photo courtesy of R & S Kitson	Robert Eric Akerstrom (1936 - 2004) - Relief Keeper on many BC lightstations.       Bob Akerstrom was know as "Rotten Robert". It was an affectionate term for one of the best relief keepers we had in the Northern District of Prince Rupert.       He was always welcomed on any station because of his work and his sense of humour. Bob had worked relief on Triple, Green, Langara, McInnes, Addenbroke and many others.
- John Coldwell  (one of many friends of "Rotten Robert")
Include your memories in Bob's memorial.
top

	Albert Bartle (1915 - 1996) - Relief Keeper
- Rodger Konkle (son-in-Law of Albert Bartle)
Include your memories in Albert's memorial.
top

photo courtesy of     Chris Mills	William Bertrand Bemister (1944 - 1999) - Assistant Keeper on Triple Island.       Bill Bemister was rough around the edges but a great guy.       Bill died in a fire on his boat in Port Edward, B.C. (near Prince Rupert)
- Chris Mills  (one of many friends who worked with Bill)
Include your memories in Bill's memorial.
top

Photo from John Coldwell collection	Robert H. W. Collins (1914 - 1993) - Principal Keeper on Kains Island (Quatsino). Call sign VE7AOI       Bob Collins was known far and wide as the "King of Kains".       He was very reserved and at times very hard to get along with, but he had a heart of gold when you got to know him as I did over many home-brew beers.       I learned everything about the operation and maintenance of highlines from him. This knowledge really paid off in later years.
- John Coldwell  (not a friend, but a student of Bob)
Include your memories in Bob's memorial.
top

	Donald Graham (1947 - 2003) - Lighthouse Keeper and Spokesperson
- text from ABC Bookworld
Include your memories in Don's memorial.
top

	George Alfred Harris (1858 - 1925) - Head Keeper First Narrows (Capilano) (1913 - 1925)       Leaving England in 1909, George Harris moved to British Columbia for a new life. He had a Chief Engineer's ticket from Liverpool but he had to sit for his 3rd and 2nd class Engineering tickets again because his Liverpool papers were not valid in B.C.       He worked a few years as an officer on the steam tug S.S. "Proctor" on Trout Lake south of Revelstoke, B.C.       He started working as an Engineer at the Anvil Island Brick Company in June 1913 but a week or two later he was given the First Narrows Light and Fog Station. He replaced Alex M. Rood who had left the station May 13, 1913.       He worked alone on station as there was only room for a cot in the engine room. Later a house was erected for the keeper and his family which adjoined the lighthouse building.       He became ill in Fall 1924 and died on station March 16, 1925. His wife, Dorothy, took over the running of the station until relieved by Alfred Dickenson in December 1925.
- Dorothy Mawdsley (Harris) Harrop (daughter of first light keeper, George Alfred Harris of First Narrows Light) - Thanks to Alf and Maxine Harrop for permission to print. Alf is the grandson of George Harris.
Include your memories in George's memorial.
Photo of the S.S. "Proctor" and her crew. This new page will require to be installed.
top

Ed Hartt (1920 - 1995) - Head Keeper at Lawyer, Triple and Langara
	Memorial Brick for Ed & Eileen Hartt - Mariners Wall, Prince Rupert, BC
- Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Lawyer, Triple and Langara)
Include your memories in Ed's memorial.
Hartt family photos taken on the different lighthouses. This new page will require to be installed.
top

	Alexander McLeod (1891 - 1940) - Head Keeper Brockton Point       Alex McLeod took over the duties at Brockton Point station in 1936.       One of his responsibilities was the firing of the 9 o'clock gun.       On July 15, 1940 he was heading across the narrows in the harbour entrance       underneath Lions Gate Bridge. He was in his dinghy with his dog Pal to service the       Calamity Point beacon when he fell overboard and drowned a short distance from shore.       He left behind his wife Velma and 18 year old son Gordon.
- Carol (McLeod) Jeffrey (granddaughter of Alexander McLeod)
Include your memories in Alexander's memorial.
More family photos. This new page will require to be installed.
top

no photo yet	Walter Tansky (XXXX - XXXX) - Principal Keeper on Pulteney Point. Call sign VE7APR       Walt was my first principal lighthouse keeper and I couldn't have had better.       When we first started as assistant lighthouse keepers we had no idea whom we would be "bunking" with.       Walt was my idol as to what I wanted to be when I became a principal keeper.
- John Coldwell  (with many fond memories of Walt, his wife Joyce and the family)
Include your memories in Walt's memorial.
top

photo courtesy of Jeannie Nielsen	William F. Treston (1881 - 1969)       Relief Keeper on many BC lightstations in the Prince Rupert District.       Bill Treston was a very interesting man. He worked as a relief keeper on some of the northern lighthouses during the late fifties/early sixties. In his earlier days he had been a prospector and trapper and loved to tell stories about his adventures and misadventures. He was a hard working man of the very old school - a true gentleman. In the early sixties he was relief keeper on Langara for a period of time.       I used to take water samples for the Pacific Biological Station every day. To do so I walked to the "landing" -a half hour walk from the station. "Old Bill" loved to accompany me, singing songs from the olden days, reciting poetry, and telling me stories. The trouble was, it was always an exact replay of the day before. The same stories over and over and over. Still, he was such a dear sweet old man you couldn’t tell him that. I thought that at the very least it taught me patience!       One day without a word to anyone, Old Bill disappeared. We searched and found no trace of him, finally calling in the Coast Guard. We were terribly worried, picturing him having had a heart attack, or laying in the forest somewhere in the cold and wet, shivering. The second day after he went missing, he was picked up walking on a remote beach on the west coast of the island, totally bewildered at all the concern for him. He had hiked for hours through salal and rain forest to the opposite end of the island where there was a fish camp/floating grocery store, and spent a cold wet night outdoors to bring me a box of chocolates!       I remember him asking my mom every day, "Ma’am, are you prosperous today?" I didn’t know what that meant until mom explained that he was asking if she was pregnant!       One of our favorite sayings came from Old Bill. We lived in a four-plex with Old Bill living right next door to us. Every day without fail we would hear this horrific crash and know that he had just gone out of the house. He was partly deaf, (and had only one eye), so he would slam the door hard whenever he went out, so much so that the door would pop back open again. So whenever one of us children would shut the door too hard, invariably mom or dad would call after us "Shut the door, Bill!"       Old Bill was an extremely hardy old man and never complained about working in wind, rain or whatever the weather. And every day without fail he would invite us to join him in his "morning constitutional" which consisted of a dip in the icy ocean, regardless of the season. He would strip naked and let the waves wash over him. He swore it was excellent for one’s health!       Old Bill was the last of a dying breed, one of the early pioneers of our province. He had done it all, and under the most adverse of conditions, with no complaint, and the manners of a perfect gentleman. He was a gentle soul that spoke no ill of anyone. He was an outstanding role model, one that we were fortunate to have in our lives for too short a period of time.
- Jeannie Nielsen  (one of many who remembers "Old Bill")
Include your memories in Bill's memorial.
top

photo John Coldwell	Stanley Westhaver (1942 - 2005) - Principal Keeper for 26 years on Egg Island.       Stan was a great person, a practical joker, the life of a party and a very good friend. As someone said, "He would give you the shirt off his back."       Stan died as he would have wished - at a party among friends.
- John Coldwell  (one of many friends who misses his bullshit every day.)
Include your memories in Stan's memorial.
top

Photo from his mother Mary Bond	Doug Bond (1953 - 1993) Electrical Technician, Prince Rupert Coast Guard Base       Doug was a great inventor and loved exploring all the aspects of his work field.       His enthusiasm taught me to master computers. He left behind in Prince Rupert many friends who remember him well.
- John Coldwell  (one of many who remember Doug)
Include your memories in Doug's memorial.
top

no photo yet	Bill Exley (1920 - 1995) District Aids Superintendent, Victoria Coast Guard       Bill joined the Coast Guard as a mess boy on the Estevan in 1939 and retires 45 years later as DAS, Victoria.       He was a tough boss but was respected by all who learned from him.
- respects from all the people that knew and worked with him
Include your memories in Bill's memorial.
top

Photo courtesy of Jean Eiers-Page	David Patrick Page (1957 - 2002) Electrical Tech, Prince Rupert Coast Guard Base       Dave was well-loved by all the staff at the CG Base because of his quiet and friendly manner. He was also a very good friend to all of the lighthouse keepers as he would not hesitate to do a favour for them on his many trips to maintain the lighthouse equipment.       He went out of his way to help and won the respect of all. He is very much missed.
- John Coldwell  (one who remembers and misses Dave)
Include your memories in Dave's memorial.
top

John Coldwell (retired BC lighthouse keeper) Galvanistrasse 8 A-4040 Linz, Austria Tel: +43 (732) 750515

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

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