Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2022.013.016 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Description |
Gerry and Ethel Wellburn standing in front of the North Cowichan Station while a fully loaded train passes them. Captioned on the back of the photo: "June 5, 1977 / Opening of BC Forest Museum / Cowichan Valley Day / Gerry (77 yrs) & Ethel (75 yrs) 56th Wedding Anniversary". By "opening", the caption likely refers to the museum opening for the summer season, as the museum officially opened to the public in 1966 (although also had another opening the year prior in 1965). |
Image File Name |
1977 - Gerry & Ethel Anniversary - Duncan - 2022013016 - jpg72 - 001 |
Date (y/m/d) |
1977/06/05 |
Place |
Duncan |
Provenance |
Born in Yorkshire, England in 1900, Gerry 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. In 1923, he moved his wife Ethel May and daughter Lois to Courtenay where he worked in logging and sawmilling. 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 H. R. MacMillan and continued on as manager of what is now the Shawnigan Division of MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. During his career, Gerry started logging with six horses; progressed to using steam yarders and was one of the first to use Caterpillar tractors and trucks. Other accomplishments of his include being: a founder of the Truck Loggers Association, made an honorary member of the Association of Professional Foresters, the president of the Duncan Chamber of Commerce and the Victory Bond sales drives, and the Chairman of the Duncan Hospital Society for 12 years. He opened the BC Forestry Museum (now the BC Forest Discovery Centre) opened in 1965. |
Search Terms |
People Wellburn Women Duncan BCFDC Grounds Memory Institute Opening |
Collection |
Wellburn |
People |
Wellburn Ethel Wellburn, Gerry |
Subjects |
People women Documentary, Cowichan Valley |