Today is Remembrance Day. It is fitting we take a moment to remember those caught up in and killed in all wars, and think about the shattered lives and dreams of ordinary people just like ourselves.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
This is the 4th stanza of the poem “For the Fallen” composed by Laurence Binyon which was first printed in the September 21st 1914 edition of the Times newspaper in remembrance of casualties from the Battle of Mons early in Word War 1.
The tradition of wearing poppies stems from a poem written in 1915 by a Canadian doctor and soldier in WW1 – John McCrea – after the death of a close friend on the battlefields of Flanders. McCrea himself passed away from pneumonia and meningitis in January 1918.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Here is a new video on the Ladysmith & District Historical Society YouTube channel featuring Dr. Quentin Goodbody on the Causes and History of Climate Change – Climate Change And Global Warming, Part 1:
Would you like to leave a question or comment about anything on this post?
We (LDHS) are writing a number of articles commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2.
The WW2 soldiers on the Cenotaph will be highlighted. Additionally, we would like to write an article to be about how the war affected Ladysmith and those living here – ie what it was like to live in the town during the war.
If you or someone you know was living in Ladysmith during the war, we have some questions for you but welcome your thoughts/comment if there is anything in particular which you would like to comment on which our questions do not address.
Depending on your preference, we could name you or we can keep it anonymous.
The important thing is that we get information on what it was like in Ladysmith and Vancouver Island / BC during the war.
At what age were you during WW2 (preTeen, teenage, twenties good enough).
How did you first hear that Canada was at war in 1939?
What was it like in Ladysmith during WW2? Was there a different atmosphere in the town before, during and after?
Was there a feeling of patriotism?
Did you feel that the war was ‘real’ and ‘immediate’ – or was it ‘something going on ‘over there”.
Did your family talk about the war?
How did you catch up on war news – or did you not pay much attention to this?
Did you know people who went off to fight?
How did people contribute to the war effort?
We understand that the air cadets were a big thing in Ladysmith.
Did you know people in the cadets?
Do you know what their training was like?
Did any of them go off to war?
Did you and your family do things differently because of the war?
After Japan’s entry into the war, were you and others in the Town concerned about a Japanese invasion?
Can you remember what was done about staving off a potential Japanese invasion?
Were there goods that you could not get – and were there things that were in short supply?
What sort of celebration was there when the war ended?
Can you suggest other people we might interview about this subject?
We are lucky to live in a community as caring as Ladysmith. Just how caring is reflected in a long history of philanthropic organizations in the town. To understand the origin of these organizations, we must understand the social context at the time they were formed.
Before the development of large-scale government and employer health insurance and other financial services in Canada which form the backbone of our social security system (prompted in part by the Great Depression in the 1930s), “‘Friendly Societies” played an important role in many people’s lives as membership provided support in times of unemployment, sickness and bereavement.
An early form of Friendly Societies in Europe were tradesmen’s Guilds set up in the Middle Ages (1100–1500s). Membership was restricted to persons qualified in and practising the particular activity relating to the guild (i.e., stonemasons involved in building the great cathedrals and castles, or coopers making barrels).
Expansion of Friendly and/or Benevolent Societies occurred in the 1700–1800s when the Industrial Revolution prompted large scale migration from rural areas to dense urban factory settings where poor housing, disease and hunger were contributing to significant social misery. Some of these societies were religion-based, while others were purely secular. Some were exclusive with regard to membership, while others were more open in their membership policies. In contrast to the very practical reasons for their existence, many had/have elaborate rites and costumes as a form of “branding,” celebrating their unique identity and providing a sense of belonging to the membership. Such societies formed the basis for a considerable number of Ladysmith’s philanthropic organizations.
On Vancouver Island in the late 1890s, when the focus of coal mining changed from Wellington to the Extension area and the settlement to be incorporated in 1904 as the City of Ladysmith came into existence, there were few state social safety nets in place. Workplace safety in the coal mines — the predominant employer in the town — was poor. Unions were weak and relatively unable to protect the workers. Accidents were common and, at times, disastrous. Early residents sought a measure of security and community through belonging to societies, many of which are still active in our community today; others have died out locally, but are still active elsewhere.
The Masons were an important society in early Ladysmith and continue to be so today. St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 21 was formed in Wellington in 1893 and moved to Ladysmith in 1901. The Lodge is housed in the St John’s Masonic Temple located at 26 Gatacre Street in downtown Ladysmith. This handsome brick building was constructed in 1913 to replace an earlier wooden building, transferred in 1901 from Wellington, which burned down in 1912. The main principles of Freemasonry insist that each member show tolerance, respect and kindness in his actions toward others, practices charity and care for the community as a whole, and strives to achieve high moral standards in his own personal life. Membership of the Masons is restricted to men.
Also present in early Ladysmith was the Order of the Eastern Star, which female relatives of Master Masons could and still may join. Today this order is open to both women and men; boys may join the Order of DeMolay or the Order of the Builders; and girls may join the Order of Job’s Daughters or the Order of the Rainbow. The Ladysmith Museum holds a number of artifacts, which belonged to local members of the Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star.
The philanthropic arm of the Masons is the Shriners. All Shriners are Masons, but not all Masons are Shriners. To join the Shriners, Mason members must attain the degree of Master Mason. To date, research into the early history of the Shriners in Ladysmith has been unsuccessful. It is not known if a Shriners organization founded in Wellington transferred to Ladysmith along with the Masons or not. If there was no local club, prior to the Cowichan Valley Shrine Club No. 27 being formed in 1964 to which local Shriners now appear to belong, Shriners resident in Ladysmith were likely part of the Nanaimo Shrine Club No. 10.
Mid-Island Shrine Clubs belong to a wider Shriner organization founded in 1870, which provides health care for children via a network of twenty-two hospitals in the U.S., Mexico and Canada without regard to race, colour, creed, sex, sect, disability, national origin or ability of a patient or family to pay.
We in Ladysmith perhaps most readily recognize the Shriners by their wearing Fezes (Turkish style hats) and driving their iconic miniature cars during Ladysmith parades.
There are two organizations tied to the Shrine that are for women only: The Ladies’ Oriental Shrine and the Daughters of the Nile. They both support the Shriner Hospitals and promote sociability. Membership in either organization is open to any woman 18 years of age and older who is related to a Shriner or Master Mason by birth or marriage. The Daughters of the Nile were present in Ladysmith, but little has been found about them at time of submission of this article. Today there are Daughters of the Nile chapters connected to the Cowichan Valley Shrine Club No. 27 and the Nanaimo Shrine Club No. 10.
A society of significant importance in early Ladysmith was the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), the historic command of which is to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.” Evolving from earlier Orders of Odd Fellows first founded in England during the 1700s, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political and non-sectarian co-ed international fraternal order founded in North America 1819. The Odd Fellows was, in 1851, the first fraternity in the US to include both men and women. The organization is also known as “The Three Link Fraternity,” referring to the Triple Links Logo – containing the letters F, L & T (Friendship, Love and Truth).
IOOF Harmony #6 Lodge was established in Wellington in 1883 and appears to have subsequently transferred to Ladysmith about 1901. The lodge was located on Roberts Street, in the upper story of the Opera House/Movie Theatre. This building burned down in 1932. The site today is occupied by the Telus building.
Initially designed as the female auxiliary of the IOOF, but now allowing both female and male members, The Rebekahs were also present in Ladysmith. Laurel Rebekah Lodge No. 9, IOOF, was instituted at Wellington on November 7, 1895; the charter was relocated to Ladysmith on June 12, 1901. The general duties of membership are “To live peaceably, do good unto all, as we have opportunity and especially to obey the Golden Rule: Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.”
An impressive OddFellow/Rebekah memorial in Ladysmith Cemetery was consecrated on August 9, 1953. The inscription etched in granite reads “To The Sacred Memory Of All ODDFELLOWS AND REBEKAHS: Erected by Harmony Lodge No. 6 and Laurel Rebekah Lodge No. 9, 1953.” The Oddfellow three ring symbol is at the top centre of the monument: on the north side the letters IOOF and on the south side the letters FLT (standing for Friendship, Love and Truth) are evident.
The Ladysmith Museum was recently gifted a medallion denoting a Rebekah past Grand Noble, but whether this belonged to someone from Ladysmith is not known.
Directly related to the coal mining history of our region is the Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary. In 1909 a group of ladies, possibly called “The Miners’ Ladies Auxiliary” gathered to donate their services – possibly to provide succor in the aftermath of the Extension Mine Disaster of October 5th of that year in which 32 men died. After construction of the Ladysmith General Hospital in 1911/12 (which was financed by and administered under the Miners Accident and Burial Fund) this group became “The Ladysmith Hospital Auxiliary.” Subsequent to the change from a full service hospital facility to a community health care centre, the auxiliary in 2006 changed its name to the current Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary (LHA).
The LHA makes significant donations of funding for medical equipment to island hospitals now serving Ladysmith citizens. Numerous other entities providing health care services to our community also benefit from LHA funding. In 2018 the organization donated more than $250k to support local healthcare facilities and health and wellness programs. The LHA operates the Thrift Store at the corner of 1st Avenue and French Street and a gift shop now located in the Healthcare Centre. Other LHA activities include Knitters & Crafts, Meals on Wheels, Youth Volunteers, maintenance of the Doris Gallagher Memorial Gardens located behind the Ladysmith Community Health Centre at 4th Avenue and Symonds, provision of High School Bursaries, Patient Comforts and a Senior’s Lifeline service in partnership with Philips Lifeline.
A regionally extant benevolent organization, which was present in early Ladysmith, but is no longer is the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire(IODE). The Order was founded in 1900 in Montreal at the time of the Second Boer War. Steeped in Empire and Patriotism, the IODE soon became an effective means of supplying comforts to the soldiers in the field.
The Order’s first great undertaking after the end of the Boer War was “the search for the graves of those brave Canadians who sleep on the veldts of Africa.” These graves they marked with fine headstones of Canadian grey granite, and the Order later started a fund to keep the graves green for all time.
Despite the connection between the IODE, the Boer War, the siege of Ladysmith and the naming of our town, it wasn’t until October 8, 1914, that an IODE chapter was formed in Ladysmith in response to the outbreak of the First World War. The 25 founding members chose the motto “strength and honour is Britain’s glory.” This chapter was one of many formed across Canada in a wave of patriotic fervour to aid with the war effort. In addition to assisting the Red Cross with provisioning, attention was focussed on supplying comfort kits containing knitted and sewn articles, jam, candies, cigarettes etc. to soldiers departing for and already in Europe.
Membership of the IODE crossed societal/racial boundaries. Noted in a November 1914 report on IODE activities since the declaration of war “Remarkable among the various groups of women united in this service are the Native Indian Women …. who have contributed the wool used, carded it themselves, and have sent large consignments towards the ‘Field Comforts.’ The Cowichan Indian Women and the Kuper Island Indian Women (who wove their tribal name into each sock) have all associated with this patriotic movement.”
The Ladysmith Museum houses a silver matchbox “presented by Ladysmith IODE for active service, 1919.”
Research to date has failed to come up with information on the later history of the local IODE chapter.
An organization that was in Ladysmith, but about which the author has found little local information, is the Ancient Order of Foresters (AOF). The Order continues to exist, but not locally.
The AOF is one of the oldest of the Friendly Societies. Founded in Yorkshire England in 1790, it was already unequivocally a benefit society by the early nineteenth century and probably was so from its earliest beginnings — stemming from medieval forester guilds. The Ancient Order of Foresters became a registered Friendly Society in 1834. In 1874 the American and Canadian Foresters seceded from the Ancient Order of Foresters and set up the Independent Order of Foresters, which today is based in Toronto and operates an insurance business under the brand name Foresters Financial.
The AOF flourished in the 19th century, engaging in general charity as well as providing financial support for its members. Initially restricted to men, in 1892 membership in the Order was opened to women with the formation of female courts (the word “court” is used instead of “lodge”). Both men and women were entitled to become members provided that they were in work, over the age of eighteen and that their application had been proposed and seconded by a member of the Order. Juvenile Foresters had to be between four and eighteen years of age.
Members paid a monthly contribution which was apportioned to various funds, chiefly the Sick & Funeral Fund, the Management Committee (the salaried administrative body) and the Benevolent Fund. Men who had families or other dependants, and were the main wage earners, could pay a level of contributions which ensured that their families would be supported if they should die or become sick or unemployed.
The presence of the AOF in Ladysmith is indicated by two artifacts in the Museum. A handsome axe, the head of which is painted with “AOF Court 9829” and a completed application form for William John Weaving , a 12-year-old resident of Ladysmith to join Court Quadra No. 4 AOF Juvenile Friendly & Benevolent Society in May 1923. More research is required to put both artifacts in the context of local “courts.” Somewhat enigmatic is that these artifacts refer to the “Ancient” Order, given that the North American Foresters had seceded from the “Ancient” and set up the “Independent” Order in 1874.
Secretive in its rituals and symbolism and somewhat exclusive in its membership policies, The Native Sons of British Columbia (NSBC) was founded in 1899 “for social and recreative [purposes] and for mutual help.” A copy of the constitution of the NSBC dating from 1928 states the organization “seeks to advance the interest and promote the welfare of British Columbia, Canada and the Empire … to assist the Native born in establishing themselves and bettering their conditions in their Native Land, to the end that they may successfully perform their inherited duty of carrying on the splendid work commenced by their forefathers; to encourage a greater respect and appreciation of the deeds performed by the discoverers and the pioneers of this Province, and to ensure the emulation of their fortitude and progress in vital questions of the present and future … this organization is not parochial in its endeavors. It seeks to benefit all and to encourage a co-operation and harmony, which will mean PROSPERITY FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA AND THE EMPIRE” (emphasis theirs). The society’s image suffered due to an anti Asian stance during the 1920s–40s.
The Ladysmith Douglas Post No.7 of the NSBC was formed in the 1920s and was active until 1942. After an hiatus of three years the post reopened, but later closed again — year unknown.
A sister organization with similar objectives, the Native Daughters of British Columbia (NDBC), was founded in 1919. NDBC Dunsmuir Post No. 7 was established in Ladysmith in February 6, 1931, and closed in 2010.
Apart from a focus on preservation and glorification of the pioneer history of the province, the twin societies (NSBC and NDBC) were involved in philanthropic activities, including funding bursaries, contributing to hospitals and other charities. The Daughters for many years held an annual New Years Eve Dance. They published a Centennial Cookbook in 2004. Their hall on First Avenue, purchased by the NSBC in 1931 and taken over by the NDBC in 1942, is now Eagles Hall, the building having been sold to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1993.
The Museum contains quite a number of ceremonial artifacts relating to the NDBC.
Still very active in Ladysmith is the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE). Founded in 1898 in Seattle, this is an international non-profit organization “uniting fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills and promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope.”
Within 10 years of its inception, the organization boasted more than 1,800 Aeries scattered throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, with a membership exceeding 350,000. Members received free medical attention for themselves and their families, weekly payments in case of sickness and a funeral benefit — all valuable services before the widespread availability of medical, disability and life insurance. The FOE Ladies’ Auxiliary was formed in 1926.
The Ladysmith Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) Aerie #686 was instituted on April 22, 1904, over a month before the Town was incorporated. Aerie #686 surrendered its Charter in 1922. Five years later, on May 2, 1927, Ladysmith Aerie #2101 was instituted with 90 Chartered Members. The Aerie motto is “people helping people.” The Ladies Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #2101 was instituted August 25, 1949.
Former Aerie #686 and the present Aerie #2101 both met in the Odd Fellows Hall on Roberts Street until that building burned down in May 1932. Currently the Aerie is housed in the Eagles Hall at 921 1st Avenue — a building dating from 1901, with its own interesting heritage history.
The Fraternal Order Of Eagles (F.O.E.) Hall, 921 1st Avenue, Ladysmith, B.C.
The F.O.E Ladysmith #2101 continues to work hard to bring citizens together in the name of bettering communities and raising funds to assist friends and neighbours in need. The Aerie and Auxiliary donate thousands of dollars annually to local sports groups, festivals and celebrations, community support groups and High School bursaries.
The International Association of Lions was founded in 1917 with the main tenet being “unselfish service to others” and the motto “we serve.”
As of January 2020, the governing body known as Lions Clubs International, oversees 46,000 local clubs and more than 1.4 million members (Lions & LEO) in more than 200 countries around the world.
Local Lions Club programs include sight conservation, hearing and speech conservation, diabetes awareness, youth outreach, international relations, environmental issues and many other programs. The discussion of politics and religion is forbidden. The LIONS acronym also stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations’ Safety.
Membership in the Lions Club is by “invitation only.” All member applicants need a sponsor who is an active member and of good standing in the club they intend to join. In 1987, the constitution of Lions Clubs International was amended to allow for women to become members. Since then many clubs have admitted women, but some all-male clubs still exist. In addition to adult Lions Clubs, the Lions family includes Lioness Clubs, Leo Clubs, Campus Lions Clubs and Lion Cubs.
The Ladysmith Lions Club(LLC) was founded in 1941 with the mission “To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary service through community involvement and international co-operation.”
The organization has been involved in the development of playing fields, ball grounds, starting the Senior’s Housing Society providing low-cost rental accommodation, supporting the hospital, restoring and managing the Aggie Hall, hosting the Home and Garden Show and currently supports a number of charitable activities in the town, such as Ladysmith Family and Friends (LaFF).
Kin Canada, founded in 1920, is the nation’s largest all-Canadian service club organization. Over 6000 members belong to Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs across the country, working to better their communities, enhance the well-being of Canadians and improve the environment. The Association is dedicated to fostering life-long friendships while “serving the community’s greatest need.”
Kin Clubs perform a wide variety of local fundraising and service projects. Each club assesses their community’s greatest need to determine what projects to undertake and how to distribute funds raised within the local community. Certain national service projects are addressed as well, with current focus on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in hopes of finding a cure or control for cystic fibrosis. Kin Canada is also involved in a bursary program designed to help students fund their dreams of post-secondary education, advocacy for Canadian Blood Service collecting blood donations, organ and tissue donation programs, management of a disaster relief fund and promotion of Kin Canada’s National Day of KINdness every February.
The Kinsmen Club of Ladysmith (KCL) received its charter on February 22, 1952. The club has a long list of contributions to the community, including purchase of an ambulance, construction of a Health Unit, building and rebuilding playgrounds at Root Street, Transfer Beach (playground and spray park) and Brown Drive Park, construction and expansion of the Festival of Lights building on Fourth, construction of over a dozen ramps to facilitate access for persons with disabilities (including a ramp to the Museum), provision of bursaries for local students and supporting dozens of youth sports teams and events. The Ladysmith Kinsmen are also the sponsors and organizers of both of the Town’s annual parades, Ladysmith Days, as well as the Festival of Lights’ Light Up Parade. A recent innovation is an annual Soap Box Derby. An initiative that the club has been trying to get off the ground is the construction of a public washroom in the downtown area.
The KCL stresses that all that it has done would not have been possible without support from ALL of the members of the Ladysmith community (clubs, businesses, individuals, Town, churches, professionals, etc.).
A Roman Catholic Church-based group, Santa Maria Council #4582 of the Knights of Columbus was established in Ladysmith in July 1957. This club was part of a wider organization founded in the U.S. in 1882. The Ladysmith club operated until December 1970. It then closed, but reopened in December 2001, focus being on support of the Roman Catholic churches in Ladysmith and Chemainus, the Ladysmith Resources Centre, the Boys & Girls Club of Ladysmith and other charities with particular emphasis on youth, providing bursaries and grants for education. The author has been unable to find evidence of activity since 2004.
Another well-known organization with continued presence in Ladysmith is the Rotary, which defines itself as a non-partisan, non-sectarian organization open to business and professional leaders aged 18 and upwards, with no regard to economic status. Its mission is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. Rotary is made up of three parts: Local Rotary clubs, Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation.
The first Rotary Club was formed in Chicago in 1905. Today there are 35,000+ member clubs worldwide; upwards of 1.2 million people have joined the Rotary organization. Until the 1980s, women were not allowed membership although Rotarian spouses were often members of the similar Inner Wheel Club founded in 1924 to unite wives and daughters of Rotarians. Rotaract clubs bring together people ages 18-30 in communities worldwide to organize service activities, develop leadership skills and socialize. Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people ages 12 to 18. No two Rotary Clubs are the same as they focus not only on global programs, but also local community needs.
Rotary International supports Rotary clubs worldwide by coordinating global programs, which focus on preventing disease, providing clean water, supporting education, growing local economies, saving mothers and children and promoting peace. In 2018, the Rotary Foundation awarded in excess of US $86 million to fund these initiatives.
The Rotary Club of Ladysmith (RCL) was founded in 1970 (50th anniversary this year!). The club accepts new members by invitation or approved application. Very active within the community, past projects undertaken by the RCL include the clearing and construction of the Ladysmith Golf Course, building a public boat launch, Peace Garden, tot park and the Rotary Lookout. RCL continues to support Ladysmith Family & Friends (LaFF), the Ladysmith Secondary School lunch program, scholarships to graduates, the Food Bank, and the Ladysmith and District Arts Council amongst many other groups. In addition, the club is involved internationally by raising funds to support a Mayan community on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
Major local projects currently underway include collective efforts with other service clubs to fundraise for building a fitness path around Forrest Field and to build the Rotary Gardens (the Leaving Garden) at Cowichan Hospice.
Recently the club has begun the sponsorship of Rotaract, a Vancouver Island University based Rotary club. There is also an Interact Club at Ladysmith Secondary. This group of students actively supports all Rotary projects, as well as their own. It is currently involved in fundraising to support the replenishment of emergency supplies for the community in the event of a disaster.
The Ladysmith Resources Centre Association (LRCA) came into being in 1992 at a time when social problems stemming from a prolonged period of economic downturn were evident. The intent was to form a group that, after an assessment of community needs, would centralize and optimize provision of social services. The LRCA vision is to be the centre of social change in Ladysmith through “enriching the lives of people in the community through advocacy, programs and partnerships.”
Currently housed in Spirit Square, at 630 2nd Avenue, the LRCA administers a wide variety of programs under the headings Community Wellness, Food Security and Shelter. “Community Wellness” incorporates Counselling, Family Support Services, Income Tax Preparation, Kids, Restorative Justice, Seniors Advocacy, Victim Services and Youth Support Services. “Food Security” incorporates the LRCA Food Bank, Food Recovery and the LRCA Soup Kitchen. “Shelter” encompasses Housing Support Services, the LRCA Cold Weather Shelter and the soon to be constructed LRCA Affordable Housing Project.
Last in this review and the youngest of the societies mentioned herein, Ladysmith Families and Friends (LaFF) started in 1993. It provides inclusive, interactive opportunities for the development of children, families and community. Programs include LaFF Mornings and LaFFternoons in the Aggie Hall and Family Frolics at the Frank Jameson Community Centre and Swimming Pool.
The above is a long list of benevolent organizations, past and present, in Ladysmith. Doubtless it is not complete: for example, additional research is required regarding the Knights of Pythias, which were in Ladysmith, and the Salvation Army, which may have been active in our town. If your group has been left out or you wish a more complete story to be recorded, you have the author’s apologies and invitation to send information on the history and activities of your organization to the Ladysmith & District Historical Society by sending an email to info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.com.
Covid-19 has interrupted our everyday activities and many are feeling the strain financially, physically and mentally. It is heartwarming to know in these times of social distancing that our community, through its orders, societies and clubs, has a continuing history of really having “got it together” when it comes to looking after each other.
Catch our Ladysmith Harbour Heritage Virtual Walk with Quentin Goodbody on Saturday, June 20, at 7 pm via Zoom. If you can’t make it, make sure you visit our website for a recorded version the next day. Proud participant of Ladysmith & Area Hometown Tourist Weekend.
Time: Jun 20, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Here is the June 2020 monthly update on Society activities:
COVID-19 is still with us, but appears to be on the wane in our part of the world. This, however, does not yet mean that we can relax our social distancing, handwashing and other mitigation measures.
Businesses and municipal offices are re-opening in accordance with government-controlled relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions. The LDHS Board is carefully considering the reopening to the public of the Archives, Museum and Industrial Heritage site. In preparation for doing so we are familiarizing ourselves with guidelines from WorkSafeBC, BC Parks & Recreation, The BC Museums Association, and consulting with the Town and other similar institutions such as the Nanaimo Museum , other Ladysmith societies – and of course our staff/volunteers. Once approved by the Board, Covid instructions for visitors will be posted at the entryways to the Archives, 1st Ave Museum and Waterfront Industrial Heritage site, and guidelines for operating will be provided to staff/volunteers. They will also be posted on the LDHS website.
Our aim is to provide a safe setting in which everyone entering can have confidence that all reasonable precautions are being taken. Time will tell if and when that confidence is there. We have already seen an uptick of people wanting to visit the Archives.
Barring issues, our aim is to open some of the LDHS facilities to the public sometime in July. We will keep you posted. We do ask that if you can, please conduct your Archives business by phone (250 245 0100) or email (info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca).
Museum visitation, initially at least, will be by appointment – made through the same contacts as noted above. We are exploring working with the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce to facilitate openings to visitors.
Despite the COVID lockdown, Culture Doesn’t Stop: i.e. things have continued to happen within the Society:
The Website and Facebook pages have received considerable attention; the layout has been updated and contents significantly expanded. This work is ongoing and has in part been funded by a Resilience Grant of $2000 provided by the BC Museums Association – for which we are very grateful. If you have not done so, please take the time to peruse us online. There is a treasure trove of heritage information there. Many thanks to Marina Sacht and Mark Anderson for their Trojan work – and to Paul Mycroft for consulting with us on his website expertise.
Another online offering by the Society: as part of ‘HomeTown Tourist Weekend 2020, the LDHS is hosting on June 20th at 7.00 pm an online virtual walking tour titled ‘Harbour Heritage: a virtual walk through the history of Ladysmith Harbour.’ The beauty of today’s Transfer Beach and Marina belies it’s industrial past. This virtual walk, through photographs and narrative, shows what the harbour was like in its industrial heyday, points out where things were, and what vestiges remain.
Links that will allow you to connect with will be posted. Do come and join us in this virtual walk through the history of our Town! If there is sufficient interest, an actual walk will be organised in the future.
The front room of the Museum has had a make-over in preparation for the opening of the temporary exhibit ‘Predators of Vancouver Island’: thanks to Cheryl Bancroft and Robin Millan for their artistic efforts – worth a visit in itself to see! The featured Bears, Cougars, and Wolves are an important part of our natural heritage. In addition to impressive exhibits and photos, the biology and ecology of these animals will be presented along with their importance to us humans both historically and now, and what you should do if you meet one – which is perfectly possible in the environs of Ladysmith. The opening is currently planned for sometime – keep an eye out for more news on when and how to view this exciting exhibit.
The Ladysmith Timeline which used to occupy the walls of the front room has been digitized and is being updated, expanded and prepared for exhibit via interactive screen.
The Society was successful in its application to The Virtual Museum of Canada for funding for a Community Stories project entitled ‘The Beat Goes On – Music in Ladysmith’. The objective is to share the story of the music/cultural scene in Ladysmith from pre-settler times to today by using archival, historical, video and audio material along with oral histories. More details on the project can be seen on the Website. We are actively looking for volunteers and people to become involved: musicians especially welcome! This is a great opportunity to showcase Ladysmith’s musical history and talent on the national stage.
The LDHS has received funding through the Heritage Legacy Fund of B.C. (administered by Heritage BC) for a project titled “ONE Community, Different Cultures’. The deliverable is to host a workshop or workshop series that will use a facilitator and guest speakers to unite groups in the central Vancouver Island rural communities that have an interest in heritage. We see this as a way to increase communication and understanding between groups/societies, develop a better understanding of each other’s aims, and find a way to cooperate to make them happen.
The Board is still considering how best to hold the Annual General Meeting – postponed from April by COVID-19 restrictions. This is a tricky issue due to the relatively vulnerable nature of our membership re: COVID-19. Options include holding an ‘actual’ meeting with Covid-19 protocols in place; holding a ‘virtual’ meeting using Zoom (an online meeting application) through computer connection or phone-in or mail ballot, or a combination ‘actual and virtual’ meeting.
Partly by way of determining how many members can use Zoom, the Board set up Zoom practice sessions on June 8th, 9th, and 10th. These were not well attended –which could signify that most members are familiar enough with computers and the Zoom App not to need a practice session – but more realistically we believe it is due to discomfort or inability among the membership to working online. Currently, we are leaning toward an ‘actual’ meeting to be held outside with a barbeque on Saturday, August 22, 2020, at noon.
Key AGM business to be conducted includes provision of the financial report, annual society status report, election of a new Board and approval of the revised Bylaws (which have been on the website for members to review since December).
So despite COVID-19 there is a lot happening! We would love you to become involved.
Were there neighbourhoods in Ladysmith during the 1920s and 1930s?
As part of the People and Place Project, we are looking for photographs of streets, buildings, houses, and gardens within the original townsite of Ladysmith taken during the 1920s and ’30s. There are examples of people identifying areas such as “Finn Town”, “Top of the Hill”, “Little Italy”, and Belgian Town”. Are there specific boundaries to these areas? Did residents identify with the names of their neighbourhood? When did these names start to be used?
If you have information and/or photographs from these locations taken during the 1920s and ’30s, please call and leave a message at 250-826-3228 Project coordinator, or at the Ladysmith Archives phone 250-245-0100.
Thank you – we appreciate your contributions to keeping Ladysmith’s stories alive.
The “People and Place” project was funded in part by Heritage BC through the Heritage Legacy Fund.
It operates the Archives and Museum on behalf of the Town (which owns the facilities and contents) via a Management & Operating Agreement. The Town provides capital to run these facilities, mostly via a Budget Line Item. Additional capital may be provided, but is not guaranteed, via Grant in Aid for the Museum activity at the waterfront (Industrial Heritage Preservation Group activities). Services to the public are currently curtailed due to Covid-19 concerns.
4/. Very active Website and Facebook page. Currently doing daily posts.
Finances:
Doing ok. Sufficient operating cash in hand to cover operating expenses to end June when the next tranche of Town funding kicks in. 2019 Total Expenditure $75,900 vs Income $81,600
AGM
Postponed from scheduled date April 22nd.
Looking into potentially doing it ’remotely’ if Covid situation persists.
Key business includes:
Approval of the revised ByLaws – which have were sent out to members mid December.
Board election
Activities 1st Quarter 2020:
Historically Speaking Talks
January – Earthquake Ladysmith.: History, Reason, Risk and Why you should prepare. Presenter: Q Goodbody (3 times with total audience approx. 70 persons) Venue: Museum & Archives
March – 2nd Boer War Presenter: Rob Johnson. Venue: Museum. 25 people attended.
March – History of Fire in Ladysmith. Presenter: Alex Stuart. Venue: Ladysmith Fire Hall
Future Talks planned:
Climate Change and Global Warming: Understanding the Realities Part 1: Causal factors and History of Climate Change, Part 2: Greenhouse gases, Who is doing what, Climate change effects, Forward modelling, Attempts to control. Presenter: Q Goodbody. Venue: Originally scheduled for the Museum, but currently assessing giving online.
Water Ladysmith -Presenter: Greg Roberts. In the planning stage
Local Healing plants and potions – Daniel Elliott (Stzuminus First Nation). In planning stage
Looking for ideas / volunteers for future talks.
Heritage Week Activities: February 17-23
Monday Feb 17th: Family Day at the Museum. >200 attended
Thursday Feb 20th: 1st Annual Ladysmith Heritage Awards Presentation. in association with Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce ‘90’th celebration. 1st Annual Ladysmith heritage Awards presented in association with Town of Ladysmith. 45 attended.
Saturday Feb 22nd Heritage Walk (Rob Johnson), 45 attended – ended up at Museum. Open House at the Waterfront, in association with the LMS. approx. 300 attended
Archives
Sorry to report the passing of a Bonnie Peerens, a longtime and greatly valued volunteer for the Society. Bonnie was a regular presence at the Archives. She will be sorely missed.
Archives building was open 5 days per week until closed mid March due to Covid-19 concerns.
Archives per se
Ongoing activities:
Walkem Fonds – Esther Sharp
Chronicle Fonds – Phil Christiansen
Tax Assessments – longterm project
Reading Room
Ongoing Projects:Research
History of Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce – Ed Nicholson principal
Ladysmith Nursing School – Pat Brownfield principal
Cemetery Info Compilation – Nancy Roy principal
Canadian Colliery Employees – Bridget Watson principal
Births/Marriages/Deaths (pre 1920) – Linda McAdam
Heritage Trail Inventory in Cowichan Valley* – Marina Sacht principal
People & Places Neighbourhood Project *– Lesley Moore principal
The Beat Goes On – Music in Ladysmith* – Marina Sacht principal
* Externally funded projects
Planned projects: Research
WW2 Cenotaph Stories – Esther/John Sharp
Kit Wilmot records online
Revision/Expansion of Heritage Inventory
Ladysmith Heritage App (with Chamber & Town)
Ladysmith’s Natural Heritage (Predators, etc.) M
Sport in Ladysmith M (to coincide with 2021 Summer Olympics)
Ladysmith Breweries M (to coincide with local brew pubs opening)
(M denotes planned Museum exhibit)
Ongoing Projects:Visitor information
Family Histories – Bridget Watson
General History – Alistair Cowenberg
Property Information (House info, Gas Stn Contamination etc.) Pat Brownfield
Museum
Includes Museum on 1st Ave and site at 614 Oyster Bay Drive.
Board is steering focus of Museum to not just chronicling the Past, but to illustrate the relevance of Heritage to Present & Future, & to make Museum a recognized place of learning within the community.
Society is still planning to formally request space in the Machine Shop for Industrial Heritage displays. ‘White paper’ and preliminary budget distributed to LDHS Board for comment. End member of space request could be to house Museum and Archives in one place at the waterfront (see concerns about 1st Ave Museum building).
1st Avenue Museum Location:
Plan is to introduce temporary exhibits and associated activities/talks. First Avenue front room being changed into Temporary Feature Exhibit space. First Feature Exhibit to be ‘Vancouver Island Predators – Wolves, Bears, Cougars & Wolverines.’ Feature Exhibits intended to last 4-6 months.
Town Timeline previously in front room is being ‘digitized’ and expanded.
Remaining museum exhibits will be modernized/updated/expanded through the time when capital/manpower available
Exhibit
Saltair Quilters – over now. Quilts being removed.
Planned Exhibits
Predators of Vancouver Island (Active planning ongoing.) Vancouver Island Predators: Bears, Cougars, Wolves, Wolverines. Anticipate Summer/Fall 2020 opening – post-Coronavirus A co-operative effort between LDHS Museum, Game & Wildlife, Tundra Speaks, CWS, etc.
Ladysmith Sports. Olympians, Guinness Records etc. – we got ‘em all…. History, importance and impact of sport in Ladysmith
Brewing and Bottling in Ladysmith and District.
Museum at Oyster Bay Drive (Waterfront) location:
Activity continued at the waterfront until halted in March due to COVID-19 concerns. Ongoing work includes: Restoration of Loci 11, Box Car and Humdergin; securing Loci Shed against break-in: fabricating and installing rebar grids on windows. Planning for restoration of loci shed (doors in particular as they are in perilous condition).
Planned future projects include restoration of:
Log flatcar, Jordan Spreader – has Town approval.
Dunsmuir Coal Car and side dumper (currently in Cassidy area) – needs Town approval
Uncertainty as to Town’s plans for Arts & Heritage Hub. Working on clarifying plans and how LDHS can contribute.
Some concern regarding 2020 funding from Town Grant in Aid ($7500) due to COVID-19 reduction in 2020 tax revenue. Time will tell….
Grants in hand
People & Places: Neighborhood Project $3055 Grant from BC Heritage Legacy Fund: Heritage Awareness. Report due October 2020. Research ongoing – Lesley Moore principal researcher. Detailing neighborhoods and ethnic diversity in early Ladysmith
Heritage Trail: Inventory of heritage places in the Cowichan Valley $1100 Grant In Aid from CVRD. Report currently due – but delayed due to winter and COVID-19 closures. To date Chemainus, Crofton, Mill Bay, Maple Bay (Hand of Man), Nanaimo, Shawnigan Lake, Duncan museums visited. Awaiting visit to B.C. Duncan Forest Discovery Centre. Deliverable: a report detailing an inventory of Museums etc., and discussion on state of institutions; potential for a Heritage Trail
ONE Community, Different Cultures $7500 grant from Heritage BC. Deliverable is a workshop prior to year end ‘ bringing disparate groups together’ to increase awareness, understanding and co-operation’. Preliminary planning ongoing. Volunteers sought.
The Beat Goes On. – Music in Ladysmith. $15,000 grant from Virtual Museum of Canada. National exposure: Online history of Music in Ladysmith with video, sound, photos, commentary, text. Preliminary planning ongoing. Volunteers sought.
Grant Applications in preparation
BC Heritage Legacy Fund 2020 (Heritage BC) Applying for $7500 matching grant for ToL 2020 $7500 Grant in Aid financing for restoration of CL&RCo Railway Rolling Stock. Submission deadline May 1st 2020. Awaiting approval letter from Town re: continued restoration of CL&RCo rolling stock.
Community Gaming Grant Application in process for funding to permit hiring part time Museum Manager/Fundraiser.
Other planned Activities
Repainting lower portion of 1st Avenue Museum. Seeking Town approval ?and Development Permit?
Current LDHS Concerns:
State of 1st Ave Museum Building – addition where artifacts stored is vulnerable to flooding (last flood February 2020). Town notified. No official statement from Town, but unofficial message is that the Town is unwilling to incur the required expenditure to fix ($10s of thousands) as the building is slated for demolition in a couple of years.
Long term solution for Museum venue needs to be defined. Town plans (are there any?) need to be shared with the LDHS so joint planning can commence. LDHS recommending industrial heritage (+) centre in the waterfront Machine Shop.
Vulnerability of First Avenue Museum building to fire and break-in. Society has installed grids on all basement windows, and bars on all the doors – at it’s own expense to protect artifacts.
Requirement for Review/Revision of Archives/Museum Maintenance & Operating Agreement with Town. Communication initiated with Joanna Winter: Society concerns stated in letter – follow-up meeting deferred due to Covid-19.
Crime level at Waterfront – March break-in at First Aid Shed and loss of TV etc. (value approx. $650). RCMP notified. Notification letter sent to Town with recommendations for additional security measures. No reply to date. All locks replaced, doors strengthened and valuable items removed.
Uncertainty regarding Town plans for Arts & Heritage Hub.
For those interested in automobile history, here is a 1931 advertisement for Willy’s automobiles which mentions the Ladysmith Willy’s dealer, Ira Eugene Lowe.
Ira Lowe’s automobile business was located at 341 1st Avenue.
1931 advertisement for Willy’s automobiles mentioning Ira E. Lowe as the Ladysmith Willy’s dealer. Ira Lowe’s automobile business was located at 341 1st Avenue in downtown Ladysmith.
Ira Lowe’s automobile business was located at 341 1st Avenue. At that time 1st Avenue was part of Island Highway so it made complete sense to locate garages and car dealers along the Island Highway.
341 1st Avenue in downtown Ladysmith, built in 1910.
Ladysmith City Band, early 1900s. Photo: Ladysmith Archives
The Board of the Ladysmith & District Historical Society is pleased to announce the LDHS has been chosen by the Virtual Museum of Canada for a $15,000 investment in its project on the history of Music in Ladysmith.
Titled “The Beat Goes On,” the project will feature the rich history of music in Ladysmith and its connection to the evolving community. Ranging from pre-settler First Nations music through the early opera houses and city and coal company brass bands of the early 1900s, the ragtime of the roaring 20s and the depressed 30s, the big bands of the 40s and the beginnings of rock ʼn’ roll in the 50s and 60s, with the iconic dances in the Aggie Hall featuring greats such as Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, the beat continues up to the present day lively music scene.
Through a combination of text, video and period photographs, interspersed with sound bites of the music of the day, the story of our community will be told and our current artists showcased on an online national stage.
Work on the project is commencing, with the final product due end 2021. Volunteers are sought to assist with research, contribute with reminiscences and perform. If interested, please contact the society at info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca or phone 250-245-0100.
The Virtual Museum of Canada, managed by the Canadian Museum of History with the financial support of the Government of Canada, is the largest digital source of stories and experiences shared by Canada’s museums and heritage organizations. The Community Stories investment program helps smaller Canadian museums and heritage organizations work with their communities to develop virtual exhibits that engage online audiences in the stories, past and present, of Canada’s communities.
History of Ladysmith
Join the Society
The Ladysmith and District Historical Society was incorporated as a not-for-profit society in 1999. Our mission is to promote awareness of Ladysmith’s history and to help preserve its heritage.
Individual: $15/year
Family: $20/year
Corporate: $30/year (includes a link to your webpage)
