the Middle Arm of the Fraser at the ramp where QCA used to fly from. Frank said that one day in preparation for the 1950 Air Force Show, the Americans brought up a Japanese Zero for display on a barge. This small RCAF boat from Sea Island attempted to manoeuvre the barge onto this QCI* ramp to off-load it, when the incoming tide and wind caught the barge and the under-powered boat. The current and wind quickly took them both up river against the normal flow! The boat and barge were soon pinned against the pilings of the Eburne Bridge. The boat ended up on one side with its tow line very taut, while the barge held tightly around the other side of the bridge piling, threatening to capsize. Frank said they had to cut the towline and whip around quickly to catch the barge again before it was wrecked. It eventually turned out OK and the Zero was off-loaded as it was supposed to be – without any damage!! *probably means QCA – Queen Charlotte Airlines) The Sea Island Heritage Society would like to know more about this Japanese Zero aircraft; What is the background behind it coming into the hands of the Americans, where it is now, and if anyone can share a photograph of it, particularly when it was at Sea Island.

77. A Mr. Mac Savage is researching “WWII co-operation with the Americans in the Defence of the West Coast, particularly the Canadian and American coast artillery guns, the RCN and USN ships in the Strait of Juan de Fuca - such things as how they avoided friendly-fire incidents.". As yet, neither Mac Savage nor the Sea Island Heritage Society have any real idea how the RCAF and USAF worked together at that time. .If you have any knowledge of the processes or procedures involved or with any RCAF Sea Island aircraft or artillery events or photographs, please contact the Sea Island Heritage Society and we’ll also pass it along to Mr. Savage.

78. Another long time Sea Islander, Bob French passed away Oct. 4, 2008. Bob (and Helen) lived on Abercrombie Drive in the Cora Brown subdivision. Bob French was a scoutmaster for 6^th Richmond Scout Troops in the 1957-1960 era. He kept meticulous records of the scout activities. ...and made sure that the boys made use of every outdoor activity available to them. He kept the “OUT” in ScOUTing! Our sympathy goes out to his family and friends.

79. The Sea Island Heritage Society Facebook page is in need of a manager. Any takers? The manager of the SIHS Facebook site would need to ask for 'Roving Reporters' - "that is that the SIHS is looking for assistance in collecting the family stories. No matter where you live, if you know of other former Sea Islanders, would you be interested
in gathering the family history/stories for us. Facebook could also be another “space” for any group wishing to advertise their Richmond High School reunion details. SIHS would be happy to supply you with interview questions, suggestions and ideas."Contact Eunice Robinson euniceATdccnet.com (604) 596-2811 see: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=4761238557

P.S. someone with the pseudo “PASTOR” posted Oct. 15, 2008 to our SIHS facebook with the following line but with no way of contacting him or her. Can that person please contact Eunice so we can update your family entry in the draft Sea Island History book, “Sea Island Arrivals and Departures”: Lived on Sea Island from 1967-1972, in the Armed Forces housing. Went to Sea Island Elementary, then Cambie Jr. High. Attended Sea Island United Church. Was in Cubs and Scouts at Sea Island Community Centre.

80. The Sea Island Heritage Society is seeking information on a memorial plaque regarding a downed aircraft (plane crash at sea) in 1972. The plaque is located on the Iona Sewage Causeway hiking trail on Iona Island. If the accident occurred near Sea Island or Iona Island, the SIHS wish to document what happened and need the date to look for further information in local newspapers. The name on the plaque is J. T. Wesley Smith.

81. The Richmond High School graduating class of 1958 held its 50^th reunion at the River Rock in Richmond in September 2008. Click here for further details: http://www.rhs1958.com/ - Who recognizes the names of all the Sea Island students on that website. Which former Sea Islanders attended and what can they tell us about it? Any photos?

Thanks also to those that keep updating the identification of the Sea Island students in their class photos on our webpage: http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html Please submit your class photos and help to identify classmates!

I'm trying to locate information about RCAF marine vessel, M-427 BC Star. It was lost on July 23 1943 off Cape St. James BC. My uncle Charles Gordon GLOVER was a member of the crew. I'm trying to locate any information about the ship and or my uncle.
If you could post this for me please, or advise how I could post this message on your message board.
Thanks - Chuck GLOVER, Maple Ridge BC, 604-465-8289, e-mail cktn42AThaw.ca

84. The late Betty (nee Brown) Maddock was with the RCAF Sea Island photo section from 1956 to 1959. Betty (or Brownie as she was affectionately known) kept an album of duplicate official RCAF photos during her time there 1956-1959 plus many of her personal photos of friends she worked with. When she passed on last year her friends Reta and Bruce Walls of Comox, B.C. contacted Betty’s son, Jim of Scarborough, ON who kindly donated the historic photo album to the Sea Island Heritage Society Thanks Jim and thanks Reta and Bruce, we’re truly grateful to receive such a gift.

85. Eunice Robinson wrote in a June 20, 2008 email, “Do any of you remember the Sea Island School song???” Apparently the words to such were found on a sheet of paper at the school, and dated 1947 by Eunice’s friend Charlotte, who works at good ole SIS. So our challenge is to find the tune. Can you help! Please contact Charlotte or Eunice or any member of the Sea Island Heritage Society. Thanks

Sea Island School Song -

Sea Island standards are clear and high

Keep them reaching to the sky

Sea Island school is honour bright

Keep it facing the light

We think that every game is fun

In the rain or in the sun

And happiness just comes our way

Coming to school each day.

So raise your voices high above.

Sing with loyalty and love.

Of everything in S.I.S.

That leads to happiness.

Another great piece of almost lost Sea Island history!

86. Russ Horner recently contributed a scan of a letter addressed to his family in the early 1950’s. The mailing address used in those days for Sea Island (Richmond, B.C.) was Sea Island, Vancouver 14, B.C. A 1956 envelope addressed to Don Phillips of 42 Douglas Crescent, Sea Island, B.C. from Okanagan Helicopters Ltd., Vancouver Airport, B.C. cost 4 cents to mail.

87. Speaking of Okanagan Helicopters. Does anyone have any information about a fire in their office on Sea Island about 1972? Maureen Hyde said that there was a fire there. Maureen worked as a ‘temp’ for Okanagan Helicopters for a week or so (doesn't remember the exact date) using a photocopier to duplicate some of those burned documents. Maureen added, “I must have been working for Girl Friday run by Irene Howard and Olive Bassett when they had their agency in Richmond

88. Robert Matthewson of Richmond, B.C. kindly donated 22 photos with a written narrative from his Sept 1 1969 walk through northern Sea Island. His accompanying map also details some of the history of Sea Island. The Sea Island Heritage Society is very grateful that Robert not only documented the history of this area, but he thoughtfully contributed his work to us. Thanks Robert.

89. A 2007 online edition of the obituaries section of a Weyburn, SK newspaper indicated that a Thomas Edward Huston of Weyburn, passed away July 24, 2007 at the age of 93 years Thomas Edward Huston was born November 28, 1913 on a farm 10 miles northwest of Weyburn, to Frank and Mary Huston. He grew up on the farm along with his sisters, Lottie and Jean, and attended school in McTaggart. Tommy would catch the "Soo Line" to go to Weyburn. They attended the United Church in McTaggart. He worked on the family farm as a young man. In the 'dirty 30's' jobs were few and hard to find so Tom went to Vancouver where he walked the streets looking for work, which was scarce there too. He eventually found work at a dairy farm on Sea Island. Coming back to Saskatchewan, Tom again worked on the farm. In 1937 there was no crop as it was too dry, so he took a job at Standard Dairy for several years before going overseas to War. While working as a milkman he met Bertha Flaaten, and they were married on July 12, 1941 in Weyburn. Tom joined the Army in 1942, and in August 1943 he went overseas on the Queen Mary, leaving his wife and daughter, Audrey behind. He served in engineering infantry. Tom spent time in England, Italy and France. He was wounded twice during the war. Tom felt very fortunate to be able to return when so many of his comrades did not. He returned home on the Queen Elizabeth, arriving in Regina on New Year's Eve, 1945. Does anyone know which farm on Sea Island Mr. Huston worked on? See his full obituary online at: http://www.weyburnreview.com:80/obituaries/2007/2007_32.htm

90. In March 2008, Vince Bissonette kindly donated his 1971-72 UBC research essay with photos. Former Sea Island pioneer farmer, Bob McDonald assisted Vince with some of the research accompanying him on field trips. Vince put it together a book, which is titled “Pioneer Barns of Sea Island”. Vince was also the last Commanding Officer for RCAF Station Sea Island. Many thanks Vince.

91. Laura Janssen (nee Collins) and Janet Rolfe (nee Eldershaw) are seeking former RCAF Sea Island chums “Billie” Wallace and her sister Margaret Wallace. Laura said in a recent email I remember the Wallace family very well. Willemina and I were also good friends. I used to call her "Billie" and she did indeed have two sisters. One was named Evelyn and I don't remember the oldest sisters' name. She also had a younger brother as well but he passed away when he was quite young. I don't know where Billie is now, the last time I saw her was over 30 years ago. If you do manage to track her down, let me know.” Janet recently posted on our website guest book too. Let SIHS know if you can put us or the two ladies in touch with anyone in the Wallace family. Thanks.

92. The above Margaret Wallace and Janet Eldershaw had the following classmates at Sea Island Elementary School, grade 5, 1958/59, teacher: Mrs. Catherine Rogers.

Wayne Arthur Anderson, Gail Ann Borden, Bonny Sheilagh Butts, Roger Wayne Callaway, Ann Minnie Clouston, Geoffery Temple Cornwall, Patricia Ann Doig, Linda Gail Donnelly, Steven Howard Errington, Robert John Etches, Doreen Audrey Forsyth, Carol Louise Grainger, Michael Wayne Granberg, Linda Margaret Guenther, Brian Frank Hansen, Michael Victor Hodgkinson, Frances Elizabeth Kellett, Terry Linda Kirkvold, Donna Margaret McGregor, Linda May Reasbeck, Donald Allan Ross, William Edward Saunders, Sandra Joy Sparling, Kennneth Robert Summers, John William Teasdale, Julie Margaret Waldron, Mary Louise Weisgerber, Myrna Lois Wheaton, Elizabeth Ann Whitlock, Gerald Wesley Wilson, Roy William Brown, Bernard James Skalozub, Sandra Faye Harris, and Norman Lloyd Brown. Would any of these former students please contact Doug Eastman or Eunice Robinson to see if they can help I.D. their classmates in their grade five class photogeaph. Thanks.

93. Linda Cormier posted to our SIHS guest book on April 4, 2009 -

I lived at Sea Island AFB when I was a young girl (Linda Ethel Eldershaw) My father was Burton Eldershaw. Back in the 50's-- 1957/1958. Does anyone out there remember me. I have a sister Janet. I may have a half brother who was born in Sea Island I have never met. Would anyone know him? Thank you, Linda

94. Richmond historian, author and City of Richmond Councillor, Bill McNulty has offered his assistance to the SIHS. Bill recently donated a binder of various old Richmond and Vancouver (North Arm, etc.) Directories that tell us the names and locations for a lot of the pioneer families connected to Sea Island. Thanks Bill.

95. The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) is seeking two school classroom photographs of former students that lived in the Cora Brown area of Sea Island, Richmond, B.C. One is the 1965/66 Gr. 1-2 split class, (Division. IV) of teacher Mrs. Suzanne Southwell, at the Duncan McDonald School. The other is the 1965/66 Duncan McDonald School grade 4-5 split class in 1965-66 of teacher: Mrs. M. Jackson These “kids” in the first classroom would likely have been born about 1958-59 or so and would now be at or approaching being one half CENTURY OLD <yikes> - the other gr4-5 class would have been born around 1955 or 56.. The SIHS would like to thank people for assisting us in identifying the various students in class pictures posted to our web page. http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html Thank you

96. Can anyone please tell the Sea Island Heritage Society about the various May Queen ceremonies held on Sea Island (Richmond, B.C.) over the years. Sea Island Elementary School did hold the Crowning of the Queen and Princesses along with the Maypole dances in the 1950’s. We’d like to know the range of years that was done. Was it always grade four that did the maypole dance or did other classes dance too? We have a photo of the 1929 Bridgeport School May Queen and her court with some Sea Island Students. See photo “D” on our website at: http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html Can anyone please supply other May Queen photos . Thanks.

Read an interesting interview online about how Bridgeport Elementary School’s last May Queen was chosen in 1960 at: http://www.sd38.bc.ca/Docs/RmdStudents07.pdf

97. Youth opportunities on Sea Island. Can someone please fill in any information on the various youth organizations on Sea Island. i.e. Air Force, Army and Sea Cadets, Cubs, Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Square Dance, Tap Dance, etc. The closest I recall for students to attend Sea Cadets was at the Sea Cadets on Discovery Island in Stanley Park in the 1950s. Did anyone out there attend the #2947 Army Corps? Where on Sea Island were they held – For the history of the Army Cadets on Sea Island see URL: http://www.armycadethistory.com/Cadet%20Corps%20DB/CC2947/db_cc_2947_2007.htm The Air Cadets on Sea Island, I believe were #655 Squadron. Can anyone fill us in on the history of the Air Cadets on Sea Island? Thank you.

98. The Sea Island Heritage Society is seeking additional information and photographs of Joe Scardina’s midget Model T panel truck. Some of the older teens on Sea Island bought it from Joe in the late 1940s and chopped the roof off to make a custom jalopy to ride around Sea Island in. Gary Gordon described it as a very small model T Ford and was built in 1927 if memory serves me correctly. It was originally a flat panel truck with lettering advertising Joe's Bon Bons. They were a form of chocolates he made in Winnipeg before the war. During the war he was in the RCAF and after the war he built or had built his Café [Joe’s Confectionary] at the corner of Miller Road and Airport Road – where Miller and Russ Baker Way intersect today]. To the south of him was a grocery store and B&P Market [Bud & Pete Scardina’s] The Butcher Shop. The truck in question was about the size of a very small car; about half the size or less than a half ton I would say a 70 inch wheel base. Gary added that they cut the top off with cold chisels! A lot of work as the steel was thick on the old cars. Arnold Wolfson owned and operated the Sea Island Service Station (B/A) for many years on Sea Island. In a February 2008 interview Arnold recalled, “Scardina’s Model T was a toy truck just for playing around. The dogs would chase it. I had a Great Dane, he said, and George Upper had a dog, and the 2 dogs would chase it. The Pound would come around and the dogs would chase the Pound Truck”.

In April 2008, Don Phillips submitted photo scans of the red-covered 1958 Cookbook by the Sea Island United Church Women’s Auxiliary with a Forward by Mrs. Vera M. Stark, Pres. Various sponsors in the cookbook including sponsors of various merchants and Sea Island suppliers: B&H Lumber Supplies, Mathers Bulldozing, (both of Lulu Island) Allen Carmichael Children’s Piano Teacher, Butler’s Store of 500 Grauer Road, Sea Island Service of 305 Airport Road, Richmond-Marpole Times, Peter Wolanski, Publisher; Richmond Oil Co; Shaw Insurance Agency (Bob Shaw); Later’s Chemicals of 316 Lancaster Crescent R.M. Grauer and Sons; Tom-Boy Store of 309 Airport Road; Richmond Accounting Services (Peter Wolanski, Accountant), Burrow’s Dry Cleaner (Kerrisdale); and Joes Confectionary of 307 Airport Road. Don’s sister Diane kindly donated her copy of the cookbook. Who can tell us more about the above Tom-Boy Store? Who was the proprietor and what did they sell or provide services for?

The local Newspaper is called the Sea Island Times. It is published monthly be a group of volunteers, mostly from the community of Burkeville. In coming issues, look for articles of history by members of the Sea Island Heritage Society. The histories of the Sea Island Community Hall and the Fire Hall on Lancaster Crescent have been submitted, as well as an article about the old Dornan-Murphy Turkey farm on Sea Island. Maybe you can contribute more details and/or photographs to add to our documentation and photo collection.

The Jan 26, 2008 AGM was followed by a very successful Open House. Thank you all for dropping by. The 2008 Sea Island Heritage Society Board of Directors elected were: Eunice Robinson, President; Don Phillips, VP; Sharon Bordeleau Sec/Treasurer, Directors: Doug Eastman, Grant Thompson; and Colleen Brooks. It is time once again to thank our members supporters and generous contributors. We’d be remiss if we didn’t also say that the SIHS is again grateful to the Sea Island Community Association and the City of Richmond for their continued support too. Look for newly acquired photographs soon to be posted on our webpages. Thank you ALL. The Sea Island Community Association has their own website. Pay them a visit at: www.seaisland.ca

The Sea Island Heritage Society is still searching for a photograph of the Duncan McDonald Elementary School. (exterior and interior shots appreciated) Please contact any SIHS member if you can assist. Thanks.

If you’ve been procrastinating on contacting us to submit a piece of Sea Island history or sharing some of your favourite Sea Island memories/photographs, now is the time. Please make that one of your 2008 resolutions if you haven’t already! Tracy Urban of Vancouver had an interesting letter to the editor published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper on February 23, 2008 about recording personal histories being a priceless legacy. Tracy’s letter referred to a “Sun” article, “ Digging up your roots, Feb. 22 by Randy Shore Tracy said “.......What Randy Shore says about people with a living memory of their great-grandparents being increasingly rare is too true. Folk wisdom tells us that family stories vanish within two generations. This is why it's so important for people interested in their family's history to consider recording the stories of the living as well as tracing the stories of those who have died.

The benefits of recording our personal histories are substantial: Recording a life story provides a priceless legacy for current and future generations. It creates a historical record of an era, offering insight into its social and cultural customs, as well as political events and their effects on a person's life. Furthermore, many professionals and individuals who have participated in memory preservation acknowledge that life reminiscence has therapeutic value for the storyteller.

I encourage interested readers to take a look at the Association of Personal Historians, which offers resources for those who wish to capture their histories as a lasting legacy (www.personalhistorians.org ).”

The Richmond News did a story about the Sea Island Heritage Society on January 1, 2008 titled “ 'Before it's lost forever' ......Did you know there was once an army camp on Sea Island – in two locations? Did you know the area was once home to a large farming community and two churches?” Read the online edition at URL: http://www.canada.com/richmondnews/news/story.html?id=529d5295-6a95-4f6b-a5c9-f69dec71e305

Former Cora Brown and Tapp Road resident (and Sea Island milkman) Alf Edinger kindly donated two B&W photos of the Sea Island Volunteer Fire Department a few years ago. One is of Chief Wilford (Casey) Clark and all the volunteers and spouses in 1963. Was it the occasion of Chief Clark’s retirement? Does anyone have an exact date and location of this photo? The other photo is of the Sea Island Fire Department picnic in 1953 showing the volunteers, spouse and children. Again does anyone have the exact date and location for this picnic? Thanks to Jack and Liz Anderson, Laura and Don Clark and Adeline Jurick, we have a great number of the faces in the photographs identified but still could use additional help. The Richmond Archives has published these two photos online. Take a peek at them to see who you recall? You can see them at URL: http://www.richmond.ca/asp/archives_search/PKeywordResults.asp or go online to the City of Richmond Archives photo search and use the keyword volunteer – you’ll find ‘em! Thanks Alf.

There is an interesting history of the IAM Local Lodge 764. The history of the Canadian Airways Masonic Lodge 764 website also includes some interesting information about the amalgamations of the various aircraft companies in B.C. and across Canada. i.e. Canadian Pacific Airlines/Pacific Western/CAIL and Air Canada. See their website at: http://www.iam764.ca/upload/history/default.htm

A special thanks to Bevin Jones for his submission of two photos of the Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd employee bus that was used to transport workers from Marpole in Vancouver to Boeing’s aircraft manufacturing plant #3 on Sea Island during WWII. The unique bus was dubbed the ‘cattle car’. See photos and more on Boeing Aircraft of Canada Ltd our webpage http://www.seaislandhome.org/Boeing.html

The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) is seeking exterior and interior photos if the former Sea Island United Church building and the different ministers. The Church was opened in September 1958 and closed when the church membership fell due to the declining population of the residential area of Sea Island in the mid 1970s due to airport expansion. Does anyone have the date of the last service held on Sea Island? We are attempting to document the various events which took place at the Church such as baptisms, weddings, memorial services, etc. Can anyone help SIHS with information or dates on these events. The Sea Island church was eventually sold and was barged across the Fraser River where it stands today as the Community Hall for the Musqueam First Nations. The cross-shaped church is very evident today on Salish Road on the colour satellite image on the Google Earth website at: 49 13’ 35.05” N and 123 11’ 52.9” W. Thanks to Grant Thompson, who was married in the Sea Island United Church in June 1959, we now have a few pictures of part of the exterior of the church. Now we (SIHS) wonder where the idea came from for the design of the building. There are not many buildings built with that particular window/overhang design. Does anyone know the name of the architect? Faye Hodson (nee Thompson) said, “I left Sea Island in November of 1958 when I married Fred Hodson. Fred and I were the first couple to be married in the [Sea Island] United Church on Miller Road. [My brother] Grant and Margaret, I believe, were the second couple married in it June of 1959. Congratulations to both couples on reaching that milestone – 50 years of wedded bliss! Thanks to Faye and Grant for sharing their wedding photos with us!

109. The Sea Island Heritage Society has found an amazing amount of family connections along with a wealth of research material about Sea Island pioneers such as the McDonald. Blair, Draney, and Kirkbride families through the efforts of family historians like Pat Marlowe, Barbara Neilsen, Joy Kauss, Sharon Bordeleau, and Sheila Parcher.

SIHS was saddened to hear of the loss of several residents and former Sea Island residents last year (2007), including Mrs. Ann Cotton, George Edward Spencer, and Donald Michael (Mickey) Kwas and Vera Shaw. They were all long-time Burkeville residents. Mrs. Cotton had been there since the beginning of the subdivision in the early 40’s. They were known by many people in Burkeville and other parts of Richmond, B.C. Other losses that we are aware of this year include: Ann Hamblin, Ruth Robertson, Alma Miller, Emma Fru, Gordie Wilson, Ernest Davidson, Johnnie McDonald, Daryl Thomas, Tom Glaister, Walter W Defoe, Donna Bourne, Betty Brown Maddock, Jim Gillespie, Ernest Chan, Ken Brenner, Ethel Hammell, Elsie Wright, Helen Turecki, Mae Jenkins, Viola Haggerty, and Guy Fortier. The Sea Island Heritage Society offers our sincere condolences to the families and friends. Forgive us if we have inadvertently not acknowledged other passings. Please let us know of any errors or omissions.

Former RCAF Band leader Guy Fortier passed away in August 2007. Guy Fortier wrote a book about his exploits in the RCAF titled, "I mean.is that all you do Play in a Band? or 20 years in the RCAF", by Guy Fortier, cartoons by Howie Hunt, May 1997. The book has a humorous story about a group of airmen from the RCAF Station Sea Island pretending to “shoot” another airman and how it caused a bit of a panic on the streets of Vancouver as police investigated this alleged shooting. [go to our RCAF webpage for more] There is a nice online tribute to former RCAF Sea Islander F/Sgt J.W.G. Guy Fortier at: http://www.badenremembered.com/obituaries.php

Alan’s Uncle Jack, wife Ann and daughter Laurel lived on the corner of Ferguson Road and McDonald Road. Other roads Alan’s mom mentioned Tapp Road and Grauer Road. Can anyone out there help contact any of these former Sea Island folks and solve a mystery?

Thanks to all who stopped in to say hello at the Sea Island Heritage Society’s (SIHS) display of our history project’s photo collection and memorabilia on Saturday October 13, 2007 from 10 am to 3 pm at the 11^th Annual TriStake Seminar, in Surrey, B.C. Also appreciated those that turned up for the Open House held September 22 at the Sea Island Community Hall. You all kindly provided some wonderful and new information for our history files and photos for our collection. Keep it up! Of particular note was the story of former Boeing Aircraft Canada Ltd employee, Kenneth Albert (Bert) Cruise from his daughter Maureen. Very interesting to note that Mr. Cruise implemented a payroll system at Boeing that merged the punch card (tabulator) operation with the writing of the cheques – ALL IN THE DAYS LONG BEFORE COMPUTERS! Thanks Maureen. At that display, too, we were able to show Diana our map of the boundaries of the Eburne postal area along the Fraser River.

A special thanks and mention to Barb Neilsen for submitting a very interesting biography of her ‘pioneering’ great grandfather, Angus Carmichael Fraser (1844-1906). Barb (nee Thomas) grew up in the Cora Brown subdivision. Her late father was with the RCAF. [He held a DFC, too – but that‘s another story we’re waiting to hear more about – stay tuned!]. Barb’s great grandfather’s daughter, Hilda Mary Thomas (nee Fraser) was her father's mother (as well as the mother of Douglas Fraser Thomas, her father's brother. These names are mentioned as all having been residents of Sea Island. Barb added in her email, “Now I will start on my own family's story. Strange how while growing up on Sea Island I had no idea that my great grandfather had once lived there.”

Maureen Cruise provided a photo and story by her late father on his interesting role dealing with his unique enhancement of the “electrical” punch card payroll system with the Boeing Aircraft (Canada) Ltd plant #3 on Sea Island during WWII. Thx Maureen.

Vancouver author and historian Chuck Davis posted to our guest book September 29, 2007, “Hi. This is a brief note to alert you to my web site www.vancouverhistory.ca on the history of Vancouver. I now have more than a thousand pages there on the history of the city and its surroundings. You’ll have members with a connection to Vancouver who may enjoy wandering through those pages . . . and, besides, Sea Island itself is mentioned more than 30 times! Best wishes, Chuck Davis “

For example Mr. Davis’ website mentions the closure of the old wooden bridge between Eburne and Bridgeport. See http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/chronology1960.htm

Many residents of Sea Island signed the 1960 petition to protest the removal of the #5 Eburne Bridge.

Does anyone have any photographs of the demolition/removal of any of the former or current Sea Island crossings? …………Bridge stories?

The Sea Island Heritage Society is in desperate need of a used portable display unit suitable for sitting on tables or free standing. We would be proud to show off our photo collection on a rotating basis by attaching photographs mounted on foam board or coroplast board for public presentations, etc. If you can help, please call or email Eunice, Don or Doug at the numbers listed at the top of this page. Thank you.

Patti Gully, Aviation historian and author and the Sea Island Heritage Society are seeking information about a former pilot that was involved with the Vancouver-based famous women aviatrix called “The Flying Seven”. Her name was Han Ying Cheng. She was also referred to as Flt Lt Zheng and flew out of Sea Island in the 1940-43 period. Please contact Doug Eastman at dougeastmanATshaw.ca He’ll pass this info along to Patty Gully.

The Sea Island Heritage Society would like information on the history of the trees planted around Sea Island over the years. Particularly we’d like to know the origin of the Catalpa Trees on Lancaster Crescent and in the Sea Island (Burkeville) Park. The origin of the Willow, Maple, Chestnut and Oak trees would also be of interest to document. Where did the big Cottonwood trees planted next to the Community Hall come from?

The Canadian Military Remembrance Society (CMRS) is dedicated to remembering and honouring those who have served in, or are currently serving in, Canada's military forces. This includes the Navy, Merchant Navy, Army and Air Force including all of our Peacekeepers. Michael DeMazes is an aviation historian and has an extensive photograph and memorabilia collection as well as information on the history of wartime Royal Canadian Air Force Stations at Boundary Bay and Abbotsford, B.C. If you have info. or photos to share, please contact Michael on their website link www.militaryremembrance.com

Eunice Robinson of N. Delta, B.C. posted to the SIHS website Sept 22, 2007. “Now that the summer is over, and our energies refocus on the Sea Island history, the Sea Island Heritage Society would appreciate you digging through those boxes of memories for any school photographs. If you could scan them and email them to us - along with identifying as many of the little darlings as possible, it would be appreciated. We are still missing quite a few of the class photos. And if you have 'lost' your class photos, let us know - we could send you a copy. Having just completed the 2008 SIHS Annual calendar, so if you are interested in a copy, $20 each plus $2.50 mail just let us know. We're now working on our 2009 calendar and look forward to your photo submissions and suggestions for images.

Victor Nordquist, CD of Port Coquitlam, B.C. is the Chairman of #801 (Vancouver) Wing of the Canadian Air Force Association of Canada. Vic was stationed at RCAF Station Sea Island from 1955 to 1966 with 121 Search and Rescue Squadron. We were lucky enough to get an invitation from Vic to display our history project’s photo collection and memorabilia on Sunday, September 16, 2007 in conjunction with the *Canadian Air Force Association of Canada’s 67^th Commemorative Ceremony of the Battle of Britain at the Boundary Bay Airport, Delta, B.C. A record number of Air Cadets (close to 1000), their officers, and local veterans turned out on parade at the Boundary Bay Airport, Delta, B.C. on September 16, 2007 to commemorate the 67th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. A very impressive sight indeed!
Another former Sea Islander in attendance was Jerry Vernon, President of the Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Aviation History Society.

To view our Shaw Photo Share about this event, please click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser's address bar: http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/8258193259-1190066222-49863/82581

More “Missing” folks from Sea Island school days, thanks to the Muriel Gustavson, Morley Davidson and Peggy Parker photo submissions – Where are they? Can anyone help us track ‘em down to hear their memories too?:

Sea Island School Students in Mrs. Reid’s grade 3 class in 1953-54 include the following (most were born around 1945):

Edna Bainbridge of 698 Miller Road:

Lesleigh McCutcheon of 465 Grauer Road (RR#1)

Rita Johnson of 353 Catalina Crescent

Lynda McInnes of 22 Lancaster Crescent

Ricky Babuin of 123 Douglas Crescent

Sharon Grant of 696 Miller Road

Russell Combs of 571 Miller Road

Lee Purser of 132 Lancaster Crescent

Gordon Ross of 325 Catalina Crescent

John Smalley of 256 Airport Road

Richard Gates of 177 McDonald Road

Berne Rempel of 25 Douglas Crescent

Beatrice Schmuck of 229 Wellington Crescent

Sea Island School Grade one class 1951/52 – Miss L.E. MacKenzie. Where are the following students?:

ANDERSON, Barrie

BARBER, Gordon

BARKER, Don

BOOTH, Patricia

CHUTTER, Joan*

CREELMAN, Dick*

HULL, Sonia

JOHNSON, Richard

JOHNSON, Rita

McVICAR, Marilyn

McEATHERN, Heather*

MITCHELL, Donald

RINES, Nancy

WOODS, Timmy*

MATHESON, Neil*

WILLIAMS, Cathryn

COMBS, Russell

BURT, Peter

FRIBERG, Terry

*line stroked through name on the old school register, may indicate that they moved partway through the school year

Sea Island School Students recorded in Mr. Roche’s grade 6 class photo in 1956-57 include the following (most were born around 1945). Where are they now?:

Bruce Jordison

Penny Walters

Pat Pennar

Gail Forrest – Bill Marles said in May 2009 that his cousin lives with her family on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

Anita Dasgenais

Johnnie Slater

John Smalley*

Winnie and Billie Barradell

Rod Welsch

Bill Slemko

Valory Zwicker

Alan Slater

Patrick h McGhee

Gerard William Rivert

Barbara E. Empey

· line stroked through name on the old school register, may indicate that they transferred to another class or moved partway through the school year

In June 2006, Muriel Gustavson of Nanaimo, B.C. submitted Mr. Vallis’ 1948-49 class photograph at Bridgeport Elementary School, grade 7. Fortunately Muriel has a great memory and could put names to all the faces. Student names that Muriel identified in the class photograph included Marlene Gordon and a Margaret Gordon, Jean McFarlane and Beverly Clark among the student faces. We know where Marlene lived on Sea Island, but does anyone know anything about Margaret Gordon, Jean McFarlane and Beverly Clark?

124. Harry (Butch) Glusman kindly donated a copy of a school reader called “More Friends and Neighbours”. On the front inside cover it says R.C.A.F. School, Richmond School district #38. At the bottom of the page it says Sea Island School. Can anyone tell SIHS what year (ca1950s) that particular reader was used at the RCAF Annex to the Sea Island Elementary School? Thanks Butch!

125. Cora Brown and the Tapp Road / McDonald Road subdivisions on Sea Island (Richmond, B.C.) consisted of about 50 one-half acre lots. The homes in the Croa Brown subdivision were established in 1946 under the Veterans Land Act The residents of both areas were expropriated for expansion of the Vancouver International Airport in the 1970’s. Now these former Sea Islanders have their cases well documented in a special collection of memorabilia recently donated to the Sea Island Heritage Society by Harry and Barbara Kohne. The material also includes the Grahame White collection of ‘expropriation memorabilia’. The SIHS plan is to sift through this wealth of material to index and catalogue it so that events can be documented and be referred to or retrieved quickly. If anyone is willing to assist with the indexing project, please contact Eunice Robinson at: 604-596-2811, euniceATdccnet.com Thank you Harry and Barbara for your contribution to the history of Sea Island.

The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) holds it’s General Meeting (AGM) each year, normally at the Sea Island Community Hall on Miller Road. Please watch for details on our website. If you live in the lower mainland and we have your email, we will send out email reminders with date and details. If you wish us to add you to our email distribution list for periodic history project updates or upcoming events please send us your email address or any changes to your contact. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to attend all of our functions. Annual Elections for our Board of Directors are held at each AGM. You are encouraged to run for office or nominate someone that has a keen interest in documenting the history of Sea Island. If you want to be involved either as a volunteer researcher, typist, interviewer or wish to hold a directorship, please contact any member of our current Board of Directors:

Sharon Bordeleau, Secretary-Treasurer, 604-278-4359

Colleen Brooks, Director, colbrooksATshaw.ca

Doug Eastman, Director, 250-756-1762, dougeastmanATshaw.ca

Don Phillips, Vice President, 604-589-3611 donphillips2ATshaw.ca

Eunice Robinson, President, 604-596-2811 euniceATdccnet.com

Grant Thompson, Director, 604-241-7977 tuggerATtelus.net

The SIHS is again grateful to the Sea Island Community Association and the City of Richmond for their continued support.

127. What a great turn out for both the Eighth and Ninth Cora Brown Reunions. The latter was held in Richmond in June 2009. Thank you all again for your wonderful contributions to the Cora Brown and Tapp Road (McDonald) subdivision’s histories. If anyone has additional material or their family histories completed for our Sea Island history project, please call or email Eunice Robinson for more details at 604-596-2811 email: euniceATdccnet.com ..and watch for postings of some of the many photographs taken at the event. Please contact Eunice if interested in attending future Cora Brown Reunions.

128. If you’re wondering why we continue to brow beat people into submitting their family stories for the Sea Island history project, and you’ve put it off; just remember that it will never be too late to catch the memories. Memories of the Island are important to document. No matter how short a time span or how long people lived or worked there, we want to capture the essence of the whole Island. And their stories can be short or long - naturally we prefer to document the long versions. This is why the photographs are so important as well. In most cases, someone catches a moment in your life, and you may never see it - such as kid’s birthday parties, sports teams, and neighbourhood gatherings, photos in and around the neighbourhood. Even up to date photographs and memory sharing is important as they will be history as soon as words are spoken, thoughts collected or photographs taken. Please share your Sea Island with the world. By giving us your scans, photos and memorabilia, we trust that people are also granting the Sea Island Heritage Society permission to print these photos.

Re: Photographs. When submitting digital scans of photographs to the Sea Island Heritage Society, please ensure that the file size is adequate for reproduction. A minimum of 300 dpi 4” x 6” in size would be appreciated in jpeg format. The larger the better for reproduction. The very best scan of any image for archival purposes apparently is a large size TIF file. If you don’t have the capability of creating a TIF image file, we can always scan your original material and return same to you. Of course Jpegs images are acceptable and the larger the file the better. We will resize them if we post them on our website. Both digital (scanned) photographs and conventional photographs are appreciated. If you want any of your loaned hard copy material back, please ensure that your name and address is clearly printed in soft pencil on the backside. Thank you. PS Photographs or document images are sometimes resized down to 1024 wide. Anywhere from 900 to 1280 wide will fit on a typical screen with no trouble - and is small enough for dial-up users to download easily. Email image attachments typically use 640 x 425 pixel size. For more info. on digital pics and files please see URL http://www.scantips.com/basics9jc.html

The Sea Island Heritage Society is looking for an ambitious team of keen individuals to organize a future Sea Island “Homecoming” or a reunion for anyone or their descendants who lived on Sea Island, (Richmond, B.C.) Contact Harry (Butch) Glusman at 604-952-0522 glusmanATtelus.net ; or any director of the SIHS at one of the above numbers/email

SIHS is trying to determine if John Edward Hedd or Nedd, 27 yr old milk tester, of Richmond, B.C. in 1922-23 was from Lulu Island or Sea Island. There is no Hedd or Nedd in the 1929 “Wrigley’s BC Directory for “Eburne”. Hedd or Nedd are not listed in the 1942/43 and 1956 telephone directories for Richmond. There is no Hedd or Nedd in the BC Archives online vital stats. Who can help solve this question?

Bob Russell of Richmond, B.C. stopped into our 2-day display at the Richmond Centre on February 16, 2007 and kindly donated 2 of his Richmond Junior-Senior High School Annuals plus a large photo of his 1959 graduation class and a couple of his other school class photos. (Thanks Bob) One of his class photos is of his Cambie Jr High class #17, taken April 1954. We’d like to be able to identify all 38 students in this all-male photo. If you happen to have a Cambie Jr High School annual for 1953/54, perhaps you can help by contacting SIHS and providing the student class names. Then we can post this on our school class webpage and viewers can help put the names to the pictures. Thanks. Bob also sent along a c1953-56 photos of the Sea Island Little League “Tigers” baseball team, coached by Mr. George McGregor; and a newspaper clipping from 1947 of him in his school classroom. Nice to add to our growing collection, thanks again Bob. Bob also posted to the guest book on the Sea Island Heritage Society website Feb. 27, 2009, “For the Sea island gang that attended Richmond High you may be interested in this site www.rhsclassof59.ca” The website will take you to an announcement of their planned Aug 7, 2009 50^th RHS Grad Class Reunion. You can see photos of past reunions there too. Great memories preserved and shared!

The SIHS would like to thank the HILL-MITCHELL family (per S. Howe of Port Moody, B.C.) for submitting a wonderful copy of their Family History Book. It’s over 231 pages of memories, family history, stories and photos. Well done.

Stan Goddard, former RCAF Sea Island (now in Calgary, AB) and his wife submitted recipes for the inclusion in our 2007 Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) Calendar and took out a new membership to SIHS. Stan said in a March 13, 2007 email, ……“As I mentioned we were pleased with the calendar with our photo and 'cake'. Adeline was curious if anyone had actually made it. It's a bit of a pain to make but everyone around here loves it. Always keep one in the deep freeze in case of company. Anyone has trouble they can contact us”. So, please feel free to pass along your comments to Stan and Adeline at: STANGOATSHAW.CA. Thanks for that tip Stan and thanks for your continuing support by taking out a membership.

Thanks to Mr. Jerry E. Vernon, Pres., Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) for his recent contribution of older CAHS Journals and for continually providing SIHS with details and tidbits about aviation related events, photographs and stories related to Sea Island. Thanks Jerry, always appreciated.

The SIHS would like to know where on Sea Island that Stewart Thomas' farm was located in the early 1900s. He eventually became a Councillor with the Municipality of Richmond, B.C. His son Edward Thomas was a bridge tender on the old Eburne Bridge about 1910 when Edward married his second wife Myra

Can anyone please tell SIHS when Canada Post changed the addresses on Sea Island? We know that house numbers were changed in 1979 to four digits. When did the other renumberings take place? The H.D. Lewis family is shown at one Miller Road address in May 1943 and in the same home at another address in May 1947, therefore the change took place between 1943 and 1947 – probably as a result of the Air Force Base expansion at the time along Miller Road. i.e. May 1943 LEWIS were at 201 Miller Road. H.D. Lewis – r 603 Miller Road, (1974 Richmond Directory).

Carmen Brocks and a Deborah Hardie were listed on the Sea Island School Register in Division 4, Grade 4 in Miss D. Bergstrom’s grade4-5 split class in 1964-65. They were both transferred out in September 1964. Carmen Brocks went to Edmonton. Where did Deborah Hardie go? Can anyone please tell SIHS where on Sea Island they may have resided and perhaps put us in touch with either of these families. Thank you.

Does anyone happen to know the exact school dates that the Sea Island Elementary School was closed between about 1975 and 1994?

The City of Richmond, Richmond Museum and Heritage Services produced a self-guided historical tour brochure for Sea Island. It and other similar brochures can be purchased at the Richmond Cultural Centre for $5 each plus GST. For the Cultural Centre and Richmond Museum address and hours, please see http://www.richmond.ca/culture/sites/museum/about.htm

The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) would like to contact the grown children of Robert and Elsie Millar, previously of 700 Miller Road, Richmond, B.C. Robert Miller (sic) was a board member in the 1975/76 Sea Island Community Ratepayers Association.

Can someone please tell the Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) where on Catalina Crescent the Mulligan family lived? Liz Anderson (née Hourie) recalled the Mulligan family on Catalina that had twin daughters and two sons.

Carol Cannon, granddaughter of Robert Ernest Tait kindly donated several images and some family history of the Tait family and one of the numerous farms owned by the Taits in Richmond (both on Lulu Island and on Sea Island) in the1930’s. Robert John Tait gave the smaller west farm (on Sea Island) to his oldest son, William Tait who eventually sold it to the airport. Some of you may recall that it was the Tait barn at Terra Nova that was used in the movie film “Christine” The movie was a Stephen King story about an old car that comes to life. For more info on the film, please see URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085333/ The barn was used by the Richmond Fire Department as fire practices and for fire investigative training when it was demolished. Eunice Robinson and Sharon Bordeleau interviewed Tait descendant Mrs Eileen Scott in February 2008. Soon to be 87, Mr Arnold Wolfson, former Sea Island Service Station owner/operator is resident at the same care home as Mrs. Scott and kindly brought her Sea Island connection to the attention of SIHS. Thanks Arnold and Carol!

The tale of the Tait family ghost in their Marpole mansion was recently brought to our attention by former RCAF Sea Islander, Jerry Vernon who noticed an article on the Tait family in the Vancouver Courier newspaper. Carol Cannon was sent a copy of the online article and replied, “The cat is out of the bag! There were ghosts in the family, but you don't want people to think you're nuts so you tend to leave that stuff out! Lol. Eileen is the culprit! lol. That's okay........we probably aren’t the only ones. My Aunt, Florence (Tait) Cullen and three of her cousins, Eileen that Sharon met (N.B. Eilieen Scott was interviewed by SIHS members, Sharon Bordeleau and Eunice Robinson), Doreen and Del (Alex Tait's daughters) all met with someone from the Courier about three weeks ago. They forgot to name Robert John Tait in the picture.” Carol also attached a picture of Robert John and Jessie Tait's home in Marpole. They moved there from Sea Island in 1911. Read more at: http://www.marpoleonline.com/history/index.php and for more online history about Marpole read this: http://www.marpolehistorical.ca/ and this http://www.marpolehistorical.ca/pdf/memories-of-marpole-TVC-June2006.pdf

SIHS is seeking the Miller Road address of the Choquette family who had a son Peter at Sea Island School in the 1950s.

146. The class photo for Miss Barbara Short’s grade one class, 1949-50 is on one of our SIHS webpages: http://www.seaislandhome.org/classphoto.html as photo “R”. Please see if you can help match all 38 student faces to the names and let us know. Thx.

Can anyone tell the SIHS where on Catalina Crescent Garry Moxon (b early to mid 1940’s) lived during the early 1960’s. His Dad worked for BOAC. Apparently they moved back to England after only one year.

The Richmond Review, Vol. 31, No. 26 June 28, 1962 has a front page picture of Salmon Queen finalists, including Elaine Elliot of Sea Island. Does anyone know where on Sea Island that Elaine Elliot’s family lived?

Does anyone have information on, or know of an eatery at the Vancouver Airport operated by a Mr. Pullen. Mr. Pullen had a lunch room (restaurant/ café?) at the Vancouver Airport according to an article about Sea Island in the Marpole-Richmond Review, Eburne, B.C. Wednesday July 15, 1942 - Vol. 11, No. 17. Mr. PULLEN’S commodious lunch room is doing a rushing business, pilots, passengers, visitors, workers, all dropping in for their cup of coffee or a full fledged meal In a year later articl (1943) it is stated that Mr. Pullen was no longer at that restaurant, but it continued to operate at the airport. Who recalls the name of this café? Thanks to John Dawson for passing two wartime newspaper articles along about how the airport and military establishments were fazing out many of the old Sea Island pioneer farming families. Thankfully John was able to decipher the poor newspaper copy he had obtained and kindly sent a transcription of the complete article to SIHS.

The SIHS is grateful to retired Richmond High School teacher, Mr. B.R. Reid for writing an excellent article about his personal experiences on Sea Island. Bernie was first employed as a young Boeing of Canada Ltd’ worker with the Engineering Production and Blueprint Control Section on Sea Island and then with Canadian Pacific Air Lines (CPAL) when they took over the management of Boeing’s overhaul and repair depot on May 1, 1942 and moved it to Queensborough, New Westminster, BC. CPAL at that time, was newly formed and it repaired all the aircraft for the RCAF’s Western Air Command. Mr. Reid kindly donated two CPAL jacket crests and a 16 page May 1944 issue of CPAL monthly Newsletter.

In the late 1930’s there were several small businesses near Grauer’s Store. One of them was a blacksmith shop. The other was Burns Welding Shop. Can anyone tell the Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) who ran these latter establishments, or anything about them. Any photographs out there? Thx. SIHS thanks City of Richmond Councillor, Harold Steves for his Nov 30, 2006 response to this question: “Billy White was the blacksmith near Grauer's Store in the early horse and buggy days. I met his widow at the Kiwanis Home when I was campaigning for election in 1972. She showed me some wonderful, large photos of Billy in the blacksmith shop repairing wagon wheels, etc”.

The 1947 Richmond Directory has the Eburne Blacksmith at 250 Airport Road and the Richmond Times office at 222 Airport Road. (6)

Dan Esplen dfesplenATgmail.com of Langley, B.C. posted to the SIHS website September 9, 2006 seeking images or information of the RCAF 442 or 443 (Aux) Squadrons. Please see Dan’s great website at: http://www.members.shaw.ca/cde16/images.htm

P.S. Dan is ‘into’ collecting Gillette razors and blades. If you can help him out, contact him at his above email address

SIHS is interesting in contacting or documenting where on Sea Island the Barradale family lived. The January 31, 1951 Marpole-Richmond Review reported that Mr. and Mrs. Barradale (sic) who with their two children Kenna and Brett moved to their new home in North Vancouver from Sea Island.

The Sea Island Heritage Society is grateful to John Dawson for filling in some of the history of his grandparents when they lived on Sea Island. Fred and Maud Hardwick lived on Miller Road in the 1930’s era before being expropriated for airport expansion. John is tracing the family history of this former Sea Island family, so if anyone can provide additional information on the Hardwick family, or any other pioneer Sea Island farmers please contact SIHS. We’ll add it to our growing collection and pass it along to John.

SIHS would also like to know more about the Boyd family. James and Ada Grace Boyd lived at 254 Miller Road (Sea Island, Richmond, B.C.) in 1942-43. Did they have a son named Henry Boyd who was a Sergeant in the military at the time?

The late Ernest Chan was an air mechanic with the RCAF 442 Reserve Sqn. from 1950 to 1957 at Sea Island. Ernest attended the SIHS display during the June 25, 2006 Burkeville Daze and donated many of his photographs. Since then he has also donated many scans from his extensive photo collection. Thanks Ernest! (see our RCAF website page) At the display, Ernest saw a copy of the book 442 Squadron History, 1987 by Capts. Grant MacDonald and Terry Strocel loaned to SIHS by former RCAF Sea Islander, R. Pugh and with the help of Sea Island Heritage Society director, Grant Thompson, Ernest was fortunate enough to later track down a copy of this out-of-print history book for his own. The inside cover has the following (some difficult to transcribe) handwritten autographs:

Michael D _____; Jerry Vernon, Mike Higg, Jim Price; Don Broad; John Erskine; M__Phil (sp?); Stan Watter; Ron Patterson; John Edward, Phil Duboes (2442, 442, VPD I. DENT); Bill Jessop, F/L; F/O Ray Laglas (sp?) 442 Sqn Navigator; Bernice Dubuis; John Catley; Dave Kandi, Conrad Raehusnel (sp?); Phil ____; Don Cameron; Bill Barker; Ted Owen; Chuck Sexsmith; Ernie Johnson; B Smith, F/L.

The Sea Island Heritage Society is grateful to Mr. Joseph J Cassidy of Vancouver, B.C. for kindly donating his copy of a 1993 Calendar celebrating the 90^th Anniversary of Local 280, Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association, their booklet called Artisans, Tinsmiths & Roofers in British Columbia by Cy Stairs and Clive Lytle plus a Nov 1992 letter to members and retirees of local #280. Both productions have photos of the “Rocket” statue as it sat at the Vancouver International Airport on Sea Island for many years. Thanks to Grant T for arranging this.

Thanks to Richard Cook and Richmond Archives Archivist, Lynn Waller we have been able to solve most of the mystery of the numbering system of the old roads on Sea Island. Richard kindly pieced together the remains of several 1930s era maps of the Municipality of Richmond to create a single map with a ‘welcome’ index of roads. During the 1929 era, Miller Road was one of the main roads there and was known as No. 13 Road. Other “numbered roads were:

No. 11 Road (now Shannon Road)

No. 12 Road (now McDonald Road)

No. 14 Road (now Grauer Road)

No. 15 Road (now Ferguson Road)

No. 17 Road (now River Road)

Richard kindly produced a new large scale map from old (ca1930) Richmond Municipal road maps with an index specifically for SIHS. We are most happy to receive the map. Thanks Richard.

Who can tell SIHS if other lesser Sea Island Roads in the 1930s era like Acme Road, Airport Road, Buckingham Road, Doherty Road and Ross Road, had numbers at one time?

Miss Audrey Nyholt of Saskatchewan was just 21 yrs old when she worked for former Vancouver City Airport Manger, William (Bill) Inglis. Her name is now Ariana Sheran of Saskatchewan. She said in an April 22, 2006 phone call, “I worked for Mr. Inglis from 1957 to 1960. He was a great boss.” She added in a June 5, telephone call that Bill was rather short but his wife, Mary was quite tall. She doesn’t recall if they had children. Ariana said their office window overlooked the tarmac and faced north toward the mountains. She thought it was a two story building and their office suite was on the second floor. Bill had a separate office and she had her desk outside his door facing away. Others in her office all had separate desks: A younger Bill Headland, accountant; Earl (red-hair) was the maintenance manager, and rarely at his desk. Finny was the operations manager when Bill Inglis wasn’t there. She said Finny was rough but kind. There was also a draughtsman but she can’t recall his name. She recalls going to City Hall to apply for the job, but can’t recall who, if anyone from the Airport interviewed her. ….more to follow. The SIHS is seeking to document the life of Bill Inglis (1950 – 1976) and other Airport Managers. Does anyone have contact with Bill and Mary Inglis family members? SIHS member Richard Cook has kindly researched Bill Inglis from documents in the Vancouver Archives and elsewhere. Thanks Richard and Ariana

The SIHS is interested in documenting where on Lancaster Crescent the Barbin or Baubin family resided. The January 17, 1951 Marpole-Richmond Review reported that baby Leslie Barbin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Baubin, Lancaster Crescent was a patient in hospital for a few days.

Thanks to Muriel Gustavson and her sister Wendy for their generous donations of photos of their time in the Cora Brown subdivision we were able to document numerous events and people.

SIHS posted earlier that we would like to contact Robert George Noakes b. about 1937, who was in Mr. Patterson’s grade 5-6 split class at Sea Island Elementary School in 1947/48. Sorry to pass along that Robert’s brother Brian Noakes of Toronto, Ontario emailed the Sea Island Heritage Society in March 2009 and said that his younger brother Bob passed away at age 57. Both Brian and Bob were in Mr. Patterson’s grade 5/6 split class. The Noakes lived in the Army base hutments on East Boulevard on Sea Island from 1944 to 1949 after his widowed mother, an English War bride with her 4 young children, fled the bombings in England. Brian said, “I remember playing baseball at Lord Byng and being struck in the face (accidentally) with a baseball bat and having my face swell up like a balloon. Also remember playing in an abandoned Army hut when my youngest brother Tony had climbed into the rafters, slipped and fell to the floor and broke his arm. Tony and I are the only ones left as both Bob and my sister Brenda have passed away. Also remember chasing the Chinese vegetable delivery man's truck trying to steal a carrot off the back of his truck or chasing the iceman's truck trying to collect ice chips before he delivered the block of ice for our refrigerator. Brian said the Chinese Green Grocery truck had a burlap sack door on the back above the step. Brian recalls that one of his chores was to take the bread wrappers his mother had saved and polish the top of the stove as those wrappers had wax on them. Another chore was to drain the water daily from underneath the block of ice in the ice cooler. For more on Brian’s family’s voyage to America in 1944, go to the following website: http://www.pier21.ca/research/anniversaries-and-special-visits/sample-profiles/brian-noakes-and-doris-wass/

If you drive to the front entrance gate of the Canadian Coast Guard Hovercraft base on Sea Island and look to your right, you will see an old building still there. This is one of the former Army Hutments that was moved across the airfield from the WWII Army base on Sea Island. Apparently it is now used for storage. Another hutment was converted to a duplex and relocated to Lancaster Crescent. Can anyone tell SIHS the address and/or current owner of the house. We’d love to obtain a photo and the background on this duplex.

Was Joy Middleton of 212 Anson Avenue with the same Middleton family of 209 Boeing Avenue in the mid-50’s? Joy Middleton, age 8 of 112 Anson (sic – probably 212 Anson?) Avenue was in grade 3, Division 5, of Mrs. M.A. Reid and Miss E.L. Johnson’s grade two-three split class in 1949/50. Please contact SIHS.

Could someone please inform SIHS about the RCAF University Squadron (Auxiliary) at U.B.C. during WWII. We’d like to document its connection to the Sea Island RCAF base.

The October 21, 2006 article in the Vancouver Sun about the 50^th Anniversary of the arrival of the large number of forestry class members who were evacuated from Europe following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and provided temporary shelter in old army barracks from Sea Island while attending UBC. Could someone please provide SIHS with stories and/or photographs of their “footprint” on Sea Island. See also http://www.1956memorial.com/

The Sea Island Heritage Society enjoyed the Feb 17-18 2006 weekend at the Richmond Arts Centre during Heritage Week. Many former and current Sea Islanders dropped by our display table to say hello. One of the highlights was having former Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Emily L. Kordall silver retirement plate donated by her grandson Doug Ellis. The plate says “presented to E.L. Kordall from the Sea Island Community Association 1944 – 58”. Who has stories to share about this wonderful teacher? How much did it cost in the early days of the kindergartens for each child?

A delightful surprise at the 2006 Heritage Week display was getting a set of photographs showing the late Daniel E. McIvor, C.M. receiving his Order of Canada medal at Government House hosted by the Honourable Iona Campagnalo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Dan’s whole family joined him in Victoria for the award. Dan McIvor lived in Burkeville from 1951 until his passing in 2005. Mrs. McIvor passed away in 1993.

The Sea Island Heritage Society recently donated a photo collage made by SIHS director, Colleen Brooks to the Sea Island Community Association thanking them for their support over the years. The collage honours Dan McIvor with photos of the Martin Martins aircraft at Sprout Lake and is hung up in the Dan McIvor room of the Sea Island Community Hall.

SIHS Vice President Don Phillips located a small brass plaque near the South Terminal Arrivals and Departures building. It is across Cowley Road from the S Terminal building in a small garden and concrete bench. The commemorative a plaque honours the Royal Canadian Air Force WWII squadrons attached to the nearby Sea Island R.C.A.F. Station. (see our RCAF webpage) The plaque was dedicated by the first graduating class of RCAF #8 Elementary Flying Training School. Could someone please put us in touch with anyone that has additional information about the 1991 dedication ceremony and/or #8 E.F.T.S.

Eunice Robinson (nee Hamalock) donated a Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight Time Schedule titled THE MAPLE LEAF ROUTE” (with fares) dated July 1, 1958. This was among her late mother’s affects. The schedule is national in nature and includes cross-Canada and international flight times by their fleet of DC-3, DC-6, Viscount and Super-G Constellation service. The “Connie” service was promoted in the brochure as NEW! - TCA’s ‘HUDSON BAY’ Route: Vancouver (VIA) and Winnipeg to London direct. TCA flights were advertised “choose from three types of service: “Mercury” flights by Super-G Constellation – fastest, most luxurious across Canada; inter-city flights by prop-jet Viscount; comfortable tourist class flights by four-engined Skyliner”. (DC-6)

According to the schedule, the Super-Connie could whisk you from Vancouver on Wednesday at 9:20 pm to London, England arriving there local time at 11:45 pm Thursday. Fare choices from Vancouver/Victoria to London:

Economy – one way (OW) = $356.00

Economy – return (RT) = $661.00

Tourist (OW) = $419

Tourist (RT) = $775

1^st Class (OW) = $595

1^st Class (RT) = $1089

De Luxe (OW) =$645

De Luxe (RT) = $1179

SIHS is looking for photographs of TCA Connies, DC-3, Viscount, and DC-6 aircraft. Older photographs (…say less than the year 2000) of any aircraft associated with VIA and Vancouver airport buildings in general are also sought as part of our running inventory of structures of Sea Island. …and yes, we’d like any photos of your Sea Island residence too. Please contact SIHS if you can help with this.

Thanks to Richard Cook and Sonja Mandic, the Vancouver International Airport and Sea Island community newspaper “Skytalk” has an article in their January 2006 issue about the Sea Island Heritage Society. We hope to become a regular contributor of older-year photos and stories to Skytalk. Help us out by sharing your memories and pictures. See their online issue (s) at: http://www.yvr.com/authority/news/skytalk.asp?id=2003

The Comox Air Force Museum on Vancouver Island forwarded scans of three aerial photographs of the Sea Island Airport in 1936. Thanks to them for keeping in touch with SIHS. Check out their website too: http://www.comoxairforcemuseum.ca/ The Comox Air Force Museum put the Sea Island Heritage Society in contact with 443 Squadron at Pat Bay (Victoria Int’l Airport). Last year 443 Sqdn asked SIHS for help to locate photos regarding 443 Squadron history. Some time ago the Squadron’s photo collection disappeared and is just now being replaced. If you have any appropriate photos or information on 443 from the 1950’s, please contact SIHS. Thanks, especially to their volunteer librarian, Allison Hetman who goes out of her way to ensure that anything remotely connected to the RCAF on Sea Island gets reported to us right away! Thanks Allison, appreciate your keen eye and photo copying/scanning skills <gg>

Over the years there’s been a lot of sports played on Sea Island. I recall baseball and a few broken windows and a dented car fender from playing scrub on the roadways instead of at the park or school grounds where we should have been. Who were some of the coaches that put in so many volunteer hours? In the late 40’s and early 50’s George McGREGOR coached the “Tigers” baseball team on Sea Island while Bill BOWMAN coached the other boy’s team, the “Indians”. What were some of the other names of the teams, players and coaches? Cora Brown had the Slicers.

Please write or post and tell SIHS about your best and worst day on Sea Island. Were you ever frustrated at the long traffic line-ups caused by one of the many bridge openings on Sea Island? ‘Ever miss a flight? ‘Ever have medical emergency delayed by traffic on Sea Island? ...ever been chased by a cow at one of Grauer’s or McDonald’s farms? Oh oh! That must be worth a story or three!

Duck Island was a small Island beside the Lulu Island community of Bridgeport in the Middle Arm of the Fraser River. It was used to support piers for the east end of the Eburne Bridge from Sea Island. In the 1940’s and 50’s it had a nice sandy beach perfect for swimming and a few fishermen had a float there. John Mowat was a fisherman there. Mowatt plus the Tompkins, Charles Edward, George Lewis and Mary are all listed in the 1942/43 Richmond Directory. Does anyone know the names of any others that resided there – likely on boats or perhaps a houseboat? Allan MacNeill recalled in a February 2006 email, “There was a set of steps from the middle arm bridge to give access to Duck Island. My Uncle Walter MacNeill had his gas boat there for a spell. ……the time frame is around 1938 Plus or Minus.” Al added in an April 24, 2006 email, “Jack Matheson had a small structure on Duck Island. It was only a facility for net repairs etc, a shack and net rack. Jack Matheson lived on Sea Island near the Bicknells. Jack had several children. I think there were 3 boys and 4 girls”. “GT recalls that a Jackie Ellis lived on a house boat between Duck Island and Lulu Island. Jack Ellis said he and several others like a Betty Stout and a Beerman were residents of Duck Island. They were in flat houses that were later pulled over to the Lulu Island shore..”

Does anyone have any old photographs of Duck Island or events/activities on Duck Island? See also former Bridgeport resident, S. Waldman’s comments on our SIHS website guest book about squatters living there and her learning to swim at Duck Island. http://www.seaislandhome.org/

Al Gleeson did commercial fishing for a while with [his neighbour/friend], Jack Later, on a gillnetter that he/they owned. It was called the ‘Jackal’. Al’s daughter Fran Mercier said in June 2010 that she has a photo of them in the back yard, each with a sack of fish. Who were some of the other commercial fishermen from Sea Island and what were the names of their boats?

Were Ronald Buss (b ca1942) and Marvin Buss (b ca 1941) siblings? – both of RCAF Station Sea Island.

Irene Schlitt is seeking contact with 1956 RHS Grad, Sally Graham, formerly of the Cora Brown subdivision Please contact SIHS and let us know. Thanks.

Gillian Hannah posted a query to the SIHS website on January 8, 2006 seeking any information pertaining to the disappearance of an RCAF aircraft from Sea Island on January 29, 1953 involving her mother’s first husband, then 27-yr old Army Corporal George Hilbert Vickers on behalf of her half-brother who was born shortly after the flight went missing. Gillian said that her brother’s father was in the Army, based at Jericho Beach at the supply depot. The Airforce was flying rations to an American Camp and he had the opportunity to go for a ride and took up the chance.

Stan Goddard, (Captain, retired) and a former RCAF Sea Island airman assisted and said in a January 12, 2006 email:

“I flew with 121 SAR during that time as a Radio Officer and was involved in a variety of searches. I was on search Jan 30 and if my memory serves me correctly this has to be for one of our Daks. The crew would normally be 5 but I remember a mention of passengers.

The day that run was to take place (if it is the correct one) was very strange indeed. To start with the weather was quite dicey with freezing rain aloft and lots of other weather.

Freezing rain meant clear icing, bad news for a slow aircraft. The flight was nearly cancelled as no one wanted to fly it.” The aircraft was never located, other than a wheel assembly that washed up on a beach that was identified as coming from the missing C-47 Dakota aircraft.

The Comox Air Force Museum register of aircraft accidents and incidents provides the following information about the disappearance of pilot F/O Duncan and 6 others in an RCAF Dak.

Douglas Dakota 4T #985 [the military version of the Douglas DC-3 airliner)

29-1-53 (Note error – date should be Jan 28, 1953)

not found

Aircraft with 7 aboard left Vancouver for Puntzi Lake, via Princeton-Dog Lake, and disappeared. Complete u/c assembly located at Boat Cove, Lasqueti Island. Probable area: 49.25N 124.15W (SAR-156)

Pilot: Duncan

Crew: 6, not named

Further research has led us to the names, including passenger, Army Corporal George H Vickers. The 6 crew that perished in the January 28 1953 Dakota accident are memorialized in the new Veteran's Affairs Canada (VAC) "7th Book of Remembrance" (post war) in Ottawa “In the Service of Canada”. This book is online on the Canadian Veteran’s Affairs website

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/books/b7thbook/d7th

and further details are published in the Canadian Virtual War Memorial at URL: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem

Does anyone know if there is plaque or a monument placed anywhere else to honour the memory of these Sea Islanders? (besides the commemorative brass plaque dedicated June 2004) and located in the Air Park of the Comox Air Force Museum that states: “IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE BRAVES SOULS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AS MEMBERS OF 442 SQUADRON IN THE SERVICE OF CANADIANS”

Read more about Gene Vickers’ persistent search for information on the last flight of RCAF Dakota #985 in the March 17, 2006 issue of the Vancouver Sun, pages B-2 and B-3.

Who remembers the Marpole theatre and the other stores in Marpole at it’s heyday in the mid-50’s? There was Tad’s Sporting Goods Store further up on Granville, but a short stroll. The bus loop was there to meet the trams over to downtown Vancouver, over to Lulu Island for Bridgeport, Brighouse and Steveston. Who recalls playing in the big covered sawdust pile nearby while waiting for a bus or Roy’s Fish and Chips (mmmmh!)? What stories do you have to tell? What caused the demise of the once flourishing business section of Marpole? For the answer and a delightful walk down memory lane go to the Marpole Museum and Historical Society webpage at: http://www.marpolehistorical.ca/. To be reminded of some old western movies and actors click on http://objflicks.com/thoseoldwesterns.htm Bryan Connor used to live in the Bridgeport area of Lulu Island (Richmond, B.C.). He posted the following memories on December 5, 2008 to the SIHS website guest book, “It brought back a lot of memories looking thru your photos. Well done! I can see that a lot of work has gone into this site. When ever I can find the time I shall go thru my photos. I began school in 1949 at Bridgeport School and got to know lots of the kids from Sea Island in Cambie Jr. High. I lived on Charles St which was just over the Eburne bridge. I can remember the many times we would walk or ride our bikes over the bridges to get to Marpole.to see a movie at the theatre there or just to watch TV in the window of the Mc & Mc store. Memories....things were so different back in those days...Sunday was a great day to ride over to Airport and watch the planes landing or taking off. You could sit on bench right our in front of the terminal and see the passengers coming and going.” Doug Eastman added in an email response to Bryan, “I started School in 1950. I went to Cambie Jr High in 57 and 58. I agree with your memories of the Marpole area. As a kid we too biked to Marpole and the Oak Street pool - sometimes all the way to Stanley Park. But Sea Island was the best place to bike and hike. The river banks were always a draw for fishing, making forts, willow whistles, and generally getting into mischief, etc! Some of the hay lofts in old barns were also tempting for kids to build forts in. Do you recall the big sawdust pile beside the bus loop in Marpole? What kid didn't go home with tell-tale sawdust in his shoes or cuffs of their pants after playing on that? The airport always attracted many aircraft and people watchers including kids young and old!” We parked our bikes up against the fences outside the airport terminal so we could see all the action. Do you remember the smell of the noisy engines wafting through the mesh fence and the blast of the prop wash as the big DC-3 and 4 airliners turned around outside the terminal

Carol Conner (nee Tait) said that her relatives started the Marpole Theatre.

Brian Noakes of Toronto, who used to live at the Sea Island Army Camp 1944-49 said in April 2009 that he recalls the Marpole Theatre, “I remember going to the Saturday matinees to see the serial movies of Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autrey, and Roy Rogers.”

SIHS was pleased to obtain a small photo collection of airport related photos by Ernie Kilroe. One of the photos is of Air France SST Concorde Supersonic Jetliner during a visit to Expo86. We can’t make out the registration on the tail of this Air France Concorde and wondered if anyone could please tell us which SST this was. Was it F-BVFB?

A British Airways SST may have carried British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Vancouver from London on July 11, 1986 to visit Expo86. Thanks again Ernie! We’re also pleased that Ernie has also unearthed photos and a contact with family members connected to the former Fish family farm on Shannon Road.

Bob St Michel of Cambie Street, Vancouver BC, dropped off his folder of Sea Island information in Feb 2007. He knew a chap with the last name McDonald that lived on Lancaster Crescent that worked for Boeing as a machinist. Bob recalled that Mr. McDonald's address in 1947 was Eburne, BC. Bob St. Michael also recalled Charlie Vunontier that was with the RCAF on Sea Island in 1943 and 44 when he went overseas. Charlie was on a groundcrew. Does anyone else know these two gentlemen and could they put SIHS in touch with either of them or their families? Thanks! And thanks to Bob St Michael.

Woodward’s Highway was a small road in the NE corner of Sea Island in the small but thriving community of Eburne between the Eburne and Marpole Bridges in the late thirties. It housed a few residents near Grauer’s Store and Blacksmith shop. It later became part of Airport Road. Residents who lived there once included: Les and Carl Grauer, Burns Welding Shop, a filling station, Riedlingers, Rutherfords, J.W. McGinness, Postmaster and the Post Office. Former BC Hydro Chairman and UBC Chancellor Dal Grauer’s wife was a Shirley Woodward. Could her family have resided on Sea Island at one time? Nathan WOODWARD and his son Dan were two of the original 1879 patentees when the Municipality of Richmond was created. Apparently they were residing Lulu Island in 1901. Perhaps they held land on Sea Island too? Does anyone have any idea who it was named after?

Gordon Swanson, Superintendent of Aircraft Maintenance and Manufacturing, Transport Canada, Richmond (Lysander Building) is putting together a training presentation for his staff in the office to increase their awareness of the local aircraft maintenance history. He is interested in any early (1920-1940) photos of hangars and aircraft repair shops on Sea Island and Lulu Island such as Lansdowne field, Wells Air Harbour, Coates Aircraft and others he may not be aware of. Can anyone else assist him with information or provide photos? Gordon can be reached at by phone at (604) 666-6122, or e-mail: swansogATtc.gc.ca

SIHS is seeking contact with Arlene and Judy Ellen Leier formerly of 479 Miller Road. We’d also like to be put in touch with Stephen and Ralph Jarvis of 516 Ferguson Road who attended the Sea Island Elementary School in the 1950’s.

The Sea Island Heritage Society is seeking info on an Alec or Alex Lockhart and family. Our research to date indicates Alex S. LOCKHART was a production manager at Boeing Canada, Sea Island. He and his wife Olive lived at 161 Wellington Crescent in 1945. Alec Lockhart was listed as a graveyard supervisor in the Boeing Beam, March 1943 issue. In the "Boeing Beam" Vol. 1, No. 6, March 17, 1943 Alex Lockhart is listed as Night Supervisor, Plant 1, 1A. Alex Lockhart is listed in the Boeing Beam, Vol. 1, No. 19 as Evening Shift Supervisor at Plant 1 moved to i/c new Boeing (Nelson, B.C.) Assembly Plant. Are Alec Lockhart and Alex Lockhart the same person? Can anyone please put us in touch with this family? Thx.

For an interesting article about Discovering Sea Island’s history. See the article by contributing columnist Mary Gazetas in the August 13, 2005 online issue. If you go to www.richmondreview.com hit community, scroll down you will see the piece about the SIHS. Also, you have to take a peek at her August 6 column on Burkeville. Both are excellent! – Thanks Mary.

For those interested, the 1911 Canada Census is now posted online. The total population on Sea Island at the time appears to be 959. That may include the Acme and Vancouver salmon canneries on the middle arm; plus those on Dinsmore and Swishwash Island if they were still all operating at the time. To find information on families enumerated by William E Buckingham in June 1911 on Sea Island see New Westminster District #11, Sub-District #9 Richmond Municipality pages 1- 20

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/1911/index-e.html

The copies are pretty poor and transcribing is going to be very difficult. If anyone would like to volunteer to help with this transcribing, please contact Eunice Robinson or Doug Eastman. Contact info at the top of this page.

Sad to hear that former RCAF Sea Island member Hank R Hall passed away in Comox, B.C. in October 2009. His wife said that Harold enjoyed his time at Sea Island and spoke of it often. Our sincere condolences to his wife Lynne and family.

Les HORNER, Foreman of Shop 33, Plant 3 (Sea Island) is mentioned in the "Boeing Beam" Vol. 1, No. 6, March 17, 1943. Although a Boeing employee, Les Horner did not reside on Sea Island at the time. His brother Geof (Edna) Horner family lived at 15 Catalina Crescent. Thanks to Russell Horner we now have further information on former Boeing employees like, his uncle Les (above), his father, the late Geof Horner and brother of Les Horner. Geof Horner was Boeing’s Paymaster. We were provided the names of other Boeing employees at Sea Island: Graham Walley (lived next door to the Horner family at 15 Catalina Crescent) and Rolland Hatch, a sheet metal worker. Does anyone have additional info on any of these former Boeing workers?

SIHS is seeking a house number on Anson Avenue that the Burns family lived in during the 1950’s. Their children were, Ken and Eileen b. ca1940. Also John McAstocker said that his family first moved to Anson Avenue in the early 1950’s before settling in a home at 113, then 337 Catalina Crescent. Anyone know the Anson Avenue address for John’s family?

SIHS posted a copy of a 1958 map of the locations of buildings on RCAF station Sea Island from an Air Show program kindly donated by former RCAF member René Bousquet of St Stephens, NB. Can you please help identify the use and/or names of the various buildings. Take a look at the blue-coloured map near the bottom of our RCAF page at URL: http://www.seaislandhome.org /RCAF.html Which building was the transient Barrack for out of town or visiting servicemen and women? Where was the Chapel located? Who could forget the airmen’s bar called the Schooner Club. ‘Bet someone has a story or two about that place! Thanks to Scott and Bob who have responded so far

If you are familiar to the new "google earth" tool and you make a close-up approach view to the "Vancouver International Airport" (49º11'40,65'' N ; 123º10'47,32'' W) you can see lots of airliners attending the main terminal. If you scroll south a bit you can enjoy seeing all the old buildings around the South Terminal. Who can see the old TCA Viscount near the BCIT buildings, and the Grumman Tanker with its wings folded up? Eunice can you see your car parked at the Air Canada employee parking lot? Of course they’re all gone over to the new BCIT Aerospace Centre at the old Dinsmore Island location. (except for the Viscount – it went over to the Air Museum at Pat Bay Airport, Victoria, B.C.) I love clicking on all the photo links on Sea Island. Then there is nearby Burkeville and its wonderful tree shaded streets. They sure didn’t have those swimming pools around when I lived there <g>. Zoom in on the Sea Island Elementary School. Can you find the Sea Island Equestrian Centre on Ferguson Road? If your scrolling, zooming, twisting and tilting brings back some memories, please tell us! Have fun! ……you can download the free version of "Google Earth" at: http://kh.google.com/download/earth/index.html

Google also introduced a new feature on October 7, 2009 which provides a STREET VIEW. On the Internet, go to Google Maps and put in any address for the Burkeville or South Terminal area and a map will pop up. If you drag the “golden man” over to the street that you want to view street level photos of the houses, people or cars will come into view. It’s a nifty way for former residents of Burkeville to see what their “old” homes look like today. It appears that Google likely took the street view photos about Spring of 2009. Please send us your comments about the comparison of your house, then and now. Send us a photo of your former Sea Island home.

Re: Sea Island, B.C. - RCN or RCNVR during WWII - We are trying to record the history of the Navy Training area that was on the old wharf and marine gas dock of the former Acme Cannery. This was located on the shore of the Middle Arm of the Fraser River on Sea Island ca1942. (now YVR - Vancouver Int'l Airport in Richmond, B.C.) Can anyone tell us about it, Unit #, etc. Was it part of HMCS Discovery in Vancouver? Allan MacNeill of Vancouver, B.C. replied in a June 30, 2005 email, “I cannot recall any Naval training on Sea Island. I doubt if HMCS Discovery would be involved. They were primarily involved in Cadet work, Inspections for new RCNVR recruits, some basic training was done there. The active RCN command was on the DND property , Building 306. a three story structure located on the South west corner of Highbury and 4th Ave. I do however remember an active Naval operation on Lulu Island at the Scotch Canadian Cannery site, west of Steveston proper. At Garry Point. A naval inspection vessel was stationed there to check the traffic proceeding upstream in the main arm (south arm). When I joined the Navy I got a medical inspection at Discovery and was sent to HMCS Chippawa in Winnipeg for my Basic Training, I was however discharged at Discovery. I did not know the Naval rating Chuck Mills shown sitting at this “Navy” site on Sea Island with Margaret Novak (nee Bicknell) in the 1940’s photo that Margaret kindly donated.”

Margaret Novak (nee Bicknell)’s brother was Gordon Bicknell who was interview for the 1994 Rogers Cable TV Production, “Sea Island, Then and Now” Gordon Bicknell explained a bit more than the following about the RCNVR on Sea Island. Gordon sad that three Navy Ratings came and took over some of the former Japanese homes to set up training on large guns on a newly created cement pad at the end of the cannery wharf. “Ratings from all over the lower mainland came here to practice their required large gun training.” Read more about Naval Ratings in the website: http://www.mpmuseum.org/rcnrank_ratings2.html

SIHS recently became the keepers of a wonderful pewter beer mug as memorabilia. Inscribed on the mug is: D.K. Game, 121. C&R FLT, FROM THE OFFICERS RCAF STN SEA ISLAND BC. SIHS would like to know more about Officer Game and where he lived on Sea Island, when and why he was presented with such a “coveted” cup. It appears airmen and airwomen leaving RCAF Stn Sea Island received this as a token, parting gift. Solved. Both officers and others received this coveted cup. SIHS received info from former Sea Island RCAF Stn, Stan Goddard on August 13, 2005:

(on your Sea Island Heritage Society website – missing persons page) There was an enquiry re a beer mug with the inscription - DK Game on it.

It was tradition for officers leaving a base to be presented with an engraved pewter mug by the appropriate mess. I am not certain if the other rank's messes did the same.

My mug has 'F/O SB Goddard, 121 C&R Flight, from THE OFFICERS, RCAF STN, Sea Island, BC.

DK Game, called King Game, was a Squadron Leader flying Cansos and Daks. I flew with him on numerous occasions.

A gentleman and excellent pilot who, due to his experience and flying ability, saved our lives on a particular trip to Holberg Radar Site on Vancouver Island, night landing our Canso ,in fog and near zero visibility, at Cold Harbour.

Hope this helps with the inquiry, the date of his presentation is unknown to me but probably in the early'50s.

Stan Goddard (Capt retired). SIHS thanks Stan 

Fred Greene of Comox, B.C. donated his pewter mug received from the RCAF in May 1957. Fred donated numerous other pieces of memorabilia and photos of life on the air base on Sea Island in the fifties. Thanks Fred.

SIHS and RCAF Vet Herb Braun of Nanaimo are seeking contact with Wilf Hodgson or Hodgison of 442 Squadron Sea Island – Air Frame (1950s) who may be in the New Westminster area. Regret to advise that Herb passed away in Nanaimo on September 12, 2008.

Attention Vancouver Island Military B.R.A.T.s or Vets, Neil Blue is trying to contact Elizabeth (Topping) Boudreau. She has recently moved to the Comox area. If you can help, please contact Neil at: blue_boyATtelusplanet.net

Can anyone please tell SIHS some of the names of the children in the 1952 Sea Island School Drama Festival as seen on the BC Archives website. See URL: http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/cgi-bin/www2i/.visual/img_med/dir_22/i_22600.gif

SIHS would like to know what the NINETTE CLUB was about. According to a local newspaper clipping, the Ninette club was entertained on Tuesday evening, November 7, 1950, by Mrs. Olive Durmont at the home of her sister Mrs. George Upper 216 Stirling Avenue. Mrs. J. Orrock and Mrs. D Greenman won at Bingo.

Where on McDonald Road did they reside? The First Twins Born in the Cora Brown subdivision were born in May 1951 to Mr. & Mrs. Stan Peterson, McDonald Road (proud parents of twin girls)

DORCHAK. Does anyone know if the Joseph Dorchak, 205 Anson Avenue that is listed on the 1958 Voters for Sea Island (kindly donated recently by Joanne Dunn) is the same Joseph Dorchak listed as deceased in the Legion Magazine’s “Last Port” article in 1996?

R. SIMISTER, of R.R. 1, Eburne, British Columbia is listed among 89 WW ll Canadian Convoy Signalmen being sought online at URL: http://laing.cc/convoy/ If you know of this person or if the family resided on Sea Island, please contact the SIHS and the person posting this request on the ‘Net: bertATlaingelectronics.com

Juanita Ferguson is seeking contact with a female adoptee born April 3, 1949 that has a connection with the Sea Island Air Force Base. See URL: http://registry.adoption.com/b_adoptee_first_name_J,67.html

If you or your family were expropriated for airport expansion, please tell us your story. When did it take place and under what circumstances? We’d like to record the names and address of those homes that have disappeared from Sea Island. Many of these homes were shipped by barge elsewhere and the Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) would like to document where they went. Can you help? Harry and Barbara Kohne kindly donated their boxes of papers, including an old copy of the McLean’s Magazine article that dealt with the Sea Island expropriation some years ago

Who recognizes the Boeing Aircraft employee with the word “Ray” or Roy on his coveralls at the City of Vancouver Archives photo collection, image Ref # CVA 1184-1343 Who can tell SIHS if these other Boeing workers were “Sea Islanders”? They are likely Boeing workers at Boeing headquarters on Georgia Street in Vancouver? See images Ref #CVA1184-1344 and Ref #CVA1184-1359 Click on URL: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca (then follow the links to the archived photo collection). Enjoy all the other “Sea Island” photos from the Jack Lindsay Ltd. Photographers fonds on that Vancouver Archives website including the July 27, 1942 launching of the first PBY5-A Canso dubbed “Athlone”. One of 55 built there for the RCAF. Please let SIHS know if you recognize anyone in the photographs at the Sea Island plant.

The first amphibian PBY patrol bomber built on Sea Island during WWII was named “Athlone”, while the last of the PBY-5As was named the “David Hornell”. Does anyone have any information on other aircraft built by Boeing on Sea Island that were given names? Any photos of the Boeing Company associated with Sea Island?

Who recalls the Soddam family? Can someone please give SIHS a contact or info? Thx. Frances Soddam was born in the 30’s and lived on Miller Road. He went to school with Doreen Bickner (nee Alexander).

The RCAF Marine Section assigned the M-12 “Atlin” to Sea Island. Was this a crash tender boat and where on Sea Island was it moored? – ditto the RCAF M-427, a 70-ton ex-seiner “BC Star”. Where was it posted when it mysteriously vanished July 23 1943?). Thanks to “Mike” for his March 22, 2010 email with a copy of the B.C. History pdf Newsletter - A Journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation, Vol. 40, No. 3, pages 23-25. "Third Time Lucky": 64 yrs later WWII airman's grave finally gets the correct headstone - by Dirk Septer. Page 575 of the book, "They Shall Grow Not Old" by the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Inc., Brandon, MB indicates that Maurice Daniel Onuski was the recovered airman. The new headstone was installed October 2007 at the Meadow Island Cemetery, Bella Bella, B.C. The BC Star was attached to the RCAF Western Air Command Headquarters in Vancouver, so was likely posted to the Jericho Beach Station. Can anyone confirm that? Thanks.

Valerie Hooper said on May 3, 2003 that she is seeking information on her father, Owen Hooper who was some type of apprentice pre-1936 at the Vancouver Airport (south terminal) area. He might have been an apprentice mechanic. Please contact Valerie at vjhooperATaol.com

SIHS is seeking contact with Irene Bourrice or anyone knowing her whereabouts. She lived on Sea Island about 1951 and may have been born around 1936/37. Apparently she either taught Sunday School at the United Church or was affiliated with the United Church about 1951. Thanks to Miriam in May 2010, we have located information about Irene.

Please tell us the name of the family who lived on the easterly point of Woods Island behind Cora Brown subdivision, towards the back of the Laings? They lived there for 3-4 years in a shack made out of driftwood. G. Todd thought his name was just “Old John”. Ken McDonald of Madeira Park, B.C. said in a January 4, 2006 email that he was John Cacius an eccentric Polish Immigrant who first worked in a meat plant in New York. He was powerfully built and said at one time he could carry a half a beef carcass. He built a driftwood shack on the sand outside the dyke on the north side of Sea Island adjacent to McGregor's farm. i.e. McDonald Beach. Ken recalled, “John was elderly when I knew him and worked occasionally for me on the farm. Ken said, “I gave him a Jersey bull calf which he raised on condensed milk etc. from Grauer's Store. When I came around it would run to the shack and paw at the door to get in. John had a bicycle and the animal would follow him a couple of miles to Grauer's Store and back. It finally got hard to handle and had to go.”

Which would be correct for a family entry in the Cora Brown Chapter: DON, Hart (or HART, Don?) – r 518 Grauer Rd - as listed on the 1960 petition to protest the removal of the #5 Eburne Bridge.

The Sea Island Heritage Society (SIHS) wishes contact with Garth and Karen (Cheryl?) CHORNEY formerly of 161 Wellington Crescent and 58 Lancaster Crescent. Were they related to the Chorneys on Miller Road? One of the Chorneys was a professional football player.

SIHS is seeking a photograph of an RCAF Kittyhawk aircraft to use with our history project. The photograph should come without copyright issues. Credit will be given to the photographer and/or the donor. This is the old Curtiss Kittyhawk P-40 single engine fighter that used to be stationed on Sea Island during WW11 with the 111 and 133 (f) Squadrons.

Lois Foster of Ste #3, Barrack Block #8, RCAF was in A.S.G. Scott’s grade seven class in 1949/50. There is also a Lionel James Foster in one the 1950’s class registers without an address. Is he from the same family?

SIHS Seeking whereabouts of Marj BERRY - Sea Island Dance Studio. BERRY, Arth S (Marjorie) ftr Boeing - r 116 Douglas (1945 Eburne Directory). BERRY, Arth & Marjorie Berry - children Robert and Joan. Mrs. Berry of Douglas Crescent, taught dance classes, first in her Burkeville garage, then at the Sea Island Community Hall. Art Cunningham said that Marg Berry's sister was Mrs. Parkins also of Burkeville. We’d like to establish contact with movie actress Barbara Parkins. Barbara, if you read this, please contact us so we can add your family story to the Sea Island Heritage Society records. Bob Berry was last known to reside in or near Nanaimo, B.C. Bob or Joan, if you read this, please contact us. Thx.

Gary Snider and Barbara Kennedy are handwritten in on Mr. A.S.G. Scott's grade seven register but with no indication they actually attended his 1949/50 class) of Sea Island in the school register with no address. Can anyone shed any light on where on Sea Island they lived? Army Barracks?? Update Nov 03: Butch thought that Gary Snider lived on Miller Road between Wellington and the Sea Island School

Harvey Stewart kindly donated a 1937 photograph of the Army Tent Camp on Sea Island (thx Harvey). Sometime later permanent side-by- side duplex “hutments” were built on East and West Boulevards off Doherty Road just south of the Burkeville Subdivision. We think that they were generally 60'x24' wood tar-paper sheathed huts. Some had cedar shingle siding. Now we’re trying to confirm this and determine the dates that the hutments were constructed and when they were torn down. Research indicates this would be sometime in the period of 1940 to 1953 as ‘outside’ dates. Can anyone help with information or photos of this establishment? The 1947 Telephone Directory provided that there were 8 addresses on East Boulevard and 12 addresses on West Boulevard. There were also some military hutments on McDonald Road too. Apparently the Cranswicks & Colburns lived in the Army huts on McDonald Road, just south of Grauer Road near Butlers Store. Who recalls who else lived there and where did those huts go? Some of the former Army huts served as education facilities at UBC in 1945. Were some of them shipped from Sea Island?

Does anyone have a picture of Cora Brown’s Ray Connett’s old Studebaker “Erskine” car that sat covered in brambles across the road from Mr. & Mrs. McGuiness' house on McDonald Road by the Bruce's home, for years until it crumbled. It had wooden spoke-wheels.

Jeannette Claridge (nee Glover) of Nelson, B.C. reported in Oct 2004, that thanks to this column, school chums had “found” her and she was able to attend the 50th class reunions for King Edward High School students, 1950-54. Jeannette is also looking to contact former friends from Burkeville, including Elsie Sturgeon, Leona Pitre and Lois Barrowclough. She is also seeking contact with classmates in Mr. Patterson’s grade 5-6 split class in 1947/48 June Bradley, Colleen Green, etc. She was also seeking contact with including Mary & Jerry Hall, Contact via SIHS website posting. Flash, Nov 03 – June has been located in Naramata, BC

Grant Thompson said in a September 2005 email that they had a great time at the 50 year Richmond High School reunion. He added that there were not too many Sea Islanders in attendance (Barb Hoggard, Jack Alexander, John Campbell, Fay Connett, myself) were about it. In all there were about 110 people there. Who else has stories of their High School Reunions. What surprises were there?

Butch Glusman attended the 1957 (50^th) Grad Reunion for Richmond high School. There were some classmates from that class they were unable to get in touch with. Does anyone know where Bruce Fitzgerald is? He used to live on Wellington Crescent on Sea Island. His mother ran the Burkeville Beauty Shop out of their home in 1945. Also, they found no contact with Ron Danko. Is anyone in contact with Ron (formerly of Wellington Crescent, Sea Island, B.C.)?

Who has some stories about the workers at the various canneries? Especially the Aylmer Vegetable Cannery on Lulu Island? Many Sea Island ladies walked to and from work at Aylmer’s in their big boots, white coveralls and white kerchiefs. Allan MacNeill of Vancouver, B.C. provided this response about workers at the Aylmer Vegetable Cannery (container food) on Lulu Island River Road across the Middle Arm near Moray Channel Bridge:

Al's notes indicate - some names associated with the cannery circa 1941:

Joe Capella ran the steam retorts*

Phyllis Tait (from Terra Nova) - can setter. Jen added that Phyllis Tait is associated with family that VLA Tait Subdivision is named after)

Sammy Sam of Beckwith Road, Richmond (Lulu Island)

Al MacNeill (of Marpole, Vancouver, BC) - Al and Sammy were the team that took the filled and sealed cans off the conveyer line using large 'grasping' forks. These forks took about 18 or so filled tin cans off the "hot can line" and filled the trays which were destined for the ministrations of Joe Capella's retort activities. The cans came at an alarming rate of speed. It was all Sam and I could do to keep up. Exhortations from Joe Capella did not help.

*retorts - big steam pressure cooker that takes the 6 or 7 high racks of tin cans and cooks them.

SIHS also thanks City of Richmond Councilor, Harold Steves for adding:

Joe Capella was foreman of the concrete crew for the construction of the Oak Street Bridge. There wasn't much concern for safety. The bridge pillars went up 60 feet in the air and we had to climb a 2X4 ladder every time we poured concrete. Joe was afraid of heights and tied a 3" manilla rope around his waist every time we went on top to make a pour. When on top he tied himself to the forms. I don't know what would have happened if he fell. He was a big man. As the kid on the job I would hang over the side with one hand holding on to catch the rope to guide the cement bucket when it came up. I shudder when I think about it. Someone on another crew fell off a barge and drowned under the tram trestle. Joe Capella's son lives on a farm and has a roadside stand just off highway 10 on the way to Cloverdale.

Unrelated to this article, but interesting; you can read more about retorts in relation to Richmond's fish canneries located at URL: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/georgia/hist-story/scottish_immigrants_e.asp

Grant Thompson also said in a June 30, 2005 email. “further to the Aylmer Cannery story, My mom, Etta Thompson also unloaded new cans with that long fork from railroad boxcars all through the canning season this included string beans and weeks of canning peas of various sizes. They would stand on a platform to start the upper rows of cans. They used a wooden fork device and if they did it right they could take off complete layers of cans, probably two or three forks full per layer, they would be placed on a conveyor and the cans would roll down hill into the cannery. Once they got room enough in the boxcar two people would work from each side on separate conveyors otherwise the open end of the cans would be mixed up. There were a lot of Sea Island ladies working there. The area was open and right next to the road so we could watch them working. Further to Joe Cappella, the women used to complain about him spraying them with water or steam from the hoses that he used to keep the floor clean.

Most of the women had projects that they used their pay for, eg. refrigerators that were starting to replace the ice boxes, oil stoves that were starting to replace the wood or sawdust burning stoves and electric washing machines and the like. There weren't any electric stoves or clothes driers yet because all the houses only had a 30 amp 110 volt service. No freezers yet, most of the produce was canned when in season or bought from the Chinese vegetable truck that went by twice a week. Some families had a frozen food locker at Ridley Ice and Cold Storage in Marpole. This was located where the Scottish Hall now is near 72nd and Hudson.

Shopping was usually done once a week at the Red & white store or the Safeway store in Marpole except for meat which was bought as required to get it fresh (no refrigeration) There was hardly a day that went by that you didn't go into Marpole for something or other. It was only a one mile walk or bike ride or a shot bus ride there and back.”

Who were all the Sea Islanders that were commercial fishermen? Doreen Braverman was kind enough to list some of the fishermen associated with the Acme and Vancouver Canneries. Thx Doreen  Allan MacNeill kindly donated photographs in June 2005 of his Dad’s fish boat, “Flora Mac” in the Middle Arm of the Fraser at the Vancouver Cannery c1943. His Dad, A.R. (Roy) MacNeill was principal of Richmond high School at the time.

SIHS has some Sea Island names associated with the towboat industry: Hodder, Gates, Brodie, Cotton, Eastman, Parker and Cyril Porter, Jimmy Gordon, Claude and John McAstocker, Davidson, Conley, Hillman. LeGoff, Pearce, Pickup, Mogul, Joe Smith, Howard G Smith, Geo Upper, Webber, Geo Woodward. …surely there were more than that? (and there has to be some good marine industry history tales to share! Cathi Woodward recalls that a John Stuart on Lancaster was a tugboat operator. Butch Glusman recently found a grocery receipt from Grauer’s store dated February 12, 1959 made out to the tugboat “Point Grey King”. We can’t make out the signature of the person who signed it. If you were a crew member with Point Grey Towing, please contact us so we can arrange to show you the receipt and find out who signed for the groceries. Who recalls the Sea Island Towing Company put together by Bob Hodder, Ed Probyn, Joe Smith and others? There is some great reading from the history of the Hodder Tugboat Co. Ltd. See URL: http://www.hoddertug.com/history.htm

Does anyone have any information on the Sea Island Intermediate Square Dancing Group? Apparently dance sessions were held at the Sea Island Community Hall in the 1950's. Who were Mrs. L. McDonald and Mrs. Ray Kerfoot? Did they reside on Sea Island? Speaking of Dance. Who recalls Aida Knapp’s School of Dance at the Community Centre?

Harold Steves replied in Nov, 2006 that Mrs. Ray Kerfoot and her husband both ran the square dance group. Sometimes they had their square dance group perform on a truck in the July 1st parade. They operated "Rays" store in Steveston in the early 1950's. It was a "15 cent store". (Does that make me old as dirt?) The store is still there and is a bargain appliance store. Thanks Harold.

Aida Knapp’s Dance Photo Collection has been donated to the Richmond Archives by her sons.

SIHS is seeking contact with ANY former RCAF Station Sea Island servicemen and servicewomen and/or their children. i.e. Diana Douglas (b. ca1941) of Air Force Station (ph: LA0102) was in Mrs. F. Scott’s grade one class in 1947/48.

The SIHS is seeking information on a Mrs. L. Campbell BROWN mentioned in a local Richmond newspaper article dated October 29, 1952 as being one of 20 members of the Sea Island Sunday School volunteers at the Community Hall. Specifically we are looking for the Sea Island address of her family.

Where is Louie Wekeen? (b. c1927). There is a newspaper clipping from an August 1939 Vancouver Sun describing how one of their paper carriers got to be a circus performer for a day at Sea Island. He was Louis "Louie" Wekeen, 12 years old, of 658 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC. We would like to get in touch with him or anyone else who attended the Circus performance when it came to Sea Island in August 1939. Do you remember the Elephants grazing in Grauer's fields? If anyone has photographs, old ticket stubs, newspaper clippings or souvenir programs of this or any other Sea Island event, please contact any of the Sea Island Heritage Society members.

Colleen Brooks (nee Cruikshank) would like to find Arlene Collins. Can you please help track Arlene down? Colleen can be reached at: colbrooksATshaw.ca

Maureen Ross (nee Stark) is asking other Canadian sailors or their families that sailed on the Kokanee in (I think it was) April 1945 in wartime Ireland to contact her as her Dad, Joseph Stark sailed on her during WWII. She is seeking the names of his shipmates and anyone that could identify photos of the crew from the photo of the ship and crew that she has. Others (including the children or grandchildren of her Dad's fellow sailors) might have the same photo with some of them already identified. Perhaps other Canadian Navy types settled in Richmond's Veteran's Land Administration (VLA) lands including the Cora Brown subdivision on Sea Island. So if you can help Maureen please contact her at: ross3166ATrogers.com

The SIHS wants to know what date and/or the family name of the first home in the 'Cora Brown' VLA subdivision was built or moved into. The Jack Bolton and Harold Hammell families both moved in about Christmas 1946. Anyone move in any earlier? The Gustavson family may have been one of the earliest families to locate there as well

Eunice Robinson (nee Hamalock) helped to spear–head the 8^th Cora Brown Reunion held at Richmond’s South Arm United Church on June 23, 2007. In a June 25^th email she said that she learned a couple of interesting connections - Loretta and Emery Galbiati of 481 Tapp Road were the first to arrive [in the Cora Brown / Tapp Road subdivision]. Loretta advised that she and John Weisgerber (Senior) of 539 Ferguson Road were brother and sister.

We are trying to compile a list of the names of the paperboys and girls on Sea Island and their routes. If you know of any carriers for the various newspapers, The Vancouver News-Herald, The Province, The Sun, The Star Weekly, etc, please contact the SIHS. Thanks for all the recent responses. If you were once or know someone who was we’d still like to hear from you. Here are some names we have. Can you help name any more paper boys (girls), the names of the papers they delivered, and some stories about their delivery escapades?: Bill Anthony, Glen and Bob Beauchamp, Morley Davidson, Johnny Bujak, Johnny Campbell (The Vancouver Herald), Glen Cunningham, Dave and Doug Eastman (The Province, The Monday Star Weekly), Butch Glusman, Richie Higgins and Les Inglis, Jerry Murray, Ralph and Jack Longstaff (The Province), Donald Clark (The Province), Wayne and Morley Greenman, Vic Marchand (The Province), Dick McClellan (The Province), Roy McDonald (The Vancouver Sun), Bob McLellan, Tom Montgomery, Ian Myron, Drew Parker, Don Phillips, Jesslyn Pyne (delivered the Sea Island Times), Bob Shaw, Scott Teasdale (The Monday Star Weekly), Grant and Faye Thompson, Mervin Volen delivered the News-Herald, plus the Vancouver Sun and Province. (Merv said he collected his papers at a drop off point at the end of the Marpole Bridge), Louis "Louie" Wekeen, Jim and Ken Wensink delivered Province newspapers and became managers, Dr. Anthony Yurkovich; Harvey Berg, Brian Noakes, and others (who?). Helen McLean recalls the time she took over the Star Weekly paper route from one of the Zaruk girls when their father passed away.

Glen Beauchamp said in an April 2004 email, “My brother Bob had a Sun route from Eburne to Cora Brown, McDonald Road to the army barracks then to Miller Road back to Airport Road. He had this route approximately 1942-1947. I had a Sun route which was basically north of Boeing Ave including Wellington, and Catalina. I had my route from 1942-1949. Initially we rode our bikes to Marpole for the papers and later they dropped my brother’s papers off at Eburne and my papers on Airport Rd at the entrance of Burkeville.”

Don Clark came to Burkeville in the spring of 1944 with his family and attended Cambie School for two years. While attending school, Don delivered the Province newspaper on Lancaster, Catalina and Douglas Crescents as well as the army camp area.

Don worked for Woolworth’s, Progressive Manufacturing, Madson’s Furniture & Lama Wood Products. He chummed around and rode motorcycle with friends, Bud Jordison, Harry Orrick, Neil Murray, Calvin Sturgeon, Sonny Angus, Stan Homer and Bill Terry.

Brothers Wayne and Morley Greenman had routes on Sea Island. Tom Ross was the first sub-manager for the Province Newspaper and ran the sub office out of a shed at the back of their home on Catalina (next to Cunningham’s) (GT).

Ted Steele of the Cora Brown subdivision delivered 140 daily Vancouver Sun papers. He said that he took over from Don Marshall around 1957/58 until 1960 when he passed it on to Doug Hardy. Ted also mentioned at the Nov 2005 SIHS Open House that Bill Bruce delivered the Vancouver Province as far out to the end of Ferguson Road. Doug Hamalock was a paperboy out in Cora Brown area.

Ken Simpson was also one of the newspaper shack ‘managers’ when the garage at the back of Mrs. Durham’s place was used by the carriers. Drew Parker said that Ken Simpson wasn’t from Sea Island.

Fay Thompson said, “I remember delivering papers with and for my brother [Grant] in the Cora Brown area.” Donald Marshall of 161 Myron Drive used to ride his horse, Tiny around Cora Brown area to deliver the “Province”.

Al MacNeil of Marpole said, “For a couple of years [1939/40] I had a News Herald paper route. What a route!! It extended from Maple Grove Park to Ash Street along Marine Drive. It also included Hudson Street to72nd Ave., and the side streets. I delivered papers to the Marpole Infirmary, the Eburne Hotel, Pacific Meat and various homes. But the prize customer lived on Sea Island so every morning in foul weather and fair, I had to cycle out to the Cooney farm on Miller Road and drop off one paper!! It was an early rise situation. I had to meet the first eastbound Tram which dropped off the papers for delivery. This was at 5 a.m. in the morning. I think I slept every afternoon in class at school!!!

Mervin Volen delivered both the Sun and the Province in the early 50’s. He recalls having Frasea Farms on his route and nearly always stopping for a drink of their “famous” chocolate milk. Oh how he remembers hearing his stomach gurgling as he rode his bike back down Grauer Road!

Ken Mitchell said that he delivered papers all over Sea Island in the late 30’s and 40’s. His younger brother Joe Mitchell had his photo on the front page of the Vancouver Province as he delivered the first newspaper to the first home at 300 Lancaster Crescent, Mr. B. Morris (and Yvonne) Neville or Nevile. Joe Mitchell, his brother Jack and their spouses attended the May 6, 2006 Open House at the Sea Island Community Hall. We are grateful to Joe for donating a large framed front page of the January 11, 1944 copy of the Vancouver Province with his photograph as a young paper boy delivering the first newspaper to Mr. Neville Morris on Lancaster Crescent in the new Burkeville subdivision.

Ed Stover lived in the military housing by Burkeville from 1967-1972. Ed said that he delivered the Richmond Review and had a Vancouver Sun paper route for a couple of years and added, “I picked up papers by the Legion, delivered down Miller Road, and then in the military housing.”

Jessica Commons said in October 2007 that Keith was a paper boy for both the Province and the Sun. He remembers picking up papers in shacks behind Eastman's and Durham's houses.

Bob McLellan of Burnaby said in April 2009, “back in the early 50's I delivered paper's [on Sea Island]. The Star Weekly (16 cents) first, then the Morning Herald, The Province (When it was a daily) and finally the Vancouver Sun. Won a trip to Disneyland with The Sun in 1956 for the most new "starts" in Richmond. That was the year Disneyland opened - that was something. Ended up delivering 109 papers, which naturally was the down side of winning I guess.”

Eunice Robinson said, “It would be neat to get a photo of each of all these darlings circa when they were paper boys or girls”. The SIHS is preparing a photo collage of current, immediate past and former newspaper carriers of Sea Island. Can you help us? Please submit photos and information on time frame along with details of route, name of newspaper, stories, etc.

Joanne Fischer of Burkeville mentioned in October 2007 that her son Aidan delivers the Richmond Review newspaper. Who delivers the current “Sea Island Times?” The SIHS is seeking a collection of archived copies of this monthly newsletter-format information sheet. – In particular we have someone wishing information from the April 2007 issue.

Rick (Richard) Stark of Saskatoon posted to the SIHS website November 28, 2007, “I delivered the Vancouver Sun for 3 or 4 years and always had to pedal out to drop off one paper at Grauer’s Farm, against the rain or wind whichever was worst. What a ride that was. Picked up the papers at Butlers store after school and always had a Pepsi,,O'Henry and a comic book everyday. Should have kept the comic books as they are worth a fortune now. I won three trips to the summer camp on Bowing Island for the paperboys with no complaints for the full year.”

Is anyone out there in touch with the above Morris and Yvonne Neville or Nevile family (ch: Brinsley, Valerie and John) formerly of Lancaster Crescent. If so, please contact SIHS.

SIHS is seeking where the MacKenzie family lived on Sea Island. This family had a “Waneta”. A Juanita (sic) MacKenzie appeared as a model for children's dresses as reported in Mrs. Elliot's "Around Sea Island" column of June 4, 1952. Was it McKenzie or MacKenzie? Was it the same Mrs. McKenzie that was the Sea Island Girl Guide leader? BG said that a Bob McKenzie lived on Douglas Crescent. Is this the same family?

The Weston family, formerly of 304 Wellington Crescent are in Granisle, B.C. Jennifer Weston of Ajax, Ontario contacted SHIS and gave us the family update and kindly offered to search her family for Sea Island related photos. Thanks Jennifer.

Jennifer is also asking for help in locating the Newton family from Wellington Crescent have gone to. ….”There was Eric and Myra (sp?) Doug, Rick, Barry and Robert. Any information would be wonderful. Thank you for letting me have a glimpse into the past. Jennifer Weston”. – Please submit any information on the Newton family to the SIHS and we’ll pass it along to Jennifer.

The local newspaper reported that: The largest ever crowd on record attended the Saturday, November 18, 1950 Teen Town “Sadie Hawkins” Dance. The spot dance was captured by Ken Hillborn and [Fay] Connet, while the elimination contest was won by Stan Whitington [sic] and Arlene Cooney. Thanks to Sharon Bordeleau, Evie Roth and Arlene (Cooney) and Les Inglis (good friends of Stan); SIHS has the current address for Stan Whiddington in Maple Ridge, B.C. (October 2008) Thank you all for passing this along J

Need help locating the following family addresses on Sea Island: Mrs. Elliot's "Around Sea Island" column of June 4, 1952 reported on the May 16, 1952 Style Review at the Sea Island Community Hall under the direction of Mrs. Durham with Pro-Rec pianist Mrs. Brewster at the piano. It is unknown if Mrs. Brewster was from Sea Island as we have been unable to locate further information on her or her family unit. Among many other children appearing in that Fashion Show that we have been unable to determine addresses for or are unable to connect to known families included: Dianne Harwood, Wendy Johnstone, Gail Marsland, Arlene Douglas, Barbara and Reid Finlayson, Susan MacMillan, Juanita MacKenzie, Irene Mourrice or Bourrice, Pat Scable, Yvonne Muir, and Shirley Pickering.

SIHS is seeking the house number on McDonald Road of the DROPE family and a contact with any family member. Danny Drope (age 10) of ___ McDonald Road was in Mrs. G.M. Murphy’s grade four class at Sea Island Elementary School in 1949/50.

Joy Meadowcroft (b ca1941) could have been in Mr. Holob's grade four/five split about 1952. Where did the Meadowcroft's live?

Parent volunteers helping teachers Miss Johnson and Mr. Holob with the Sea Island School annual sports day Friday June 20, 1952 were: Mrs. P. Laine, Mrs. R. Barr, Mrs. M. Martin, Mrs. J. Wesley, Mrs. G. MacKenzie, Mrs. F. Hollingshead, Mrs. E. Fairfield and Mrs. R. Rees. WHO WAS MRS. R. REES and WHERE DID SHE RESIDE? We have addresses (although not all family stories) for the others. THX FOR THE FOLLOWING UPDATE: Wilma, (Mrs. Robert) Rees was Doreen Braverman’s mother's best friend. Doreen said, “They lived on No. 5 Road on a farm by the old Woodwards Landing ferry dock. They had no children so I doubt that she would be helping out at a school. She would have been born about 1913. I don't know if she is still alive but she recently did live in the Langley area”. Allan MacNeill of Vancouver, added in a June 30, 2005 email, “I knew Mrs. R. Rees and her husband quite well. Her maiden name was Wilma Wark and the family had Warks Dairy and Wilma used to drive an early morning milk truck route!!! Wilma, her husband Bobbie and Doreen’s mother as well as Doreen, her dad Billy Montgomery were all taught by my Father!! – Thanks Allan and Doreen .

In an undated newspaper clipping (ca1952) there was a musical program at either the Community Hall or the Sea Island School. On the piano: Roberta Douglas, Terry LeGoff, and his mother. A guitar and violin under the direction of Mr. Woolstone. Playing were: Donald McGregor, Bruce and Alistair Burt, Patsy Scobel and Clive Martin. Piano: Brian Pearce, Douglas Trigg, and Arlene Work. Mrs. Rees thanked the youngsters. Who were Mr. Woolstone, and Douglas Trigg? Does anyone else have old newspaper clippings about Sea Island to share? Pat Comer (nee Scobel) of Modesto California has posted to the SIHS website about her Richmond High School Class of 1960 Reunion.

The Wednesday May 21, 1952 regular monthly P-TA meeting had a portion of the meeting as a Musical Program, presented under the direction of Mrs. F. LeGoff. Craig McGinness, Nita MacKenzie, Linda McInnis, Carol Trigg and Michael Beacock all played pieces on the piano. Brian Hollingshead and Judy Beacock played their violins. WHO WAS: Carol Trigg? Was the above Douglas Trigg her brother? Where on Sea Island did Triggs live?

Does anyone know about a wrestling team or other sports teams on Sea Island? We have some 1950’s baseball team and some of the coach’s names. We have some info on the Cora Brown Slicers along with some photos. Was anyone else out there involved with wrestling or lacrosse? We also have some old photos of the 1920’s and 1930’s Lacrosse Teams and there induction in the BC Lacrosse Hall of Fame (Grauers and McDonalds). GT said that he didn’t know of any wrestling at Sea Island comm. hall or in Marpole. “There was some semi pro stuff that went on in the old Garden Building at the PNE. We played some lacrosse over at the school and there was a lacrosse box in Brighouse park other than that some of us would go up to memorial park (41 & Fraser) and play in that lacrosse box when Bob Martin moved to that area. But most of our play was at the back of the school”. We recently received numerous RCAF Sea Island baseball team (mid 50s) photos and would love to be able to identify all the players. If you can help please give SIHS a call or email. Thx

The Sea Island School Play May 1, 1952 was directed by Principal Scott. Teacher V. Holob was the stage manager. Mrs. Gaelick won the attendance price of the evening donated by Mrs. Butler of Grauer Road. The Sea Island School P-TA sponsored the prizes for student attendance at the school. The prize was awarded to the teacher of the class who had the least absences the preceding month. I believe that the above Mrs. Gaelick may have been one of those teachers. Does anyone know anything about the years or grades that she taught? Was the spelling of Gaelick really Guzyk?

Is John Wilfred Slater of 212 Boeing Avenue the same John Slater of 206 Lancaster Crescent in the early 50’s? Did he have a sister Helen? Please contact SIHS

A Peter Harder, age 9, is listed as being in grade 3, Division 5, of Mrs. M.A. Reid and Miss E.L. Johnson’s grade two-three split class in 1949/50. A Jimmy Harder may be a brother. Neither have an address listed in the old school registers. Can anyone please tell SIHS where on Sea Island these Harder boys lived?

LAINE, W Arne (Alice) drftsmn Boeing - r 14 Lancaster (1944). Were the following LAINE names attached to this family in Burkeville?: There was a P. Laine mentioned in a December 10, 1952 newspaper article about the Sea Island School P-TA. A Sandra Laine was a fairy in a Sea Island School play in May 1952.

The SIHS is seeking info on the MULLIGAN family of Catalina Crescent for the 1950’s. They had twin daughters and two sons. Need house number and names.

The SIHS seeks contact with or info about the WARREN or WARNER family that operated the small store (Joe’s Confectionary) in Burkeville after the Scardina’s. There was an apartment at the rear of the store at 307 Airport Road (BG). Did Warner/Warren’s live on Sea Island? Does anyone have any photographs of the commercial stores in this area from the 1940s or 50’s?

SIHS is seeking photographs of former and existing residences and commercial buildings. For example we have commenced an inventory of aviation related buildings and would like to expand by adding all commercial buildings. We’d like to document photos of the small strip mall in Burkeville in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s located at the corner of Miller and Airport Roads. Arnold Wolfson kindly gave of photos of his BA Service Station to scan. Who else has photos of that “business” area? We’d like photos of Butler’s corner store at McDonald and Grauer Roads, the Eburne business area including thee old post office, newspaper office, blacksmith and of course Grauer’s Store and Richmond Tugs. Who has pics of the Chevron marine fuel station, Bulk tanks and the marine dock there? Old Cannery photos are most welcome as are marine related facilities and modes of transportation on the Fraser River.

We would like to obtain more photos of the Sea Island United Church that the community helped to build in 1958 on Miller Road.

SIHS has many aviation type photos from the R.C.A.F. base on Sea Island but very few photos of the buildings or facilities on that base. Can you please help?

The SIHS wishes to interview former Boeing Canada employees to hear their stories about life working on Sea Island. Following the end of the war in the Pacific, Boeing abruptly shut down their mammoth aircraft plants and laid-off 7,000 employees in 1945. What can you tell us?

The SIHS is researching the hey-days of the salmon canneries on Sea Island and wants to contact descendants of the workers. Many of them were Japanese- Canadians and First Nations. We’d be most pleased to be able to interview workers or other family memories for our history project.

SIHS seeking contact with any King family member – believed to once have lived on Stirling Avenue in Burkeville. Seeking house number and family details re: Brian and Iva King and their daughters. Did they once have a girl boarder by the name of Kelly living with them on Stirling?

SIHS requires contact with or information on former Wellington Crescent residents from the c1950’s – house numbers not known - DENNIS, Duncan and Vera and STEWART, Don or Harley.

Lancaster Crescent families 1950’s – house numbers and contact desired for: BROWN, DASCHNE, TRAUTMAN

SIHS seeks address and/or contact or info on the following person - Ellen McGill attended Mr. Patterson’s grade five/six split class at Sea Island Elementary School in 1947/48. Street address unknown.

The Sea Island Heritage Society is grateful to have been put in touch with the Donegani family; Re: the HALSE home on Sea Island as mentioned in a 1936 newspaper article. This Halse estate was located on 5 acres where the hotel and former CPA offices off Lsysander Way are. A very well landscaped property with lots of chestnut trees and seemingly used only as a summer home. Big house with a caretaker’s house where a Mr. and Mrs. Marchant once lived. The Donegani family lived here to. We would still love to obtain photographs of this property (or any other Sea Island property).

The Sea Island Heritage Society would like to locate a photograph and additional information on the Missionary Boat, M.V. Sea Island 2. A seine boat owned by British Columbia Packers, rented for use at Ocean Falls in 1967 while the Thomas Crosby V was being built. See http://www.archivescanada.ca/english/search/ItemDisplay.asp?sessionKey=1207709522021_206_191_57_204&l=0&v=0&lvl=1&coll=1&rt=1&itm=140710&rsn=S_WWWxdarI1bRd&all=1&dt=AW+"sea+island"&spi=-

Please take a look at the photo on the Richmond Archives website Copyright - Richmond Archives Item #1984 17 84. The first smaller Island is Pheasant Island, then Dinsmore. Doherty Road access those Islands. Glen Beauchamp kindly told us that there was no cannery at the end of Doherty Road when his family moved to Sea Island in 1942. Glen said in his email, “the bridge between Dinsmore and Pheasant Islands was where we all swam. We used the bridge as our diving platform. We would in the evening drift from the bridge up to the south end of Dinsmore and run back. The south end of Dinsmore also had a large sand area and we would go there in the daytime and swim. Grant Thompson also shared his memories of the kids swimming off that bridge and having cookouts on the sandy part of the Island at the south end. Photo at URL: http://www.city.richmond.bc.ca/archivessearch3/SingleImage.asp?Image=17h84.gif

The SIHS is seeking info on the TAPP family. Tapp Road is located running west of McDonald Road between Ferguson Road and the Fraser River. Who was Tapp Road named after? Was it a Frank R Tapp? If so, who was he and what interest to Sea Island or Richmond did he have? Yes, those that lived in the Tapp Road Subdivision on Sea Island will be pleased to know that we have located information to confirm the subdivision had to be named after Frank Robert Tapp, a Richmond Municipal Councilor, who was born on Sea Island. Thankfully Allan MacNeill has confirmed that Frank Tapp attended Bridgeport School where Al’s father, Mr. A.R MacNeill taught. Al said in a June 2006 email, “I was going through some old school memorabilia of my fathers and came across a copy of the reunion of the class of 1926 at the then Bridgeport High School, the precurser of Richmond High. There were letters and notes from most of the class that were still alive at the reunion which took place about 1959/60. My dad would have known him as a pupil at Bridgeport High and my dad was also a charter member of the Richmond Kiwanis Club of which Frank Tapp was a member and likely a charter member also.” Allan MacNeill kindly sent a short autobiography of Frank Robert Tapp from 1927 thru 1961 where he went into the floristry business in Orlando, Florida. Frank Tapp was born in 1903 in Eburne, BC. In 1944 Mr. Tapp was elected to Richmond Council representing Ward 1 (Sea Island)

Who were the parents of the NEIL children on Sea Island in the 50’s? Where did they live, and are the following NEIL’s siblings?: Mat Neil attended the Feb 16, 1952 birthday party for Lea Hamblin. Terry Neil was a guest at the June 14, 1952 party for Billie Kellett. Matt Neil attended Frances Kellett’s birthday party April 26, 1952. Deborah Neil attended Shirley Elliott’s birthday party Nov 18, 1950 in Cora Brown.

A Lorna Boone (b. ca1939) attended Mr. Andrew S Gray Scott's division one, grade five/six split class seven at Sea Island Elementary School in 1950-51. SIHS wonders if this Lorna Boone was a child attached to the RCAF Boone family on Breadner Street?

Take a look at the landing of the Airbus A380, which made its first landing at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on a snowy November 26th, 2006. At the time it was also the only North America landing in 2006). A 14 hr, 26 min flight from Sydney, AU. Click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oJwQl-vY2c

Doreen Braverman asked, “What about famous dogs on Sea Island? She recalls: Sport Bicknell, a pointer, who could lift the lid off a sunken crock - and eat the stored butter out of it.

Jenny Montgomery, a Labrador, who could flush out the pheasant, retrieve it and pluck it!”

Who has other stories about dogs or pets on Sea Island? What about stories on horses or cows/bulls/ chickens from the rural areas? Brian Novak said at the SIHS Open House on November 26, 2005 that the crow on the shoulder of the boy was of their pet crow Blackie in the photo submitted by his mother, Margaret.

Al MacNeill provided the following info:

Dogs Associated with Sea Island

"Jenny", Billy Montgomery's Labrador, a great "Birdie" huntress, she was great in the field and in the water. I had the pleasure of shooting over her on several occasions.

Other dogs associated with my family, and the MacNeill hunting shack at the end of Ross Road [Sea Island, B.C.]:

The first dog that I can recall was a black Cocker named "Jeff". He and his successor "Ted", another black Cocker Spaniel, were good in the field and were even more useful as a companion in Punt shooting. They were fearless in the water and excellent retrievers. They could be easily lifted out and into the punts, where the larger retrievers were likely to get everybody tipped into the Middle Arm!! These dogs were used primarily in punts at Swish Wash Island. Said Island in their time (1920's and 30's) would be completely awash at high tide. In the late 30's along came "Ranger", a black and white Spring Spaniel, whose prowess in rough stuff pheasant shooting was unparalleled. Excellent retrieving abilities as well. He was followed by one of his offspring and another Springer called "Ruff". He was as good a gun dog as his sire. This dog was domiciled with A.R. MacNeill* and yours truly. Another good field dog belonged to my uncle Walter MacNeill. A dog named "Buck" while a trifle willful, he was as birdie as they come; and was good at retrieving. Buck was a German Shorthaired Pointer. One other dog associated with this hunting group was my Boston terrier, "Mike". Mike was a top notch retriever, unfaised by a watery environment. He was also a prolific gatherer of Oolichan. Jeff, Ted, and Ranger were my Grandfather Harry MacNeill's dogs. The shack was built by Harry in 1911. at the time live decoys were used, and he kept a small flock of Mallards in his backyard on 18th Avenue in Vancouver!

*A.R. MacNeill was Al's father and former Richmond high School Principal.

271. Sea Island School Students recorded in the 1950s included Frances Ferne Gooding of 122 Greenway Avenue and a Lorne Gooding of 112 (sic) Greenway Avenue. Are these children related to H.O. Gooding? In the following: In July 1942, No. 111 sent a detachment to Umnak (Alaska). Four pilots from this detachment took part in an attack on Kiska on 25 September 1942 along with 37 U.S. aircraft. The Canadians strafed (Japanese) ground targets and Squadron Leader BOOMER destroyed a “Rufe” seaplane fighter (a Zero on floats). The U.S. Air Medal was awarded to BOOMER and to flying officers J.O. GOHL, H.O. GOODING, and R. LYNCH, and BOOMER was later awarded the Commonwealth DFC. Squadron Leader K.A. BOOMER took over RCAF Squadron 111 Wing at Annette Island 22 August 1942.

SIHS would appreciate any info on the GOLLY family. Did they reside on Sea Island in the 1951 era? The April 7, 1951 Marpole-Richmond Review (Around Sea Island Column) reported that Mrs. W. Rempel entertained at her home, 25 Douglas Crescent. Guests included her aunt, Mrs. Vickaryous, Mrs. Golly (who won the door prize), and Mrs. K Oxley.

We need help in obtaining photographs and construction dates of various homes and commercial buildings on Sea Island (and former structures now gone).We’d love to have a photo collection of all the old barns too. We have started a photo inventory of all remaining structures and require help indexing them as well as naming the various occupants – residential or commercial.

Where did Jeneen Sournier and Maurice Dion live? The January 27, 1951 Marpole-Richmond Review (Around Sea Island Column) reported that on Friday evening the final dance held on the Sea Island in the "Polka for Polio" series saw the Community Hall thronged with merry makers. During the evening a demonstration of square dancing was given by a group of teenagers. The participants were Mary and Marjorie Hall, Noreen Hatcher, Jeneen Sournier, Bill Anderson, Bill Alexander, Ted Hall, and Maurice Dion with Glen Beauchamp calling the dance.

Who recalls the campfire and hiking songs of the cub, brownies, scouts and guides? We belonged to the Cubs and Scouts for the pleasures of camping and legalized pyromania. I recall great camping trips and have many good memories of sing-songs, although I couldn’t carry a tune to save my soul. ‘Remember the crackling embers reflecting in our innocent faces as marshmallows melt on sticks, the camaraderie, the feeling of "belonging", of being at peace with the world: and the reassuring warmth in Akela Roy Cunliffe’s face, as he divided the pack in two and fondly urges us into the second verse of the infamous and nonsensical song "Ging-Gang-Gooley", with half of us softly singing “Golly wally, golly wally, golly walla, golly walla, um-pa, um-pa, um-pa.” ‘Member those bike tours? ‘Hard for little legs to keep up with the bigger boys.

In 2007 Scouting celebrated its 100th Anniversary. The Scouts Canada Foundation is launched a country-wide search to find as many Canadians as possible who hold the rank of King’s Scout, Queen’s Scout, Chief Scout and Queen’s Venturer.
If you were a youth member before 1952 you could be a King’s Scout; from 1953 to 1973 -a Queen’s Scout, and from 1973 to the present - a Chief Scout and/or Queen’s Venturer. Join the 1st Centennial Group!
All King’s Scouts, Queen’s Scouts, Chief Scouts and/or Queen’s Venturers were invited to join the 1st Centennial Group, an exclusive group sponsored by the Scouts Canada Foundation. Since 1907 over 17 million Canadians have participated in Scouting. Until recently Scouting has not had a database, so we’ve lost contact with many of our past members. Scouts Canada Foundation wants to re-connect with them, and invited them to help celebrate in 2007. See website: http://www.scouts.ca/inside.asp?cmPageID=388 If you were a Sea Island Scout, and attended this, please tell us who else you met there.

It was sad news to hear that Burkeville’s Dan McIvor passed away Feb 24, 2005. Not only was he a good friend and neighbour to all; he received the Order of Canada (Member) in August 2003. Dan McIvor, O.B.C., C.M. joins, other notables connected Sea Island and to the “Orders of Canada”, including: The Honourable Thomas R. BERGER, O.C., Sea Island pioneer farmer Hugh & Catherine McARTHUR’s granddaughter Margaret Ormsby (O.C.), Renowned Canadian painter/artist Jack L. SHADBOLT, O.C. brother of former Burkeville’s Roy Shadbolt; and Major Deanna “Dee” Brasseur (retired) who was born into a military family and grew up on Sea Island’s RCAF base.

For those of you who flew up and down the coast of BC, you may enjoy reading Jack Schofield’s 1999 book, “Flight of a Coast Dog – A Pilot’s Log”. Jack was once stationed on RCAF Station Sea Island. The book features Jack’s many tails and mentions lots of airline company names and pilot names that are familiar with the Seaplane dock on Sea Island. Jim and May Jenkins, formerly of RCAF Sea Island have a son, Gordon, whose picture appears in that book. Gordon is another one of those young daring pilot’s on BC’s rugged west coast. Gordon Jenkins once flew into a remote Kingcome Inlet Indian reserve to see his old home from the RCAF base on Sea Island. It and many others were barged up there after 1964 when the base closed. Can anyone else tell us where former Sea Island homes were barged to?

Who recalls the green grocer truck from the 1950’s on Sea Island. What was the name of the operator? Was he from Sea Island?

The Aircraft Detection Corps was a volunteer group of civilians in Canada and had grown to a peak enrollment of 30,000 members across the country. Does anyone know any members of this elite organization from Sea Island that we could interview?

See more at URL: http://www.pinetreeline.org/misc/other/misc5b1.html

Apparently the Sea Island RCAF base was used to receive and medivac wounded servicemen from Korea in the early 50’s. There seemed to be a constant state of airplane movements regarding this in connection with a US base in Washington State (Everett?). Would anyone care to elaborate on the involvement that the Sea Island base had during that conflict and/or the cold war that followed?

Can you help SIHS with info on the Duvis family? We’re not sure if this is a Sea Islander or not, or where a Mrs. T. Duvis resided – perhaps Burkeville according to this clipping: The May 16, 1951 Marpole-Richmond Review (Around Sea Island) Column by Nellie Philpott reported that a tea was held on Monday evening at the home of Mrs. Roy Patterson, 128 Lancaster Cres., to honour Mrs. Merv Erwin. Guests included Mesdames: A. Purser, H. Wensink, M. Stevenson, A. Jehn, N. Fendson, G.W. Douglas, C. Rines, E.A. Fairfield, T. Duvis, E. McCaffery and C. Abbott.

The SIHS would like to reconnect with the following email addressees that had their emails returned as undeliverable:

Ron_DavisATtri-ocean.com

sbrownATsunpeaksresort.com

marie2783381AThotmail.com

fomearaATe-velocity.net

north_*_marinerATshaw.ca

pattiATsalsec.sd8.bc.ca

john_weisgerberATcanaccord.com

In February 2007 the following email addresses as they were rejected. If you recognize a former email, please notify Sea Island Heritage Society of your new email address. We’d like to stay in touch. Thx.