It is the social media age so how well are the candidates in Saanich doing? Not that well
Facebook "likes" or members
Colin Plant 618
Fred Haynes 250
Vicki Sanders 243
Richard Atwell 209
Shawn Newby 185
David Shebib 98 - running for mayor in 13 municipalities
Marsha Henderson 65
Colin Plant is the leader on Facebook but 618 "likes" is not a large number of people.
The following candidates do not have campaign Facebook pages and use their personal/professional profiles in the election
Judy Brownoff
Susan Brice
Paul Gerrard
Frank Leonard
Rebecca Mersereau
Dean Murdock
The following candidates have no Facebook presence I am aware of
Vic Derman
Nicola Wade
Leif Wergeland
Twitter Stats
Candidate followers following tweets recent activity?
Frank Leonard 3,562 1,353 13,673 yes
Dean Murdock 869 834 1,214 2 days ago
Vicki Sanders 420 485 572 yes
Richard Atwell 243 474 280 yes
Colin Plant 129 152 226 yes
Rebecca Mersereau 81 271 61 yes
Susan Brice 73 48 7 no
Shawn Newby 59 87 77 yes
Marsha Henderson 33 32 35 4 days ago
Paul Gerrard 30 53 2 no
Fred Haynes 17 11 5 no
Mayor Frank Leonard is a regular twitter user and has been so for sometime, so it is not a surprise that he way out ahead everyone else.
This is a link to a Twitter list of all the Saanich candidates
Candidates that do not seem to have Twitter accounts
Judy Brownoff
Vic Derman
David Shebib
Nicola Wade
Leif Wergelund
Overall, three of the current council are functionally not using social media - Vic Derman, Nicola Wade and Leif Wergelund
Showing posts with label 150 years ago in the Colonist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 150 years ago in the Colonist. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Monday, July 30, 2012
150 years ago - notice of coming civic election
From the British Colonist of July 30th 1862
The Civic Election :
Every body is anxious to I know something about the forthcoming election of Mayor and
six Councillors. We have not much space to devote to subject: but we spare enough for a point or two. There are to be three wards in the City of Victoria that is to be. Each ward is to send two Councillors;
and the voters for the town, at the first election is to elect the .Mayor and Councillors. The election is to take place under the surveillance of the Sheriff. There is to be one time and one place at which the election is to beheld. The Mayor and Councillors will be nominated on one day and voted for the next; except where there is no opposition or no poll demanded . The voters at the election are those persons whose names are on the registered list of voters for the election of Representatives for the town. Our readers may consequently prepare themselves for a general canvas. After the first election, the Councillors will be elected by the voters who are assessed for property in their respective wards. But at the forthcoming election every qualified elector may vote for all the Councillors as well as Mayor. So we understand the bill near becoming law. As only fourteen days will be allowed after the passage of the bill till law will be made operative, it behooves every body to trot out their Candidates as quickly as possible.
'
Monday, July 09, 2012
July 4th 1862 - US Independence
It is interesting how big a holiday American Independence Day was in Victoria in the early years.
The British Colonist of July 5th 1862 reports that the 86th anniversary of US independence was celebrated in Beacon Hill Park with a firing of salutes.
Many of the wholesale and retail businesses were closed while most major businesses were decorated in bunting for the day.
The British Colonist of July 5th 1862 reports that the 86th anniversary of US independence was celebrated in Beacon Hill Park with a firing of salutes.
Many of the wholesale and retail businesses were closed while most major businesses were decorated in bunting for the day.
Shall A Black Man Drink at a White Man's Bar?
How so very Canadian, our Rosa Parks seems to be have been a man called Jacob Francis who went to court to protect his right to be served a drink. This had been an ongoing issue for four years in Victoria, Francis took a case forward in the spring of 1860 as a civil case but he lost.
Jacob Francis was a black resident of Victoria who used the courts to fight against discrimination. He was not only involved with this court case about a bar, but he was also active in ensuring churches and schools were open to black people. He also tried to get black men to be allowed to serve in fire companies, as a consequence the Victoria Pioneer Rifles were formed as a way for blacks to serve the colony. Francis also tried to be elected to a seat in the Vancouver Island Legislative Assembly in 1866 but was not allowed to run for office.
This comes the June 28th 1862 edition of the British Colonist.
Yesterday Morning the complaint of Mr Jacob Francis, the colored man who was refused a drink at the bar of the Bank Exchange Saloon,was brought forward in the Police Court. The complaint alleges that complainant was refused a glass of liquor at;the Bank Exchange for money. Mr. Ring appeared for Mr. Francis, and Mr. Bishop for Mr. Lovett, the proprietor of the Saloon. Mr. Ring stated that the summons in this case only put into his hand on Thursday and that it had been issued by the complainant without conference with counsel. Had Francis advised with counsel he would have been told that the proper course to be pursued was to institute a civil suit against the defendant, who, as a licensed innkeeper, was guilty of a breach of contract with the public in refusing to serve complainant, and damages might be recovered . Defendant had an unquestionable right to keep one apartment for the accommodation of black men, and another for white men; he could keep as many apartments as he chooses, and divide his customers into as many classes as he saw fit; but he could not refuse a respectable person drink on account of his color. The colored population had a right to protection; the bar was a public bar, and they were entitled to a supply of refreshment when they saw fit to ask for it; but the part of the house in which it was to be served them, rested entirely with the proprietor.
Mr. Bishop said that his client was charged with an offence against the law as a licensed hotelkeeper, and no order had been issued for the production of the license; except the license was brought into Court, the case could not proceed.
Mr. Ring thought that due notice was given by service of summons . Ho wanted to see this troublesome question settled - now and forever - and thought if It was perfectly understood in future between the two classes that a portion of the building might be set aside for the accommodation of colored people that the case would be allowed to drop; but it carried to a higher court, heavy damages might be obtained against defendant . According to law any licensed hotelkeeper could say to a colored person or any one else: "You go into this room if you want a drink" or "go into that room." &c; but it was a breach of contract with public to say "You shall not drink in my house." If the case went on, he feared it would excite illfeeling between the
two classes, and he therefore trusted that it would be settled at once.
Mr. Bishop was equally anxious with his learned friend to ' promote good feeling between the white and colored races; but in this case Francis was fully aware that he would not be served before he
entered the saloon. The defendant had not been guilty of a breach of contract with the public in refusing the drink, and, as to , a civil suit , he quoted law to show that unless "special damages" were sustained by the party refused refreshment (such, for instance, as having to travel a long distance to another hotel ) no damages could lie against the defendant. As the case was not properly before the court, he asked that it be dismissed.
Mr. Ring wished the case continued.
The Magistrate desired that the case might proceed since it was before the Court. He did not wish to encourage the bad feeling which at present existed in this colony between the whites and the blacks, and did not wish to see the badge of slavery placed on either party in a British colony. One object he had in view was to procure the evidence of the respectable men who were in company with complainant when he was refused refreshment by defendant, in order that the Court might determine whether parties who insulted British subjects in the manner in which Francis complains should in future be licensed .
Messrs. King and Bihop both expressed themselves in favor of an arrangement being come to between the two classes which would put an end to all future trouble and the Magistrate finally postponed the hearing of the case until Friday, July 4th
The British Colonist has the details of the proceedings here.
The decision is reported in the July 5th edition with this as part of it (my emphasis):
A colored man, whether black, red or mottled, is in the eye of British Law, still a man, and as a man is entitled to all the rights and immunities that the Constitution and laws confer. Any evasion or withholding of those rights, whether in a publicly licensed bar at the bar of the Supreme Court, is subversive of what is right, what has been sanctioned as right by immemorial usage. If a right that the law confers on a colored man be denied to him, a public wrong is committed against the entire public, and, as a matter of course, when recourse is had to the courts, it is expected that the rights of the injured individual will be vindicated, no matter how important a personage may have denied that right. We are glad then, that the vexed question, whether a colored man can enter a bar and call for a drink, like any one else, is virtually settled
In the early history of BC black people are a major part of society and are treated about as equal as you could possibly expect for the 19th century. The formed the first military unit in BC and were allowed to vote in elections.
Jacob Francis was living at the Bulls Head Hotel on Yates in 1863
Jacob Francis was a black resident of Victoria who used the courts to fight against discrimination. He was not only involved with this court case about a bar, but he was also active in ensuring churches and schools were open to black people. He also tried to get black men to be allowed to serve in fire companies, as a consequence the Victoria Pioneer Rifles were formed as a way for blacks to serve the colony. Francis also tried to be elected to a seat in the Vancouver Island Legislative Assembly in 1866 but was not allowed to run for office.
This comes the June 28th 1862 edition of the British Colonist.
Yesterday Morning the complaint of Mr Jacob Francis, the colored man who was refused a drink at the bar of the Bank Exchange Saloon,was brought forward in the Police Court. The complaint alleges that complainant was refused a glass of liquor at;the Bank Exchange for money. Mr. Ring appeared for Mr. Francis, and Mr. Bishop for Mr. Lovett, the proprietor of the Saloon. Mr. Ring stated that the summons in this case only put into his hand on Thursday and that it had been issued by the complainant without conference with counsel. Had Francis advised with counsel he would have been told that the proper course to be pursued was to institute a civil suit against the defendant, who, as a licensed innkeeper, was guilty of a breach of contract with the public in refusing to serve complainant, and damages might be recovered . Defendant had an unquestionable right to keep one apartment for the accommodation of black men, and another for white men; he could keep as many apartments as he chooses, and divide his customers into as many classes as he saw fit; but he could not refuse a respectable person drink on account of his color. The colored population had a right to protection; the bar was a public bar, and they were entitled to a supply of refreshment when they saw fit to ask for it; but the part of the house in which it was to be served them, rested entirely with the proprietor.
Mr. Bishop said that his client was charged with an offence against the law as a licensed hotelkeeper, and no order had been issued for the production of the license; except the license was brought into Court, the case could not proceed.
Mr. Ring thought that due notice was given by service of summons . Ho wanted to see this troublesome question settled - now and forever - and thought if It was perfectly understood in future between the two classes that a portion of the building might be set aside for the accommodation of colored people that the case would be allowed to drop; but it carried to a higher court, heavy damages might be obtained against defendant . According to law any licensed hotelkeeper could say to a colored person or any one else: "You go into this room if you want a drink" or "go into that room." &c; but it was a breach of contract with public to say "You shall not drink in my house." If the case went on, he feared it would excite illfeeling between the
two classes, and he therefore trusted that it would be settled at once.
Mr. Bishop was equally anxious with his learned friend to ' promote good feeling between the white and colored races; but in this case Francis was fully aware that he would not be served before he
entered the saloon. The defendant had not been guilty of a breach of contract with the public in refusing the drink, and, as to , a civil suit , he quoted law to show that unless "special damages" were sustained by the party refused refreshment (such, for instance, as having to travel a long distance to another hotel ) no damages could lie against the defendant. As the case was not properly before the court, he asked that it be dismissed.
Mr. Ring wished the case continued.
The Magistrate desired that the case might proceed since it was before the Court. He did not wish to encourage the bad feeling which at present existed in this colony between the whites and the blacks, and did not wish to see the badge of slavery placed on either party in a British colony. One object he had in view was to procure the evidence of the respectable men who were in company with complainant when he was refused refreshment by defendant, in order that the Court might determine whether parties who insulted British subjects in the manner in which Francis complains should in future be licensed .
Messrs. King and Bihop both expressed themselves in favor of an arrangement being come to between the two classes which would put an end to all future trouble and the Magistrate finally postponed the hearing of the case until Friday, July 4th
The British Colonist has the details of the proceedings here.
The decision is reported in the July 5th edition with this as part of it (my emphasis):
A colored man, whether black, red or mottled, is in the eye of British Law, still a man, and as a man is entitled to all the rights and immunities that the Constitution and laws confer. Any evasion or withholding of those rights, whether in a publicly licensed bar at the bar of the Supreme Court, is subversive of what is right, what has been sanctioned as right by immemorial usage. If a right that the law confers on a colored man be denied to him, a public wrong is committed against the entire public, and, as a matter of course, when recourse is had to the courts, it is expected that the rights of the injured individual will be vindicated, no matter how important a personage may have denied that right. We are glad then, that the vexed question, whether a colored man can enter a bar and call for a drink, like any one else, is virtually settled
In the early history of BC black people are a major part of society and are treated about as equal as you could possibly expect for the 19th century. The formed the first military unit in BC and were allowed to vote in elections.
Jacob Francis was living at the Bulls Head Hotel on Yates in 1863
Monday, May 28, 2012
150 years of newspaper in inflation
I was asked over the weekend by someone how much did the Colonist cost 150 years ago compared to today. The image is of the rates from the May 27th 1862 British Colonist. Agents were the people selling ads for the paper.
Here are how the rates compare over 150 years:
1862 2012 IncreaseDaily $0.10 $1.05 10.5 times
6 months $6.00 $128.00 21.3 times
Year $10.00 $256.00 25.6 times
The paper is very different today than in 1862. In 1862 the British Colonist was only four pages long, today it is much longer with numerous sections. 60 to 80 pages is a normal size in 2012, about 15 to 20 times as many pages as in 1862. Effectively the cost per page of newspaper you buy in 2012 is the same as what people were paying in 1862.
In 1862 you got part of page of news on page 2 and page 3. Page 1 and page 4 were all advertising. Over all the four page paper in 1862 was only 20% news and opinion.
In 1862 the British Colonist was the only game in town for media and this was especially true of anyone wanting to advertising any services.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Victoria Day 1862
In 1862 people in Victoria were already celebrating Victoria day. The Queen's birthday was May 24th. This report on the events of the 24th and the ad for the horse races ran in the May 26th edition of the British Colonist.
The horse races in Beacon Hill Park were very clearly a commercial venture and did not seem to be at odds with the deed of gift of the park.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Amor De Cosmos complains about the bill to incorporate the City of Victoria - May 24th 1862
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| Boundaries of the City of Victoria at incorporation |
In the May 24th 1862 edition of the British Colonist there is a long column on page 2 about the incorporation of Victoria. The article is on the left hand of the page. The column is a bit ranty, but that is not really surprising given that Amor De Cosmos had a huge hate on for the HBC and James Douglas and he wanted a City with powers to go up against the powers that be.- The City was to have 1 mayor and six councillors
- The City was to have three wards - Johnson Street, Yates Street and James Bay - two councillors to be elected from each ward
- To run in the first election you had either own £50 worth of freehold land or £600 worth of leasehold land, the leasehold requirement would fall to £150 in future elections.
- First elections to be held on November 8th
- Anyone that refuses to serve as mayor or councilor will be fined £50
- Only the people registered to vote for the Vancouver Island Assembly will be allowed to vote in the first City election
- The City will have no power over the police but will also not have to pay for them
- The City will have no power over schools
- The City is responsible for the upkeep of roads and the hospital
- The status of Beacon Hill Park is not clear
- The City had to look after the road to Esquimalt all the way to the Town of Esquimalt
- The Governor of Vancouver Island has a veto over all bylaws
- As of May 24th the actual boundaries of the City had not yet been decided on
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
150 years ago
I am trying to figure out where in Victoria the farm was located, but the closest I get is the Lake District, which is the southern part of Saanich.
The sale of the cows and calfs at $40 to $60 each is about 1/20th of what they sell for now.
I had not realised till today at 1862 was the year Vancouver Island and BC changed from using the pound sterling as currency to using the dollar
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| 1862 Vancouver Island Budget - still in pounds |
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| 1863 Vancouver Island Budget - now in dollars |
Monday, April 23, 2012
150 years ago two Germans got into a knife fight over the right way to make bread
I both understand and find it crazy that two German men would get into a knife about how to make bread. People from a English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish background really do not understand how serious Germans take bread. When I lived in London in the early 1990s all us German types met we up would immediately talk about where one might be able to get a decent loaf of bread. My work required me to go to Germany a couple times a month so I could at least bring home a decent loaf each time.
Land was plentiful, so it does not surprise me that the value is what strikes me as a low, however I slice it, the cost of that house brought forward to 2012 is about $100,000
Monday, April 02, 2012
150 years ago today the Vancouver Island Roads budget was passed
The Daily Colonist for April 2nd 1862 reported on the road budget for the year for Vancouver Island. The budget was 4000 pounds, which was $20,000 at the time. There had been a pledge by Attorney General George Hunter Cary in 1861 that a road would be built to Metchosin and another to Sooke but they did not start on them. In 1862 the legislative council said these roads were not a priority.Meanwhile on the front page of the same edition there is an add for tenders for ditching, grading and partly metalling the first section of the Victoria and Saanich road from Douglas street to Section 2 beyond the intersection of the New and Old Saanich roads. I am not sure which road this is today.
Meanwhile in BC, aka the mainland colony, there is a call for 500 men to work on the wagon road from Lillooet to Mud Lake and 300 men to work on the wagon road from Boston Bar to Lytton. 800 men to work on roads is a huge project for the time. There were about 45,000 non-aboriginal people in BC at the time though the population was disproportionally male. Even keeping that in mind, 800 men is around 4-5% of the available adult male workforce, this call is for around one in 20 of the men in BC.
The non aboriginal population was falling at the time as many men were leaving BC because they did not do well in the gold rush.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Prices for food and travel from 150 years ago
The February 22nd 1862 edition of the British Colonist had some information on prices of basic staples. Here is the list and what I often buy the same goods for now.
Some things are much more expensive, some of them I am surprised to see how little they have increased.
$1000 a year would have been a very good upper middle class wage in 1862. $30,000 a year in 2012 is poverty level. It shows how much the portion of our expenses food is has dropped in 150 years. though 150 years ago there were almost no taxes, no electronics, and no consumer items as such.
That said, the wages of a general labourer was about $900 per year on Vancouver Island. A carpenter could earn up to $1250 a year.
It cost you $50 to travel from Victoria to San Francisco via ship, $25 in steerage. A return trip with a cabin for a carpenter would have cost him 20 days of work. In 2012 a round trip flight to San Francisco is about $600 or a day and a half work for a carpenter. To get to New York from San Francisco via ship was $239 for a first class cabin and $189 for a second class cabin.
To get the Cariboo it cost $50 via the most economical way but the recommendation was to have an extra $100 for expenses.
- Flour $9/bushel which is about $0.15/lb - 2012 it goes for about $0.90/lb
- Bacon $0.16/lb for eastern bacon, $0.18/lb for Oregon bacon - neither variety is plentiful - 2012 it is about $4.50/lb
- Sugar $0.105/lb for Chinese sugar, $0.125/lb for Sandwich Island sugar, $0.18/lb if you want it ground - 2012 $1.00
- Coffee $0.27/lb for Rio coffee beans and $0.40/lb for it ground - 2012 $8.00/lb for regular and $16.00/lb for premium
- Onions $0.05/lb - 2012 $0.25/lb
- Potatoes $0.02/lb - 2012 $0.30/lb
- Beans $0.08/lb - I do not know what type and I am not certain of the 2012 price
Some things are much more expensive, some of them I am surprised to see how little they have increased.
- Onions x5
- Sugar x5.6
- Flour x6
- Bacon x15
- Potatoes x15
- Coffee x30 for the non-premium
$1000 a year would have been a very good upper middle class wage in 1862. $30,000 a year in 2012 is poverty level. It shows how much the portion of our expenses food is has dropped in 150 years. though 150 years ago there were almost no taxes, no electronics, and no consumer items as such.
That said, the wages of a general labourer was about $900 per year on Vancouver Island. A carpenter could earn up to $1250 a year.
It cost you $50 to travel from Victoria to San Francisco via ship, $25 in steerage. A return trip with a cabin for a carpenter would have cost him 20 days of work. In 2012 a round trip flight to San Francisco is about $600 or a day and a half work for a carpenter. To get to New York from San Francisco via ship was $239 for a first class cabin and $189 for a second class cabin.
To get the Cariboo it cost $50 via the most economical way but the recommendation was to have an extra $100 for expenses.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
150 years ago today, the execution of Charley in Victoria
Here is the text from the second page of the Daily Colonist of Saturday February 8th 1862:
His last words were that One-eyed Tom was the real murderer.
The spectators were disgusted with the hangman for his actions while the body was hanging; he used his foot to tighten the noose and shook the rope. Charley's father was an inmate in the same jail but did not wish to visit his son.
The man Allache referenced above was a Tsimshian man who killed a Thomas Brown on July 16th 1860 who constantly raped Allache's wife. Allache had no lawyer and was not even provided with a decent translator.
THE DOOMED MAN - "Charley" the Cowichan Indian convicted of the murder ofHe was the fourth person on Vancouver Island to be executed. In total 13 aboriginal people were executed by the colony of Vancouver Island. Not a single white, black, Hawaiian or Chinese person was executed.
Thomas Holmes, will be hanged at daylight this morning, in front of the Police Barracks. We visited him yesterday, and found him in good health and spirits and very communicative. He says that he saw "Tom" kill the man , and complains bitterly that the true murderer is not to die with him. The executioner is one of the convicts, who will receive as a reward for his services a pardon and $50 to re-commence life with. A Catholic priest has been daily in attendance upon the doomed man since the date of his sentence, and will be with him at the last moment. The scaffold - the same on which Allache was hanged a year and a half ago - was erected last night.
His last words were that One-eyed Tom was the real murderer.
The spectators were disgusted with the hangman for his actions while the body was hanging; he used his foot to tighten the noose and shook the rope. Charley's father was an inmate in the same jail but did not wish to visit his son.
The man Allache referenced above was a Tsimshian man who killed a Thomas Brown on July 16th 1860 who constantly raped Allache's wife. Allache had no lawyer and was not even provided with a decent translator.
Monday, January 16, 2012
How fast news came in 1862 and how it changed by 1866
A major event for anyone in the British Empire in 1862 was the death of the Prince Consort, Albert. Queen Victoria's husband died on December 14th 1861 and the news arrived in Victoria on January 13th 1862. One month for major news to come from London to Victoria. Most news from elsewhere actually took much longer. The British Colonist's regular letter from a London correspondent could be two months old when published.
This was actually pretty good time because ships of the 1860s were already had a dramatic improvement in speed. News could only travel via sail power all the way from the UK to BC, nothing dramatic had changed in centuries. In 1862 we are only years short of a major communications revolution.
1866 sees the first functional transatlantic cable put into operation on July 27th and by August 14th the Colonist was publishing news from Europe via telegraph that was only two days old.
The telegraph changes things dramatically. The American Civil War was reported on in the Colonist weeks after the events occurred. The Franco-Prussian war was reported in the Colonist very differently.
On July 19th 1870 the Franco-Prussian war started, the July 21st edition of the Daily British Colonist had news of the events of July 19th in Europe that were happening as the war started. The delay between events happening in Europe and them being reported in the paper dropped to only two days. It was now possible to read about the war blow by blow, each tiny event is detailed on a daily basis. It may not have been real time, but it is only a day or so slower than news gets into the newspapers today.
People must have been reading the paper each day to see how things unfolded. The newspaper suddenly changes from a advertising rag with a lot of opinion and some old news to the source with the most current news in the world.
If you look at the fifth column of page three for July 21st 1870, you can see the heading "By Electric Telegraph: Special to the Daily Colonist". There is a heading most days on page three with that title.
I am trying to imagine how this changed how people viewed the world. In the past everyone accepted that it was months to get news from Europe to Victoria, letters from friends were just as likely to inform you of world events than the newspapers. Suddenly with the news via the telegraph people were connected in a way that no one could have conceived of.
This was actually pretty good time because ships of the 1860s were already had a dramatic improvement in speed. News could only travel via sail power all the way from the UK to BC, nothing dramatic had changed in centuries. In 1862 we are only years short of a major communications revolution.
1866 sees the first functional transatlantic cable put into operation on July 27th and by August 14th the Colonist was publishing news from Europe via telegraph that was only two days old.
The telegraph changes things dramatically. The American Civil War was reported on in the Colonist weeks after the events occurred. The Franco-Prussian war was reported in the Colonist very differently.
On July 19th 1870 the Franco-Prussian war started, the July 21st edition of the Daily British Colonist had news of the events of July 19th in Europe that were happening as the war started. The delay between events happening in Europe and them being reported in the paper dropped to only two days. It was now possible to read about the war blow by blow, each tiny event is detailed on a daily basis. It may not have been real time, but it is only a day or so slower than news gets into the newspapers today.
People must have been reading the paper each day to see how things unfolded. The newspaper suddenly changes from a advertising rag with a lot of opinion and some old news to the source with the most current news in the world.
If you look at the fifth column of page three for July 21st 1870, you can see the heading "By Electric Telegraph: Special to the Daily Colonist". There is a heading most days on page three with that title.
I am trying to imagine how this changed how people viewed the world. In the past everyone accepted that it was months to get news from Europe to Victoria, letters from friends were just as likely to inform you of world events than the newspapers. Suddenly with the news via the telegraph people were connected in a way that no one could have conceived of.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
150 years ago all of Colwood was for rent
I was reading the British Colonist for January 6th 1862 and saw an ad on the front page offering the Colwood farm for rent.
The Colwood farm was a 600 to 620 acre property running from Esquimalt Harbour to Langford Lake. It was created in 1851 by the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, a subsidiary of the HBC. The farm was managed by Captain Edward Langford who named if after his home in England, Colwood near Slaugham Sussex.
His appointment seems to have been a patronage appointment as he was a relative of Richard Blanshard. His management skills were not good, even though he got a salary of 60 pounds a year and 1/3 of the farm profits, he could not make the farm pay.
He ended up out of money and in the courts in his last years in BC. He came to Vancouver Island as a "Gentleman Farmer" but there is nothing to indicate he had any real means in England. Other than managing the farm, he was also a magistrate, but a very poor one.
The reason the farm was available is because Langford returned to England, leaving January 12th 1861. The newspaper report was very flattering, but then Langford withdrew from the previous election and endorsed the editor, Amor de Cosmos. It is worth the read, here is just one sentence from this over the top tribute:
If you were interested in renting the farm, you needed to contact Dr Tolmie.
The names Colwood and Langford are examples of the dumb naming policy we live with from the colonial era. Neither name has any organic attachment to the place and the individual the names come from is not some one that should be honoured in this region.
The Colwood farm was a 600 to 620 acre property running from Esquimalt Harbour to Langford Lake. It was created in 1851 by the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, a subsidiary of the HBC. The farm was managed by Captain Edward Langford who named if after his home in England, Colwood near Slaugham Sussex.
His appointment seems to have been a patronage appointment as he was a relative of Richard Blanshard. His management skills were not good, even though he got a salary of 60 pounds a year and 1/3 of the farm profits, he could not make the farm pay.
He ended up out of money and in the courts in his last years in BC. He came to Vancouver Island as a "Gentleman Farmer" but there is nothing to indicate he had any real means in England. Other than managing the farm, he was also a magistrate, but a very poor one.
The reason the farm was available is because Langford returned to England, leaving January 12th 1861. The newspaper report was very flattering, but then Langford withdrew from the previous election and endorsed the editor, Amor de Cosmos. It is worth the read, here is just one sentence from this over the top tribute:
Although in the service of the Puget Sound Compnay, which is but another self of the Hudson Bay Company, he has never bowed to the feudal usages of the local lordlings.
If you were interested in renting the farm, you needed to contact Dr Tolmie.
The names Colwood and Langford are examples of the dumb naming policy we live with from the colonial era. Neither name has any organic attachment to the place and the individual the names come from is not some one that should be honoured in this region.
Monday, September 12, 2011
The debates about the Incorporation of the City of Victoria
150 years ago in the fall of 1861 the legislature of Vancouver Island was debating the Act to Incorporate the City of Victoria. The debates are covered in detail in the British Colonist.
On Wednesday September 11th the debates centered around what powers Victoria should be allowed to have and if the City by-laws would have to all be approved by the Governor of Vancouver Island. The debate reaches a point where the members seem to realize that they may be giving the City of Victoria a stronger law making power than the legislative council of Vancouver Island had.
The other issue at debate was what sort of powers the City of Victoria should be allowed to have. There is talk about regulating weights and measures, the sale and storage of gunpowder, and the inspection of gasometers. What they specifically do not want to give the City is any power to restrict private property or interests. They wanted a narrow and specific set of subjects the City could pass by-laws about.
This makes my curious now, what is the standing of by-laws passed in the 1860s now? The City seems to only have been able to pass by-laws in areas of jurisdiction that the City no longer is allowed to pass by-laws about.
On Wednesday September 11th the debates centered around what powers Victoria should be allowed to have and if the City by-laws would have to all be approved by the Governor of Vancouver Island. The debate reaches a point where the members seem to realize that they may be giving the City of Victoria a stronger law making power than the legislative council of Vancouver Island had.
The other issue at debate was what sort of powers the City of Victoria should be allowed to have. There is talk about regulating weights and measures, the sale and storage of gunpowder, and the inspection of gasometers. What they specifically do not want to give the City is any power to restrict private property or interests. They wanted a narrow and specific set of subjects the City could pass by-laws about.
This makes my curious now, what is the standing of by-laws passed in the 1860s now? The City seems to only have been able to pass by-laws in areas of jurisdiction that the City no longer is allowed to pass by-laws about.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Headlines from the Daily British Colonist from 150 years ago
I am a history geek and I love how much stuff is now available online. One interesting source is the Daily British Colonist. The paper was only four pages long, though there were no pictures in it.
Here are the headlines and tidbits from 150 years ago today:
700 Slaves Escaped in Virginia - worth not less than $500,000 and now held by the US government as war contraband
An add from the Colony of Vancouver Island stating they are seeking tenders to build a road from Victoria to Esquimalt. 2000 pounds were set aside for the tender.
Scorgie, Bolton & Co have opened a new ship building yard on the Indian Reserve.
On page 2 there is a long discussion of the merits of the 1861 Incorporation Act - the big sticking point was who would be allowed to vote and how often? The issue was that some people might be able to vote multiple times because they would get one vote per property. At the same time, property owners were proposed to be the only source of taxes for the City.
The ship the Marcella had obviously recently come into port given all the adds from merchants with goods to sell from this ship.
On page 3 there is an account of 200 "elite of our colored population" celebrating the 25th anniversary of emancipation from slavery in the West Indies. First with a picnic at Cadboro Bay and then a ball in the evening at the Hall of the African Rifles. I find the article interesting because it gives me a sense of large the black community was at the time. The total Victoria population was no more than a few thousand.
The African Rifles were the first military unit formed in BC and was only formed in July 1861, the drill hall was the social centre for the black community in Victoria.
On page 4 there is an ad from the sale of the Cadboro, the brig that was used by the HBC for years on the coast and was the ship that brought James Douglas to the Victoria area for the first time. No price is listed.
From time to time I will post more exerts from the Daily British Colonist
Here are the headlines and tidbits from 150 years ago today:
700 Slaves Escaped in Virginia - worth not less than $500,000 and now held by the US government as war contraband
An add from the Colony of Vancouver Island stating they are seeking tenders to build a road from Victoria to Esquimalt. 2000 pounds were set aside for the tender.
Scorgie, Bolton & Co have opened a new ship building yard on the Indian Reserve.
On page 2 there is a long discussion of the merits of the 1861 Incorporation Act - the big sticking point was who would be allowed to vote and how often? The issue was that some people might be able to vote multiple times because they would get one vote per property. At the same time, property owners were proposed to be the only source of taxes for the City.
The ship the Marcella had obviously recently come into port given all the adds from merchants with goods to sell from this ship.
On page 3 there is an account of 200 "elite of our colored population" celebrating the 25th anniversary of emancipation from slavery in the West Indies. First with a picnic at Cadboro Bay and then a ball in the evening at the Hall of the African Rifles. I find the article interesting because it gives me a sense of large the black community was at the time. The total Victoria population was no more than a few thousand.
The African Rifles were the first military unit formed in BC and was only formed in July 1861, the drill hall was the social centre for the black community in Victoria.
On page 4 there is an ad from the sale of the Cadboro, the brig that was used by the HBC for years on the coast and was the ship that brought James Douglas to the Victoria area for the first time. No price is listed.
From time to time I will post more exerts from the Daily British Colonist
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