The History of
Lumby - Economic Structure and Justice
Hugh
Charles Catt ( Pete ) was
appointed Justice of the Peace on February 11, 1917
and magistrate on December 31, 1929. On May 18, he
was appointed judge for the juvenile court for the
North Okanagan and had extended jurisdiction
allowing him to try criminal cases. If it was at
all possible, he ordered probation rather than jail
sentences for convicted youth.
During the early
days, Pete held court at his farm. Once when the
guilty party was in a hurry, the man was brought to
him while he was mowing hay. Magistrate Catt held
court without leaving the seat of his mower.
Charles David
Bloom was secretary-treasurer of the school board
for 17 years, before the school districts were
consolidated in 1944.
Before
consolidation, the taxpayers of Lumby were
responsible for teachers' salaries, building and
maintaining the schools and all things pertaining
to education.
It was during this
long term in office that he gave the land for the
secondary school. Charlie was also responsible for
the first Home Economic classes in Lumby. He rally
pushed for this 'frill' as the taxpayers of those
days called it. It was his dedication to local
education that caused the people of Lumby to call
the new high school "Charles Bloom".
Charles also
started a garage in 1921 first known as Bloom and
Andre. Mr.
Sigalet bought out Andre
in 1923 and the garage is still known today as
Bloom and Sigalet.
William
J. Shields came from Ontario
to manage the store in Lumby owned by W. R. Megaw,
pioneer businessman of Vernon. This store, still in
use as the Family Cafe, was built by Louis
Morand in 1898. It was
situated several hundred feet west of where it is
now on Vernon Street. They carried groceries,
furniture, hardware and general merchandise.
In 1910 Will
bought the business from Megaw and founded Shields
and Company with J. T. Bardolph and Cleophas
Quesnel. The deal
included the entire block from Shuswap Avenue to
Norris Avenue. Almost immediately Will donated the
land to the village for purpose of building a new
school (the old Primary).
In 1912 he built a
new store next to the Megaw building, on the corner
of Shuswap and Vernon, roughly the same design as
the McLeod's Store, but a two story frame building.
It was in this store that the great
fire of 1932 started.
One of the longest
serving Mayors in B. C. history is Nevill Ross
Langham Patrick Duke "Pat" after the second World
War started his active community involvement. And
became Lumby's first Mayor in 1956. With the
exception of the years 1961-1964 he held that
position until 1985. While serving as Mayor he was
instrumental in the development of the water and
sewage systems, the swimming pool, lighting,
improving the roads in and around town, the
community park, community hall improvements, Saddle
Mountain Sr, Citizens Complex, Community Health
Centre, and the curling rink.
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