September 20, 2009
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Newcombe Conference Hall, RBCM
675 Belleville Street
Victoria

Author (and Friends Board member) Marie Elliott will present her interactive talk "Bringing out the Furs in 1847". Sign on to the HBC New Caledonia fur brigade transporting 8000 pounds of furs from Fort St. James to Fort Vancouver. Challenge the rapids of the Fraser and Columbia rivers and ride with the brigade of 200 or more horses. Historian Marie Elliott will give an illustrated lecture on this dangerous and vital part of the fur trade and will invite you to travel along with the brigade. Her new book, Fort St. James and New Caledonia: Where British Columbia Began, will also be available.

For more information about the following Friends of the BC Archives events contact Ann ten Cate, Outreach Coordinator, BC Archives, (250) 387-2970 or Ron Greene, Secretary of the Friends of the BC Archives at (250) 598-1835. Call in advance for information about handicap access.

Registration is now open for the 2009 Forest History Association of B.C. Conference, "Exploring our Roots: Forest History in our Communities." The conference will be held in Prince George from September 17 to 19, 2009. The main conference sessions will be at the University of Northern B.C.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

1:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Ross Bay Cemetery, Fairfield Road
Victoria

"Surveyors and Map Makers: A Walking Tour of Ross Bay Cemetery with Michael Layland"

By special arrangement with the Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria, the Friends of the B.C. Archives and members of the public are invited to participate in a tour of Ross Bay Cemetery given by cartographic historian Michael Layland.

Michael will focus on 8 surveyors and map makers whose mortal remains now rest in the Ross Bay Cemtery. Amongst them are W.F. Tolmie, an HBC physician, fur trader and map maker and the legendary B.C. surveyor Frank Swannell.

Michael was born and educated in England, and spent 7 years as an officer in the topographic mapping service of the Royal Engineers. Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a member of the Historical Map Society of BC and the Society for the History of Discoveries. He recently stepped down after three years as president of the Victoria Historical Society.

This walking tour is free for members of the Friends of the B.C. Archives, and $5.00 for non-members. The tour will go ahead rain or shine. In some parts of the cemetery the ground is uneven.

Gather in front of the Starbucks in Fairfield Plaza, across from the cemetery, at 1:45 p.m.

For more information about this Friends of the BC Archives event contact Ann ten Cate, Outreach Coordinator, BC Archives, (250) 387-2970 or Ron Greene, Secretary of the Friends of the BC Archives at (250) 598-1835.

The Victoria Historical Society will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, May 28, 2009. The featured speaker is Dr. Bob Griffin of the Royal BC Museum. He will talk about the history of Bamberton.

The meeting will be held at the James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies St., beginning at 7 pm, and is free for first timers. All are welcome. For more information call 250 480 1061

The Victoria Historical Society's meeting on April 23, 2009 will feature maritime historian Bob Spearing. He will describe the evolution of Victoria's industrial harbour. The meeting will be held at James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies St. 7.30 p.m. Free. All are welcome. For more information, call 250 480 1061.