Vancouver Island Scoundrels, Eccentrics and Originals: Tales from the Library Vault

by Stephen Ruttan

Found on the history shelves of the Greater Victoria Public Library, these twenty true stories are brought to life by Stephen Ruttan. They draw a picture of the life of a city with a recent past that's both unconventional and colourful. From Miss Wilson and her famous parrot, Louis, to Jimmy Chicken Island, named after a man who acquired his surname from his habit of stealing chickens, to the Pig War, when Britain and the United States nearly came to blows over the San Juan Islands, to the rise and fall of Francis Rattenbury, one of Victoria’s best-known architects, these stories reveal a lively history of a West Coast capital city. Archival illustrations, newspaper clippings, and modern photos help make Vancouver Island Scoundrels, Eccentrics and Originals a delightful and illluminating read.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Canada

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

Reviews

[Jordan Varey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book while visiting Vancouver Island and enjoyed it very much. It is essentially a collection of short non-fiction about interesting characters in the Island’s history. From pirates to politicians, brothel mistresses to indigenous folk hero’s, this book paints a fun picture of the development of this wild and wonderful place.

I would recommend it to anyone who calls Vancouver Island home. I also think it is the perfect reading selection for visitors here. It is a fun narrative background for a vacation to one of the most beautiful places in Canada. It’s short enough to tackle in a couple of days and it’s broken into 30 minute or so chunks so it can fill breaks between hiking, surfing, fishing etc.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of short vignettes about people who either impacted the history of Vancouver Island or are memorable for their shenanigans. British Columbia's early colonial period attracted a variety of scoundrels and eccentrics as the title calls them. Some are interesting because they were so unusual; others are remembered as stalwarts of Vancouver Island's establishment as a colony of the British Empire and the home of the colony's capital. Some like Dunsmuir and Trutch should be wiped out of our history because of their terrible legacies. Others like Ginger Goodwin need greater recognition for improving the lives of working people in the province. Each vignette is short so this book can be dipped into and then set aside for a period. Good reading for anyone interested in local history.

[Gayle]

Now I know who Jimmy Chicken is and why Chateau Victoria had a Parrot room.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned some things that I didn't know, such as the Pig War and Trutch, and more details about Rattenbury. A bunch of short stories about the historical stories from this island.

[Alison C · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I recently spent a week in Victoria, British Columbia, with a view toward determining if we would like to live there in a few years. One fun thing about visiting a new city is finding books like Stephen Ruttan's Vancouver Island Scoundrels, Eccentrics and Originals: Tales from the Library Vault , which tell tales about historical events and people in the area. Mr. Ruttan is the local history librarian at the Greater Victoria Public Library, and he has access to a great deal of colourful stories about individuals from that area. Due to a novel I read some time ago, I knew about "The Pig War," which involved a dispute between the US and Great Britain with respect to the San Juan Islands; and the leader of a ghost walk in Victoria told me about "The Rise and Fall of Francis Rattenbury," the architect of B.C.'s Parliament and the famous Empress Hotel. I also knew about Edward Curtis and his 1914 film, "In the Land of the Head Hunters," having seen a restored version of the film just last year. But other stories, ranging from a tale of the purported model for the hero in Jack London's "Sea Wolf" to the emergence of a Black community in Victoria as a result of slavery in the US and the establishment of Victoria's Chinatown, were new to me. Mr. Ruttan has a flare for tale-telling, and each story is recounted with great verve; in addition, as a librarian he takes the time to include notes on sources for each chapter. Although obviously this book is intended for those interested in the early days of Victoria, B.C., it is really quite a fun read for anyone who enjoys hearing about quirky individuals from history. Recommended!

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, filled with lots of interesting historical tidbits and stories about the emerging culture and culturally significant people who helped to shaped Vancouver Island.