Ladysmith, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Ladysmith is a town located on the 49th parallel
Circle of latitude
A circle of latitude, on the Earth, is an imaginary east-west circle connecting all locations that share a given latitude...
on the east coast of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The local economy is based on forestry, tourism and agriculture. A hillside location adjacent to a sheltered harbour form the natural characteristics of the community.
, the population was 7,538. The area of the town was 8.43 square kilometres. Total private dwelling
Dwelling
Dwelling, as well as being a term for a house, or for living somewhere, or for lingering somewhere, is a philosophical concept which was developed by Martin Heidegger. Dwelling is about making yourself at home where the home itself is a building that is a house...
s were 2,833. Population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 828.5 people per square kilometre.
Ladysmith is also known for its annual Festival of Lights in which the entire commercial sector and many homes are decorated with strings of colourful lights for six weeks in celebration of Christmas. It is also known for its local Summer Celebrations, called Ladysmith Days, which was once one of the premiere logging sports venues in North America before the decline of the logging industry.
History
Ladysmith was founded by James DunsmuirJames Dunsmuir
James Dunsmuir was a British Columbian industrialist and politician. Son of Robert Dunsmuir, he was heir to his family's coal fortune. The Dunsmuir family dominated the province's economy in the late nineteenth century and were a leading force in opposing organized labour...
in about 1898, a year after he built shipping wharves for loading coal at Oyster Harbour. Dunsmuir, owner of coal mines in the Nanaimo area, needed a location to house the families of his miners. He chose to build the community at Oyster Harbour, some twenty miles south of his Extension, British Columbia mines. Many buildings were moved from Extension and Wellington
Wellington, British Columbia
Wellington is the name of a north Nanaimo, British Columbia neighbourhood, which was once the town of Wellington. The community was named for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington....
by rail and by oxen. The Town of Ladysmith was incorporated June 3, 1904.
The town was named in honour of the British victory in a battle during the Second Boer War in Ladysmith, South Africa, which in turn was named after Juana María de los Dolores de León Smith also known as Lady Smith, the Spanish wife of Sir Harry Smith
Harry Smith (army)
Lieutenant General Sir Henry George Wakelyn Smith, 1st Baronet of Aliwal GCB , known as Sir Harry Smith, was a notable English soldier and military commander in the British Army of the early 19th century...
, the British Governor of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
at the time.
Dunsmuir thought this would be a fitting tribute at the conclusion of the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. In addition to commemorating the end of the war by naming his town after Ladysmith, Dunsmuir also chose to name the streets of the community after generals who fought victoriously in the Boer War. Included in this honour are Generals Buller
Buller
-People:* Sir Edward Buller, 1st Baronet * James Buller , British politician* Sir Francis Buller, 1st Baronet * Charles Buller , English politician* Walter Buller , New Zealand ornithologist...
, Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
, Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, Methuen
Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Field Marshal Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British military commander.-Early life:...
and Symonds
Symonds
-People:*Alan Symonds , American theatre technical director*Andrew Symonds , Australian cricketer*Charles Symonds , English neurologist*Chas Symonds , English boxer*Craig Symonds , American historian...
. In addition, the town has left intact much of its original architecture, from the time of its initial founding. Surrounding features also bear the names of this era, such as Majuba Mountain. The local High-School Album published every year by the graduating class is called Spion Kop ("spy hill" in Afrikaans) in commemoration of the Battle of Spion Kop, site of a famous engagement and defeat by Boers of British troops during the Second Boer War.
Ladysmith has been notable in the history of the labour movement with significant unrest and violence during the big strikes of 1913–14 era. During this time militia were dispatched to put down unrest and protect property.
Notable residents
- Parents of Ben WheelerBen Wheeler (Canadian doctor)Ben Wheeler was a Canadian doctor in the British Army stationed in Singapore in 1942 when British forces unconditionally surrendered to the Japanese. He had a central role in keeping up the spirits and the health of British and Commonwealth soldiers subjected to harsh treatment while prisoners of...
, a Canadian doctor and war hero. - Pamela AndersonPamela AndersonPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
, a Canadian actress and Playboy Playmate. - Stef LangStef LangStef Lang is a Canadian singer, songwriter, producer and performer who resides in Vancouver, BC. Originally from the small town of Ladysmith, BC found on Vancouver Island, Lang moved to Vancouver at 17 to pursue her musical career. Lang played every pub, bar, club and café she could, meanwhile...
, a Canadian singer, songwriter, producer and performer.