Canada

British Columbia

Nanaimo Mine Explosion, Vancouver Island

The mine explosion on Vancouver Island in 1887, killed 150 miners. Only 7 miners survived and the mine burned all day. Among the victims were several from Yorkshire, leaving behind their wives and many children. Three of the familes lost both father and a son.

Yorkshire Victims

Edward BENTON from Rothwell, Yorkshire, aged 34 left a wife and 6 children
George BERTRAM from Yorkshire, aged 37 left a wife and 3 children
Jonathan BRAMLEY from Rothwell, aged 36 left a wife and 3 children
Arthur ELLIS from Rothwell, aged 21 single and David's son
David ELLIS from Rothwell, aged 48 left wife and 4 children
Hudson LEE from Rothwell, aged 22 single and Henry's son
Henry LEE from Rothwell, aged 48 left a wife and 10 children
Benjamin POPPLEWELL from Methley, aged 28 single
Copley WOOBANK from Rothwell, aged 18 single and John's son
John WOOBANK from Leeds, aged 41,left a wife and 2 children

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y

Deighton

Richard DEIGHTON, born in Escrick near York, Yorkshire and his wife Jane(Bustard) lived in Hull, Yorkshire, where Richard owned two drapery shops. Their son Thomas born in Hull in 1827 gained his Master's Ticket in 1859. Another son, John (Jack) DEIGHTON (1830-1875) was to be known as the founder of Vancouver.

Gastown grew into Canada’s third largest city and one of its most cosmopolitan. The gold rush attracted many visitors to the south shore of Burrard Inlet in the hopes of striking it rich. One of the first settlers was John Deighton, a Yorkshire born saloon owner, who became known as Gassy Jack because he talked so much. It is said that he arrived on the shore with a barrel of whisky in his hands. Many lumber millworkers helped build his saloon, in 24 hours, for the promised drink of free whiskey.

Jack's business boomed and he was able to build the Deighton Hotel. He sent for his brother Thomas and wife Emma to help run the business. Jack and Emma didn't get along at all. She didn't think that he had a good business head because he drank so much. Jack died in 1875 at the age of 45. Thomas returned to England, where he died in 1887. Read More »

Duncan

William Duncan (1832-1918) was born in Bishop Burton, Yorkshire. He worked as a tanner with his grandfather. In 1854 he joined the Church Missionary Society. He was sent to British Columbia where he ministered among the Tsimshians. He died in Alaska at the age of 86 in 1918.

Lockwood

See Shuttleworth

Shuttleworth

In 1905 Harry SHUTTLEWORTH from Yorkshire settled at the mouth of Cache Creek(Strandby River) on the westside of the creek. Cache Creek is a small community at the junction of TransCanada Highway and the Cariboo Highway. The Cariboo was the route taken by lumbermen, and gold seekers. Harry married Marie Sorenson from Denmark, sister of the first settler at Cache Creek. The land is on the dry side of the mountains and therefore is arid with cacti and tumbleweeds but by 1908, Harry had planted fruit trees and had 20 to 30 cattle. Their home became a byword for hospitality to the trail wanderers. Harry became a leader in the small community - a road foreman, postmaster and Justice of the Peace. His brother Robert arrived from Yorkshire, in 1911, with his wife Sarah and 5 children. Followed by their friend Tom Lockwood and his family. The name Cache Creek was changed to Strandby River, Harry became postmaster there in 1913. The Lockwoods opened a small store and Tom became postmaster in 1917. Robert Shuttleworth left in 1916 to work for the war effort in New Westminster, a much larger community. His family followed a year later. They never returned. Harry lived on his homestead until he went into the hospital in Alert Bay, where he died in 1941. Marie had died in 1938. There were no children. His property went to Robert's son. Cache Creek is 200 miles (4 Hours) east of Vancouver.

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