Seraphim's Story

The early 1920's may have been a time of change brought on by violence and lawlessness but not all of the change in Vancouver revolved around crime and irresponsibility. During the winter of 1884-5, Seraphim Fortes from Barbados arrived on Vancouver's shores. Fortes became a porter, handyman and second bartender for the Sunnyside hotel.

Seraphim, or Joe as he was known, lived through the great fire, saw the first train arrive and, during the 'boom', obtained a steady position at the bar of the Bodega Saloon where the Rainer Hotel now stands at Carrall and Cordova Streets. The burly, chocolate-coloured seamen became a popular citizen, and was known for his habit of discouraging excessive drinking.

Sometime during the 1890's, Joe discovered English Bay. He gave up his good job and established himself in a squatter's shack on the shore side of Beach Avenue, a little to the east of present day Alexandra Park - a triangle fronting on the bay, near the boathouse. He supported himself by doing casual labour jobs but the work of his life became the bay and its beach.

Every morning - 365 days of the year - he swam in the bay and drank his "medicine" - a cup of salt water. When he wasn't working, Joe managed the beach. More people moved into the West End and to the adults, he was "English Bay Joe' and to the children "Ol' Black Joe". Joe loved kids and most of the children raised in the 1890's or 1900's learned to swim with Joe holding the back of his or her cotton swimsuit and listening to the deep, mellow voice ordering, "Kick yo' feet, chile - kick yo feet".

During the summer, mothers would confidently shoo their children to the bay with a simple command "...and don't go away from where Joe is."

When the time came for the Park Board to hire a lifeguard, Joe was the obvious choice.

When Joe wasn't with the children on the beach, his little boat cruised over the waves. We don't know how many lives he saved over the years but he was credited with over one hundred witnessed rescues, some of them in desperate circumstances. When, as will happen, Joe's efforts failed he was grief stricken.

Joe belonged to the beach and the beach was his. From dawn to dark and long after dark, he hosted picknickers, chaperoned courting couples and terrified bums and hoodlums. His cottage was spick and span inside and out. The children came to visit - he kept a tin full of all-day suckers. Beside his bed was his one book, Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis and he did leave the bay on Sunday mornings. A devout Catholic, Joe attended Mass weekly.

Joe Fortes was given the authority of special constable by the city of Vancouver and when the houses were cleared away from the shore where he lived, Mayor Buscombe had Joe's cottage moved beside the bandstand in the park where it would stay as long as Joe lived.

In January of 1922, Joe became ill.

Thanks to the book Vancouver, From Milltown to Metropolis by Alan Morley for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill

Homes, Inventions and Legacies

1009 Odlum Drive is an Edwardian- style house with a sleeping porch, integral porch and saddlebag dormers. A building permit dated April 25, 1911 lists Harry Cline and S.M. Palmer as owners, operators and builders. This two-story dwelling was worth $3,000 then.

The home appears to have been vacant until an artist by the name of Charles A. Ferguson took up residence in 1913.

Odlum Drive is named after Edward Faraday Odlum. Odlum arrived in Vancouver in 1899, after spending three years heading a small Tokyo university. Since Edward was receiving an income from real estate and investments, he was able to pursue his academic and scientific interests.

Edward Odlum was a busy man. He invented the first electric arc light and first public telephone used in Canada. He undertook ethnology studies among the bushmen and women of Australia, northern Europeans and Russians, Persians and Babylonians; served as a lay Methodist preacher and city alderman; formed a local ratepayers association; and was a member of the British Israelite Movement. This movement believes that the Britons are the lost tribe of Israel.

In 1904, Odlum built a large home in Grandview (you can see a photo of it then and now in this entry.) His son, Victor Wentworth Odlum, was an interesting man himself and you can read more about him here.

This next house I am showing you is at 1349 Cotton Drive. There hasn't been a building permit found for this home but city directories list it as early as 1908.

It is a modest example of the Gabled Vernacular Style. In other words, a simple house form with a front- gabled roof and an attached hipped-roof porch. From 1908 to 1910, a carpenter named Joseph Barrett lived here.

Cotton Drive is located in the Grandview district of Vancouver. It is named after Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton. Born in Yorkshire in 1847, this ambition man arrived in Vancouver after the Great Fire of 1886.

In 1887, Cotton bought two newspapers - the News and the Advertiser - and merged them into the News-Advertiser.

The News-Advertiser made the claim that it was the first paper on the continent to use an electric-powered press and and machine-set type, the latter seems unlikely. The Linotype machine, invented in 1886, was first tested at the New York Tribune.

Carter-Cotton served as an MLA from 1890 - 1903, Minister of Finance from 1893-1900, first chancellor of the University of British Columbia from 1912 to 1918 and first chair of the Vancouver Harbour Commission.

Sadly, things went bad for Carter-Cotton though. Financial difficulties led the man to drown himself in English Bay in 1919. However, the newspaperman and politician committed suicide with style "crisply attired in a business suit and hat carrying a neatly furled umbrella".

I would like to thank the Grandview Heritage Group for the information on the houses and the book Namely Vancouver by Tom Snyders and Jennifer O'Rourke for the information on Edward Odlum and Francis Carter-Cotton.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

A True Look at History

Today I have a special treat. I received an email containing photos of Vancouver in the past and I am going to show them to you. (Thanks Auntie Gia!)

 This is the Hotel Vancouver in 1925.

This is the entrance to Stanley Park. The Lion's Gate Bridge hadn't been built yet so there is no causeway needed. If you look can see the Burrard Yacht Club building in the corner. As you may remember from a previous entry that building is still there.

Another view of what the area looked like before the Lion's Gate Bridge was built. This is Prospect Point.

This is where the Cleveland Dam is today.

Looking at English Bay and Beach Avenue on a pier that is no longer there. Building is though so I will have to do some walking and research.

I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into Vancouver in the past. Instead of having to imagine what it looked like, you can see it.

After all that black and white, I need some colour. Last week I wandered around and got some great nature photos.

It may still be a bit cool in Vancouver but once I see the daffodils and tulips I know it is spring.

This house is at 1504 Gravely Street, not far from Commercial Drive so right in my neighbourhood.

This two storey, over basement, wood framed house was built in the Craftsman architectural style in 1912. The form and detailing are simple, elegant and the rectangular floor plan has an emphasis on the functional use of space.

It was fashionable when this home was built for family members to sleep outside for the natural light and fresh air that was thought to be so important to a person's health. Glass doors lead the way to this sleeping porch.

The original floor plan of this home featured front and back parlours, a kitchen, dining room and scullery. A large brick fireplace rests in the heart of the home, the living room.

Other notable features of this structure are the steeply pitched roof, the saddle-bag dormers, deep overhangs, scroll cut knee brackets, cedar shingle exterior cladding and the front porch supported by capped pillars. Other aspects to take note of are the various forms of fenestration, including square bay windows with stained glass and stained glass window on the staircase landing.

And I wasn't going to let you go without showing some waterfalls. I have my usual computer back and whatever the techs did to it, they didn't disturb my photos at all.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, 1504 Gravely , Daffodils,tulips,craftsman,History,archictecture,Beach Avenue