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Museum Archives Exhibits Education History Links Site Index | |||||||||
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Colonial Settlers : George Randall & Sarah Ann Ashwell | |||||||||
The Land | George Ashwell (1831-1913) was born in Bedfordshire, England and, at an early age became a landscape gardener. In 1855, he immigrated to Canada, settling in Toronto in a career as a carpenter. In 1860 he moved to New Westminster and, in partnership with Thomas Cunningham, operated a hardware business. He returned to England in 1867 to marry Sarah Ann Webb (1845-1916) and then returned to New Westminster. She was the sister of Horatio Webb and was a life long and devoted member of the Chilliwack Methodist Church. She was known for her generous and gracious hospitality. The couple had six children.
When the partnership with Cunningham dissolved in 1871, the Ashwells moved to Chilliwack. For a few years Ashwell operated a general store on Yale Road, east of the intersection now known as Five Corners before he moved the store to Chilliwack Landing when he purchased the stock of a store previously operated by Robert Garner. This important riverboat landing was the commercial centre for the small but growing rural settlement. Ashwell moved his store closer to Five Corners in 1888, the emerging centre of the community. Ashwell's Departmental Store became a key business on Wellington Avenue and at one point branch stores were opened in Rosedale and Sardis. He was a staunch Methodist and a strong supporter of the Conservative Party, running once, narrowly losing in his bid to represent Chilliwack in the Provincial Legislature. He was a Justice of the Peace, first secretary of the Chilliwack Agricultural Society, Municipal Clerk and as Reeve of the Municipality. |
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P198 - formal portrait of George Randall
P199 - formal portrait of Sarah Ann Ashwell P168 - formal portrait of George Randall and Sarah Ann Ashwell |
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Museum Archives Exhibits Education History Links Site Index