British Columbia Historical News British Columbia Historical Federation Journal of the P0 Box 5254, STATION B., VIcToRIA BC V8R 6N4 British Columbia Historical Federation A CHARITABLE SOCIETY UNDER THE INCOME TAX ACT Published Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Honorary Patron: His Honour, the Honorable Garde B. Gardom, Q.C. EDITOR: Honorary President: Alice Glanville, Box 746, Grand Forks, BC VOM 1HO Fred Braches PG Box 130 OFFICERS Whonnock BC, V2W 1V9 President: Wayne Desrochers Phone (604) 462-8942 13346 57th Avenue, Surrey BC V3X 2W8 [email protected] Phone (604) 599-4206 Fax. (604)507-4202 wdesrochersmbs.imag.ner BOOK REVIEW EDrroR: First Vice President: RoyJ.V. Pailant AnneYandle 1541 Merlynn Crescent, NorthVancouver BC V7J 2X9 3450 West 20th Avenue Phone (604) 986-8969 [email protected] Vancouver BC, V6S 1E4 SecondVice President: Jacqueline Gresko Phone (604) 733-6484 5931 Sandpiper Court, Richmond BC V7E 3P8 [email protected] Phone (604) 274-4383 [email protected] Secretary: Arnold Ranneris SUBSCRIPTION SECRETARY: JoelVinge 1898 Quamichan Street,Victoria BC V8S 2B9 598-3035 561 Woodland Drive Phone (250) [email protected] Brown Cranbrook BC V1C 6V2 Recording Secretary: Elizabeth (Betty) 4Z4 Phone/Fax (250) 489-2490 473 Transit Road,Victoria BC V8S [email protected] Phone (250) 598-1171 Treasurer: Ron Greene PUBLISHING Co?usrrmE: P0 Box 135 i,Victoria BC V8W 2W7 Tony Farr Phone (250) 598-1835 Fast (250) 598-5539 [email protected] 125 Castle Cross Road, Past President: Ron Weiwood Salt Spring Island BC V8K 2G1 R.R. # 1, S-22 C-i, Nelson BC V1L 5P4 Phone (250) 537-1123 Phone (250) 825-4743 [email protected] Co EDITING: Helmi Braches Editor: Fred Braches V2W 1V9 PRoof READING: Tony Farr P0 Box 130,Whonnock BC LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION: Fred Braches Phone (604) 462-8942 [email protected] Member at Large: Melva Dwyer Subscriptions 2976 McBride Ave., Surrey BC V4A 3G6 Individual ss.oo per year Phone (604) 535-3041 Institutional sao.oo per year Member at Large: Ron Hyde For addresses outside Canada add s6.oo #20 12880 Railway Ave., Richmond BC V7E 6G2 Fax (604) 277-2675 Please send correspondence regarding Phone: (604) 277-2627 [email protected] subscriptions to the subscription secretary in Cranbrook. Some back issues of the journal COMMITTEES are available—ask the editor in Whonnock. Archivist: Margaret Stoneberg Box 687, Princeton BC VOX iWO, Phone (250) 295-3362 Single copies of recent issues are for sale at Secretary:Terry Simpson Books and Company, Prince George BC Membership BC V9R 6G8 Coast Books, Gibsons BC 193 Bird Sanctuary, Nanaimo Galiano Museum Phone (250) 754-5697 [email protected] Gray Creek Store, Gray Creek BC Historical Trails and Markers:John Spittle Royal Museum Shop, Victoria BC 1241 Mount Crown Road, NorthVancouver BC V7R 1R9 Phone (604) 988-4565 [email protected] This PUBUCATION Is INDEXED IN ThE CBCA, PUBLISHED BY MICROMEDIA. W Kaye Lamb Essay Scholarships Committee: Frances Gundry ISSN 1195-8294 255 Niagara Street,Victoria BC V8V 1G4 PRODUCTION MAIL REGIsTRATIoN NUMBER 1545716 Phone (250) 385-6353 frances.gundrygems3.gov.bc.ca Pu5LICATIONS MAIL REGIsTRATION No. 09835 Publications Assistance: Nancy Stuart-Stubbs 2651 York Avenue,Vancouver BC V6K 1E6 Phone (604) 738-5132 [email protected] The British Columbia Heritage Trust has pro Writing Competition—Lieutenant-Governor’s Award: vided financial assistance to this project to support Shirley Cuthbertson conservation of our heritage resources, gain further #306 - 225 Bellevifle Street,Victoria BC V8V 4T9 knowledge and increase public understanding of the Phone (250) 382-0288 complete history of British Columbia. Committee British Columbia Historical News: BRITISH cOLOMBIa Publishing see column on the left 5leI7tUBe BCHF Web site: Eileen Malt 779 East 3lstAve.,Vancouver BC V5V 2W9 Phone (604) 875-8023 emakinterchange.ubc Our Web site, HrrP://BCHF.BC.CA, is hosted by Selkirk College in Castlegar, BC BRITISH COLUMBIA Volume 34, No. 3 Summer 2001 cii $5.00 HIsTolu NEWS ISSN 1195-8294 Journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation 2 Up with the Petticoats! Down with the Trousers! From Suffragist to Political Candidate: Mary Graves of Victoria, BC by Sheila Nickols 8 The Oolichan Fishery of Northern British Columbia by Ron Sutherland 14 Frank Dwight Rice: A Veteran of Many Wars by Robert WA lien 18 Pioneer James McLane and the Prince George Auto Court THE COAT-OF-ARMS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA by Eldon E. Lee in use until the year 1896 was merely a crest or a badge. It had no specific references to Tribute Home 20 A to Van the province. It was an emblem ofthe Royal by Leonard WMyers Family ofEngland.After the replacement by 24 Token History: A.C. Cummins, Ferguson, BC a new Arms, the Native Sons of British Co lumbia used an image ofthe old crest as their by Ronald Greene insignia, as did the Royal Jubilee Hospital. 23 Archives and Archivists So did others. The British Columbia Historical Federa Adventures of a First-time User of the BC Archives tion has no crest of its own and many of us by Mary Haig-Brown would welcome an emblem identifying the 34 Reports: Finn Slough: A Little History Federation, if only we could find the right one.At a recent Council meeting proposal by David Dorrington a was heard to adopt the old provincial badge as our own—not without Royal consent of 26 WINNERS OF THE COMPETITION FOR WRITERS course. A few of those present at the meet BOOK REVIEWS 28 ing felt that the badge would put too much 36 NEWS AND NOTES emphasis on the monarchy and that it did 37 BC History Web Site Prize by Patricia A. Rogers not reflect the multi-facetted and multi-cul 38 WEB-SITE Fort.AYs by Gwen Szychter tural past of our province. However, the majority ofthose present looked at the badge 39 RICHMOND 2000 by Alistair Ross and by Alice Glanville solely as a symbol ofthe pioneer days of the FEDERATION NEWS 42 province and did not share those concerns. AGM MINUTES We wonder how you feel about identify PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT ing the Federation with the old provincial badge. You may also have other suggestions for suitable emblem. Any country worthy of a future should be interested in its past. a Please write, phone, or e-mail! W. Kaye Lamb, ‘937 Looking forward to hearing from you. the editor BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2001 1 Up with the Petticoats! Down With the Trousers! From Suffragist to Political Candidate: Mary Graves ofVictoria, BC by Sheila Nickols Sheila Nickols is in HERE does a woman find the inner with pride of her accomplished mother Mary volved in local history strength and motivation to go beyond Graves, but not about her political since editing Maple aspiration. It her personal sphere of influence to was not until Lyn Gough, Ridge: a History ofSet W author of As Wise As put her name into the public realm and run for tlementin 1972. Serpents, made me aware ofMary Graves’s politi political office? Even today, according to women cal career at a Women’s History Conference in politicians I have spoken to, there is a great per 1995 that I began my formal research. sonal sacrifice entailed in campaigning for office My grandmother was born Mary Helen and serving effectively once elected. Imagine how Gertrude Flynn in New York City on 11 July much greater the difficulties of political life were 1868, to Daniel and Helen Mary Flynn, immi for the first women to put themselves forward to grants from Dublin. DanielJ. Flynn was the owner serve the as pioneers in this previously masculine of a livery stable in New York, where he also field. In British Columbia, this pioneering effort served as a volunteer fireman.The Irish Catholic took place in 1919 when women had newly won Flynn family had a total of eight children, five of the right to vote. whom lived to adulthood. First came Lizzie, (13 People need high ideals to put themselves July 1852 to 26 August 1855), then Carrie, (19 through the rigours of a political campaign, and September 1854 to 1 September 1855.) Appar a conviction that they can make a positive differ ently the two sisters died in the same epidemic. ence in the world. They must have self—respect, By the time Mary was born on 11 July 1868, built up by real accomplishments in the world. she had four older siblings: Daniel J. Jr. (1857), For women especially, there must be family sup twin boys John H. and William F. (1859), and port, both moral and financial. Native intelligence, Louise (1865). In October of 1872 the last child good health, energy, speaking ability, and an ad of the family was born, Lizzie, named for her venturous, pioneering spirit are all essential. And dead sister. All of this information was recorded it doesn’t hurt to be red—haired and Irish! in the Flynn family Bible. in am speaking of my maternal grandmother, Two family stories come down to us from this Mary Graves, who was among the first women time. Mary had beautiful auburn hair, thick and inVictoria to run for public office in 1919, when springy, but her older brothers used to tease her she put her name forward for nomination in the by holding their hands over her head and saying. civic election. She tried again in 1920, then went “Hot! My hands are burning!” The other event on to run in the 1924 provincial election. All which had long lasting effects was an accident. three attempts at office were unsuccessful, but Mary, aged about two, fell out the door of one of her example and that ofother courageous women her father’s carriages and injured her leg seri began making women fully part of the political ously.