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Title: Interview of Iona Campagnolo
Description: 23 March 2005
Iona (as in from the Hebrides) Victoria Campagnold (1932, October 18th).
Iona’s father’s (Frederick Hardy) family came from England, but his mother, Marianne Burn, was of Scottish descent. Her grandfather on her father’s side, Frederick Hardy, moved to Merritt, Canada, in 1910 and had three sons: Harold, Kenneth, and Oswald. He worked
Show more23 March 2005
Iona (as in from the Hebrides) Victoria Campagnold (1932, October 18th).
Iona’s father’s (Frederick Hardy) family came from England, but his mother, Marianne Burn, was of Scottish descent. Her grandfather on her father’s side, Frederick Hardy, moved to Merritt, Canada, in 1910 and had three sons: Harold, Kenneth, and Oswald. He worked as a port engineer. She remembers Marianne being very strict and a perfectionist. They moved from Merritt to Galiano in 1913.
Her great-grandfather on her mother’s side, Findlay Alexander Murchison, left Scotland in the 1850s after the Clearances and went to America. He was from Ross-shire in the Highlands. He might have been affiliated with Clan Kenneth. There was never any heavy discussion about the family’s Scottishness, however. He ended up in North of the USA and lived there for thirty years. He married there. Her grandfather, Findlay’s first born, was also called Finlday Alexander Murchison. Findlay, the great-grandfather came to Galiano in 1882; he was one of the first settlers. He had an engineering background and laid out all the roads on Galiano island. They lived in Galiano for the rest of their lives. Her grandfather, Findlay, was 45 before he married a woman named Ethol. They had 7 children: Findlay, Colin, Gordon, Jean, Dorothy, Angus, and her mother, who was the eldest. The family lived on Galiano until her mother was 16. She then went to School in Vancouver. She then married Iona’s father and she (Iona) was born and brought up in Galiano.
Iona lived in Galiano for 6 years. Her father worked on the steamships to the Cannery. In 1940 he accepted the job of winter watchman at North Pacific Cannery, so they all went and lived in the Cannery. She remembers the society at the Cannery being very classist and sexist (women were for domestic use only). She also worked at the Cannery, putting lids on fish cans. She would sometimes work for 16 hours a day. She went to school there and remembers most of the students being First Nations and Japanese. She remembers how they (First Nations children) were physically abused for speaking in their own language. She also remembers the Japanese children and their families being taken away and interred in Greenwood when she was 10. It was at school where he gained an interest in aboriginal culture. Her time at school also fuelled her philosophy that Canadian political and social culture benefits from its diversity. For example, in present circumstances, Canadian soldiers who go into Iraq/Afghanistan do so with “a cultural knowledge” – that is, with a sense of respect.
Keywords: England; Ross-shire; Galiano;
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Date: 2005-03-23

Title: Interview of William T. Strachan
Description: Jan 9 2012 William “Bill” Thomson Strachan Born: St. Fergus, Scotland on March 8, 1921. The house was built in the 1700’s. He was the oldest of 3 boys: William, Sandy? & Peter. His mom remarried after his father passed, and had 3 girls: Isabella, Sheila, & Lilas. [Step]Father: Peter Strachan. Father: William Dunbar. Born in Crimond. Grandfather:
Show moreJan 9 2012 William “Bill” Thomson Strachan Born: St. Fergus, Scotland on March 8, 1921. The house was built in the 1700’s. He was the oldest of 3 boys: William, Sandy? & Peter. His mom remarried after his father passed, and had 3 girls: Isabella, Sheila, & Lilas. [Step]Father: Peter Strachan. Father: William Dunbar. Born in Crimond. Grandfather: William Thomson. Harbour master in Peterhead. William’s great-grandfather [Thomson] died one day short of his 100th birthday. Mother: Isabella Thomson. Born in St. Fergus. Siblings: 3 sisters & 2 brothers. 1 brother moved to Australia, the other to Canada. Nobody in his family spoke Gaelic; they were Doric speakers [dialect of NE Scotland, Scandinavian roots]. William was raised as a farmboy. He went to school in Crimond. They were large classes; he went through until his Qualifying, then quit at age 12. He recalls getting the strap as discipline at school. He kept in contact with one of his former school teachers by letter when he was in the military in Singapore. He joined the military at age 17, after working on the family farm. William had a cousin who was a Regimental Sergeant Major. William later joined the Gordon Highlanders, serving in WWII. His brother was in the Royal Engineers. William didn’t want any promotion during his time in the Highlanders. He preferred the lower ranks. William was taken as a Prisoner of War in 1942, at the fall of Singapore. It was “meant to fall” to save Australia. He remembers his officer’s attitudes on the Japanese soldiers who were taking over Singapore. The Japanese military surprised them by attacking from behind, coming in on bicycles. William has two tattoos from his time in the war, before the fall of Singapore. While others would go to the brothels, he would go to get a tattoo. He was taken prisoner for several years – until the war ended in 1945. There were 1200 Gordon Highlanders captured, along with other regiments held as prisoners. They were made to build the “Death Railroad”, as they called it. The camp was in Kanchanaburi. They also built the bridge over the Mae Klong River. He remembers learning they were free – a plane landed with 12 men in uniforms they didn’t recognize. One prisoner died from the shock of being freed. A man from the plane asked William whether he remembered him, as they had met before. These men were secret service agents. Life in the POW camp was “bloody awful”. There were frequent beatings. Sometimes they would have bamboo platforms to sleep on, but other times they slept under the sky. The prisoners wore loincloths and no shoes. They were only fed rice. He learned to make rice wine, by layering it with brown sugar he stole from the Japanese. He never keeps rice in his house to this day. He tells a story of a man nodding to him, before walking into the trees nearby. He followed the man’s path, and found a dead steer. He managed to get it back to camp, and they cooked it in a big kettle into stew, which each man got to have with their rice. He remembers another time when a lion and her cub came within an arm’s length of him. At night, the prisoners had freedom of movement, because the Japanese troops were afraid to enter the jungle in darkness. William and others would venture out to Thai camps, where generous locals risked their lives by providing them with food and supplies to take back to camp. Alex Vanderleck – Dutch engineer who knew the local jungle, and showed other men what they could eat in the wild – bamboo shoots, etc. He called William “The Red Devil”, because of William’s red hair and the fact his skin would go bright red in the sun. Alex had said he was going to write a book by the same name, which William searched for after the War, and learned Alex never made it out of the camp. They walked barefoot to their work each day, sometimes up to 300 miles. The troops would push the prisoners to keep moving. The prisoners tried to make the railroad “as rough as they could”, striving to make things uneven so it would be less useful to the Japanese. The Thai government later repaired these sections after the war so it could function. William saw the fictional movie “Bridge on the River Kwai”, loosely based on the construction of the Burma railroad, and felt it was “awful”. They slaved for 15 hours a day working on the railroads; William estimates that the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There was no thought or planning of escapes, because they knew they wouldn’t survive the snakes and other creatures in the jungle. They encountered lions and elephants while they worked. He knew one man from his regiment who just fell over and died. He was so emaciated “you could play the xylophone on his ribs”. Anyone who was caught providing aid to prisoners would be shot on the spot. Many local Thai people would give them soup and dry peanuts. There was a sergeant major who told him, “Watch what you say, a lot of them can speak English.” He later learned that man was an American living in Japan at the time of the War who had been conscripted by the Japanese military. When William and his fellow POWs were liberated, the first thing that the Allied soldiers did was provide them with pen and paper to write letters to their loved ones; however, the men had forgotten how to write properly, so it was a challenge. They came for the 12 men who were the sickest first, of which William was 1. They were flown to the hospital in Burma. One of the men’s wives flew to the hospital herself to see whether he was alive. He had to stand up and walk over to her because he was so emaciated, she couldn’t recognize him at all. William said nurses commented he looked like a “living skeleton” himself. He had been suffering from malaria and dysentery. He still suffers from malingering episodes of malaria to the time of the interview. William remembers saluting the crowd as they boarded the ship back to Britain. The skipper of the ship was told to take the 12 prisoners off, and instead, to bring 12 nurses home. He refused. They pulled into Sri Lanka, and the skipper handed them all a kit bag which they could fill with local goods for their family. William bought 2 handbags, for his sisters, and special tea for his mother. When they arrived at the British port in Southampton, there was a Japanese flag flying. The former POWs refused to disembark until it was lowered from their line of sight. William’s family didn’t know he was arriving. He took two trains to get home; 1 to Edinburgh, and another to Aberdeen. His mother didn’t recognize him when he returned to Ft. Angus. He walked in the back door, and didn’t say a word. His sisters didn’t recognize him either. He married his childhood sweetheart upon returning. He didn’t have to work upon returning, as the military paid him to support recovery. Wife: Margaret Wallace. Her brother passed away in a POW camp during the War. They were married Dec. 21st, 1945-1946? William knew he had an uncle in Canada, but didn’t know where he was; he moved here in order to locate him. Arriving with his wife, he spoke to the mayor of the town, Wakaw, Saskatchewan, and put an ad in the paper. This led to a cousin, which led to his uncle, William Thompson, living in New Westminster. He remembers his uncle Willie lived in a “cutterhouse” prior to moving to Canada. William came to Canada with his wife Margaret on a ship called the Churchill. They arrived in Nova Scotia, and took the train to Oyen, Alberta. William worked on a ranch, where he was a “cowboy”. A cook was needed at a ranch in Wakaw, and Margaret took the job, so they moved there, where William continued to ranch. He remembers learning to lasso for the first time. They moved to New Westminster, B.C. in the late 1950’s; they lived across the street from a couple. This is how he met his current wife; they got together later in life after experiencing the loss of their spouses. William worked at Swift Canadian in New Westminster, and became president of the Meat Processing Workers Credit Union. He has served as president for 20 years, and was elected for another 4 just prior to retiring from Swift. Bill Cruz was the treasurer of the Credit Union. He still keeps in contact with his sister in Scotland and her offspring. William’s mother was a farmer back in Scotland. They raised cattle and grew oats. Their farm was at least 100 acres. It had a greenhouse, where his grandfather had grown fruit. There was a lake on the property. William worked as a “horseman” during the summers on other farms, ploughing fields. Politics & religion were not issues in his family. William himself is non-religious. His family was very close. His favourite family members were the ones who lived close and came to visit for Easter. His mother would boil turkey and hen eggs for them. The trip to Canada took about a week. They knew they were moving to Canada permanently, and said goodbye to their family. He remembers his first day in Oyen, Alberta, speaking to two local German immigrants. He laughs that his Doric accent was not too different from their German accents, and they understood each other. His farm experience got him a job on the ranch. He never experienced any trouble integrating into Canada. He was struck by how big the country was when riding the train across. William’s oldest son (also named Bill) was the longest serving soldier in the Canadian military, serving 40 years before retiring. His son (William’s grandson) is now in the military as well. Children: Oldest son also named William (Bill). Son Sandy was a chef at the King Neptune. Now works as a truck driver. Daughters Sheila and Isabelle have both since passed away. Youngest daughter, Betty, is still alive and well, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. William and his second wife (Jean) were members of the Sons of Scotland. He has gone back to visit Scotland. They celebrate Robbie Burns dinners, and make & dress haggis. At the time of the interview, the Scottish Nationalist Party was calling for a referendum on Scotland’s independence from the U.K. – William says most people he knows are in support of an independent Scottish nation. He feels there’s a good chance it will come about. William was starting to learn bagpiping from a friend while he was in the military, prior to becoming a POW. He attends the Highland Games, and used to work in the Heavy events. William’s favourite part of Scottish culture is the history and the music. His favourite Scottish food is haggis, scones and oat cakes. If he could do his life over, he would join the Gordon Highlanders again, but wishes he could avoid the experience of being a POW. He remembers being handed the controls as they flew out of the camp and over “Death Railway”, which brought tears to his eyes - a “heartwarming” moment of freedom. He returned to the area with his wife Jean in the late 1970’s, as a healing trip, and rode the railway themselves. He spoke with a man who used to feed the prisoners. There are 2 pieces of writing which William wrote himself, describing War experiences in detail (from his planned memoirs). These were scanned/digitized and included with the oral history collection. His wife Jean speaks briefly about her life at the end of the tape. She worked during the War engraving the sides of bombs. Born and raised in Toronto, later moving to B.C. William speaks of meeting Diefenbaker by chance. He also met Tommy Douglas several times. He tells the story of a bombing that occurred while he was a POW. Sadly, a boxcar full of young local girls (used as sex slaves by the Japanese military) were killed.
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Date: 2012-01-09

Title: Interview of James W. Troy, 1; 2
Description: March 23 2005 James Wallace Troy (b. 1942 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) is the eldest of three children (one younger brother, Gordon (d. 1961 in a motor accident), and one adopted sister (still living in Victoria)). His father, John (“Jawn”) Thomas Troy (b. 1900 in New Brunswick), was the second youngest of four boys. As a railroad dispatcher in
Show moreMarch 23 2005 James Wallace Troy (b. 1942 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) is the eldest of three children (one younger brother, Gordon (d. 1961 in a motor accident), and one adopted sister (still living in Victoria)). His father, John (“Jawn”) Thomas Troy (b. 1900 in New Brunswick), was the second youngest of four boys. As a railroad dispatcher in Duncan, John commuted daily from Victoria (where they moved to when James was a few years old). During the Second World War he served as a sergeant major translating Japanese signals. James’ mother, Frieda Watson Troy (née Henderson; b. in Ottawa) was of Scottish ancestry. Throughout her life, she bred and showed miniature breed dogs. Never a serious student, James spent the majority of his school-age years on musical pursuits. Piping replaced Highland dancing at age seven (he had begun dancing as a form of rehabilitation for his foot), and during high school he played the clarinet. James’ first piping instructor was Ian Duncan, followed by Archie Macendewar who taught James piobaireachd. At eighteen/nineteen, James joined the Royal Canadian Air Force where he was able to continue with piping. He was stationed in Clinton, Ontario for ten months before getting a regular job with the 4-14 Squadron in North Bay, Ontario. Shortly thereafter, James wrote a letter to Lillian Grant that got him transferred to headquarters in Ottawa. There, he played with JT Mackenzie, John Kerr, and Sandy Keith. From Ottawa, the band toured Calgary and Edmonton, eventually performing at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Washington. Shortly thereafter (after his brother’s accident), James left the air force and returned to Victoria where he got a job as an electrician’s helper at the dockyard. In 1997, after retiring from the phone company BC Tel at which he worked for thirty years, James bought the McAllister pipe reed maker business, relocating it from Shotts, Scotland to Victoria, British Columbia. James and his son continue to run the business, shipping reeds worldwide. James met his future wife, Louise (née Watling), while performing at the original Woodwards complex with the now defunct City of Victoria Pipe Band. They married soon afterwards and together had two children, James Patrick (b.1978 in Victoria) and Jacqueline Louis (b.1980 in Victoria). Louise’s sister’s husband, Colin Magee, taught the two Troy children drumming; both James P. and Jacquie now play with the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band. After a two-week “summer camp” in Cœur d’Alene, Idaho, James W. Troy and a number of his fellow pipers and drummers founded the City of Victoria Pipe Band. As the band’s original pipe major, James led the band during its expansion. They competed in a number of world pipe band championships as well as performing at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The band took on the Duthart style as its drumming standard. Musical selection was a collaborative effort, with many contributions by Colin Magee. Despite the good rapport in the City of Victoria, the band eventually parted ways due to commuting difficulties/logistic issues. In 2000, James was recruited to lead the [now] non-competitive Greater Victoria Police Pipe Band. When asked about the influential pipers in his life, James lists Donald MacLeod, Bob Hardie, and Archie Kerr. As a judge, James is aware of the balance between technicality and musicality (which he discusses in the interview). When asked about his feelings of “Scottishness,” James attributes them to not only his piping and Highland dancing upbringing, but also to his parents’ musicality and his mother’s Scottish heritage (west coast of Scotland). There are no known Gaelic speakers in his family nor living Scottish relatives. As for politics and religion, neither were important factors in his upbringing (James was brought up nominally Catholic, but “changed his mind about things” at age thirteen). James has visited Scotland a number of times; on his first trip in the early seventies, there was a feeling of familiarity, but not necessarily one of belonging. If James were to relive his life, he would change a couple of things – namely having a better set of lungs (vs. being asthmatic and having smoked) and medals during his piping career. While his biggest disappointments have been the negative outcomes of various piping competitions (especially the 1979 World’s), his biggest satisfaction in life is his family.
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Date: 2005-03-23

Title: Interview of John Fraser
Description: John Allen Fraser April 21, 2015; Second interview date unknown; May 1, 2015 Born Dec. 15, 1931, in Yokohama, Japan; moved to Canada at age 3. Baptised by an Anglican priest in Japan. Brother born in Canada in 1935. Interview begins abruptly, in the middle of a sentence. John describes speaking at a gathering of the Fraser clan. He describes Simon
Show moreJohn Allen Fraser April 21, 2015; Second interview date unknown; May 1, 2015 Born Dec. 15, 1931, in Yokohama, Japan; moved to Canada at age 3. Baptised by an Anglican priest in Japan. Brother born in Canada in 1935. Interview begins abruptly, in the middle of a sentence. John describes speaking at a gathering of the Fraser clan. He describes Simon Fraser’s history in B.C. – he doesn’t think he is related, as his family is Presbyterian, and Simon Fraser was Roman Catholic. He wore his Seaforth kilt, as he doesn’t have a Fraser kilt. John knew Lord Lovat – he ran the British Commandos during the Second World War. John joined the Reserves one week after the Korean War was declared. His father had a strong view that depending solely on volunteers in War was wrong. He was encouraged, and so he joined the Cadet Corps to further his training. He attended 3 years of law school at the same time. They were trained with live ammunition – four of his friends were killed in demonstrations, with no investigation. Served in the Seaforth Highlanders, and served in the Canadian Brigade in Germany with the Highland Battalion in 1953. He visited the Fraser house in Beaufort Castle while on leave, and had lunch with the Lord and Lady. He received a letter from his father, explaining that his Battalion was due to be sent to Korea. In summer 1953, negotiations established a ceasefire in Korea, and so the unit was held back. John was a keen soldier. He returned to Canada and finished law school, and became involved with the Reserves again. He served as an honorary officer with the Seaforth Highlanders into 2010. He speaks about the concept of militarism, and how the views of those that served differ from the public views on War. John’s first ancestor (John Fraser) came to Canada from Scotland in 1759, to his knowledge. Possible connection to the start of the 78th Fraser Highlanders. When Prince Charlie came from France to Scotland in the 18th century, the Fraser clan was very much involved in the Battle of Culloden. This fighting spirit continued when Frasers came to Canada, with the Fraser Highlanders fighting in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. He speaks about the contributions of Scots to Canada. John received the Order of Canada in 2001. Father: Clarence Fraser. Born & raised in Atlin, Yukon. Moved to Vancouver to enlist. All brothers served in the First World War, except one (Allen). He was denied entry, although he was the best shot in the family. They grew up hunting, trapping, and running dog teams. For Allen, living in Vancouver during the War and walking down the street without a uniform was difficult. John’s father learned to speak some Japanese during his time there selling BC lumber (7 or 8 years). The family lived in Powell River for a time, where he also sold lumber. Horace, another brother, became a well-known land surveyor, and served in the Seaforth Highlanders. He was badly injured and taken out of action for a time. Lyle, served in the PPCLI; also wounded in action at one time, but managed to round up fellow soldiers. He received a military medal. Paternal Grandfather: John Allen Fraser. Born in Canada. Owned a general store in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, and worked in the fur trade. Had a contract with the company building the Canadian Pacific Railway to supply ties. He worked himself across the country this way and ended up in Vancouver. The railway opened up shipping from Asia. Gold was discovered in the Yukon, and John couldn’t resist; he went north, eventually becoming a government agent, gold commissioner, and local magistrate in Atlin, Yukon. A cousin owns a copy of his diary. Mother: Laudie Robinson. Her fiancée was severely injured during the First World War, and passed from the flu upon his return in 1919. Family came from West Side of Ireland to Ontario, Canada in 1830 as farmers. Father named John, mother named Mary. She once joked with John, “I’ve heard enough of your Highland heritage; you’re over 50% Irish, and that’s the problem”. She went back to visit family in Ireland with her husband and John. They went to visit her Uncle John. Met John’s father in Tokyo, Japan, on a trip with her cousin around 1929. Married in Ontario. John was on the rugby team at Prince of Wales High School. He continued to play rugby into his 30’s, when the workload from his law firm took priority. John was recommended to a law firm with Gregory Grant & Cox in Victoria, BC. He joined up with the Seaforth Highlanders again in while there. He had planned to marry a young woman who married another man, and so he felt the need to relocate from Victoria. A partner of the firm was taking over a new law firm in Powell River, BC, and John jumped at the chance. He wanted to work in the courtroom more than anything, and did defence work, which impressed the people at Ladner Downs Law Firm. He worked there for a long time. Wife: Family name Finley. Family came to Canada in 1850. John has received many accolades: He was a cabinet minister in the Clark and Mulroney governments, earning him the Order of Canada & Order of BC; Canadian Forces decoration, Queens Council, and several honourary law degrees. Won the Vimy Award for outstanding service to the Canadian military. Politics: Father identified as a conservative Liberal, and didn’t have any respect for Mackenzie King due to his lack of military service. In Vancouver, if you were interested in politics and wanted to advance your career, you were expected to become a Liberal. John became involved with the Progressive Conservative Party in his first year at UBC, sitting as a Conservative in the “mock parliament” hosted by the School, debating Canada’s presence in Germany. He felt service in politics was “the patriotic thing to do”. In 1968, he ran as a Member of Parliament for Vancouver South in the year of the “Trudeau sweep”. He stayed active after this run, Joe Clark became leader of the Conservative party. John ran again for Vancouver South, against Gordon Gibson. The Speaker was appointed by the Prime Minister. At the best of times, they would talk to the leader of the opposition for consultation, but not always. John was the first elected Speaker of the House of Commons, and then later ran as Speaker. The workload increased by 60% when he was Speaker. John worked very hard to learn French and connect with French-Canadians. There was a large German and Sikh community in his area. He encouraged people to approach him over issues. Military support, international trade, and environmentalism were his main concerns. He recalls some eventful moments in the House of Commons, including challenging Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during Question Period, which prompted Trudeau to point at John and say, “I’ll see you outside”. John tried to show respect for anyone who the Canadian people elected. If there’s no acceptance and respect between both sides of the House of Commons, John says it’s impossible for a Speaker to “control the House”. In John’s time, climate change was not as much of a discussion. He was at a cabinet meeting with the Minister of Fisheries when global warming was brought up, and Mulroney asked John to give a briefing on the topic. He said it was his conviction that most scientific research indicates we are collectively issuing greenhouse gas emissions at a dangerous rate, impacting the climate. At the time, reports were saying the planet was headed for another Ice Age. Some scientists argued that carbon was necessary for growth. It is still an issue that needs to be addressed to this day, as misinformation is still around. There is science which is difficult to argue with. He is a passionate fly-fisher and has strong feelings about the environment. He spent lots of time outdoors as a child. Was a member of the British Columbia Steelhead Association. John notes the difference between Conservative politics in Canada and the USA. He discusses the idea of a “Red Tory” (a left-leaning conservative). He points out that not all Conservatives are reformists. John became a Boy Scout, and started attending Anglican Church services at St. Mary’s because of that. He recalls a service in which a minister taught acceptance of the Jewish faith. There was anti-Semitism in Vancouver at the time; a major golf course would not allow Jewish people to play. John tells a story of rumours flying around the neighbourhood after his parents let a Jewish family friend stay the night. John discusses the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces under Trudeau. He discusses his experiences in the military, and describes how the soldiers who trained him were almost “parental”. He is critical of the changes made during unification, such as a suggestion of removing rank and special uniforms, which he felt collapsed morale. He discusses Canada’s military history at length. He was part of the Cadet Corps at Point Grey Junior High School. John had a friend as a child, Joan Patterson, who tracked him down while he was in training at Camp Borden. She asked him to come visit in Toronto, and they got along famously, which made his time in Ontario more bearable. He kept in touch with her for years after. He discusses training exercises he experienced.
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Date: 2015-04-21, 2015-05-01

Title: Interview of John Buchanan
Description: John Buchanan Feb. 18 2015 Born: John Buchanan, on May 26, 1939, in the family home in Shettleston, Glasgow. Only child, oldest grandchild on both sides. They lived in a tenement building with no hot water. Father: Born in Bridgton, Glasgow in March 1915. Worked manual labour. A large steel company in his area had relocated to a town called Corby,
Show moreJohn Buchanan Feb. 18 2015 Born: John Buchanan, on May 26, 1939, in the family home in Shettleston, Glasgow. Only child, oldest grandchild on both sides. They lived in a tenement building with no hot water. Father: Born in Bridgton, Glasgow in March 1915. Worked manual labour. A large steel company in his area had relocated to a town called Corby, England and he relocated there for work around age 17 or 18. It was called “little Scotland” due to the number of Scots who moved there. He worked for a time in Blochairn, Glasgow in steel products, immediately before World War Two. Neither he nor his brother who worked there were allowed to enlist in the War initially, as they were considered essential workers. He later worked as a fireman in the Merchant Navy on the North Atlantic Run, until about 1946. Near D-Day, his ship (the S.S. Wallace Rose) was loaded with munitions, and had to be towed out of a minefield. He was mentioned in the dispatch, without his knowledge. Burned his feet badly during his time in the Navy. He worked as a shunter for a time after the Navy, as well as in a market in Glasgow, and did odd jobs such as newspaper delivery to earn money. He then got a job as a steelworker. He immigrated to Canada in 1957, qualified as a steel director. Kitimat was meant to be the new aluminum capital of the world, but the provincial government vetoed the project, and the workers ended up in Vancouver. He chose to stay, and was involved in several large jobs, such as in the airport hangar. Dennis Gladstone was a friend of his who worked on the Second Narrows Bridge. He retired in 1965. Paternal Grandmother: Maiden name Jemima MacGrath, from south side of Glasgow. She was Catholic, which caused controversy with the Protestant Buchanan family. Paternal Great-Grandfather: Buchanan, came from Ireland. Protestant. Mother: Maiden name Frew. She followed her husband to Canada in 1958. She travelled over by plane, and John stayed on his own in Scotland. Maternal Grandfather: Tommy Frew, from Lanark. Family owned a surface pit. Had a brother and sister; Tommy worked the pit, mining for coal with his father and brother. The brother moved to Buffalo, New York, and sister moved to Falkirk (Glasgow). Maternal Grandmother: Sarah Simpson, from east end of Glasgow. John stayed with his grandmother on many weekends. She was a big stout woman, with a slight, small husband. They were deeply religious and had six children. Maternal Great-Grandfather: William Simpson, slater & plasterer. He lived with his daughter Sarah, and would babysit John as a child. He had another daughter named Jeanie, who had married a well-off man and never had children. John was closer with his mother’s side growing up, although he had Sunday dinners and the odd gathering with his Buchanan family. John jokes he was the “perennial dunce” of the class. He attended Eastbank Academy for primary school, which also had a reputable secondary school. The school used a streaming system, and as he was more interested in soccer (football) than school, he was not in the academic stream. He left school at 15, which was normal. He may have been at a disadvantage, as he was nearly six months younger than many of the children in his class. His first (and favourite) teacher was Ms. MacKenzie. John played soccer at a junior professional level until around age 20. It gave him quite a bit of prestige in the area, being published in local newspapers. He played for the Maryhill Juniors. John and his wife moved into Canada House on May 26th, planning to make a move to Canada; they were allowed to immigrate June 6th, 1960. They rented a small place at 16th & Main. John worked night shift as a cleaner in the Vancouver General Hospital, then later applied with MacMillan-Bloedel, off of Marine Drive & Fraserview Golf Course. He worked for 6 months making sheets of plywood. They returned to Scotland for 3 years, and “grew up” in terms of economic responsibility. Upon return, an Amnesty was declared: those born after the 1st of June, 1939, didn’t have to serve the mandatory 2 years in the Army if they completed a five year apprenticeship instead. His apprenticeship was in the shipwright trade, but he was days short on completing it. Technology had taken over so much of the trade that by the time his apprenticeship ended, it was essentially useless. The shipyards in Scotland were also declining, and still producing ships with technology from the 1930’s. “Britain was going to Hell in a handbasket, and Vancouver became more appealing”. He worked as a carpenter in high-rises, then worked as a door-to-door salesman for 8 or 9 months, reselling “soft goods”. He learned many tactics to “get a foot in the door”. He compared it to milking a cow. He then started his own business as a window cleaner. He learned what people were paying for potatoes, and figured it would make a good business, so he sold them along with his window treatments. His wife also worked and had a very good income. They went into a bank and were denied, and that was when they decided to return to Canada. Moving to Vancouver: They ultimately moved in 1964. Areas like Burnaby were appealing to new immigrants, as they had lots of space. John worked for American Building Maintenance Company on Hastings as a window cleaner, and was laid off after two weeks after the contract was cancelled. He was recommended as a substitute for two weeks to the Burrard building, and ended up staying on for 2 years. He was also the assistant coach for one of the provincial soccer teams; a player named Gary Thompson asked him to inquire about scholarships. John phoned around to the newly created Simon Fraser University, and was passed onto the Athletic Director. He was told there was no plan for a soccer department. A year later, Blaine called Jack, and asked him whether he would like to work as the Pool Manager. John had no experience with pool managing or PDP (teacher training), but after talking it over with his wife, he accepted the position. He had never met anyone that had attended University, and so it was a “great adventure”. He began work with SFU on May 1st 1966. He started in the “bottom ranks”, and took a pool management course. He was surprised to find that the academics he encountered were not very different from other folks. Many people in Recreation were overworked, and there was a “trickle-down” effect in the ranks. However, he became one of the team quickly. The school was expanding quickly, and he became the Equipment Manager, which expanded with the creation of the Kinesiology Department, under Dr. Eric Bannister. PDP became part of the Education department, and a Recreations department was created. John became Equipment Manager for Athletics & Recreational Services, which serviced both realms. He became a union member at this point, which made a substantial change to working conditions & money (early 1970’s). He had often volunteered to assist with Intramural sports. John was taken out for lunch by Dr. Martin Henday at the Caribou Pub, and was asked to work as the Assistant Manager of Recreation. It was an “astronomical leap”. He then became the Manager of the Department of Recreation, which was possible since it was not an academic department. He says today, he wouldn’t get in the front door. It became a large enterprise, getting into summer camps and more. There were very few Recreational activities geared at women to start. John explains that there was a large fuss about women “ruining their hair” with recreation in the 1960’s, which fell away when the popularity of fitness rose in the 1970’s. John began the SFU Soccer Program in 1966 as a Club, through to 1974 when it became a Varsity sport. When it was a club, it was open to all members of the University, including faculty. They played in the Pacific Coast League. He was Head Coach of the team until 1980, and they won a national championship, as well as a Rose Bowl. He was never a full-time coach as he had his job in Recreation, and so he wasn’t paid for this work. He became involved with the North American Soccer League in 1974, as well as a staff coach with the Canadian Soccer Association. He wound up Assistant Coach at the 1978 Olympics. In 1981, the Departments of SFU shifted again, and John was forced to choose between coaching and his position in Recreation. Career-wise, it was an easy choice to retain his Recreation job, as he had a young family at home. To the credit of the people who followed him, SFU Soccer still remains to the time of the interview. They’ve just recently hired the 5th coach of their 50 year span. John was able to do a lot of travelling with the team. In 1983, he left his position at the Department of Recreation. During his time, SFU produced more players for the North American Soccer League than any other University program. He made the “fatal mistake” of picking up a set of golf clubs, and Jack Westover, a golf coach at SFU, convinced him to help with reorganizing the program from 1985-1990. Jack went away to qualify for the LPGA and “essentially never came back”. John took the team to the NAIA National Championships 13 times in the next 11 years. John stepped away as the coach. The Golf Program was shut down by the Athletic Director in 2005, after fluctuations in funding. The money spent on Golf was minimal, but it “looked good on paper” to have it cut. Michael Stevenson was upset about the loss, and used the NC2A negotiations as an opportunity to bring the program back, as well as a Women’s golf program. A new Athletic Director was appointed. They asked John to return, but he refused. They are ranked 8th nationally in the NC2A in 2015, out of 200 schools. It can be difficult to recruit women to the team, as they don’t have the same scholarship money to offer as other schools. John was the first inductee into the SFU Hall of Fame in the 1980’s. He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2013, he received an award from Simon Fraser, and in 2014 he received the Chancellor’s Award. It was an honour. He remembers a stranger told him before he took the job at SFU, “A new university is like a new village, it grows”. Wife: Josephine Robson. Met at a dance hall in Scotland, The Glasgow Pally. John fancied the redhead he spotted dancing, who spent some time hiding from him. They were both 17; they had their first date when he was 18, and were married at 20. She passed away in 2004. Father: Joseph Robson, worked in the forge. Mother: Susan, lived to age 91. Her parents came from Ireland. She had an Uncle killed in the First World War. Josephine was 1 of 8: 6 sisters and 2 brothers. Another sister also immigrated to Canada. The oldest daughter Netta is still alive in Parkhead, Glasgow, Scotland at time of interview, and aged 76. The family was Catholic, but a sister named May “broke the ice” by marrying a Navy man who was Protestant. They were a strict family prior to that, and Joseph had cousins in town he had never met because they had been disowned. Miners would show up for “a pitch and toss” and would scrap each other. Their father, Joseph was known to show up to any fight he was paid for. John discusses the tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland at the time. He feels the Catholic Church brought some segregation on itself by pushing for separate school systems. In his upbringing, he went to Sunday school and attended the Church of Scotland. He was also a member of the Life Boys until age 13. He played soccer with the YMCA until age 16. He stopped attended church as a teen, but was married in the same church he was baptised in. His wife was willing to be married in the Protestant church. It was at times an economic decision, as many Protestant men had good jobs through their connections. For example, John’s grandfather was a Freemason, which helped him get a job at the local shipyard. These connections happened without John’s knowledge at the time. His father was also a Master in the Freemason’s Lodge. John first chose to leave Scotland because he was going to be enlisted in the Army. They had to “tiptoe” through immigration, as the police were on the lookout for deserters. Prestwick was the point of departure, and John was the last person to get on the plane. The stewardess asked him to step aside, and he was sure he was going to be caught, but she was actually upgrading them to First Class. They were only here 13 months before returning to Scotland, at which point there was an amnesty put in place where an apprenticeship could take the place of army service. He left the second time for a better life; 40% of the population at that time lived in tenement buildings. John became involved in Simon Fraser University Pipe Band by another happy accident. George Pedersen was the President at the time; a man called Dennis Roberts was the first Information Officer for the University, and was a Scot. He formed the first pipe band to play on behalf of SFU. They put on a performance, and John inherited the equipment from this. Pederson called up John and consulted him as the “expert” on bagpipes – since John was from Scotland. He jokes, “I’m from Glasgow, not from Scotland”. Pederson had many ideas about highlighting the Scottish link in the school’s namesake, which got John’s imagination going. It was agreed that if there were to be a Pipe Band, it would have to be worthy of representing what was then a $200 million dollar institution claiming Scottish heritage. They went forward with that plan; John phoned the Scottish Cultural Association and the BC Piper’s Association; at that time there were only 3 bands in the area – Victoria Place, Triumph Street, and Port Moody. He called Jimmy McMillan, who strongly recommended the Lee brothers, Terry and Jack. As a coach, John was looking for organization & discipline, which they carried. Dr. Ian MacGregor was the Director of Recreation, and worked with John on forming the band and acquiring the brothers. Terry Lee is in the Highland apparel business, and was able to provide information on the cost and standards of dress in bagpiping competitions. The bill to outfit the band at that time was $10000. When John presented the invoice to be approved, he was met with shock, but two weeks later it was approved. The Pipe Band was ultimately part of an attempt to rebrand the school’s image overall, as it struggled with being called “the high school on the hill”, and was considered to be full of “Socialists and Communists”. The Scottish culture became more central to the identity of Simon Fraser University. Martin Henday was able to acquire scholarships for players, which continue to 2015. John was responsible for administration of the band. Once it began to gain prestige, people began to question why the band fell under Recreation rather than Ceremonies, and the change was made. He feels it was “the best ten thousand dollar investment Simon Fraser ever made”. John recalls a time they hosted a Highland Dance competition through Recreation, which was a great success. He was also involved in the 25th Anniversary celebrations of SFU, in which they hosted a Highland Games. It was difficult to charge admissions, as the university could not be closed off; they ran into some other issues, and the plans were ultimately cancelled in favour of the publication of an anniversary coffee table book. John never experienced blatant discrimination based on being a Scottish immigrant in Canada; however, he did hear from an uncle back home that those who chose to emigrate were “deserting the ship” instead of staying to improve things. The same uncle (Jacky) ultimately settled in Australia. He was actually John’s favourite relative, as he was only 12 years older than John. He says it’s common for family back in Scotland to think “you left, and that’s it” – “a subtle alienation”. He still visits some of his mother’s family when in Scotland, usually every 4 years. He and his wife learned not to speak much of their life in Canada, as it could come across as bragging. John has a new grandson named Johnathan Hamish Zen Buchanan (a tribute to Scottish heritage father and Japanese heritage mother). John was a huge fan of Scottish comedians like Billy Connelly, and often played records for his son growing up. Looking back on his life, John would improve his education; it lost him an opportunity to be a Director at SFU. John had spoken to a nephew living in Troon about the referendum for Scottish independence, and found he was very much in favour of it. There seemed to be a divide between the younger and older generations on that issue in John’s experience.
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Date: 2015-02-18

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