Pender Islands' Time Line
Modern/Recent
2009 Pender Islands Health Centre expansion opens
2007 Provincial government settlement includes hunting and fishing rights to Tsawwassen First Nation around Pender Island
2005 Pender Islands Museum building opens
2005 Otter Bay Currents Resort opens
2004 New Hope Bay Centre opens
Poets Cove Resort opens on South Pender
2003 Establishment of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
2000 New Pender Island Community Hall opens
100 year time capsule installed at Pender Cemetery by the Museum Society with 106 sponsors to be opened July 1st, 2100
New Tru Valu Foods opens at the Driftwood Centre
1998 Hope Bay Store destroyed by fire
1996 St. Peter's Anglican Church, built in 1915, moved to larger parcel on Canal Road where there was room for a church hall and parking
Relay tower extends cell phone use
1994 Tru Valu Foods opens at the Driftwood Centre
1992 Ferry Queen of Cumberland built
After 100 years, Old Orchard Farmhouse (Washington Grimmer, 1891) at Port Washinton is extensively rebuilt with historic sensitivity
1991 New library building designed by Architect John Roberts opens at Auchterlonie Centre
Roesland Farm Resort with up to 17 guest cabins closes
1988 Howard Harris house at Hope Bay demolished
1987 Port Washington Store ceases operation as a general store
1986 The Pender Islands Museum Society formed with the objective of establishing a museum and collecting historic artifacts
1984-86 Simon Fraser University archeology department conducts native artifact seeking dig at the north end of the canal between the Penders
1984 Hope Bay Store closes as a general store
1983 New school community hall facilities completed
Auchterlonie Centre granted to Recreation and Agricultural Hall Association by Crown
Hope Bay and Port Washington post offices consolidated and moved to Driftwood Centre
1982 South Pender Fire Hall built
Post WWll
1978 Pender Islands Community Plans adopted
Howard Harris house at Hope Bay demolished
The Pender Islands Lions Club publishes the first Pender Islands Telephone List, an idea conceived by Wally Cunliffe
1977 Victor Menzies dies shortly after his 92nd birthday
New school on Canal Road opened and old school turned over to Recreation and Ag. Hall Assn. for community use
1976 Library moves to Auchterlonie Centre (Playschool building next to Nu-To-Yu)
Islands Trust introduces zoning and official community planning
1975 NDP ousted, Social Credit government under Bill Bennett returned to office
1974 Islands Trust Act passed by BC Legislature
Otter Cove Lodge changes ownership and re-named Pender Lodge
1973 North Pender Fire Protection Service established
“Pender Lender” Library opens in back room of Pender Island Community Church under the guidance of Marjorie Bailey
The Pender Islands Lions Club, dedicated to community support by volunteers, receives its Charter on June 15 with Wally Cunliffe as first President
1972 Dave Barrett wins election with the New Democratic Party
1971 Pender Post monthly newsletter published
Pender Island Recreation and Agricultural Hall Association formed as a society
1970 Surveyor John Melvyn (Mel) Abbott dies at age 38. Mel, after meeting Les Bowerman, bought and commenced development of Magic Lake Estates in the early '60's until it was basically completed in 1974. Mel was from Revelstoke.
1969 BC Government imposes 10 acre “freeze” on Pender
The Lynds sell Beautyrest Lodge after 27 years of operation. New owners re-name it Otter Cove Lodge
1967 Seven Pender Island pioneers each receive a Canadian Centennial Medal at a presentation by Lt. Gov. Hon. George Pearkes, Sep. 3 at Waterlea
Victor Menzies abandons the large house at Hope Bay and moves into a small house brought over from Vancouver
1965 Front end loading Ferry terminal built at Otter Bay
Magic Lake subdivision begins
1962 Victor Menzies pays Ashton Ross-Smith $50. for abandoned farm house and demolishes it for lumber for the Bible Camp (1966?)
1961 BC Ferrry system serves the Penders
1960 BC Ferries established as a crown corporation
1959 Second fish reduction plant destroyed by fire
1958 Electricity established more generally on North Pender Island
Demolition of Alexander Hamilton house, "The Knolls", built in 1900 at Port Browning (demolition may have been c.1960?)
1956 Bridge reconnects North and South Pender
Percy Corbett, son of R.S.W., retires from operating Hope Bay Store
1955 BC Government subsidizes ferry service
S.P. (Percy) Corbett sells Hope Bay Store
mid-'50's Lilias Spalding house on South Pender razed, located at what is now Lilias Spalding Park
1954 Elizabeth Grimmer dies at Port Washington at age 76
1952 Waterlea ceases to be a resort and becomes a private residence once again
W.A.C. Bennett wins minority government in Victoria
1951 Lilias Spalding dies at 81
Port Browning Government wharf built (c 1951)
1950 Albert Hugh Menzies dies at age 93
Gathering of Pender Island "Old-Timers", May 15 on Salt Spring Island
Late 1940's "Andover" subdivision of South Pender on "Higgs Estate" by Craddock & Co., Exclusive Agents
1947 Fish reduction plant re-built
Victor Menzies sells farm to Ashton Ross-Smith and retires to Howard Harris house at Hope Bay to live with Albert (1948?). 1896 farm house is left unoccupied for several years and dismantled in 1962 (1966?)
The Grosvenor House Hotel at Port Washington is destroyed by fire
WWI-WWll
1945 Mrs. Craddock sells Waterlea
1943 R.S.W. Corbett (Hope Bay Store) dies
1941 "Mille Fleurs" sold to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Lynd and opened as Beautyrest Lodge the next year
1940 Fish reduction plant burns down at Shingle Bay
1938 The Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd opens on South Pender on land donated by the Richardsons
Golf Course established
1934 Annie Mary, wife of Spencer Percival dies at age 73 and interred at Pender Cemetary
1933 Store and Post Office open on South Pender
1932 First Fall Fair held
Arthur Spalding dies at 69
1931 The 11 Ladies of the Women's Missionary Society of the Pender Island United Church of Canada host a "wool teasing bee"
1930 Washington Grimmer dies close to age 80
"The Maples" on Port Browning opened for guests operated by Mrs. Elisha Pollard until 1970 when guests were no longer accomodated in the main house
1929 Herring saltery plant built at Otter Bay
1928 "Beautyrest Lodge" or "Mille Fleurs" built as a private residence for Maj. Boyer
Electricity introduced to Hope Bay Store
1926 School opens on South Pender
Fish Reduction Plant established at Shingle Bay for lubricating oil and fertilizer (previously Shingle Bay had a small cedar shingle enterprise)
1924 Mrs. and Mrs. Spencer Percival host tennis garden party and "cup" is presented to winner of matches
The Grosvenor House Hotel is built by the Logan family directly across from the General Store at Port Washington (1920?)
1922 Miss Vivienne Geldart arrives as the second school teacher and marries Victor the next year.
1921 Manse built at Hope Bay
1920 Harris family leaves Pender and Albert Menzies retires to Howard Harris house at Hope Bay. For 10 years son Victor leases then purchases the farm named "Valley Home Farm" (1921)
1919 First cottage, built in 1910, rented at Roesland
1918 John M. MacDonald dies at age 74 and interred at Pender Cemetary, wife Jessie lives on to 1953 and 93 years of age
Waterlea purchased by Capt. John Muus and his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Craddock
1917 First planned subdivision registered by John MacKinnon on land purchased from Mr. Hayashi
Women get to vote in provincial elections for the first time
1915-16 Major snowfall on the island
1915 St. Peter's Anglican Church built at Port Washington on an acre of land donated by Spencer Percival
Hugh Hamilton enlarges house at Port Browning after marriage
Godfrey Walker of South Pender killed in action (WWl), survived by brother Wilfred
Pre-WWl
1914 From a total population of just over 200, 60 Pender Islanders served in the First World War. Ten did not return
1913 First woman runs for public office on Pender, Jeannie Hamilton for school trustee and loses to bachelor Elijah Pollard
1912 Coast Shale Brick Company opens brick factory on 50 acres (now Bricky Bay) employing 75 men using stiff mud Cretaceous clay and oil-fired scove kilns
Second Post Office at Port Washington with Spencer Percival as postmaster
Second Hope Bay Store built at Port Washington by R.S.W. Corbett
"The Maples" built for Elijah Pollard on the shore of Port Browning which with the addition of some cabins operated as a summer resort until the 1970's
Julie Roache, wife of Lawrence Auchterlonie dies at age 59 and interred at Pender Cemetary
1911 S.S. Iroquois sinks in squall off Sidney with the drowning of 21 including school teacher Fanny Hooson (ne Lawson), her 3 year old son and several new workers for Coast Shale Brick Factory which was located at what is now called Bricky Bay
First telephone service to the Penders
Washington Grimmer, age 60, divides his farm among his children
1910 Port Washington Store opened by Spencer Percival
"Waterlea" built by John MacKinnon at the west end of what is now MacKinnon Road
Fred Smith comes to Pender and after WWl bought acreage at Welcome Bay and married eldest daughter of Alexander Hamilton
1909 Hope Bay Community Hall built (early 1910?)
1908 Wilfred and Godfrey Walker arrive from England to South Pender and in 1909 purchase land on Plumper Sound and build cabin in 1910 (still standing)
1906 Robert Roe builds house (now the Pender Island Museum) at Roesland Farm for a material cost of $429.
First wedding on Pender, Howard Harris and Clara Menzies, build home at Hope Bay
Presbyterian Church built at Hope Bay (still standing)
1905 Robert Roe buys more than a section of land (640 acres) on south side of Otter Bay, clears some 30 acres and subsequently calls it "Roesland Farm"
Cemetary established and first burial
John MacKinnon purchases 160 acres from Mr. S. Hayashi (now MacKinnon Road area)
R.S.W. Corbett opens first general store at Hope Bay
Naval survey ship H.M.S. Egeria lands a party of seamen to record the hourly rise and fall of the tide below a benchmark carved in the cliff face located just north of what is now the lower swimming pool at Poets Cove Resort
Stanley and Howard Harris relocate sawmill from Shingle Bay to Hope Bay
1903 Canal excavation completed separating North and South Pender Island
R.S.W. Corbett opens first store at Hope Bay, operated by R.S.W., his son Percy and grandson Stuart for over 50 years
Washington Grimmer sells their house and 160 acres at Port Washington to Spencer Percival who calls it "Sunny Side Ranch" (now Old Orchard Farm)
1902 Robert and Margaret Roe and four children arrive and purchase former school and adjacent community hall on Port Washington Road
School, subsequently called "the old school" built near Hope Bay (now the Nu-To-Yu)
R.S.W. and Isabella Corbett and children purchase160 acres near Hope Bay and build house (still standing on Corbett Rd.)
Brackett barn on Razor Point Road built (c 1901 or 02), now partially dismantled due to instability
First power boat on the island, 30 foot steam launch "Pearl" belonging to the newly arrived Harris brothers Howard and Stanley at Shingle Bay sawmill
Disposal of first Pender Island Community Hall located midway between Port Washington and Hope Bay
1901 Government wharves built at Hope Bay and Bedwell Harbour
Canal excavation between North and South Pender started after a petition to the province to facilitate navigation
1900 Privately owned S.S. Iroquois launched and begins ferry service to Pender Island
Alexander Hamilton builds house "The Knolls" at Port Browning
c1900 Elijah Pollard gives up Tilley Point and buys 70 acres on Port Browning later (1912) opening a home resort "The Maples" to supplement farm income
Hugh Hamilton, younger brother of Alexander, builds house at Port Browning
Pioneers
1898 Great fire in New Westminster, Alexander Hamilton and Brackett families move to Pender as a result
1897 Leonard Higgs' sisters, Winifred and Mabel move to the Higgs property on South Pender, build home called "Blue Tarpon" or "Blue" (1896?) and subsequently each are married
1896 Hope Bay quarry owner Evan Hooson marries Frances "Fanny" Lawson, the first school teacher on Pender
Albert Menzies leases and later buys the Rutherford Hope farm (now the Ross-Smith farm), builds farm house
Rutherford Hope retains a few acres near present Firehall/Police Station for retirement
1895 Mr. Hayashi purchases parcel of land extending from present Otter Bay Marina in Hayashi Cove to James Point at the end of what is now MacKinnon Road
John MacDonald builds house (still standing) on 22 acres between current Nu-To-Yu and Police Station aquired from James Auchterlonie
1894 John M. MacDonald, brother of Mrs. Albert Menzies, and his wife Jessie and five children arrive on North Pender
First school and three member school board elected on the island, with 11 pupils that year with class in the Community Hall near current lumberyard
Leonard Higgs sells property to Arthur E. Stanford, and call his new ranch "Southlands"
Elija Pollard arrives with A.E. Stanford and both pre-empt land on South Pender, Elija's on Tilley Point.
1893 School established on "Northern Pender Island"
Albert Hugh Menzies, wife Henrietta and children, Victor was a one of them, arrive on Pender via steamer Yosemite
1892 Andrew Angus Davidson arrives on North Pender and buys 300 acres at Clam Bay from Washington Grimmer
1891 First Government wharf built at Port Washington
Washington Grimmer builds house at Sunnyside Farm what is now known as the Old Orchard Farm in Port Washington
Post office established in Washington Grimmer's home at Port Washington
Lawrence Auchterlonie builds house on Hooson Road for himself and second wife Julie Roach
1890 First BC born settlers on Pender, brothers Robert and Sweany Colston, take land at Hope Bay
Alexander and Margaret Brackett pre-empt 160 acres next to the Hamilton property on Port Browning (c 1890)
First horse brought to Pender by Alexander Hamilton
James Auchterlonie takes over management of David Hope farm at Hope Bay (c. 1890)
1889 First Community Hall built
Neptune "Nep" Grimmer born in rowboat enroute to midwife on Mayne island
Arthur Spalding marries Lilias Mackay, daughter of an Hudson's Bay Factor, on Saturna Island
1888 William and 27 yr old son Evan Hooson arrive and aquire land from the Auchterlonies along what is now Hooson Road south of Hope Bay
Hugh Hamilton, brother of Alexander inherits other brother Robert's land and works on his Alexander's land until building a house of his own c. 1900
Lawrence Auchterlonie marries Julie Roach after the death of his first wife Helen, sister of David Hope
1886 First permanent settler on S. Pender, 23 year old Englishman Arthur Spalding purchases 800 acre John Tod and absentee owner James Alexander property
Leonard Higgs, step-nephew of Arthur Spalding, arrives then leaves to return in 1891 to take up land and build his house "Kloshie Illahee" (the Good Land in the Chinook language)
First white child born on Pender, Nellie Grimmer
1885 Washington Grimmer marries Elizabeth Auchterlonie
Alexander Hamilton pre-empts quarter section at the head (west) end of Browning Harbour (partly now Port Browning Resort)
1884 Survey officer Lieut. Daniel Pender, R.N. retires (dies in 1891) after whom Pender Island is named
1882 Grimmer brothers Oliver and Washington arrive and purchase 840 acre Noah Buckley property
Washington Grimmer becomes North Pender's first postmaster in his home post office
Lawrence Auchterlonie family (with 15 yr. old James) arrives and with Rutherford Hope divide Hope property, Rutherford takes Ross-Smith portion
1880 Province surveys North and South Pender into quarter sections
Permanent native fishing settlement at Hay Point, entrance to Bedwell Harbour, now 3.20 ha Tseycum Band (166 members) Reserve No. 8
1879 John Tod land sold to James Alexander on South Pender
David Hope dies in hunting accident (1881?), Rutherford Hope and his sister Mrs. Lawrence Auchterlonie inherit his land
1877 Noah Buckley and David Hope pre-empt tract of land on NW end of "Northern Pender Island" (1878 or 1872?)
1871 Colony of British Columbia becomes the sixth province of Canada
John Tod pre-empts land on "Southern Pender Island"
Explorers
1868 Captain George Richards renames Pender Island, Port Browning and
Bedwell Harbour
1866 The Colony of Vancouver Island and the inland Colony of New Caledonia merge to become the Colony of British Columbia
1865 Captain George Henry Richards corrects the name of "Gulf" to Straight of Georgia
1863 Murder of two Americans at Shark Cove
1862 Great smallpox epidemic among First Nations
c1860 Much of the Spalding Valley on South Pender is granted to John Tod
1858 Queen Victoria names British Columbia
1857 Captain George Henry Richards R.N. begins survey of the Straight of Georgia and names several geographic features
1852-1854 Douglas Treaties purchase lands from First Nations tribes (James Douglas was Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island)
1849 Pender Island becomes part of Colony of Vancouver Island with Victoria as the capital
1846 The Oregon Treaty divides British and American sovereignty along the 49th parallel except for Pt. Roberts, S. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands
1794 Spain concedes its claim of the Pacific Coast
1792 Captain George Vancouver misnames the Straight of Georgia the "Gulf" of Georgia and establishes British jurisdiction of the region
1791 Spanish expedition led by Francisco de Eliza chart the Gulf Islands in their vessels Santa Saturnina and San Carlos, and name Pender "Ysla de San Eusevio" after the 31st pope of 309 AD
1770's Smallpox kills at least 30% of Pacific Northwest First Nations
1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa claims the Pacific coast for Spain
First Nations
6000 - 2000 BC First Nations People on Pender Island in seasonal or permanent encampments as indicated by archeological excavations