Pender Islands Historical Timeline

The ship Island Princess, previously known as the Daily, is sold to the Gulf Island Ferry Co, rebuilt with a diesel engine, renamed Cy Peck, and put on the Swartz Bay-Saltspring Island run.

During the Depression, guests at Roesland Farm Resort dwindle and the Roes struggle to keep the facility going. Some years, only the Davidsons come to stay. Across the island, farms and gardens are essential to surviving the Depression.

The BC Fish Salteries Ltd builds a herring saltery plant at Otter Bay (Hayashi Cove). Operated by the Matsuyama Co, a Japanese concern, the plant packs herring into boxes of salt for shipment to the Far East.

Stonecutter and settler Alexander Brackett dies of “black lung” disease caused by the rock dust he worked in for much of his adult life.

The US stock market crashes, leading to the Great Depression of the 1930s. On Pender, quarrying, forestry, fishing, and farming are all affected as market demand declines, marking the end of the pioneer era.

Swiss inventor Andreas Stihl patents the first gas-powered, hand-held portable chainsaw, transforming a previously labour-intensive process using axes and handsaws, thus revolutionizing forestry industries.

A large private residence called “Mille Fleurs” is built for Major Guy Boyer along MacKinnon Road. It will change hands and open in 1942/43 as “Beautyrest Lodge”, operated by the Lynd family for 27 years. (A resort continues there to the present day.)

The Hope Bay Store is modernized with an electric plant, fridge, and an ice cream cabinet.

July 1^st marks the Diamond Jubilee, the 60th Anniversary of Confederation. The community turns out for “a big picnic at Port Washington“. (There had been no celebration of the 50th Anniversary in 1917 in the midst of WWI.)

Bert Roe weds Irene Burnes, a former guest at the Roesland Resort, and they build their own home above the Roesland dock in Otter Bay. The house contains a store to serve resort guests and commercial fishermen.

A small school opens on South Pender, on a cliffside location near today’s firehall.

First built in the early 1920s and shut down for several years, the fish reduction plant is reactivated at Shingle Bay, producing lubricating oil, fertilizer, and fish meal.

Six-year-old Dave Davidson, who will later operate Roesland from 1971-91 with his wife Florence, makes his first visit to Roesland.

Herbert Spalding (1898-1976) and Winifred Bellhouse (1902-1995) marry, joining two South Pender and Galiano families. Winifred is a trained nurse who helps South Pender neighbours with medical concerns, while Herb will be an expert logger.

The congregation of the Presbyterian Church at Hope Bay votes to join the United Church of Canada.

Tennis has become a popular island pastime. Spencer and Annie Percival host a tennis garden party and tournament at their “Sunnyside“ home at Port Washington.

The Grosvenor House Hotel is built by the Logan family at Port Washington.

Two teachers are now required for the Pender Island School, and Vivienne Geldart arrives to fill the new role. She marries farmer Victor Menzies the following year.

John Blake Bridge (“JB“) becomes the Postmaster at Port Washington.

Like some other veterans, Gerry Parkyn (1892-1984) is a new Pender settler. A friend would say, “Gerry returned from WWI minus a leg, but it didn’t slow him down a bit.“ He marries in 1924, and with Tessie, raises three children and runs a chicken farm at Gowlland Point. He serves as South Pender School trustee in 1926 and oversees the building of the Church of the Good Shepherd in 1938.

A manse is built at Hope Bay for the Presbyterian Church minister and his family. It remains in good condition today as a private residence.

The Crane family arrives on South Pender to live at Camp Bay. Their four children are raised there, father Arthur serves as school trustee, and mother Dora contributes significantly to the creation of the Church of the Good Shepherd in 1938.

Prohibition of the production, importation, and sale of alcohol is introduced in the United States. The Gulf Islands become a hub for smuggling from BC into the US.

The Canadian Pacific Steamship (CPSS) line begins regular ferry service to the Gulf Islands.

Robert (Bert) Roe becomes a partner in the operation of the farm first owned by his parents, and continues to develop Roesland as a cottage resort.