The writer is an elderly (67) Masters Candidate in History at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, BC, “BC’s Northern Capital”.
For my Masters thesis, I chose to write on “The Windows of Barkerville”. The Cariboo region was the site of a large gold rush in 1858 that led directly to British Columbia becoming a Crown Colony. The town of Barkerville was founded in 1862, a rough and ready place in the middle of the wilderness, over 700 kilometers north of present day Vancouver (Vancouver did not then exist).
Yet, in this remote location, residents wanted to emulate the conditions they had known before moving. The town had a theater, many stores, residences, and other facilities. With winter often having temperatures in the -40 range and many feet of snow, life was a matter of survival.
Initially, as with many pioneer towns, oiled parchment made from animal skin provided covering for the windows, along with shutters. Soon, however, there arose a need for glass windows.
In 1862, no glass was made on the west coast of North America. Window glass was produced in Europe, especially Great Britain, and the eastern United States.
I AM LOOKING FOR ANY INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY INVOICES, BILLS OF LADING, SHIP CARGO MANIFESTS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND ANY AND ALL MATERIAL RELATIVE TO THE SALE OF WINDOW GLASS FROM BRITISH (OR AMERICAN) GLASS HOUSES TO MERCHANTS ON THE WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICAN, AND ESPECIALLY IN VICTORIA OR NEW WESTMINSTER.
I have found “old glass”, cylinder glass, in five buildings in Barkerville. As the town is built on tailings from mining, the town settles, which in turn means most of the original glass has now been replaced with modern glass. Still, some still exists…
Many thanks for any information, documents, or even leads!