Westshore Memories - Sue Harper
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westshorememories.bsky.social
Westshore Memories - Sue Harper
@westshorememories.bsky.social
85 followers 14 following 140 posts
Discover the history behind Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, & the Highlands of Vancouver Island BC Canada. There are mysteries, quirky characters, tragedies, weird events, & more. https://westshorememories.substack.com
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GHOST WEEK and the Westshore has many! Phantom footsteps, whispers in empty hallways, ghostly figures, music playing from a non-existent gramophone…… history here is never entirely at rest. #westshore #colwood #langford #viewroyal #metchosin #highlands #hatleycastle #yyj #ghosts #victoria #BC
The Haunting of Hatley Castle
She still walks the halls....
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Captain Josiah Gosse was the last lighthouse keeper at Fisgard Lighthouse. His story is quite interesting and something I wanted to pass along to readers that support the creation of the many articles (over 275) that now reside at Westshore Memories. #yyj #victoria #victoriabc #fisgard #bchistory
Josiah & Anna Gosse
Fisgard Lighthouse Keeper (1909-28) among many other things
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Following WW2 (1939-45) Civil Defense was high on everyone’s agenda. The hostile post war international atmosphere created by the Cold War and the destructive potential of the atomic bomb witnessed in Japan dramatically raised everyone’s fear levels - even in the Westshore of Vancouver Island. #yyj
Fear at Our Doorstep
The Cold War and Civil Defense Exercise 1955
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"Like so many of her generation, Mrs. Battersby is still wonderfully alert and vigorous- perhaps the result of a rigorous upbringing and early hardships associated with pioneer days when children could not be coddled." #yyj #westshore #victoria #victoriabc #BChistory #metchosin
Mary Edith Dutnall (1864-1949
Metchosin Pioneer
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Construction of Goldstream to Mill Bay, 1908 - Work crews, using largely manual labor and rudimentary equipment, carved out the road through thick bush, over rocky outcrops, and across numerous streams…. #yyj #goldstream #millbay #victoria #oldvictoria #westshore #yyjhistory
Construction of Goldstream to Mill Bay, 1908
Road building through wild and beautiful territory
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FLOOD! One of the earliest and most significant flood events in Westshore history occurred in 1949. While there had been others, this one was a doozy, outweighing the ones that had come before. #westshore #flood #yyj #yyjhistory #victoriabc #oldvictoria
Flood Damage Maroons Many, 1949
The Western Communities under water.
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FLOOD! One of the earliest and most significant flood events in Westshore history occurred in 1949. While there had been others, this one was a doozy, outweighing the ones that had come before. #yyj #yyjhistory #westshore #flood #victoriabc #flooddamage open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Flood Damage Maroons Many, 1949
The Western Communities under water.
open.substack.com
Goldstream Rock & Wonders, 1930 - The picture weaved about the Langford Lake Goldstream area, still a far away wilderness with massive dogwoods, Douglas fir, cedars, and among them a few rustic cabins hiding in 1930. #yyj #yyjhistory #victoria #goldstream #BC #vancouverisland #VI
Goldstream Rock & Wonders, 1930
A person might travel hundreds of miles and see nothing finer
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In 1923 an article was written which provides an amazing description of Leechtown and the gold diggings that were once scattered throughout the entire area.. Read the latest article at Westshore Memories #yyj #westshore #Victoria #oldvictoria #vistoriahistory #vancouverisland #BChistory
Leechtown
From 1923, an amazing description of the gold town near the Leech River
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A large concrete ground ledger with a faded inscription on the base marks the Hopwood family grave. Beneath it lies Joseph and Margaret Hopwood whose long and varied life including the Northwest Rebellion, winds its way to Colwood. #yyj #colwood #westshore open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Joseph Hopwood (1866-1950)
Touching the North-West Rebellion, BC Prospecting, and a Lime Kiln
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No date of birth or death, just a name. I wanted to discover as much as I could about this seemingly forgotten man buried in the Westshore - so off on a historical journey I went. Read the latest article at Westshore Memories. #yyjhistory #westshore #victoria #oldvictoria #yyjhistory #BC
A Lonely Grave
The trail of Wesley David George (1878-1940)
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Its been sitting on this spot, quietly watching ‘progress’ and change for 117 years. At first glance you would recognize it looks old, but beyond that there is no plaque honouring its historical significance to the Westshore and beyond. #yyj #victioria westshorememories.substack.com/p/a-forgotte...
A Forgotten Gatehouse, 1908
Behind which lay a palatial estate and a glimpse of high society
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An Opportunity for Every Farmer, 1910. - All farmers should consider this not only to improve farming, but also make some additional needed money. Read the latest Westshore Memories article. #westshore #farming #victoria #yyj #history #BChistory #yyjhistory
An Excellent Opportunity for Every Farmer, 1910
Draft Horses are a farmers best friend
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In the spring of 1988, a mountain of tires was set alight on Millstream. Black toxic smoke bellowed into the sky as #Langford firefighters attempted to get a handle on the blaze. Subscribers can read the 265th article published at Westshore Memories. #yyj #victoria open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Mountain of Tires Ignite, 1988
40,000 tires on Millstream catch fire!
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Famous Actor Goes Missing, 1926. Matheson Lang - A bigger adventure than originally thought...Who is Matheson Lang you ask? Find out in the latest article from Westshore Memories! #yyj #yyjhistory #westshore #Langford #victoria #oldvictoria #BC #history open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Famous Actor Goes Missing, 1926
Matheson Lang - A bigger adventure than originally thought...
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Rents Soar at Belmont Park, 1979 The state of the housing left something to be desired- "Only the ceilings of the married quarters are insulated, which means higher fuel bills."
One said she had 2 1/2 feet of water in her crawlspace! #yyj #westshore #rent #victoria open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Rent Hikes at Belmont Park, 1979
Bankrupting families....
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Where am I? Head over to the Facebook group and guess where the location of this piece of Westshore history is #yyj #yyjhistory #westshore #whereamI #oldvictoria #BChistory www.facebook.com/groups/langf...
The Thetis Lake Monster, 1972. It scared and put everyone on edge. Was there a monster lurking in the depths of Thetis Lake? RCMP were called in to investigate strange happenings. #yyj #monster #yyjhistory #westshore #thetislake #victoria #victoriabc #BC #BChistory #oldvictoria
The Thetis Lake Monster, 1972
Waiting in the depths to attack the unsuspecting...
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Helicopter Crash at Thetis Lake, 1989 - On a very foggy morning, a helicopter fell out of the sky and hit the waters of Thetis Lake on Vancouver Island. - Read about this event and over 250 more at Westshore Memories with a subscription. #yyj #thetislake #victoriabc open.substack.com/pub/westshor...
Helicopter Crash at Thetis Lake, 1989
On a very foggy morning, December 4, 1989, at about 10:30AM a Fairchild 1100 helicopter came out of the sky and hit the water of Second Lake, located in Thetis Lake Park.
open.substack.com