Monday, February 18, 2013

1943

Built in 1909, this is 1330 Odlum Drive.

I am going to do something I haven't done in a little. I am referencing the site The History of Metropolitan Vancouver and tell you about what happened in Vancouver in 1943.

The year started with the sale of whipping cream being banned in British Columbia. This was in response to World War II rationing.

As of January 4, 1943, boys who had reached the age of 17 were allowed to enlist for training in active units or formations of the Canadian Army. The pay was seventy cents a day.

On March 18, construction on the first of the Victory ships to be built by Burrard Dry Dock was started. These ships were equipped with oil-fired boilers instead of the coal-fired North Sands ships although some of the Victory ships were designed to be powered by either. The Fort Columbia was the first of thirty-four ships built in a little over two years.

 Also on March 18, 1943, the Edelweiss Credit Union was formed in Vancouver. This was to serve the German community. It is now part of the Prospera Credit Union.

Construction began on the last of the North Sands ships at Burrrard Dry Dock in March. The first of these ships, SS Fort St. James, was built in 1941 and it took nine months to finish. Thanks to advancements in technology, the last ship only took three and a half months to complete.

Another notable event in March of 1943 was when the B.C. Loggers Association and the Consolidated Red Cedar Shingle Association of B.C. present Vancouver with a canoe. This canoe was called Houmiltichesen and was built by Jericho Charlie. (Chin-nal-set). The organizations bought the canoe from Charlie's stepson August Jack Khatsahlano.


On May 15, 1943, six paintings by Emily Carr went on sale at the 33rd Annual Exhibition of the B.C. Society of Fine Arts at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Her paintings were priced at $50 each.

On June 13, Sir Gerald Burrard - descendant of Harry Burrard after whom Burrard Inlet is named (Harry Burrard was a friend of Captain George Vancouver) - presented a telescope to the city.

On June 26, the cornerstone for the HMCS Discovery was laid on Deadman's Island in Stanley Park.

Also in June, Burnaby became the third municipality in Canada and the first in B.C. to endorse a 'closed shop' for civic employees. (A closed shop is one that only hires union members in good standing.)



I hope you find the beauty around you.



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2 comments:

  1. Great post! I love history, Karen. Now I can say I know a little about 1943 in Vancouver. :-)

    ReplyDelete