Vancouver Voyager: Yet Another 38

This well cared for home on Victoria Drive was built in 1911.

I didn't get through telling you everything that happened in Vancouver in 1938. So here is some more information.

On August 19, 1938 the Province newspaper reported that 'one of the youngest and most talented ' was with the Ballet Russe when the troupe set sail from London for Australia. 15-year-old Alexandra Denisova was the famous dance they were speaking of. A funny thing though. The teenager was actually Vancouver's own Pat Meyers. It was thought that the Russians made better dancers and therefore it was tradition to give ballerinas Russian names.

Two days later, the president of the Province, Frank Burd was named a Good Citizen.

On August 30 a monument to the 29th Battalion was unveiled at Hastings Park.

On September 3, at approximately the age of 58, Roy W. Brown was appointed the editorial director and vice president of the Vancouver Sun. Brown had formerly been the editor at the Province. He was also the youngest student to enroll in Vancouver High School when he enrolled at the age of eleven.

General John William Stewart, World War One veteran and railway builder, died in Vancouver on September 24, 1938. His company, Foley, Welch and Stewart, was the largest North American railway contracting firm and Stewart was one of the most powerful and wealthy men in BC.

Capt. Charles Henry Cates died on October 14, 1938 at the age of 78. After the Great Fire of June 13, 1886 Cates hauled stone from Gibson and Squamish quarries to help rebuild the city. He also built the first wharf on the North Shore.

Cates formed C.H. Cates Towing in 1913 and in 1921 the company changed to Charles H. Cates & Son. It was to become one of the city's oldest and largest towing and 'lightering' firms on Burrard Inlet.

Truly one of Vancouver's pioneers.

Only the green and yellow houses are listed as heritage but I spoke with a tenant and all these homes were built around the same time. Early 1900s.

Sadly another death. On October 17, Lily Alice Lefevre - poet, hostess and philanthropist - died at the age of 85. Lefevre was an active member in the Canadian Authors' Association and a founder of the Vancouver Art Gallery. She also organized the first Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire (IODE) chapter in Vancouver. Her and her husband's home, Langaravine, on N.W. Marine Drive was a social centre for more than fifty years. One of Lefevre's books, The Lion's Gate, which was originally published in 1895, was republished in 1936 to celebrate Vancouver's jubilee.

On October 22 at the Hotel Vancouver Mart Kenney and his Western Gentlemen instructed dancers in the latest craze, the Lambeth Walk.

Also on that day the Point Grey Chrysanthemum Society announced it wanted to be the 'mum' capital of the world.

At 8:50 am on November 12, 1938 retiree R.F. Hearns of Caulfield in West Vancouver became the first civilian to walk across the Lions Gate Bridge. He wasn't supposed to cross until 9:00 am but a guard let him start because it was cold day and Hearns pleaded with the kind hearted man. Hearns actually held ticket number two, which had cost him five cents. Ticket number one was held by 75-year-old Mary Sutton. Sutton had gotten up at 6:00 am and walked to the bridge through the snow from her home 1665 West 7th. Thanks for a young man giving Sutton a ride she arrived at the bridge at about 7:45 am. But Sutton waited until 9:00 am to begin her journey.

6,950 pedestrians crossed the bridge on the weekend before cars were allowed to pass over it.