Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2019.014.004 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Description |
Harvey Reginald MacMillan and Gerry Wellburn at the Forest Museum clearing. |
Image File Name |
unk - H.R. MacMillan & G. Wellburn - Duncan - 2019014004 - jpg72 - 001 |
Place |
Duncan |
Provenance |
Born in Yorkshire, England in 1900, Gerry Wellburn moved to Victoria with his family where his father ran a grocery store at the corner of Pandora and Cook. Young Gerry had started collecting stamps in England so when he discovered both British Columbia and Vancouver Island had once issued their own stamps he became fascinated. He visited many of the older residents of Victoria to collect old letters and to hear their stories of British Columbia’s beginnings. He also spent his time riding as many trains as he could find. He graduated from Victoria High School with members of prominent Victoria families including Bruce Hutchinson and Ansley Helmcken. His first job was with the circulation department of a Victoria newspaper. His duties took him on trips up the Island where he observed that there were more jobs and opportunities than in Victoria. In 1923 he moved his wife Ethel May and daughter Lois to Courtenay where he worked in logging and sawmilling. He was soon promoted to foreman and worked for several companies on the Island and mainland. In the early 1930’s he founded Wellburn Timbers Ltd., a sawmilling and logging company in Duncan. In 1943 he sold the company to his friend Harvey Reginald MacMillan and continued on as manager of what is now the Shawnigan Division of MacMillan & Bloedel Ltd. H.R. MacMillan Export Company was started in 1919 by Harvey Reginald MacMillan. The company was also B.C.’s first privately-owned lumber export brokerage firm. MacMillan was instrumental in developing international lumber markets as well as establishing the British Columbia Forest Service as B.C.’s first Chief Forester. The creation of the Seaboard Lumber Company threatened MacMillan’s success by leaving the company without the necessary lumber to fulfill their orders. MacMillan responded to this threat by purchasing other mills, thus, creating B.C.’s first truly integrated forest company. In 1951 H.R. MacMillan Export Company merged with Bloedel, Stewart, and Welch to form MacMillan Bloedel Limited. The two well-established companies possessed neighbouring timber holdings and their synergy produced a forestry company which could compete at a global level. |
Search Terms |
Wellburn MacMillan people BC Forest Museum Duncan Grounds BCFDC |
Collection |
BCFDC Institutional Memory |
People |
MacMillan, Harvey Reginald Wellburn, Gerry |
Subjects |
People Documentary, Cowichan Valley |