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The original list of the Lightkeepers below was provided by Trev Anderson to students from Lester Pearson College who were doing an assignment on Marine History for their Marine Science class in 1980. In 2009-10 in preparation for the sesqicentennial of Race Rocks, I have added a number of references for individual stories gleaned from the Daily Colonist Archives. (G.Fletcher) |
Senior Light Keepers
and Assistants. |
Years of Occupancy at Race Rocks
and Hyperlinks in blue to pages of known historical connections
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| Roberts |
Feb 1860 - 1861 |
| George Nicholas Davies (and Rosina) |
Feb.9 1861 - 1866- died on the Race Rocks station, see note above. (b. 1831 - d. 1866) |
| Rosina Davies |
1866-1879- remained on station as keeper after her husband died.Rosina remarried later and her name was then Rosina Harman.) |
| Nicholas Bertucci |
Came to Victoria from Italy in 1862, was assistant at Race Rocks for 5 years: from either 1863-1867 or 1863-1868. |
| John McQuarrie |
January 19, 1869; 1st Assistant Keeper; age 52 in 1872; pay $410 per year; (British Columbia Report of the Hon. H. L. Langevin, C.B., Minister of Public Works, 1872) |
Thomas Argyle
(and Ellen) |
Feb 1867 - 1888 (Thomas (1839 - 1919) Argyle & Ellen Argyle (d. 1925) May 23, 1867 - 1888; 32 years old in 1872; Chief Keeper; pay $625 per year
Also see The Sappers File on Thomas and Ellen Argyle
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| Ellen Argyle |
1867-1871- assistant keeper May 23, 1867 - 1871; 32 years old in 1872; 3rd Assistant; pay $150 per year; (British Columbia Report of the Hon. H. L. Langevin, C.B., Minister of Public Works, 1872) |
| Samuel Askew |
1871 September 11, 1871 - ; age 30 in 1872; Second Assistant; $360 per year; |
| W.H. Berus |
Assistant? Mar 31-1861- Aug 5, 1879 (d. 1879) |
| Amelia Berus |
August 05, 1879 - February 01, 1880
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| Albert Argyle (son) |
1888- Jan 1, 1889 |
| W.P. Daykin |
1889-1891 (W. P. (Phil) Daykin & Anna Daykin) (Many newspaper articles on their time at Carmanah)January 1, 1889 - April 23, 1891(Cadieux papers say he started July 03, 1889) |
| Frederick Mercer Eastwood |
April 23, 1891 - February 01, 1919; on station in 1910 (Vancouver City Directory 1910, Dominion Government Section) (resigned) (Cadieux papers) (b. March 02, 1862, England - d. 1932) & Annie |
| James Thomas Forsyth (and Ellen) |
February 01, 1919 - December 10, 1932 (Cadieux papers)(b. November 16, 1870, Halifax, NS, Canada - d. December 10, 1932) & Ellen J. (Cadieux papers) |
| Henry I. McKenzie (and Evelyn) |
Dec 1932 - Oct 24, 1933---another reference says..Henry I. December 15, 1933 as temporary keeper when James Forsyth died (Cadieux papers)
"Henry I. McKenzie (b. May 13, 1884, Nova Scotia) & Evelyn McKenzie (Cadieux papers) |
| Andrew Ritchie |
Oct 24, 1933 - Sept 20,- 1940 (his first station) |
| Thomas Westhead |
Sept. 20, 1940 - Sept 15, 1948 (wireless operator in 1927 according to BC Directory; later a lighthouse keeper) He also built three sailboats while on the island. |
| Arthur Anderson |
Sept 15, 1948 - Jan 23, 1950 ( drowned while returning to station) |
| S. Footman |
Jan 23, 1950 - Feb, 1950 |
| Percy C. Pike |
Feb 1950 - Oct, 1952
Percival (Percy) C. Pike (b. May 21, 1898, Durban, South Africa) & Mary Ellen Pike (Cadieux papers spell the name "Pikes") |
| Bruce W. Rogers |
August 01, 1951 Assistant Keeper |
| Gordon Odlum |
Oct 1, 1952 - July 31, 1961, (b. June 17, 1914, Vancouver, BC) & Jean Odlum. Contirbution to UBC research on bird nesting. |
| Chris W.Slater |
Aug 1961 - Sept 1961 |
| Charles Clark |
Sept 1961 - Nov 1, 1961 (Born March 22, 1888, Ireland) (Cadieux papers)
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| Ben Rogers |
Nov, 1961 - July 27, 1964 |
| Alan J. Tully |
July 27, 1964 - July 26, 1966 ( J. Alan (Al) Tully (d. 1971) & Mona Tully (Cadieux papers)) |
| Curt Cehak |
summer 1966 to 1968--Junior keeper (Kurt Felix Carl (b. February 09, 1925, Vienna, Austria) & Erika Cehak (Cadieux papers) Link is to video of him talking about sea lions |
| Trevor and Flo Anderson |
Jul 26, 1966- March 2, 1982 |
| David Odlum |
for a short period in the late 60's. junior keeper. (son of Gordon & Jean Odlum) |
| Edward and Alice Hay |
**Junior Keeper 1968-1977 |
| Rudy Dufour |
**Junior Keeper. ..1977? |
| Bob Lundy |
**Junior Keeper 1977 |
| Edward Carson |
Relief Keeper 1980- 1982 (Edward (Ed) Carson (b. December 30, 1912, North Vancouver, BC - d. 1990) & Karlene Carson (not spelled "Karlene") (Cadieux papers) Ed remarried in 1982 to Sheryl) |
| Frank Coffey |
c 1980..junior keeper on station with relief principal Ed Carson |
| Joseph Slyth |
1981- Relief Lightkeeper at Race Rocks. ( died 2008 in Victoria at age 93) |
| Charles and Joan Redhead |
1982- 1989 (Charles d. 1966) |
| Warren and Elaine Kennedy |
Junior Keeper on station with Charles Redhead 1982-1990- |
| Gerry Toner |
Junior Keeper..1990- 1994? Gerry passed away in Victoria , July 20, 2011 . |
| Pat Mickey |
Junior Keeper. Dec 16, 1993- 1996? (and Lorraine Mickey) |
| Mike and Carol Slater |
Oct, 1989- 1997... |
| Station Automated |
1997 |
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** Explanation of the terms Junior vs Assistant keeper provided by Trev and Flo Anderson:
"Before 1961 the senior lightkeeper hired his own assistant . The government then began a system of examing all applicatants. Lightkeepers were then all hired by the government ( Trev was in the first group). When the government hired and placed applicants, after posting position openings internally, they were called junior lightkeepers. Relief keepers were hired by the local office but the senior keeper could, and did often, suggest someone as the relief keeper had to live in the personal residences."
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