British Columbia Lighthouse Keeper Database - a work in progress!


(any help is greatly appreciated!)



First of all, welcome to the database. I hope you find the information you require here,
be it genealogical or historical.

So far I have collected 1042 names on 91 lights, for a total of 1782 changes.

My thanks for supporting help goes out to Ron Ammundsen, Chris Mills, Jim Derham-Reid, Pen Brown, Tony Holland, Fran Aitkens, Frank Statham, and the late Don Graham and Hubert Cadieux, plus all the others that emailed me.

If you have something to contribute, wish to correct something,
or just comment, please email me.



I have also been adding birth and death dates for deceased lightkeepers on my list of lightkeeper names, and also creating an "In Memorium" page as a sort of memorial to those that worked the lights. If you wished to add dates, and/or a short piece of information about a friend or family member who was a lighthouse keeper, please contact me.



NEW!
STORIES and PHOTOS!
See them here!

       If you have any stories or photos about British Columbia lighthouses,
I would like to add them to my site. Please contact me.


If you want to jump straight to the DATABASE
or the LIST of LIGHTKEEPERS or the LIST of LIGHTHOUSES please follow the links.


********************



A bit of history . . .

      British Columbia lighthouses were not only used as lightstations, but during the Second World War (WW2), some of the lights had military personnel on them manning radar installations (check out the Pine Tree Line for more information).

      Later, wireless operators, telegraph operators and radio operators were stationed on some stations, and then weather observers, and the station became almost a small village. Add to this the truck drivers, linesmen, park wardens, labourers, ranchers, trappers, power house attendant, etc. and we have quite an assorted list of personnel.

      I have started to include all of these people in this list, but because of the diverse nature of some of these jobs we have had to put them under the title "Others".

      A lot of these names were found in BC Directories from 1909-1939. This also includes the 1909-1912 directories referred to below. Please note that a directory listing does not mean they were on station that year as the directory data was collected and then published later e.g. a listing in the 1935 directory may have been collected in 1934.



I need your help . . .

      There is one problem that I would like your help with. I have located numerous BC locations associated with "lights" but no one seems to have mentioned them. Most of these "unknowns" were just lights (aids to navigation) looked after by local contractors who lived nearby - lit them at night and put them out in the morning.

      Some of these, especially in the Fraser River were looked after by the Department of Public Works (DPW) from Steveston. Some of these unknown keepers moved onto manned lighthouses later on.

      If you have any information on the following "lights" and/or their keepers please let me know.

      Information in the table below is what I have collected so far on these unknowns, most of it from the Vancouver City Directories of 1909 - 1912. If I have located a keeper's name associated/working with these lights I have recorded them as well in the full lightkeeper database below and marked the light with a star (*) after the name - same as in the next table.

      Also, if I manage to confirm a name or light location I have marked it as such with a Google Earth placemark . Most of these locations (marked "LL plus number") are taken from the Canadian Government publication "List of Lights" and may not be the actual location of the tended lights for which I am searching.

      The dates shown are for the periods when I have found data showing these lights were tended, not the length of time they were in service.





  • Balfour*...............- Unknown position, west arm of Kootenay Lake; no longer listed as such in current "List of Lights"(1910)


  • Ball island*...............- Unknown location (1912)


  • Birnie Point*...............- Birnie Island, LL728, On rock, S. of Knox Point, chart 3963; perhaps someone from Port Simpson looked after this one? (1905 - 1917)


  • Brotchie Ledge*...............- Brotchie Ledge (aka Brotchy), LL205, off Victoria harbour, chart 3415; someone rowed out twice each day to tend this. (1905 - 1934) Automated November 30, 1934. See this excellent story of Brotchie Ledge here.


  • Calamity Point*...............- Calamity Point, LL395, north side of Burrard Inlet between Brockton and Prospect points, chart 3493; John Walsh rowed out twice each day to tend this light during the years 1931 - 1936. The light is still in operation but automated.


  • Carr Point*...............- Unknown location; could be near Metlakatla/Venn Passage OR near Cassiar, BC (1915 - 1918)


  • Channel Rock*...............- Unknown location could it be LL 258, on N. end of North Channel Islands, near Saltspring Island, chart 3478? (1914 - 1943)


  • Crofton Light*...............- Crofton, LL 277, On SE. Shoal Island, chart 3475


  • Denman Island*...............- Denman Island, LL499, On reef on W. side of island, southward of Denman Point, chart 3527 (1910 - 1921) Automated April 02, 1921


  • Duke Point...............- Unknown location; was there a light at Duke Point off Nanaimo?; not listed in current List of Lights


  • Fossy Island*...............- Unknown location? (1900 - 1905)


  • Fraser River Lights...............- besides Garry Point & North Arm (below), we have many lights on the Fraser River which were looked after by individuals working for the Department of Public Works (DPW) from Steveston or under separate contract; reportedly looked after by P. A. Parker - same for Garry Point?


  • Garry Point*...............- Garry Point West, LL333, W. of point, near Steveston (Fraser River), chart 3490 (1953)- Square skeleton tower on 9-pile dolphin, green and white rectangular daymarks.


  • Helen Point*...............- Helen Point, LL272, on point, W. entrance to Active Pass, chart 3473; used to have a fog bell (1940 - 1941) (1921 - 1940)


  • Kaslo Spit*...............- Kaslo, LL17 on Kootenay Lake, Chart 3050, Kootenay Electric Co. employee looked after this one in 1911


  • Kootenay Landing*...............- Kootenay Landing Outer, LL13.3, on Kootenay Lake, Chart 3050; CPR employee looked after this one in 1911?


  • Kyuquot ...............- Kyuquot Channel light and whistle buoy M38, LL84, Chart 3682?


  • Lardo Spit ...............- Lardeau, LL20, Kootenay Lake, Chart 3050; CPR employee looked after this one in 1911?


  • MacLaughlin Pt.*...............- Unknown; 2 NM from Fisgard Light and is right below Work Point Barracks; does this light still exist; not in current List of Lights


  • Meares Spit*...............- Meares Spit lightbuoy, LL126, West end of Hyphen Channel, near Tofino, Chart 3685? (1918 - 1921)


  • Nanaimo Harbour...............- Unknown location; This is definitely not Entrance Island; nor Gallows Point; reportedly looked after by H. B. Shaw?


  • North Arm Lights...............- would it be North Arm Breakwater, LL385? North Arm Third, LL384? Fraser River, Chart3491; reportedly maintained by James Quinn? (1913 - 1919) Automated November 01, 1919


  • Ogden Point*...............- LL 204 probably serviced by the same man that serviced Brotchie Ledge; On outer end of breakwater - Chart 3412

  • Patey Rock*...............- Patey Rock, LL249, On rock, entrance to Saanich Inlet, chart 3441? (1911 - 1921)


  • Pilot Bay*...............- Pilot Bay - old LL11; no longer listed as such in current List of Lights see this page for more information (1905 - 1934) Automated 1934


  • Potty Point*...............- Unknown location; is this Polly Point, LL165, on Polly Point, Alberni harbour, chart 3668? OR Pelly Point at the entrance to Victoria Harbour; LL208; Chart 3415? OR Pelly Point near the mouth of the Fraser River; not listed in List of Lights? (1945)


  • Proctor*...............- Proctor, LL10, entrance to W. Arm Kootenay Lake, chart 3050?


  • Sechart Light*...............- Seshart (sp?); in Alberni Inlet; no longer listed as such in current List of Lights; reportedly maintained by G. Strickland? It could even be a mispelled "Sechelt"


  • Shark Spit*...............- Unknown location; not in current List of Lights?


  • Sooke Light*...............- this could be Whiffin Spit, LL188, E. end of spit, Sooke, chart 3411? (1906 - 1938) (automated in January 31, 1938)


  • Somass Light*...............- Somass River, LL168.1, W. coast Vancouver Island, chart 3668; reportedly maintained by G. A. Paterson?


  • Swaile Rock*...............- could this be Swale Rock, LL 150, on Prideau Island, near Amphitrite Point, Barkley Sound; Chart 3670?


  • Victoria Harbour...............- Unknown location; is this the same as "McLaughlin" listed above; reportedly maintained by T. Sparks & J. W. Davies?


  • Yellow Island*...............- Chrome Island range light, LL495,496, chart 3527

  • Walker Rock ...............- Walker Rock, LL291, Trincomali Channel,near Saltspring Island, chart 3442; reportedly maintained by John Georgeson?



Download the complete database file here in zipped format (108 Kb) . . . Download this file zipped (52Kb)
. . . this will be the most up-to-date information I have available.

Please be patient This database is 3.2 MBs in size and takes a wee bit of time to load . . .

To see some of the lighthouses these people were working visit the BC Lighthouse Website



For those of you that have the free Google Earth program download the BC Lighthouses.KML
which shows the location of all the lighthouses.



To see some sea-level photos of BC lighthouses, check out Ray Morgan's BC Marina website.



Principal-Assistant-Relief-WeatherOp-RadioOp-Other
BC LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER DATABASE
Lighthouse Keeper Start_Year End_Year Note_Job Established Automated Destaffed Place Principal Assistant Relief WeatherOp RadioOp Others
Active Pass Cordoni, Elmer 0 0
June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Georgeson, Henry 1885 1920 June 1885 - December 1920 (1st keeper on station) on station 1910 (Vancouver City Directory 1910, Dominion Government Section) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Georgeson, George 1893 0 October 1893 - June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Georgeson, George 1921 0 1921 - (took over when his father retired) (Cadieux papers) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Active Pass Gurney, Arthur Broughton 1921 1945 September 05, 1921 - February 11, 1945 (Cadieux papers) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Carver, Clarence Edgar 1944 1948 August 10, 1944 - March 30, 1948 (retired) (Cadieux papers) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Gurney, Hugh Sutherland 1947 1947 September 14, 1947 - October 14, 1947 (Cadieux papers) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Active Pass Whalen, Harold 1963 1965 October 19, 1963 - c. late 1965 (moved to Scarlett Point) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Vigurs, Don 1963 0 on station 1963 as assistant to Harold Whalen June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Ruck, John Egerton 1968 1983 January 18, 1968 - 1983 (Tony Holland notes) (Cadieux papers) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Active Pass DeRousie, Don 1983 1993 (Tony Holland notes) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Active Pass Beaudet, Jean 1993 1997 (Tony Holland notes) June 10, 1885; rebuilt 1940, 1969
March 1997 on Mayne Island; 5 miles by water to Saltspring Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Milton, Jr., John 0 0
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Bonnor, Mike 0 1998 ? - July 08, 1998 (to Chrome) (station logs) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Guthro, W. A. 1914 1918 April 12, 1914 - August 12, 1918 (1st keeper on station) (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Anderson, Hugh Glass 1918 1918 August 12, 1918 - December 25, 1918 (relief while W. A. Guthro on sick leave) (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Guthro, W. A. 1918 1921 December 25, 1918 - December 1921 (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Anderson, Hugh Glass 1918 1918 August 13, 1918 - December 24, 1918 April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Smith, Robert Joseph 1918 1919 December 25, 1918 (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Smith, Robert Joseph 1921 1922 December 1921 - March 1922 (died in service May 09, 1922) (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Smith, Edith Matilda 1922 1928 March 1922 - 1928 April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Johnston, Andrew Abraham 1928 1932
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Maynard, Ernest 1928 1928 1928 - August 15, 1928 (died in service) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Moran, John Thomas 1929 1929 January 1929 - October 1929 (moved to Triple) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Anderson, Arthur 1929 1932
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Wallace, William Meryl 1932 1936
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Bendiksen, Arnt 1953 0
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Bergen, Henry 1962 1964 c. 1962 - 1964 (from Langara - to Dryad) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Salo, Tauno Ray 1962 1969 1962 - August 1969 (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Salo, Tauno Ray 1969 1974 August 1969 - October 1974 (Cadieux papers say August 09, 1977 for last date) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Osborne, J. B. 1978 0 January 24, 1978 - (Cadieux lists) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Sabourin, D. 1978 0 January 24, 1978 - (Cadieux papers) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Ashe, Edward J. 1978 0 August 1978 - April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Shaw, Barry 1979 1996 September 1979 - 1996 April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Ray, Charles F. 1990 0 December 15, 1990 - April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Vincenzi, Tony 1993 0 January 1993 - (from Langara) April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Wood, Richard 1996 1996
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Hollyoak, Paul 1996 1997 winter 1996X997 Addenbroke other periods of relief at Cape Scott and McInnes Island April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 X 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Rose, Dennis 1997

April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Hedley, Kip 1997 1997
April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island X 0 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Ammundsen, Ron 1998 1999 December 1998 - March 1999 April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Milton, Erik 1999 2000 October 1999 - January 2000 April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Addenbroke Island Williamson, Roger 2006 0 2006 - present April 15, 1914; rebuilt 1968
west side of Addenbroke Island in Fitz Hugh Sound, near Calvert Island 0 X 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Georgeson, Henry 0 0
December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Okell, K. 0 1939
December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Parkin, Edwin W. 1929 1930 December 1929 - 23 september 1930 December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head O'Kell, Harold Shorrock 1930 1939 September 23, 1930 - November 17, 1939 December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Georgeson, Peter G. 1939 0 September 18, 1939 - (Cadieux papers) December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Bowman, J. M. 1940 1951
December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC 0 X 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Pike, Percival C. 1955 1964 c1955 - 1964 (Tony Holland notes) (Cadieux papers) December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Rogers, Bruce W. 1964 1974 1964/1974 (Cadieux papers December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Edwards, Oscar 1974 1977 July 12, 1974 - August 03, 1977 (note from Pen Brown) (Cadieux papers) December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Milum, Gordon 1975 1979 were on station at least between November 1975 - August 1979 December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC 0 X 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Gardiner, William Edward 1977 1982 August 04, 1977 - 1982 (Tony Holland notes) (Cadieux papers) December 1929
1985 near Esquimalt; 5 miles west of Victoria, BC X 0 0 0 0 0
Albert Head Noble, Sr., Robert W. 1982 1984 (Tony Holland notes) December 1929
1985