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Stories by Mikie........
- Thread starter Micheal_R
- Start date
Only in my part of the world it was lead mining instead of coal. Much the same dangers and labor wars....strikers and strike breakers with hard feelings that lasted for generations and are still going on today in some cases.This story touched home with me Mike. Thank you.
Wayne in BC
New member
unfortunately not as early as you.
My great Grandad mined coal in Nanaimo in 1887, and on Newcastle Island in later years.
Really enjoyed your piece of our history!
My great Grandad mined coal in Nanaimo in 1887, and on Newcastle Island in later years.
Really enjoyed your piece of our history!
Ron J
Active member
two Uncles,( i have that are still alive) Uncle Clarence, his parents came from Lithuania, and settled in Pennsylvania,and became a coal miner. My Uncle, grew up there,and when was kind of forced to enter employment in the mine. He didn't like it at all, and joined the Navy, just before WW ll. He was stationed in California, met my Aunt Tillie ,out there. She had been visiting her sister. My Aunts were born and raised in Provincetown Mass. Anyway Uncle Clarence and Aunt Tillie got married in Cal. She got home sick for Cape Cod, talked her husband into visiting the Cape, and they never left! He started Provincetown Welding, which is still in business today! Although my Cousin Mike, runs it now. Uncle Clarence still dabbles with metal, to this day, he is in the shop. He is 93! He was a lucky one, making that decision, knowing being a Coal Miner was not gonna be his future.
I lived in Courtney in the 90's and things only started to change a bit in Cumberland towards the end of my time there. Up until the time I left the Valley in 1998, folks still referred to the Town of Cumberland as 'Dodge City'. I remember a buddy of mine who was from Dodge City introducing me to a great uncle of his who was probably in his 80's at the time. This old timer had been born in Cumberland and spent his whole life there, rarely went into 'town' (Courtenay), had never been off the island and had been as far south as Nanaimo, just once back in the 50's. He said he couldn't get out of the 'city' (Nanaimo) fast enough and would never go back to such a crazy place again.
Times change but they change a lot slower in Cumberland.
Thanks Again,
Eric
Times change but they change a lot slower in Cumberland.
Thanks Again,
Eric
The more I think about it, the more I appreciate just what Courtenay was in those days. A safe place to grow up..... and really, it does not get any better than that for children.
Where did you live while in Courtenay? My home was the forty houses!! [any old timer can tell you where that is/was] However, I spent much of my time on my uncles farm out Tsolum way!!!
Fair winds
Micheal
Where did you live while in Courtenay? My home was the forty houses!! [any old timer can tell you where that is/was] However, I spent much of my time on my uncles farm out Tsolum way!!!
Fair winds
Micheal
montereymacgyver
New member
Excellent read Mikie....brought back memories of my youth in a copper mining town. We lived there during a strike that dragged on for years and crippled the community from both a financial and sociological aspect. Great story...
Rick
Rick
a rough time to live there. For sure, thats when unions were the only thing a working man had to speak up for them. I know the scab trem well and its still used back east here.Walked many a picket line myself as did my father. My Dad was a union organizer for the Boilermakes and later the Ironworkers....
Have you ever gone back to detect where those row houses were on in the town. Gotta be a few old cooins around those parts.
Much like the Ellis family you spoke of, it happens here if you cross a picket line. Most contractors here now have strike clauses in their contracts. I only see them here now with new contractors who are not union trying to do a union job over x amount of dollars or federally funded.
Good story and pictures.
thanks for post.
George-CT
Have you ever gone back to detect where those row houses were on in the town. Gotta be a few old cooins around those parts.
Much like the Ellis family you spoke of, it happens here if you cross a picket line. Most contractors here now have strike clauses in their contracts. I only see them here now with new contractors who are not union trying to do a union job over x amount of dollars or federally funded.
Good story and pictures.
thanks for post.
George-CT
I have been back a few times with the detector. But most stuff is found there just by digging... or at least it was. That was years back so things may have changed.
One of my most prized finds from there is a mother of pearl poker chip. [at least I think it is a poker chip.. correct size and all.. but no numerical value]. Found that when I was wandering through chinatown , just poking out on the surface. I had forgotten all about it and when my father died, I found it in the effects. I guess I gave it to him when I was young. He must have saved it for me [knowing my propensity to lose things when I was a kid.
: ]
Courtenay is far too cosmopolitan these days. I suspect that very few people even know of the tribulations that were extant in those turbulent days. The population is probably around 25-30,000. When I was there, total population was 800. With those small numbers, grudges were easier to maintain.
Calm seas
Micheal
One of my most prized finds from there is a mother of pearl poker chip. [at least I think it is a poker chip.. correct size and all.. but no numerical value]. Found that when I was wandering through chinatown , just poking out on the surface. I had forgotten all about it and when my father died, I found it in the effects. I guess I gave it to him when I was young. He must have saved it for me [knowing my propensity to lose things when I was a kid.
: ]Courtenay is far too cosmopolitan these days. I suspect that very few people even know of the tribulations that were extant in those turbulent days. The population is probably around 25-30,000. When I was there, total population was 800. With those small numbers, grudges were easier to maintain.
Calm seas
Micheal
Unionized the conditions would still be bad. Many are still killed in the mines. Those owners are not much different than the modern mine and factory owners. If not for the Unions and the laws the Unions forced through we would still be working in dangerous conditions for a buck an hour. Now we have to worry about the Unions, sadly.
I remember that old town you took me to, I think it was a mining town, where the river ran right down under the main street. What a rough life
I remember that old town you took me to, I think it was a mining town, where the river ran right down under the main street. What a rough life
the "scabs" crossing the line. This happened in my daddy's union a lot, or so it seemed! The book sounds interesting.........are there any signs that the mines are still there today???
If our fathers knew half the things we did, or places we went,.........all our butts would have stayed red!!!!
If our fathers knew half the things we did, or places we went,.........all our butts would have stayed red!!!!
However, the adits have now been all cemented in so access to the mines themselves is pretty much impossible. However, those with a lot of knowledge of the area [ME !! ME!! :] still know where the ventilation shafts are/were. Not that I have any desire to go down into those mines any more. :
fair winds
Micheal
:] still know where the ventilation shafts are/were. Not that I have any desire to go down into those mines any more. :fair winds
Micheal
Mikie said:
Hi Mike:
Apologies for the late reply. I used to live at the Puntledge Terrace Condos that backed onto the Puntledge River, right beside the bridge. The bald eagles would perch in the trees along the river when the salmon were running and the seals would travel up that farm on the high tide. 3 blocks to downtown but 3 steps to farmland, perfect. Eventually I moved up to a house on the golf course at Crown Isle as I was a builder there. I sold out in 1998 and headed east and then eventually south to Bermuda. Where were the 40 houses?
Cheers,
Eric