Copy of Letter from E. O. Murphy, Chief Engineer on R.M.S. Empress of Japan, about Frank Mavis.

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salishan Place by the River currently maintains a collection of over 9000 photographs, 2000 archival documents, 9000 objects, 500 works of art, and 300 oral history recordings. This collection, spanning hundreds of years, is a wonderful window on the past and present life of our community.

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Object Description

Object Name

Letter

Object ID

2018.027.009

Title

Copy of Letter from E. O. Murphy, Chief Engineer on R.M.S. Empress of Japan, about Frank Mavis.

Date

20 Aug. 1897.

Description

2 Letters (a-b) : paper ; 20 x 12.5 cm. This letter details that Frank (Francis John) Mavis was an Assistant Engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.'s ship, R.M.S. "Empress of Japan," from Aug. 1896 - Jun. 1897, and Fourth Engineer from Jun. to Aug. 1897. The letter explains that "he leaves this ship at his own request." The letter is signed (by typewriter) "E. O. Murphy/ Chief Engineer." There are two copies of this letter. Letter (a) is the typewritten copy (contemporary to 1897), and letter (b) is a photocopy of the handwritten original.

People/Subject

Mavis (family)

Alexander Mavis (1825-December 31, 1905) came from England to California for the gold rush in 1849, and then to BC for our gold rush in 1858. He returned to England and married Mary Fiddler-Horn Nicholson in the mid-1860s. The couple had 6 children in England before returning to Langley in 1887. Children include Francis John (1871-1936), James Alexander (1872-1926), Ada (1876-), Lily Dawson (1874-1957), and Laura (1879 - ). Alexander and his family farmed some of the land that had previously belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company. In fact, much of the land in east Fort Langley was once owned by Mavis. Mavis and his wife died in 1905 and are buried in the Fort Langley Cemetery, but there are still many descendants in the area.
Term Source: dhv

Mavis, Francis John, 1871-1936

Francis John Mavis was born January 5, 1871 in Jarrow Durham, England to parents Alexander and Mary Mavis. He came to Canada with them, and arrived on the west coast on the second trip of train number 374 in Port Moody on July 1, 1887. He wanted to be a seaman, so returned to England to continue an apprenticeship. He obtained his engineer's certificate in England on April 28, 1893, after a five year apprenticeship with Palmer Ship Building and Iron Co. Ltd. in Jarrow-Upon-Tyne. Frank became the third engineer on the S.S. Ben Clume out of North Shields England from November 12, 1893 to January 14, 1895. He then left Liverpool for Canada on the Canadian Pacific Railway Company's "R. M. S. Empress of Japan's" maiden voyage around South America. He served on the ship as assistant engineer from August 1896 to June 1897, and fourth engineer from June-August 1897. He left this employment on August 20, 1897. Coming to stay with his parents in Fort Langley for a time, Frank left again, and on September 7, 1899, he was placed in charge of the British American Steamers for a couple of years. He took up employment with the White Pass and Yukon Route from April 15, 1901- October 27, 1909. He married Eliza May Fleming on December 17, 1902 in St. George's Anglican Church, in Fort Langley. The couple had six children: Harry Russell, Francis Alexander, Robert James, Edward Albion, Ida Winnifred, and Hubert David. "Frank", as he was known, became one of the best known marine engineers in the north. Francis John Mavis died November 4, 1935, in Burnaby, B.C. He is buried in the Fort Langley Cemetery.
Term Source: The Langley Story, pg 258 (Waite), Fort Langley Cemetery, pg 33 (Hannay).

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