B is for Bees - Blogging from A to Z April 2020 Challenge!

Today B is for BEES - and a 'Be Alert' genealogy tip.  

Blogging about British Columbia Genealogy Resources

This is a little quirky but as many will know I help people researching women in their families. Often I can see in contemporary sources that women are involved in community and business activities that their descendants know nothing of. This could hold true for men as well, but it is often the case that men are better 'documented' than women even when husband and wife, for example, are involved in the same work.

In researching women, keep an eye out for any research possibilities. Here are a few ideas.

Many times 'women's work' wasn't 'pin money' but provided vital income for the family - sewing, raising chickens, or, in this case, keeping bees and selling honey. Local agricultural fair prize lists published in the papers may provide good clues.

The women below were involved in various ways in early 20th century beekeeping in British Columbia. Most are mentioned in One Hundred Years of Beekeeping in British Columbia 1858-1958, written by W. H. (William Henry) Turnbull and published by the BC Honey Producer's Association (c.1958). The chapter on women is very short! But further references to these women and their work may be found in local newspapers, organizational collections and publications, and occasionally in provincial and national government agriculture related records.

The Open Collections of the University of British Columbia's Library are a particularly rich source for historical BC research. The UBC Library has an extensive collection of free digitized historical newspapers for BC and many digitized books, pamphlets and periodicals, like this one suggested and linked to by the Library - Beekeeping in the Kootenays by W J Shepherd, published by the Beekeepers' Association of British Columbia. Kootenay Division (BC: 1918) which includes this local Nelson, BC ad for "Bee Supplies" (page 15). Both UBC and SFU libraries have older beginner beekeeping books which could be helpful in understanding what tasks and equipment would be involved day to day.

And the BC Honey Producers Association records, 1923-2000, and an Apiculture (beekeeping) collection are at Simon Fraser University's Archives. Check yesterday's Challenge blog post on searching MemoryBC to see more references.


SURNAME - GIVEN NAMES/INITIALS - RESIDENCE IN BC (as published)

Lewis, Mrs. W H -  New Westminster
White, Mrs. Fred E - North Vancouver
Turnbull, Mrs. W  H  - Margaret - the author's wife
Freeman, Mrs - Milner
Thompson, Mrs. George - Strawberry Hill
McAllan, Mrs. Norman -Ladner
Holt, Mrs. J  H - Kennedy
Vermaas, Mrs - Scott Road
Chamberlain, Mrs. R A - Chilco St., Vancouver
Muir, Mrs. Ada L -New Westminster; Langley Prairie
Street, Mrs. C  F  - Haney
Hall, Mrs. H - Viola – née Riddock -16 Mile - managed her own apiary founded by her father.
Warren, Mrs. Chas., Alice -Victoria
Morley, Mrs. A - Fort Langley
Greenwood, Florence A - Sassenos [Saseenos]
Bate, Ruby - Nelson
Casler / Casely, Mrs. [Elizabeth Margaret] - Nelson - Executive Committee Member of Kootenay Beekeepers' Assn. (believed first assn. in BC, 1914)  and in 1918 a Director of The Beekeepers's Association of British Columbia, formed 1916. Cranbrook Herald, Thursday, 30 September 1915, page 1, "Kootenay Beekeepers Annual Meeting".

From Beekeeping in the Kootenays by W J Shepherd (Beekeepers' Association of British Columbia. Kootenay Division, BC, 1918), officials, page 2 and above, Nelson Hardware Company, "Bee Supplies" ad, page 15. Courtesy of the Biodiversity Heritage Library, Original at Cornell University Library; Public Domain.

Note: If one of these women is in your family, please contact me. I do have some additional details and would welcome new information.