With all the activities New Westminster had to enliven special events in the past, one of the favourites was always the riverboat excursion and picnic combination. These might combine a cruise on a sternwheeler, music, a picnic at the destination, lots of fun and games at this same spot, all usually part of a fundraiser for a group or a necessity.
Looking back once more to 1867 in our city, we find such an event put on by the local fire department. The newspaper talked of a “fireman’s picnic” that was to be in aid of the Royal Columbian Hospital. The trip was to be on the vessel Lillooet under Captain Fleming and would venture up river to Derby, just downstream from Fort Langley. Tickets were $1 for gentlemen while ladies and children attended free.
A report on the event started out: “The fireman’s picnic came off yesterday and in every respect it may be fairly said to have been quite as successful as any previous similar occasion.”
The image created by the newspaper article is quite delightful as it portrays what our imaginations might piece together for such a day as people enjoyed exciting things on the river.
It says: “The steamer Lillooet, fluttering with bunting from stem to stern, left her wharf about half past nine a.m. with a large number of townspeople on board and touching at the camp she received another edition.”
In this description, the vessel left the Royal City waterfront and then picked up others at Sapperton. The story progresses up river where Mr. Howeson, a very musically talented gentleman, was taken on board at Maple Ridge, joining the Metropolitan Amateur Band which had been providing the “most charming music throughout the day.”
On reaching Derby, the entire party enjoyed “a feast” followed by lots of play, and then at 4 p.m. the ships whistle summoned all for the trip home which, it turned out, was going to be a bit special in its own right.
Apparently, it had been learned that the governor and his party were returning to New Westminster and would be arriving at the river’s mouth close to the time that the fireman’s picnic group was heading home. So Captain Fleming set course for the mouth to welcome them back to the river and ultimately home at Government House.
On reaching the mouth of the Fraser they did note the steamer they wanted to meet, spotted the governor on board, and “…three hearty cheers for His Excellency and three for Mrs. Seymour were given, the ladies on the deck waiving their handkerchiefs.”
The ships then headed upstream to New Westminster where the Lillooet landed the groups back near the camp and at the city docks. In each case there were lots cheers of thanks, lots of whistles in return from the steamboat, for what had been “a pleasant day and a most agreeable party.”
