Port Coquitlam Heritage
& Cultural Society
Newsletter
Spring 2014
Community Archives
2100-2253 Leigh Square
Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 3B8
604-927-8403
email: [email protected]
Larry Jacobsen, Editor
CAPTAIN BILL
A LIFE ON THE WATER
The Heritage BC theme for Heritage Week
2014, which ran from February 17-23 was
“Heritage Afloat,” where communities
across B.C. were encouraged to promote the
heritage and history of their rivers and waterways. What better topic for a city aptly
named Port Coquitlam, where the founding
fathers in 1913 believed we would become a
great working deep-river port. Although
these dreams of industrial grandeur never
fully developed, there are still many
stories to be told of the rich maritime
history of the rivers that surround us.
One such story concerns the life and
times of Captain Bill Benneck.
William Eugene Benneck was
born May 8, 1899 in Moose Creek,
Ontario, the son of a retired deep sea
master. He later followed in his father's
footsteps and spent his life in or around
the water. During World War One, he
joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1916 at age 17 and
served on the cruiser HMCS Rainbow.
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During one of their patrols along the West
Coast, they encountered a submarine, which
promptly submerged, and later assisted in the
tragic sinking of the SS Princess Sophia near
Juneau, Alaska in October 1918.
Young Bill Benneck left the navy after the
war and soon acquired his Masters papers.By
1921 he was captain of the MV Delta, a steamdriven tug built in 1889, then owned by the
Abernathy Lougheed Logging Co., a vessel
that would figure prominently later in his life.
Bill formed the Swan Towing Company in
1924 and operated out of New Westminster on
various vessels, until 1946, when he arrived in
Port Coquitlam.
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That year, Bill Benneck, along with son-in-law
Herb Nordgren and Captain Walter Oliver, began the
Pitt Lake Ferries service, running mail, passengers and
freight back and forth from Pitt Lake to their dock
beside the Government Wharf.
Located nearby was the Wild Duck Inn, from
where many a logger, hunter or fisherman was taken on
a thrilling ride up the Pitt on Captain Bill's water taxi,
the Teresa Benneck, or on Wally Oliver's Pitt Lake
Flyer. Bill Benneck was also instrumental in the founding of the Pitt River Boat Club in 1954, and became its
first commodore. Some may recall the regattas and
boat races that were held on the Pitt during that period
when pleasure boating locally was just beginning to
become popular. In 1963 he opened Benneck’s Marina,
right outside the front door of where he lived beside the
Pitt River — this is where he spent the rest of his days.
It was around 1980 when the MV Delta re-entered
Captain Bill's life, having been resurrected and restored
by Maple Ridge residents, Jim Chidley and Gayle
Champion, after sitting as an abandoned hulk along the
banks of the Fraser River. The Delta had been built in
Victoria as a cannery tugboat and launched in May
1889 — she was also active as a logging tug and
fishing boat for almost 90 years.
When Bill
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passed away, on April 14, 1982, at age 82, his last
wish was to have his ashes returned to the waters in
front of his home at Benneck’s Marina. During a brief
ceremony, conducted by the Reverend William Pike on
board the MV Delta, family and friends paid tribute as
his ashes were committed to the sea from the stern of
the first vessel he had ever commanded.
Sea Fever by poet John Masefield.
I must down go to the seas again,
to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship
and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick
and the wind's song
and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face,
and a gray dawn breaking.
Captain Bill was finally home one last time.
A special thank you to Bill’s daughter Carol Wissman
for sharing the story of her father’s life with us.
Submitted by Bryan Ness
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At PoCo heritage on the evening of January 23rd, Jim
Millar shared with a rapt audience the adventures and
ordeals involved in producing a comprehensive Port
Moody history. I, as both a writer and neophyte publisher, was especially attentive for I am keenly interested in
the nuts and bolts of the trade.
Jim, as the manager of the Port Moody Station
Museum was in overall charge of the project, enlisting
the help of many people to write, edit, design, and
collect photographs. There is old adage; too many cooks
spoil the broth.” From what I saw of the work this was
not the case here. The folks at Port Moody produced a
beautiful ‘coffee table’ sized book of full color pages
out of a treasure trove of over 6,000 pictures to choose
from.
Jim provided his attentive listeners with a host of
examples of the problems they had to learn to deal with
in bringing such an undertaking to fruition. This project
was Port Moody’s way of celebrating its centennial for
they, like Port Coquitlam, were also incorporated in
2013.
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What I find most remarkable was that Jim and his
motley crew of volunteers were able to finish such a
large project in the space of only two years. The book
is a fine work of art and Jim Millar is to be commended
for it.
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This year’s theme is “Heritage Afloat.
In this photo our youngsters are getting
some hands-on instruction in navigation. The life preserver is there to remind them of the importance of safety
on the water.
City Hall has been here longer than any
one of us and is celebrating its one-hundredth birthday in grand style. What better
way than throwing a party? On Saturday
evening, March 15, we helped the grand
old lady do just that while being regaled by
the melodies of Larry Volen’s Trio (local
artists). Are they playing the kind of music
that I danced to in the “good old days?”
The folks on the left appear to have its
priorities right; using beer to cool down
from all the excitement.
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How many of the revelers in the two top photos do you
recognize? Above left; Is Fritz Radandt holding forth
on his favorite subject - politics? Above, Val and our
president, Brian Hubbard, appear to be having a great
time. Left are Wendy and Brianne - all smiles and those
below are digging in to better vittles than our parents
enjoyed..
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Bill and Ann Pratt after their wedding on December 6, 1958 - 55 years and they still appear to
have a blissful marriage, (I did not ask them whether or not that was true.; LGJ).
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The Pratt Family (Left to Right)
Back row: Bill, Greg, Stewart, Will Kinnaird, Ross Kinnaird, and Taylor Kinnaird.
Front row: Lynn Stewart, Ann Pratt, Karen Kinnaird with Kayla Stewart on her knee, and Alexa Kinnaird
Bill Pratt grew up in New Westminster and now
lives in Port Coquitlam and has always called the
lower mainland home. After completing high
school he apprenticed as an auto mechanic followed by a stint at Burquitlam Service on Austin at
North Road, and at United Kingdom Motors in
Coquitlam before moving to B.C. Tel for seventeen
years — beginning as a mechanic looking after its
fleet. He went on to a more responsible positions
which included designing their service vehicles.
Bill's wife, Ann, also grew up in New Westminster. After high school she studied for and became
a Psych Nurse. She met Bill on a blind date in 1957,
quite by accident, when she was recruited by a
friend to take the place of a no-show. It was a love
at first sight for both of them. They were married on
December 6, 1958.
Bill and Ann produced two good-looking
daughters, Karen who married Ross Kinnaird, and
had three children; Taylor, Will and Alexa. Her
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sister, Lynn, married Greg Stewart, and has one
daughter, Kayla.
Ann and Bill are both involved in community
activities which include the Port Coquitlam Heritage Society for the past five years and Wilson
Seniors' Centre where Ann is a member of its
Advisory Board. Ann is also involved in Community Volunteer Services for seniors (CVSS) which
purchases and delivers groceries to seniors who
are unable to do these chores themselves
One of Ann's favorite memories is winning a
CKNW two-minute shopping spree at the SuperValu store on North Road in Coquitlam back in the
1960s. She was able to fill her husband Bill's
pickup truck with $400 worth of groceries. Sadly,
that same $400 would purchase only a fraction of
those vittles today. Ann's photo also made it on to
the city's calendar on Mother's Day this year.
[I wish to thank Ann for the great photographs
she made available to me for this issue of the
newsletter. LGJ]
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On March 15 we celebrated the
100th birthday of the Port Coquitlam city hall by having some
of our historians provide guided
tours through the building. Bill
and Ann Pratt assisted by their
granddaughter, Kayla (pictured)
welcomed me.
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I then followed Karon Fuson and Bryan
Ness, one pair of the the city’s noted
historians, who led us on a tour of this
historic building. They pointed out
many of city hall’s interesting features,
to a small, but keen, group of people,
who like myself, wanted to know more
about this historic structure.
100 years ago, what was to become, Port
Coquitlam seceded from Coquitlam District
and became a separate entity with grandiose
expectations, and a population of about
1,300. Mayor - James Mars signed those
incorporation papers.
What followed was a decade of war, plummeting land prices. 160 of our soldiers return
from the war only to meet a deadlier foe
called Spanish Flu. Fire destroyed half of
downtown PoCo followed by a logjam that
drowned half its area yet the population grew
by two thirds.
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Port Coquitlam’s flag is pictured above and it highlights the importance
of salmon in our lives. These fish have and will continue to play a vital
role to not only the fishing industry and our First Nations people, but to
sports fishing enthusiasts and most importantly in our diets. They are
Bryan Ness and Karon Fuson are two
noted for the Omega-3 oils that play such a crucial role in healthy diets
stalwarts of a group whose Herculean
and are noted for being essential to the health of our hearts.
efforts have been a mainstay of PoCo
Heritage’s successful growth.
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OBITUARY
MILNE, Lois Eileen (nee Frankish)
Lois passed away on February 19, 2014 at age of 83. She is predeceased by her
husband Keith and grand-daughter Sarah.
As one of its founders Lois was a very important person to the Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society. Although she was no longer involved in
running our society, the board members of PoCo Heritage are sad to lose her.
She was also active in other areas of the Port Coquitlam community such as
Wilson Centre and Terry Fox Library.
We extend our sympathies to Linda Sliworsky and her family, as well as to
the other members of Lois' extended family.
A “Celebration of Life” will be held on March 22nd at the Outlet: 11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m..
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/vancouversun/obituary.aspx?n=loismilne&pid=169844506#sthash.Sy5rrqfT.dpuf
[I have fond memories of first meeting Lois when I was writing my memoirs.
She let me photograph the Singer sewing machine and later had me feature my
book there after it was published. LGJ]
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
General Meetings are held in the Community Room (CR) in the Leigh Square Arts Village on the 3rd Thursday of each
month at 1.00 p.m.
Mar. 20, 1:00 pm, CR
General Meeting,
April 17, 1:00 pm, CR
Annual General Meeting
May 15, 1:00 pm, CR
“Roor Beer Floats and Bobby Sox” an afternoon of Old Radio Programs
June 19, 1:00 pm, CR
General Meeting “Central School Memories 100 years, Bryan Ness
Heritage Evenings are held in Heritage at Leigh Square on the 4th Thursday of each month from 7.00 to 8.00 p.m.
COMING EVENTS
Mar. 19 & 26; 12:30 - 3:30 Spring-break Camp; “Making Good with the 3 Rs” ($20/child registration req’d. - HALS.
Mar. 21, 7:00 pm, HALS
Historical Fiction Book Club meeting
Mar. 29, 9:00 - 3:00
Spring Garden Show at Leigh Square Outlet. Fee $50/ person - registration req’d. Bring your
own lunch.
April 1, 10:30 - 11:30 am
The stories behind the pictures.
April 7, 10:30 HALS
Rhymes of Times, “Proper Names”
April 24, 7:00 pm,
“Mystery of the Great Northwest Flood,” Steve Smith
May 2 and 9, - 6:00 pm
Historic Downtown Walk - starts at HALS, Bryan Ness
May 5, 10:30 HALS
Rhymes of Times “Drive-in Movies, Julie Schmidt
May 6, 10:30 - 11:30 am
The stories behind the pictures.
May 15, 7:00 pm CR
“Root Beer Floats and Bobby Sox,” An afternoon of Old Radio Programs
June 3, 10:30 - 11:30 am The stories behind the pictures.
May 22, 7:00 pm HALS
Heritage Evening, “Forest and Fjord” The History of Belcarra
June 9, HALS
Rhymes of Times “Sports’ Days” Julie Schmidt
June 19, 1:00 pm, CR
General Meeting, “Central School Memories 100 years” Bryan Ness
June 26, 7:00 pm, HALS
Heritage Evening, (to be announced)
Hours of Operation
Monday
10:00 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday
10:00 - 7:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 - 6:30 pm
Thursday
10:00 - 7:00 pm
Friday
10:00 - 6:30 pm
Saturday
9:00 - 5:00 pm
Sunday - CLOSED
CR - Community Room at the Gathering Place.
HALS - Heritage at Leigh Square (Museum & Archives)
Visitors are always welcome!
We have a vacancy on our Board of
Directors for “Secretary;” with duties to
start on April 17. If your are interested
in filling this position please attend the
the A.G.M.
2013 Board of Directors
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Director
Director
Director
Director
Past President
Brian Hubbard
Julie Schmidt
Margaret Owens
Lois McCrady
Brianne Egeto
Fritz Radandt
Michael Thomas
Pippa Van Velzen
Newsletter Editor: Larry Jacobsen
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WANTED
From time to time there are items we need at the
Archives. Rather than spending our limited $$$, it’s
possible that some of our members may be able to help.
Our current needs are:
Plastic Totes with lids (all sizes)
A 12-cup coffee maker
If you have any of these items that you don`t need,
please bring them into the Archives, or give us a call
and we can arrange to pick up.
Thank you!
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