“Dragon Fire”

Special Christmas Edition 2019 The Royal Society Of May you have the spirit of St. George Christmas, which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas, Branch which is , Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Heart of Christmas

"Representing the English Community which is Love.

in British Columbia, " May your Christmas be joyous, filled with moments of love, laughter and goodwill.

Happy And may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy.

Wishing you a healthy Christmas and prosperous,

Happy Christmas!!

The Officers and Members of the Royal Society of St. George

Merry Christmas Happy Christmas

Merry Christmas began as a saying in the 1500s. It was recorded in a letter as a wish that God would send the recipient a “mery Christmas”. It was solidified as a capitalized greeting by Charles Dickens in his great work A Christmas Carol. Queen Elizabeth II, for whatever reason, did not use Dickens’ phrase. Instead, she used the phrase Happy Christmas in her broadcasts to her subjects. After her use, the term gained popularity and is still the most common form in Great Britain and Ireland. President’s Christmas Message 2019 Executive “Once Again It’s Christmas time this President - Shawn Wade again”—as the carol goes and the season is Past President, Director – Steve upon us. It is the most wonderful time of McVittie, “Dragon Fire” - Editor the year. A time of traditions, new and Vice President – Roger Dawson old, of family and friends. Not everyone is happy and with family at Christmas and Treasurer, Director - Jimmy Yan tragedy and sickness happens then as Director – Jayne Boyer much as the rest of the year. We should Director – Pat Morris give a thought for the sick, the lonely, those Recording Secretary - open who grieve, some of them in our own RSSG family. Appointments: Pauline Bratton - Christmas is when the lights of the trees, houses and the inner glow of all of us Maureen Templeton - Membership shines forth into the Winter nights and Chairperson makes the Winter hat less dreary. Cards, Dan Brown - Communications music, colours, dressing up and rounds of Secretary parties and get togethers make the Denise Dewan - Communications evenings magical. Christmas pantos, Nativity plays, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Carolling around the Membership Dues neighbourhood, writing cards, shopping for, wrapping, giving and receiving $30 per family for 2020 presents—all form part of that special season. If paid before Dec 31st. We have had an eventful year in 2019 reduced rate of RSSG. Some new traditions and ideas, some old friends, (like Bard on the Beach), $25.00 some new people added to our Rolls and

Cheques should be made payable to RSSG- sadly we’ve said good bye to some old and BC and mailed with a completed form to: dear friends as well. This has been my fist RSSG-BC Membership, 5639 Dunbar St, year as President, and while there have , BC V6N 1W5 been moments when I’ve wondered what I’ve gotten myself into, I have had a great deal of help from many of you. For this I The Royal Society of St. George, B.C., thank you! Web Page https://www.stgeorgebc.ca/ We will be celebrating Christmas with our RCS friends on Wednesday, The Royal Society of St. George, B.C. December 4, 2019 at the Royal Vancouver Branch, Facebook page Yacht Club. Our friends in the Welsh https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/ Society have events in the Cambrian Hall Nonprofit-Organization/Royal-Society-of-St and Christmas traditions for the -George-BC-Branch-124821680873964/ Woodwards’ decorations, to the Christmas train at , to a plethora of events large and small abound. Wassail, The Royal Society of St. Christmas carolling and other largely George, English traditions can be found in United Kingdom celebrations and family traditions all over http://rssg.org.uk/ our community. The Yule log (the burning kind not the eating variety) is English, by the Prince Christmas Consort, introduced Christmas trees to our homes. Adelle and others boom out their Party annual holiday best sellers for their younger Royal public, but the tradition of Christmas music Commonwealth owes more to Gregorian chant and Chapel than to Mariah Carey or even Bing Crosby! Society

The religious aspects of Christmas tend to be down played—even in Britain! But the Christmas with our bearded chappie who started out with a long RCS friends on beard, long red hat trimmed in white being an agile fellow who could as easily break into a Wednesday, house as climb down your chimney and bring you presents,, has in part at the behest of December 4, 2019 American marketers and Coca Cola, turned at into this rather fat chappie, in a large red suit the Royal Vancouver Yacht with a comparatively stubby beard, smaller hat and probably couldn’t get through a barn Club. door—much less climb down your chimney! For more information contact Shawn Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St. Nicolas or [email protected] Sinter Klaus is our Christmas ambassador. 604-522-5134

Some don’t believe in him—but as the Editorial in The New York Sun proclaimed THE WELSH “Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus!” Besides SOCIETY being real (I’ve seen him!) he lives in our hearts and minds, and represents all that is OF VANCOUVER good and hopeful about us. Saturday, December 7th. This was supposed to be a message but its turned into an article—oh well. Wherever you at 7:00 pm for 7:30 pm are, and whatever you do, and if in the words Mulled Wine evening of Ebenezer Scrooge “You keep Christmas Join us for a jolly evening to begin the your way and let me keep Christmas mine!”— Christmas festivities. There will be I wish you all the very best. All the best for Cranberry Punch if this is your preference. We will have readings and we’ll join Christmas and for a happy, healthy, joyous together to sing carols. and prosperous 2-0-2-0! All the best. Merry Christmas. Saturday, December 14th 7:00 pm Shawn M. Wade, CD., LLM., Christmas Dinner President, Annual Christmas dinner catered by The Royal Society of St. George, Catering Company. British Columbia Branch, Please reserve a ticket soon, Vancouver British Columbia as seating is limited. Gaynor: [email protected] or 604 271-3134.

Christmas Day The prominence of Christmas Day increased gradually after Charlemagne was December 25, the date of the Nativity crowned Emperor on Christmas Day in 800.

In the 3rd century, King Edmund the Martyr was anointed on the date of the nativity Christmas in 855 and King William I of was the subject of great England was crowned on Christmas Day 1066. interest. Around AD 200, Clement of King Richard II of England hosted a Alexandria wrote: Christmas feast in 1377 at which There are those who twenty-eight oxen and three hundred sheep have determined not were eaten.

only the year of our However, in 17th century England, Lord's birth, but also the some groups such as the Puritans, strongly day; and they say that it condemned the celebration of Christmas, took place in the 28th year of Augustus, and considering it a Catholic invention and the in the 25th day of [the Egyptian month] "trappings of popery" or the "rags of the Pachon [May 20] ... Further, others say that Beast". In contrast, the established Anglican He was born on the 24th or 25th of Church "pressed for a more elaborate Pharmuthi [April 20 or 21]. observance of feasts, penitential seasons, and Various factors contributed to the saints' days. selection of December 25 as a date of The Restoration of King Charles II in celebration: it was the date of the winter 1660 ended the ban, but many Calvinist solstice on the Roman calendar and it was clergymen still disapproved of Christmas about nine months after March 25, the date celebration. As such, in Scotland, the of the vernal equinox and a date linked to the Presbyterian Church of Scotland discouraged conception of Jesus (now Annunciation). the observance of Christmas, and though The winter solstice, hiemal solstice or James VI commanded its celebration in hibernal solstice, also known as midwinter, 1618, attendance at church was scant. The the winter solstice is the day with the Parliament of Scotland officially abolished shortest period of daylight and longest night the observance of Christmas in 1640, of the year, claiming that the church had been "purged of

all superstitious observation of days". It was December 25 was the date of the not until 1958 that Christmas again became a winter solstice on the Roman calendar. They Scottish public holiday. chose Jesus to be born on the shortest day of the year for symbolic reasons, according to In the UK, Christmas Day became a an early Christmas sermon by Augustine: bank holiday in 1834, Boxing Day was "Hence it is that He was born on the day added in 1871. which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase."

Linking Jesus to the Sun was supported by various Biblical passages. Jesus was considered to be the "Sun of righteousness" prophesied by Malachi: "Unto you shall the sun of righteousness arise, and healing is in his wings." Have you, your Barkerville, B.C. family or friends made plans for the week of Feb. 17th to 23rd. 2020 yet?

“Welcome to the British Isles” Heritage B.C. Week William "Billy" Barker The British Isles Historic Society (1817–1894), was an invites you to participate in English prospector who our events and activities. was famous for being one The Province, (British Columbia), of the first to find a large the Cities (Vancouver, Victoria, Burnaby, amount of gold in the Port Moody, New Westminster, etc.), Cariboo of British streets, avenues, homes, buildings and Columbia. He also Historic sites were built by and named by founded Barkerville which is preserved as a immigrants from England, Scotland, historic town. Barker was born in 1817 in Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of March, Cambridgeshire, England and was Man. It is our intention of celebrating the baptised on 7 June 1817 in St Wendreda's Heritage of these first British Isles Church, March. As a child he worked as a newcomers to Canada. waterman on the waterways of England.

We would like to invite you to participate He married Jane Lavender in Earith, in a British Feis of music, dancing, singing Cambridgeshire in 1839 and had one and foods during Heritage Week, daughter named Emma Eliza. Lavender died February 17th. to 23rd. 2020. in the workhouse in Doddington, Cambridgeshire, in 1850. We plan on featuring British foods of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barker_prospector) Isle of Man and Cornwall.

Use this as an opportunity for you to James Bowman Lindsay celebrate your British Heritage, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

your Traditions and your Customs. James Bowman Lindsay (8 September 1799 – 29 Wear clothes, caps, badges and flags that June 1862) was a will identify your country in the Scottish inventor and British Isles. author. He is credited with early Won’t you join the party? developments in several fields, such as incandescent lighting and telegraphy.

“May the Blessings of Christmas be with you, May the Christ Child light your way, built by Guinness Family of Ireland May God’s holy angels guide you, And keep you safe each day.” development of British Columbia and British History . Born at Alnwick in Northumberland, England.

In British Columbia The

Designed by Scottish Brock House architect Marcus Priteca, Brock House is the theatre officially an authentic Tudor opened on replica heritage November 8, 1927 building on Jericho as a vaudeville beach. house, but it hosted Philip Gilman, a mining engineer from its first shows the England, purchased the waterfront lots in previous day. 1906 and 1909, making his estate two and a The old Orpheum, at 761 Granville half acres with over 300 feet of sandy Street, was renamed the Vancouver beach waterfront. In 1911, he engaged the Theatre (later the Lyric, then the noted architect, Samuel Maclure to design International Cinema, then the Lyric once the house and in March 1912 contracted more before it closed for demolition in construction to the firm of Coffin & 1969 to make way for the first phase of the McLelland. Pacific Centre project). Hastings The New Orpheum, which was the biggest theatre in Canada when it opened Mill in 1927, with three thousand seats, cost $1.25 million to construct. Benjamin Marcus Priteca FAIA Hastings Mill was (December 23, 1889 – October 1, 1971) was a sawmill on the south born in Glasgow, Scotland shore of Priteca met Seattle vaudeville theatre and was the first owner Alexander Pantages in 1910 and commercial operation around which the won from him a commission to design the settlement that would become Vancouver San Francisco Pantages Theater (1911), the developed in British Columbia, Canada. first of many so-named vaudeville and Founded in 1865 by Edward Stamp, the motion picture houses in what would sawmill operated until its closure in 1928. become one of the largest theater chains in In 1867, Captain Edward Stamp North America. He also built the Pantages theatre in Vancouver. began producing lumber in Stamp's Mill at the foot of what is now Dunlevy Avenue The Beatty after a planned site at Brockton Point proved unsuitable due to difficult Street Drill currents and a shoal. Stamp's efforts in Hall developing the mill are summarized by The Beatty Robert Macdonald in Making Vancouver: Street Drill Hall Class, Status and Social Boundaries, 1863- is a Canadian Forces 1913: armoury located at 620 In 1865 he formed a company in Beatty Street in England, backed by capital of $100,000 , to Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the produce lumber in British Columbia. home of The British Columbia Regiment Edward Stamp (1814–1872) was an (Duke of Connaught's Own), English mariner and entrepreneur who Cont. page 6 contributed to the early economic … … The Beatty Street Drill Hall The 15 Most Influential an armoured reconnaissance reserve regiment, the oldest military unit in British People of All Time

Vancouver, and the most senior militia in William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) the province. William Shakespeare has not just The building was designed by conquered the English land, but all around the architect T.W. Fuller and opened on 30 world. He is considered as the greatest writer of September 1901 by the Duke of Cornwall all time.

(later King George V). Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) Thomas Fuller (March 8, 1823 – Winston Churchill spent his life serving September 28, 1898) was born in Bath, the British people. He was also remarkable for Somerset (England), where he trained as his efforts of uniting European nations. an architect. Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) Aberthau He was the man behind the ever-famous theory of the evolution of man. His contribution House in the field of science is truly huge.

(previously Sir Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727) He was an English mathematician, known as astronomer, and physicist. Apart from mathematics and physics, he also contributed in Rear House) the fields of religion and optics. This Tudor Revival was built for James S. Rear, General Manager, of Edward Jenner (1749 – 1823) American Life Insurance. Later bought Edward Jenner was an English scientist by Col. Victor Spencer who called it who was greatly known for his discovery of a smallpox vaccine. He was regarded by his Aberthau (Welsh for: place filled with contemporaries as the “Father of Immunology”. light). Presently, it is a cultural and recreational center run by the Vancouver Sir Alexander Fleming (1881 – 1955) Park Board. Spencer, a co-founder of the He discovered the cure for certain diseases and disorders – the antibiotic. Fleming football B.C. Lions, the indefatigable Mr. found out a mold he identified as “penicillin” Spencer was always keen to highlight his which killed a number of disease-causing hometown of Vancouver. bacteria. Mr. Spencer's family wealth came from a successful chain of B.C. James Clerk Maxwell (1831 – 1879) Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell department stores called Spencer's. His greatly contributed to the understanding of grandfather David Spencer, a Welsh physics. His theory led to the discovery of radio immigrant, founded his first dry goods waves which inspired telephone, radio, and shop in Victoria in 1873. more.

Hatley William Wilberforce (1759 -1833) William Wilberforce was an English Castle politician and philanthropist who led the Colwood, B. C. movement to abolish the slave trade. Through a Hatley Castle collaborative effort, the Slave Trade Act of 1807 was signed. was built as a private Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington residence in the Scottish baronial style (1769 – 1852) for James Dunsmuir. It is now Hatley Arthur Wellesley was an Anglo-Irish Park National Historic Site, the location soldier who rose to popularity for bringing of Royal Roads University (formerly the peace and stability all throughout Europe. After Royal Roads Military College). his military career, he became a Prime Minister of UK. Cont. page 8 Hat Creek, An English Tradition B.C. The Great British Pub by Ben Johnson Historic Hat Creek is located on one of the few sections of the original Cariboo Wagon Roads still accessible to the public. Hat Creek House, established in 1861 by former Hudson's Bay Company trader Donald McLean.

Donald McLean (fur trader) (1805 – July 17, 1864), also known as Samadlin, a First Nations adaptation of Sieur McLean, was a Scottish fur trader and explorer for the Hudson's Bay Company and who later became a cattle rancher near Cache Creek in Renowned the world over, the great British Columbia's Thompson Country . McLean British pub is not just a place to drink was the last casualty of the Chilcotin War of beer, wine, cider or even something a 1864 and the father of outlaw and renegade Allan little bit stronger. It is also a unique McLean, leader of the "Wild McLean Boys" social centre, very often the focus of gang. McLean was born in 1805 in Tobermory, community life in villages, towns and Isle of Mull, Scotland cities throughout the length and breadth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McLean_(fur_trader) of the country. It was an invading Roman army that first brought Roman roads, Roman towns and Roman pubs known as tabernae to these shores in 43 AD. Such tabernae, or shops that sold wine, were quickly built alongside Roman roads and in towns to help quench the thirst of the legionary troops. It was ale, however, that was the native British brew, and it appears that these tabernae quickly adapted to provide the locals with their favourite tipple, with the word eventually being corrupted to tavern. Inns also served military purposes; one of the oldest dating from 1189 AD is Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham, and is said to have acted as a recruitment centre for volunteers to accompany King Richard I (The Lionheart) on his crusade to the Holy Lands. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The- Great-British-Pub/

… … Influential British people

Thomas Paine (1737 – 1809) Thomas Paine was an English philosopher and political theorist who became an active American political activist and propagandist. He was actually one of the founding father of the United States.

Alexander Graham Bell (1847 – 1922) Alexander Graham Bell is definitely one of the world’s most popular inventors. This Scottish scientist and engineer has developed the first working telephone.

Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) Dickens was an English writer who was widely known for his fictional characters. He was considered as one of the best novelists of the Victorian era.

James Watt (1736 – 1819) James Watt was a Scottish inventor who contributed his Watt steam engine to the world. His invention was vital to start the Industrial Revolution.

John Lennon (1940 – 1980) John Lennon was probably one of the most popular British icons in the world. Lennon’s inspirations in his music include political activism, peace, and life. An Invitation Stephen Hawking (1942 – 2019) OPEN HOUSE Stephen Hawking is one of the living legends honored as one of the greatest Britons by Sunday Nov. 17th. BBC. He has been paralyzed for decades but it has not stopped him to influence the world with Christmas stock is now his works in the fields of physics. arriving weekly. https://www.historiansforbritain.org/15-influential-british- Shop early for the best people-time/ selection. Family owned and Welsh in Alberta family run, The Celtic Treasure Historically, Chest Alberta has had the has been proudly serving Vancouver and highest number of people of Welsh descent as a the surrounding areas since 2003, proportion to population. In the 2016 Census, supplying groceries and gift items there are 80,455 people identifying as being of imported from Welsh descent, which is around 2 % of the total England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. population of Alberta.

The Celtic Treasure Chest Earl W. Bascom (1906-1995), artist, inventor, 5639 Dunbar Street, rodeo pioneer, "Father of Modern Rodeo" and of Welsh descent Vancouver, BC (Dunbar & 41st) David Milwyn Duggan, a Welshman, was the 604.261.3688 mayor of Edmonton from 1921 to 1923. British Columbia History settlements in the area. According to historian Alexander Begg, Fraser "was offered a British Expeditions (1790s–1821) knighthood but declined the title due to his limited wealth When European explorer-merchants from the east started to discover British Columbia. David Thompson Three figures dominate in the early history of (30 April 1770 – 10 February mainland British Columbia: Sir Alexander 1857) was a British-Canadian Mackenzie, Simon Fraser, and David fur trader, surveyor, and Thompson. As employees of the North West cartographer. Thompson has Company, the three were primarily concerned been described as the "greatest with discovering a practicable river route to the land geographer who ever Pacific, specifically via the Columbia River, for lived." David Thompson was the extension of the fur trade. In 1793, born in Westminster, Mackenzie became the first European to reach Middlesex, to recent Welsh migrants the Pacific overland north of the Rio Grande. He https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ and his crew entered the region through the History_of_British_Columbia Rocky Mountains via the Peace River, reaching the ocean at North Bentinck Arm, near Greetings from Luke du Lac, present-day Bella Coola. our member in England. Sir Alexander Mackenzie Hello everyone from Wiltshire in England. (or MacKenzie, Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair MacCoinnich; I was a St Georgian while working in BC in 1764 – 12 March 1820) was a 2008 - I came back home and enlisted in the British Scottish explorer known for Army and had the honour of serving in Afghanistan in 2012. accomplishing the first east to west crossing of America north I hope it would be of interest to you all over in of Mexico in 1793, which the new world that I shot a lot of video footage around WW1 battlefields recently. preceded the more famous Lewis and Clark Expedition by 12 years. The Mackenzie River is Flanders named after him, the longest river system in https://www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLCGQELKsoTQmcvfi4_0rrcp4TxHqb200S Canada and the second longest in North America. Mackenzie was born in Luskentyre Somme House in Stornoway on Lewis https://www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLCGQELKsoTQmKu_aCJkj7gaWXJ6nU- Simon Fraser ACX

(20 May 1776 – 18 August WW2 Normandy DDay 75 1862) was a fur trader and https://www.youtube.com/playlist? explorer of Scottish ancestry list=PLCGQELKsoTQnNtJXdudXdCDA5CCKxL8S who charted much of what is k

now the Canadian province of Deeply moving. I am making plenty of films British Columbia (B.C.). He these days - hey you folks why not subscribe? also built the first European settlement in B.C. Fraser was employed by the Brexit here is daily exhilaration and we had 32,000 veterans in London protesting about Soldier F Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, on Saturday too, 12,000 of us on Motorcycles alone! he had been put in charge of all the company's https://youtu.be/xgsLzuLi2Ug operations west of the Rocky Mountains. He was responsible for building that area's first Luke du Laic trading posts, and, in 1808, he explored what is If you enjoy good humour now known as the , which bears his The difference between a or love to dance visit name. Simon Fraser's exploratory efforts were BEER & YOUR OPINION IS THAT Vancouver partly responsible for Canada's boundary later I Asked For A Beer Ceilidh Dancing being established at the 49th parallel (after the

War of 1812), since he as a British subject was https://www.vancouverceilidh.org/ the first European to establish permanent A newsletter issued by Duncan MacKenzie The British Columbia Chartres Brew (31 December 1815 – 31 May 1870) was a Gold commissioner, Chief Provincial Police Station Constable and judge in the Colony of British Columbia, later a province of Canada. Brew's name was conferred on two mountain summits in British Columbia, both named Mount Brew. The higher one at 2891m is located just south of the Fraser Canyon town of Lillooet, and which is the second-highest in the Lillooet Ranges after Skihist Mountain. The other is just east of Likely, British Columbia in the Cariboo district, 2057m, is a small, one-storey, wood-frame building adjacent to Quesnel Lake. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_Brew with a hipped roof. The station was built in 1912 and stands in its original location at the northeast corner of Lakelse Avenue and Kalum Street in Terrace, British Columbia.

British Columbia Provincial Police The British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) was the provincial police service of British Columbia, Canada, between 1858 and 1950. One of the first law enforcement British Columbia Provincial Police Station agencies in North America, the British 3224 Kalum Street, Terrace, British Columbia, Canada Columbia Provincial Police was formed to police the new Colony of British Columbia in 1858, with Chartres Brew as the de facto Chief

Constable. Looking for a British collectable for that spe- The BCPP preceded the Canadian cial person in your life Confederation by nine years, the Northwest Just arrived a large amount of Mounted Police by fifteen years, and the English China and Royal Ontario Provincial Police by seventeen years. Souvenirs

Brew, a former member of the Royal Irish

Constabulary and officially British Columbia's

Chief Gold Commissioner, was vested with

the powers of a magistrate to maintain state

security against possible rebellion by

American migrants who came to British

Columbia for its gold rush and the

accompanying the risk of annexation.

Chartres Brew,

Chief Constable

Born, December 31, The results from your saleable treasures has 1815, Corofin, County resulted in us able to purchase life saving Clare, Ireland, Died, May equipment that is helping those in need. 31, 1870 (aged 54) PLEASE DONATE TO: VGH Thrift Shop. Richfield, British Columbia 2535 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC Phone: (604) 876-3731

The British Pension Luncheon Monday, Oct 7th,

Gorge Vale Golf Club

An end to the frozen British pensions?

I would like to thank the Victoria chapter of the St. George's society for inviting me to address their recent monthly gathering. Our fight to end the frozen pension issue is Ian Andexser, Chairman of the Canadian growing in momentum in the UK, thanks to the Association of British Pensioners, gave us a good half excellent efforts of our London based lobbyists. hour talk about the British Pensions and the In October 2018, I was part of a delegation discrimination shown to the British expats who now invited inside 10 Downing Street to deliver a petition reside in Commonwealth Countries. He explained how directly to the Prime Minister and the huge coverage in it is a political situation that only the politicians can media write ups and TV discussions can be viewed on our website www.endfrozenpensions.org correct and how we must all contact our relatives and friends in Britain and ask them to write to their MP and Please go to the site, add your name to the make them aware of the unfairness of those pensions petition and join the fight through our Canadian not being indexed as they are if a Britain now resides in association at www.britishpensions.com a non Commonwealth country. He feels we are close The governments decision to continue to having it presented in parliament in Britain and indexation to pensioners in the EU post Brexit brings having this inequity sorted out. But in the meantime of us so much closer to a worldwide resolution for all course, we wait. pensioners. Please join and help us as we feel we are so

close to the end of this battle. Betty Hubbard

Director, South Vancouver Island Ian Andexser, Chairman The Royal Society of St. George Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners

Email: [email protected] Home: 250-388-5920 The Royal Society of St. George, This Day in British History, presented by Wendy Halliday, was the story of the surrender by South Vancouver Island group, General Charles Cornwallis of some 8000 men to General George at Yorktown, Lunch on Saturday, October Virginia. Cornwallis was there expecting to meet 19th at Mattick’s Restaurant at British ships sent from New York, but they never arrived. In early October, approximately 17,000 the Cordova Bay Golf Club. American and French troops led by Washington and Rochambeau, surrounded British occupied Yorktown, and Cornwallis could do nothing but surrender on October 19, 1781, rather than lose his men in an outnumbered battle. The war continued on for two more years but the outcome was that Britain lost America.

Betty Hubbard Director, South Vancouver Island The Royal Society of St. George

Email: [email protected] Home: 250-388-5920 Charles Cornwallis,

1st Marquess Cornwallis, KG, PC (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United States and the United Kingdom, he is best remembered as one of the leading British generals in the American War of Independence. His surrender in 1781 to a combined American and French force at the Siege of Yorktown ended significant hostilities in North America. He later served as a civil and military governor in Ireland, where he helped bring about the Act of Union; and in India, where he helped enact the Cornwallis Code and the Permanent Settlement. Born into an aristocratic family and There were 18 in attendance and an enjoyable educated at Eton and Cambridge, Cornwallis time had by all. Some of the members took joined the army in 1757, seeing action in the the opportunity to look around at the stores in Seven Years' War. Upon his father's death in the Mattick Farm complex after lunch. 1762 he became Earl Cornwallis and entered the House of Lords. From 1766 until 1805 he was Colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot. downtown park in Halifax was removed and He next saw military action in 1776 in the placed into storage. The Halifax Regional American War of Independence. School Board removed his name from a junior high school. The Halifax city government has struck a committee to discuss Edward how Cornwallis should be commemorated. Cornwallis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis Thank You:

(5 March [O.S. 22 I wish to thank and acknowledge the Wikipedia February] 1713 – 14 sites where I get most of my research information. January 1776) was a When searching you will get hundreds of sites on any British military officer subject but I have found that the Wikipedia sites are more factual and interesting who was a member of the aristocratic The Wikimedia movement is founded on a Cornwallis family. Cornwallis fought in simple, but powerful principle: we can do more Scotland, putting down the Jacobite rebellion together than any of us can do alone. We cannot work of 1745 and then was given the task of collectively without gathering, sharing, and analyzing establishing Halifax, Nova Scotia as the information about our users as we seek new ways to make the Wikimedia Sites more usable, safer, and Governor of Nova Scotia (1749–1752). more beneficial. Cornwallis returned to London, where he was elected as MP for Westminster and The Great Seal married the niece of Robert Walpole, Great Britain's first Prime Minister. Cornwallis was of the Island of then given the position of Governor of Vancouver

Gibraltar. and its Dependencies was Cornwallis' administration in Nova designed by Benjamin Scotia had several significant achievements. Wyon, Chief Engraver of Cornwallis implemented the first constitution Her Majesty's Seals, in present-day Canada, establishing both an c. 1849. The symbolic badge he designed are the Executive and Legislative Council. He basis for the flag of Vancouver Island, which is oversaw the first British law courts in Canada still unofficially flown today

(court of General Sessions, County Court, Benjamin Wyon and Supreme Court); erected forts at Grand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pre, Chignecto and Halifax; organized a Born in John Street, Blackfriars, London, militia of 840 men; established a public on 9 January 1802, he was the second son school for orphans; respected religious of Thomas Wyon the elder. He received diversity through separation of church and instruction from his elder brother, Thomas Wyon state. He also established the first Jewish the younger, and in 1821 gained the gold medal community, the first German community and of the Society of Arts for a medal die of figures. the first protestant dissenting congregation in He also gained the silver medal of present-day Canada. the Royal Academy, for a die with the head Cornwallis is commemorated in the of Apollo. naming of rivers, parks, streets, towns, and On 10 January 1831 Wyon was appointed Chief Engraver of the Seals and made the Great buildings in Nova Scotia. The Seal of William IV. He died on 21 November commemoration of Cornwallis has become 1858. controversial in recent years. Local Mi'kmaq https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Vancouver_Island leaders objected to Governor Cornwallis' extirpation proclamation (1749). After protests at the site, a statue of Cornwallis in a Historical dates in the history of 1807 Geographer David Thompson is credited with having recorded the first British Columbia systematic meteorological observations taken Our British Heritage in British Columbia. David Thompson was born in Westminster, Middlesex, to Welsh 1778 Great Britain's explorer, migrants Captain James Cook, reached My appreciation to Wikipedia, the free and became the encyclopedia for many of the Bios in my first white man to set foot on research. British Columbian soil. My British Pride 1788 Frances Barkley, the young wife of Captain Charles William Barkley, was the and first white woman to set foot on Vancouver Historic Island. Charles William Barkley (1759 – 16 British Columbia May 1832) was a ship captain and maritime connection fur trader. He was born in Hertford, England, son of Charles Barkley. Grand Father, His name is sometimes erroneously spelled Charles Edwin McVittie Barclay due to the misspelling "Barclay born in Dublin, Ireland, a Sound" (in what is now Vancouver Island, Surgeon General in the British Columbia) on early Admiralty charts, British Army who was which arose from a mistake from Land Honourary Physician to District records. The misspelling originated in Queen Victoria. 1859 with the government agent William Grandmother, born in Edinburgh, Eddy Banfield who issued certificates Scotland. Father, Reginald Francis identifying the "Barclay Land District." The McVittie, born and raised in Bedford name was corrected to in England, who ran away to Canada in 1906 1904. (Banfield's own name was misspelled in to join the Northwest Mounted Police. Was the name of the town of Bamfield, also on a British Immigrant of an Irish family, Vancouver Island.) became a British Columbia farmer and raised a family of eight children in B.C.

1790 October 28: Treaty of the Nootka

Convention was accepted and signed by

Great Britain and Spain.

1792 August 28: Captain George

Vancouver reached Nootka. Vancouver was a

British officer of the Royal Navy best known

for his 1791–95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern HAPPY CHRISTMAS