Thomas Argyle

THOMAS ARGYLE

(1838 - 1919)

Sapper, Lighthouse Keeper, Pioneer, Settler, Loyal Subject

of Her Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain

Thomas Argyle was born in Birmingham, England. As a lad with a strong, adventurous spirit, he joined the Royal Engineers of the British Army and volunteered for service in developing the unorganized territory of New Caledonia, later to become the province of British Columbia.

On April 12, 1859 the vessel Thames City dropped anchor in Esquimalt Harbour. On board that ship, together with 150 other members of the Royal Engineers, was Thomas Argyle. The journey from England had been long and tedious and Thomas helped pass the time entertaining the rest of the men by singing humorous songs. He was a fine singer.

Immediately upon arrival the main body of engineers were sent to Queensborough, (now New Westminster) and set up camp in Sapperton. The next five years were spent surveying land and building wagon roads through the Fraser Canyon to Clinton and the Cariboo.

When the time came to re-embark for England, November 11, 1863, only 15 of the original 150 men went on the ship. Thomas elected, as did most of the men, to stay in British Columbia and availed himself of 150 acres free land grant in what is now East Richmond. Thomas stayed on in New Westminster as Armorer and General Job Smith for about two years before selling his land, and returning to Victoria with wife and three children, where he bought about 180 acres of prime waterfront land at Rocky Point, Metchosin.

In 1867 Thomas Argyle was appointed as Chief Keeper of Race Rocks Light at an annual salary of $630. His wife Ellen was retained as matron at $150 and two assistant keepers were hired at a salary of $390 each for the year. Supplying the station was always difficult as it involved rowing out from Victoria but at least the Admiralty paid up to $900 a year for supplies. The employment conditions for the keeper of Race Rocks were relatively good at this time compared to the situation after 1871 when the new Dominion Government took over the lights. Argyle's annual salary was then cut to a paltry $125 and he was expected to pay for his own assistants and all supplies. Argyle apparently took to the sea to supplement his food supplies. His family had grown considerably as six children were born to the Argyles at Race Rocks. He was known to dive into the frigid waters around the station in search of abalone, scallops and mussels.

It seems that Thomas Argyle's luck suddenly changed in about 1885. The Colonist newspaper reported that he was paying for his weekly supplies in Victoria with gold sovereigns. When Thomas died thirty years later at the age of eighty he had still not exhausted his apparently endless supply of gold coins. It would appear that Thomas Argyle's diving expeditions had resulted in the discovery of sunken treasure. "The sea provides!" Argyle served at Race Rocks for twenty-one years and retired in 1888. One son was drowned at age 19 when returning from Victoria with a friend. Another son Albert took over as temporary keeper until a new appointment was made on January 1, 1889. According to descendants of Argyle they would not allow him to stay on as keeper because he was not married!

(1838 - 1919)

Sapper, Lighthouse Keeper, Pioneer, Settler, Loyal Subject

of Her Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain

Thomas Argyle was born in Birmingham, England. As a lad with a strong, adventurous spirit, he joined the Royal Engineers of the British Army and volunteered for service in developing the unorganized territory of New Caledonia, later to become the province of British Columbia.

On April 12, 1859 the vessel Thames City dropped anchor in Esquimalt Harbour. On board that ship, together with 150 other members of the Royal Engineers, was Thomas Argyle. The journey from England had been long and tedious and Thomas helped pass the time entertaining the rest of the men by singing humorous songs. He was a fine singer.

Immediately upon arrival the main body of engineers were sent to Queensborough, (now New Westminster) and set up camp in Sapperton. The next five years were spent surveying land and building wagon roads through the Fraser Canyon to Clinton and the Cariboo.

When the time came to re-embark for England, November 11, 1863, only 15 of the original 150 men went on the ship. Thomas elected, as did most of the men, to stay in British Columbia and availed himself of 150 acres free land grant in what is now East Richmond. Thomas stayed on in New Westminster as Armorer and General Job Smith for about two years before selling his land, and returning to Victoria with wife and three children, where he bought about 180 acres of prime waterfront land at Rocky Point, Metchosin.

In 1867 Thomas Argyle was appointed as Chief Keeper of Race Rocks Light at an annual salary of $630. His wife Ellen was retained as matron at $150 and two assistant keepers were hired at a salary of $390 each for the year. Supplying the station was always difficult as it involved rowing out from Victoria but at least the Admiralty paid up to $900 a year for supplies. The employment conditions for the keeper of Race Rocks were relatively good at this time compared to the situation after 1871 when the new Dominion Government took over the lights. Argyle's annual salary was then cut to a paltry $125 and he was expected to pay for his own assistants and all supplies. Argyle apparently took to the sea to supplement his food supplies. His family had grown considerably as six children were born to the Argyles at Race Rocks. He was known to dive into the frigid waters around the station in search of abalone, scallops and mussels.

It seems that Thomas Argyle's luck suddenly changed in about 1885. The Colonist newspaper reported that he was paying for his weekly supplies in Victoria with gold sovereigns. When Thomas died thirty years later at the age of eighty he had still not exhausted his apparently endless supply of gold coins. It would appear that Thomas Argyle's diving expeditions had resulted in the discovery of sunken treasure. "The sea provides!" Argyle served at Race Rocks for twenty-one years and retired in 1888. One son was drowned at age 19 when returning from Victoria with a friend. Another son Albert took over as temporary keeper until a new appointment was made on January 1, 1889. According to descendants of Argyle they would not allow him to stay on as keeper because he was not married!