discoveryisland.ca

Discovery Island Victoria BC Canada

Revised: November 27, 2009

Discovery Island Timeline

1784- Discovery Island is explored by the royal exploring ship the HMS Discovery under the command of Captain Vancouver.

1846- Discovery Island is named after Captain Vancouver's ship the HMS Discovery.

June 10, 1863- Indian reserve established.

September 7, 1858- A American paddle steamer Sea Bird  sailing out of San Francisco caught fire shortly after leaving Victoria and to save the lifes of the people onboard it was run aground on what is now named Sea Bird Point. The 450 ton Sea Bird register to Captain Conner. sailed from San Francisco March 18, 1858 and was a first steamer or to go up the Fraser River but it unfortunately ran aground on a sandbar and was not floated for four months.

1886- The island's first lighthouse is built on Pandora Hill. And The government appointed an old man Richard Brinn to be the first lighthouse keeper.

1893- The original fog alarm bell is replaced by a louder steam alarm plant. however the original fog alarm bell building is not demolished until the 80s.

April 9 1902- Mary Ann Croft is appointed the lighthouse keeper. She was the very first female lighthouse keeper in Canada. She earned only $900 while others with foghorn alarm stations receive $1200

25 March 1911- Mary Ann Croft receives "equal pay for equal work" of $1200 a year.

1918- Captain E.G. Beaumont buys half of Discovery Island.

1932- Mary Ann Croft retired at 67 as the lighthouse keeper after 46 years at the lighthouse and moves to Victoria. With a Pension of $43 a month.

September 1939- A WW2 signal station is built on the highest point of pandora hill the 8.41 acre property was bought from Captain E.G. Beaumont for $700

July 3, 1945- After the war the WW2 signal station on the island is shutdown and the property and the buildings are sold back to Captain E.G. Beaumont.

December 6, 1950 - Captain Beaumont's Discovery Isle sinks in enterprise channel Beaumont's engineer Robert Gale drowns and Captain Beaumont barely makes it ashore.

July 1951 - Captain Beaumont christened the Dscovery Isle II built at Nicholson boatyards, and was later donated in his will to the Royal Victoria yacht club where it was used as a club vessel for many years.

1967- Captain Beaumont dies at the age of 92. He had lived on the island for 50 years.

1972- The southern part of the island is established as Discovery Island Provincial Marine Park.

1978- The new tower and some of the adjacent buildings are built.

January 1996- The Discovery Island lighthouse is de-staffed and automated.

September 3, 2004- The foghorn at the Discovery Island lighthouse is deactivated and removed from the station.

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