[BCMA] Nanaimo Museum Press Release - Princess Royal Day 2013

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

November 20, 2013

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Nanaimo Museum

 

Princess Royal Anniversary

 

Nanaimo-The Nanaimo Historical Society and Nanaimo Museum are
commemorating the arrival of some of Nanaimo's earliest coal mining
families.  On Wednesday, November 27, descendants of the Princess Royal
families will gather at the Bastion for an annual ceremony.  The
Princess Royal passengers arrived 159 years ago, but their family
legacies and stories remain in the community.

 

Princess Royal day has been taking place since the 100th anniversary in
1954.  A Princess Royal family descendent will ring the Bastion's bell
at 11am on November 27 to start the ceremony.  "We invite the public to
come to the Bastion for a short ceremony," says Aimee Greenaway, Program
and Volunteer Coordinator.  "The names of all 23 Princess Royal families
will be announced by a descendant."  The master of ceremonies will be
Pamela Mar, a long-time member of the Nanaimo Historical Society,
volunteer at the Nanaimo Museum and driving force behind the annual
Princess Royal day.

 

The Nanaimo Historical Society and Nanaimo Museum will work together to
host this year's event.  "We are looking forward to celebrating the
160th anniversary next year," says Debbie Trueman, General Manager at
the Nanaimo Museum.  "It's impressive that generations of descendants
still attend the ceremony after so many years."  Members of the public
may attend the ceremony for free.

 

The Nanaimo Museum holds several artifacts in its collection that
travelled to the city aboard the Princess Royal.  "One of the most
interesting artifacts currently on exhibit is the earthenware teapot
brought to Nanaimo by the John Richardson family," says Greenaway.  "Of
course it was practical for Seadonah Richardson to bring the teapot but
I imagine it was a reminder of the family and life they left behind in
England."  John and Seadonah were 21 years old when they boarded the
Princess Royal bound for Nanaimo.  They travelled with their 1 year old
daughter and Seadonah was pregnant during the voyage.  The family lived
in a small house on Front Street and Benjamin was born just six weeks
after the family arrived in Nanaimo.  They had five more children and
the family and built a new house on Wallace Street.  In 1869 Seadonah
passed away and was buried in the Pioneer Cemetery on Wallace Street.
The Richardson's went on to operate a farm and the Richardson Mine in
the Chase River area.

 

For more information, please contact the Nanaimo Museum at 250 753-1821
or visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca.  The museum is open Monday-Friday from
10-5.  The Nanaimo Museum is located in the Vancouver Island Conference
Centre beside Serious Coffee.  

 

 

-30-

 

Contact:

 

Aimee Greenaway, Program & Volunteer Coordinator 250 753-1821
program at nanaimomuseum.ca

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

Becka Macdonald, 

Communications & Rental Coordinator

NANAIMO MUSEUM

100 Museum Way

Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8

Phone: 250.753.1821

Website: nanaimomuseum.ca <http://www.nanaimomuseum.ca/> 

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NanaimoMuseum

 

 

 

 

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