Often when looking back to an earlier community, we take an overview with broad connections and miss out on the many day-to-day details. A number of interesting items stand out in a list of dates from the 1880s because of their role in New Westminster’s economy.
Fabrics are important. You may not be aware of this, but New Westminster once had a woolen mill, and a description in the local newspaper in June of 1888 points to it being a successful enterprise. “Several looms are now running steadily and rapid progress is being made in the alterations and improvements to the other portion of the machinery so that the mill will be turning out cloth, to its full extent, in about a week or eight days.”
This mill was located on Front Street, back from the river, and seems to have attracted much attention over its life.
The short newspaper article concluded: “The fabrics manufactured at this mill are very popular and in great demand, a market is ready for every yard produced. This happy state of things is owing to the excellence of the material used and the care observed in its preparation.”
It would be interesting to know if anyone in this city today has, perhaps in a family collection, an example of the product produced all those years ago on the banks of the Fraser in New Westminster.
When we think of older homes and the various furnishings that frequently come down to later generations, certain items stand out, including bedroom furniture of many styles and composition. A note in the paper in June 1888 refers to a supplier of such goods under the heading of “seasonable furniture.”
“P Peebles has just received a large assortment of ornamental iron bedsteads – Birmingham manufacture – and Dominion wire mattresses, which he invites his patrons to examine. He has also choice sets of parlour and bedroom furniture, carpets, and etc.”
Many families have stories connected to such items and maybe, just maybe, a few of these may have been acquired from Mr. Peebles in his downtown shop.
