November 2nd This day in British Columbia in 1894 - Murder Sensation

Novem ber 2nd, 2016 BC collectable advertising Letter Openers

These would have been free giveaways by companies to promote their businesses. Following is a selection from old British Columbia companies...

Novemeber 13th
Keremeos  BC -  BC roadside attraction 

These photos were taken a couple weeks ago up in the historic town of Keremeos on Highway 3. It is a neat array of old tractors, and they also have some neat vintage autos there too. 

The fall colours in BC aren't quite like the way it is back east but still, we have our pleasure too. This is along the Similkameen River nearby Keremeos on the way west to Hedley.

Not many buildings left in Hedley but here is an old general store.

On the hills behind the store you will still see the remains of old mine buildings. 

If you go exploring up there, keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and loose rocks.

November 13th.
Vancouver Chinatown  Green Door Restaurant 1970s-80s


Vancouver business card 1977  Green Door Restaurant - Chinatown

Just a couple nights ago, I found this along with a couple of other 1970s business cards from Vancouver that were mixed in with a box of old family photographs.  I hadn't realised I had this still.

Also in the lot was this one:

Vancouver business card 1977   BC Royal Cafe - Chinatown

When I used to work up on 800 block east Hastings at Nicolson's Restaurant Supply in 1977, I used to sometimes  walk down to Chinatown after work to go to these places to eat.  At BC Royal Cafe I would plunk down $5 and ask them to surprise me with something good.  It was great.

Both of these restaurants are long gone. From another era already !

February 27th News Item- re: BC soda water history...

Chilliwack's first soda pop maker - Harry Fairall

Came across this little ad dated February 27th, 1919 in the Chilliwack Progress, courtesy of Chilliwack Museum & Archives:

Apparently this was run on a regular basis from 1918 until the official Prohibition ended in 1920.   This was the so-called "Near beer" which was the only kind of beer allowed to be sold in BC during the Prohibition.

Note the dealer, H. Fairall.   This is Harry Fairall of the Victoria family that made ginger beer and then founded the Silver Spring Brewery about 1903 before selling out in 1908 or 1909. 

Harry Fairall, one of the brothers, moved to Chilliwack and started up a pop company there about 1909 or 1910.  It became a viable business and remained so for many years.  Here is an article from the Chilliwack Progress courtesy Chilliwack Museum & Archives describing the firm, dated July 20th, 1922:

And how about a glowing review of Fairall's products, check this one out dated July 9th, 1924:

I am not aware of what bottles might have been used by Fairall in the early years. They may have been plain with paper labels and I haven't seen one myself.   As for the Kist brand that he put out,  we can see a great ad from 1920 on the cover of The Canadian Grocer magazine, courtesy of  University of Toronto Library Fisher Collection, dated September 8th, 1921:

While Fairall in Chilliwack isn't listed with the BC companies on the lower right, note that there is a Fairall's Ltd. listed for Victoria, part of the family soda water interests.

Harry Fairall carried on his business in  Chilliwack for several years and moved into a partnership by the end of the 1920s for the Chilliwack Bottling Works. They also sold coal and ice.  In the mid-1930s the company went into receivorship and re-emerged to carry on business for another few decades.