The promoters did convince some of the English aristocracy to give it the old college try, along with Prairie sodbusters, old-time ranchers and retired military men. Explained early Summerlander Paddy Acland, “Fellows from Great Britain were very different from later arrivals. They came as a challenge — came out from a point of view of adventure.” Most of these newcomers had a few bucks to start farming or growing fruit; then there were the remittance men; young Englishmen who received money each month from back home to stay away from home. In fact, it has been said that when the remittance men got off the boat at the Summerland wharf, they were asked to get back aboard and go elsewhere in order to keep the criminal aspect out of town! As a result of all the immigration, the human population in the Valley tripled from 1901 to 1920 and the number of acres in orchard grew five fold. There was one style of home that was quite fashionable in Summerland, before the real construction started - the tent house. This cozy little structure was constructed from wooden planks built up to about a three or four foot height, and wooden trusses which supported the canvas roof. There wasn't a lot of room inside, just enough for the necessities which could include a stove for heating and cooking, a bed, a wash stand and a table. Tent homes were common all year round as people waited for their permanent homes to be built. The Okanagan led all other areas in BC for pre-emptions or homesteads. By 1872 the Dominion had laid out its territory in neat little packages called townships which were six miles square. The pre-emptor (requiring no exchange of money) received full title to the land if he lived on it six months out of every year for three years, built a house and made other improvements. Some people had already decided that this was a fine place to settle down. In 1887 James Gartrell and his family had travelled all the way from Stratford, Ontario bringing with them apple tree plantings. They pre-empted the north end of Trout Creek Point and established one of the first commercial orchards in the Okanagan. The Gartrells also grew peaches from stones which came from Okanagan Falls. Next: The Fruit Ranches: early orcharding >> |
The English shooting stick was popular paraphernalia and was used as a seating aid (the handle folded out to form a “seat”) while waiting for wild game on shoots. Many immigrated to Canada from the United Kingdom as many agents and land companies in England were busy trying to attract emigrants to BC at the turn of the century. 