900  January 23, 1911 clipping regarding the vessel 'Chicago' in trouble. Message via the new station at Triangle Island.

The other clippings concern the Merry Island radio operator Gerald Pike and his accidental death on March 22, 1927.  Jack is incorrect on the year--see Vancouver Sun clipping here.

901 1928 item concerning the stranding of the vessel 'Nobel' up the west coast and the action of the Tofino Lifeboat.  The two masted motor schooner went up on Escelante Reef north of Estevan Point.  The incident happed early morning of January 8, 1928.  Two survivors.  More clippings further down this page.

902 British newspaper "local boy makes good" article announcing Bowerman's promotion to chief operator at Estevan Point Wireless in 1923.

903 Radio club concerned about interference with their reception, April 1919.

904 15,000 radio licenses in Vancouver. No date. A license for a radio receiver was required in those days. The requirement ended in the early 1950's.  Collecting the license fee, or prosecuting those who ignored the fee, wasn't part of the job any inspector enjoyed.  It did have its lighter moments though.

905 Saskatoon resident complaining about the interference from the neighbour's receivers.

906 January 1919 item regarding radio receiver interference in Ashcroft.  As an aside, Ashcroft was the town where the landline telegraph north to the Caribou region and beyond connected to the trans-Canada circuits.  It was quite a communications hub in its time.

907  More interference complaints. This was a serious problem back in the early days of vacuum tube radios. For instance a simple, inexpensive one tube radio could be built for a few dollars. The only draw back was that if it wasn't operated properly it turned into a miniature transmitter, interfering with neighbour's receivers. By 1924 the interference was getting so bad, Regional Superintendent Eddie Haughton, wrote a newspaper article describing how to properly tune a regenerative receiver.

908 Tom Morrison, District Marine Agent, and his lightkeepers get a pat on the back from Harrison, Dept. of Transport Director of Marine Services--1950.

909 Jim Harker, wireless operator, retires. 1948?

910 Dept. of Transport in house magazine article on the retirement of George Gilbert.

911 Walter Lambert and his hobby of kayaking. A 1949 newspaper article says he has made over 30 crossings of the Juan de Fuca strait from 1932 to 1949. In June 1949 his doctor ordered him to give up the canoeing. Walter was an operator for many years at sea, came ashore and operated at Cape Lazo. When the Vancouver School Board opened up a radio operator training course he became the first instructor. In short order it became known as 'Room 19' and turned out many operators in its 30 or so years of operation. See the Room 19 page elsewhere in this site.

912 April 14, 1949 clipping reports a new lighthouse/buoy tender under construction at the Yarrows yard in North Vancouver.

913 Report of the vessel Nobel sinking on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Continuation of story in 914 below.

914 Nobel sinking and aftermath.

915 A newly retired Bill Parkin, one of the original operators, working with his stamp collection.

917 Jack Bowerman fills the post of B.C. Superintendent left vacant by the retiring E.J.Haughton.

918 Bill Parkin retires from his magistrate duties too.

919 Jack Bowerman's retirement clippings.

920 January 1928 clipping of Escelante Smith's long walk to report a vessel in distress.

921 Gonzales site to be abandoned and station moved to Gordon Head, probably due to the present site becoming urbanized with a resulting increase in interference.

922 Tommy Raine, one of the original wireless operators, retirement notice. He would have been 68 by my calculations.

923 Eddie Haughton's retirement interview. He was the regional wireless supervisor and retired in 1939.

924 Daring do by the grads of the Room 19 wireless operator's school. Rest of item is below as 925.

925  Part two of 924.

• « Prev
• Exit
• Next »