Recent Postings
13th October 2007
Leah Lorenzo-Faulkner
The earliest Japanese immigrants were prominent in activities involving heavy labour and moderate skill such as mining, railroad construction and lumbering. Later occupations took them into fishing, farming, and commercial or service work.
Presence of the Japanese is recorded in 1892 although they could have arrived here in 1890 or 1891. The Japanese first settled in limited areas near their worksites. Their "towns" were closely associated with the economic activity in the area.
Japanese labourers were followed by their wives and families or in some case a picture bride or today known as a mail-order bride. Family focus created a stable community with needs for support structures in education and services and therefore increased opportunity for closer contact with Westerners.
When prosperity is based on one specific economic commodity such as coal in Cumberland, any change in resource development or demand can have a great impact. The Oriental labourers were particularly at risk. Market fluctuations, anti-oriental legislation and union management problems sped up the dispersal of the Japanese from the mines into the community. Many of the Japanese moved into business or services areas; their business talent and intense labour ethic was very positive for the Cumberland community.
Several of the Japanese store owners operated on the main street such as a hardware store and tailor shop. There was also a Japanese jeweler and a photographic studio.
Many of the Japanese who worked in the mines eventually left to work at the Royston Mill and Kagetsu Logging camps when economic opportunities in the mines came to an end. Even more people moved when local operations could no longer take in the labour force. Men moved to Duncan, Chemainus and Cowichan to work in the lumber industry and to Port Alice and Woodfibre to work in the pulp and paper mills.
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Copies of the following books used to research this article are available for use and/or purchase at the Cumberland Museum:
One Hundred Spirited Years: A History of Cumberland
D.E. Isenor, E.G. Stephens, D.E. Watson
The Friendly Port: A History of Union Bay 1880-1960
Janet Glover-Geidt
Cumberland Heritage: A Selected History of People, Buildings, Institutions & Sites 1888-1950
Jennifer Nell Barr
Voices from Bevan
Betty Annand
Land of Plenty: A History of the Comox District
D.E. Isenor, W.N. McInnis, E.G. Stephens, D.E. Watson
Presence of the Japanese is recorded in 1892 although they could have arrived here in 1890 or 1891. The Japanese first settled in limited areas near their worksites. Their "towns" were closely associated with the economic activity in the area.
Japanese labourers were followed by their wives and families or in some case a picture bride or today known as a mail-order bride. Family focus created a stable community with needs for support structures in education and services and therefore increased opportunity for closer contact with Westerners.
When prosperity is based on one specific economic commodity such as coal in Cumberland, any change in resource development or demand can have a great impact. The Oriental labourers were particularly at risk. Market fluctuations, anti-oriental legislation and union management problems sped up the dispersal of the Japanese from the mines into the community. Many of the Japanese moved into business or services areas; their business talent and intense labour ethic was very positive for the Cumberland community.
Several of the Japanese store owners operated on the main street such as a hardware store and tailor shop. There was also a Japanese jeweler and a photographic studio.
Many of the Japanese who worked in the mines eventually left to work at the Royston Mill and Kagetsu Logging camps when economic opportunities in the mines came to an end. Even more people moved when local operations could no longer take in the labour force. Men moved to Duncan, Chemainus and Cowichan to work in the lumber industry and to Port Alice and Woodfibre to work in the pulp and paper mills.
____________________________
Copies of the following books used to research this article are available for use and/or purchase at the Cumberland Museum:
One Hundred Spirited Years: A History of Cumberland
D.E. Isenor, E.G. Stephens, D.E. Watson
The Friendly Port: A History of Union Bay 1880-1960
Janet Glover-Geidt
Cumberland Heritage: A Selected History of People, Buildings, Institutions & Sites 1888-1950
Jennifer Nell Barr
Voices from Bevan
Betty Annand
Land of Plenty: A History of the Comox District
D.E. Isenor, W.N. McInnis, E.G. Stephens, D.E. Watson
Japanese child portrait.
Japanese maiden.
Japanese men.
Japanese mine workers.