FAMILY and COMMUNITY - Yesterday and Today
For those of us that do not live on Lasqueti, but have family roots it would be interesting
to look back to tell the stories. It could be our understanding of the history involved in the cannery operations and the
fishing industry mining operations, the life and times of former residents and their family history, school days in the early
1900's or the story of the post office.
It is known that some of our Lasqueti ancestors also had connections to Deep Bay and Nanaimo.
If would be nice to see some of the old faces from the past.
Beacons of light to light the path of family and community
As we step back in time, Elda Mason could be considered the "lamplighter" to shine our path through the pages of history.
Many issues, topics and names mentioned in Elda's book about Lasqueti is an excellent starting point to tell thousands of untold stories about the familes and community of Lasqueti.
Exanples are the individuals that were the early members of
the False Bay school such as Thelma and Bert Phillips
and the teacher Mrs Laura Hicks and others. Another member of the Phillips family to attend the school was Laura.
As time drifts on, Thelma Phillips became Mrs Thelma Smith, and at one time in the Fifties, Thelma's husband would work as an engineer on the same fish packer as Captain Bill Zelley,
husband of Thelma's sister Rose Phillips.
Albert (Bert) Phillips was born on Lasqueti Island about 1910.
After his schooldays, he would work in the Coast Canneries,
and a Commercial Shellfish Plant and also due some logging.
He married in Deep Bay and died in Campbell River.
Of interest, it appears Deep Bay became an important point for some of the families that left Lasqueti following the closure of the
fish cannery. My only recollection of Deep Bay was as a pre-teen staying a second cousin's house next door to Thomas Phillips' abode. That was long ago, but I remember eating duck eggs and drinking goat milk in those innocent days of the late
Fifties. Then, after a week, getting a ride to Bowser to catch the bus to Nanaimo and no more duck eggs and goat milk.
Years later, it was great to read the story of Lasquiti through the hands and eyes and memories of Elda Mason, who I call
the "Lasqueti Lamplighter" for shining a light on a thousand
possible stories.
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