- David Vick
My very first conscious memory in life occurred in 1943 when I was 2 1/2 years old. To this day it still has a dreamlike quality about it. We lived in a float house (1940 - 47) along the tracks between Inverness Cannery and Port Edward. One night I was dreaming that the net loft was burning down when suddenly my mother woke me up. She got me dressed up and we started walking up the tracks towards the cannery. In the distance we could see a fiery glow in the sky. We arrived at the cannery to witness the net loft being consumed in flames. I’ve never forgotten that moment.
The rebuilt net loft. This picture was taken in 1964.
- David Vick
The photograph of Inverness Cannery is a Vick Family picture. My mother coloured our copy with oil paints (often done years ago).
Howard Melo worked at Western Marine Supply (owned by Tony and Karl Vick - my uncles) before opening Northern Marine Supply in Prince Rupert.
I’m assuming that’s how the photograph ended up on his company’s calendar in 1978.
In 1991 the photograph graced the back cover of Gladys Young Blythe’s excellent and exhaustive history of B.C.’s North Coast canneries, "Salmon Canneries: British Columbia North Coast" I met Gladys at her Prince Rupert book signing. She very graciously gave me a free signed copy.
Buy the book from local Prince Rupert store Eddie's News here: or on Amazon.ca here
(It's a dollar less from Eddie's!)
