collection 981.006.0001-00031, 981.008.0001 - Hichens-Smith Fonds

Zone du titre et de la mention de responsabilité

Titre propre

Hichens-Smith Fonds

Dénomination générale des documents

Titre parallèle

Compléments du titre

Mentions de responsabilité du titre

Notes du titre

Niveau de description

collection

Institution de conservation

Code de référence

981.006.0001-00031, 981.008.0001

Zone de l'édition

Mention d'édition

Mentions de responsabilité relatives à l'édition

Zone des précisions relatives à la catégorie de documents

Mention d'échelle (cartographique)

Mention de projection (cartographique)

Mention des coordonnées (cartographiques)

Mention d'échelle (architecturale)

Juridiction responsable et dénomination (philatélique)

Zone des dates de production

Date(s)

  • 1908-1957 (Production)

Zone de description matérielle

Description matérielle

3 v. -- 30 sheets.

Zone de la collection

Titre propre de la collection

Titres parallèles de la collection

Compléments du titre de la collection

Mention de responsabilité relative à la collection

Numérotation à l'intérieur de la collection

Note sur la collection

Zone de la description archivistique

Nom du producteur

Hichens-Smith, Walter (b.1893)

Notice biographique

Walter Hichens-Smith was born in Seattle and signed up as a machinist's apprentice with the B.C. Marine Railway in 1908, completing his apprenticeship in 1913. During these years he also worked as a junior engineer in the survey ship Lillooet and later transferred to the Estevan. From 1917 to 1926 Hichens-Smith was as engineer on the derrick scow at Yarrows Ltd. Thereafter, he worked on several salvage vessels, eventually as Chief Engineer, and was involved in notable jobs including salvage operations on the wreck of SS Princess Sophia.

During World War II, Hichens-Smith was commissioned in the Royal Canadian Navy, eventually gaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He served for three years with naval Control in Halifax as a trouble shooter for all merchant ships sailing in convoy out of that port. He then served as E.O. of the frigate Glace Bay. After the war, he returned to the salvage business, was in deep-sea vessels for a period starting in 1948, but finally served with Island Tug and Barge as Chief Engineer of Sudbury.

Historique de la conservation

Présentation du contenu

Fonds consist of documents relating to the marine service of Walter Hichens-Smith.

1. Photocopy of typed biographical information of Walter Hichens-Smith starting in 1908 when he signed on as a machinist’s apprentice with the B.C. Marine Railway. This appears to have been compiled for Hichens-Smith’s retirement from Island Tug and Barge, possibly in 1957.
2. Continuous certificate of discharge for seaman booklet for Walter Hichens-Smith (born 1893) listing the ships on which he served and ports of discharge during the period of 1913 to 1957.
3. Certificate of competency as first class engineer of a steam-driven ship in a small booklet, dated 3 April 1939.
4. Certificate of indenture of apprenticeship between Walter Hichens-Smith and B.C. Marine Railway for five years beginning 20 January 1908. Includes typed statement on the reverse certifying the completion of his service.
5. Department of Marine and Fisheries certificate of discharge from the CGS Estevan, dated 25 July 1915.
6. Department of Marine Fisheries certificate of discharge from the CGS Estevan, dated 31 December 1915.
7. Handwritten letter of reference signed by John A. Sutherland, engineer of the CGS Estevan, dated 31 December 1915.
8. Typed letter of reference signed by Ramsay’s Machine Works, dated 4 January 1916.
9. Naval Service certificate of discharge from the CGS Lillooet, dated 4 November 1916.
10. Certificate of Competency as third class engineer issued by the minister of public works for the province of British Columbia, dated 6 October 1922.
11. Handwritten letter of reference signed by A. Borrowman, chief engineer, CGS Lilliooet, dated 4 April 1923.
12. Typed letter of reference from Yarrows Limited, dated 14 April 1930.
13. Typed letter of reference from MacFarlane Towning Company Limited for work on the Tug Daring, dated 11 February 1931.
14. Typed letter of reference from MacFarlane Towing Company Limited for work on the Tug Restless, dated 11 February 1931.
15. Typed letter of reference signed by A. Borrowman, Cameron-Genoa Ship Builders Limited, dated 12 November 1916.
16. Certificate of discharge from the M/S Island King, dated 11 May 1934.
17. Certificate of discharge from the M/S Shean, dated 11 May 1934.
18. Certificate of discharge from the M/S Island King. Dated 11 May 1934.
19. Certificate of discharge from the M/S Island King, dated 11 May 1934.
20. Handwritten letter of reference signed by the chief engineer of M/S Shean, dated 26 July 1934.
21. Handwritten letter of reference signed by the master of M/S Tees, dated 13 September 1934.
22. Handwritten letter of reference signed by R. Barclay, Chief Engineer of M/S Island King, dated 3 October 1934.
23. Certificate of discharge from the SS Anyox, dated 7 January 1935.
24. Typed letter of reference signed by the chief engineer and the master of Pacific Salvage Company, Limited, dated 7 January 1954.
25. Certificate of discharge from G.E. Foster, dated 19 September 1935.
26. Typed letter of reference signed by the master of Westward Towing Company Limited, dated 11 October 1938.
27. Typed letter of reference for work on the SS Salvage Queen, signed by the master and supt. Engineer of Island Tug & Barge Company Limited, dated 15 February 1939.
28. Typed letter of reference for work on the SS Snohomish, signed by the master and supt. Engineer of Island Tug & Barge Company Limited, dated 15 February 1939.
29. Typed letter of reference for work on the SS Salvage King, signed by the master and supt. Engineer of Pacific Salvage Company Limited, dated 18 February 1939.
30. Certificate of nationality including photo and finger prints issued at Victoria, BC, dated 12 August 1940. This was a wartime document issued to merchant seamen that entitled the bearer to disembark in US ports.
31. Certificate of service in the HMCS Stadacona, the name of base in Halifax that administered units such the Naval Control of Shipping organization, dated 30 March 1943.

Also includes an Island Tug & Barge brochure titled "Salvage Ships at Work" c. 1954, consisting of photos of company vessels and salvaged vessels.

Zone des notes

État de conservation

Modalités d'entrée

Donated by Mrs. G. Noble on 4 February and 6 February 1981.

Classement

Langue des documents

  • anglais

Écriture des documents

Localisation des originaux

MMBC off-site storage.

Disponibilité d'autres formats

Restrictions d'accès

All requests for use must be made through the MMBC Research Request program (http://mmbc.bc.ca/collections/library-and-archives/research/). Please note that fees may apply.

Délais d'utilisation, de reproduction et de publication

Instruments de recherche

Éléments associés

Éléments reliés

Accroissements

Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

Zone du numéro normalisé

Numéro normalisé

Points d'accès

Points d'accès lieux

Genre access points

Zone du contrôle

Identifiant de la description du document

Identifiant du service responsable de la description

Règles ou conventions

RAD, July 2008, Canadian Council of Archives.

Niveau d'élaboration

Niveau de détail

Dates de production, de révision et de suppression

1 February 2018

Langue de la description

Langage d'écriture de la description

Sources

Zone des entrées