Well

Salt Spring Island Archives

Digging Up Old Wells

Following an accident on November 26, 2011, when nine year old Ava Simard fell into an abandoned well in Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park, Joe Benning, Area Supervisor, Saanich/S. Gulf Islands, Ministry of Environment has requested the assistance of the Salt Spring Archives to uncover other potential historic hazards in the area.

Section 3, range 4, at the foot of Mt. Maxwell, behind the Gary Oaks Winery was preempted by James Lunney (Luney) in 1861. The well that swallowed Miss Simard was within that 20.23 hectare (50 acre) parcel. A skid road ran within 5m of the well as late as the 1960’s.

The well was likely dug for a homestead to the South. It is unknown if the well was for pioneer, aboriginal or industrial use. It was surely dug by hand; a work of art with precise stonework lining the 4 meter shaft. The well still holds 2 meters of water. The original dig was probably a 3 meter diameter but the finished well is .6 meters wide.

The well has been capped with plywood and the Parks administration plans to decommission it.

The area between Fulford Harbour and Burgoyne Bay was divided into parcels of approximately 20.23 acres and later many were subdivided. Each presumably had at least one well and most likely more. There are few records about which wells are still in existence, which have been backfilled and which were abandoned. According to Chuck Hamilton of Salt Spring Search and Rescue, the whole Island is dotted with abandoned wells, pits and mine shafts that are overgrown and covered with debris.

The Salt Spring Archives requests information about homesteads that can possibly be linked to wells. Find photos, maps and information at http://saltspringarchives.com/well/. If you can help uncover other abandoned abysses contact info@saltspringarchives.com.

By Gail Neumann

From: "Benning, Joe D ENV:EX" <Joe.Benning@gov.bc.ca>
Date: December 12, 2011 11:37:51 AM PST (CA)
Subject: Burgoyne Bay - Well discovery (origin?)

Just wanted to see if you had any thoughts about a recent well discovered in Burgoyne Bay – a couple of weeks ago it almost resulted in serious injury to a young girl who happened upon it.
This old well is approx 12’ deep with roughly 5’ of water, the walls are dry stacked rock which create a column 2-3’ dia rising to the surface. It’s located about 15’ off an old skid road built in the late 60’s and the opening was covered in forest debris when the girl encountered it – she fell into it up to her waist and luckily stopped herself from falling all the way in by grabbing onto branches, etc... Her father was close at hand to pull her to safety.

The surrounding footprint of this well suggests that the initial dig was about 10’ dia., and the topography falls away fairly sharply to the south – would set up nicely for a line running off the hole at depth & exiting along down slope to supply an old homestead(?) No evidence of line exiting along slope was found.

I’d appreciate any knowledge/opinion you might have on its origin.
Pioneer? First Nations? Old industrial?

I will have to decommission this well in some manner soon to address the public safety concern, so it would be best to know if there is anything culturally significant about the structure before proceeding.

Thanks in advance for any input you may be able to provide.

Joe

Joe Benning
Area Supervisor, Saanich/S.Gulf Islands
Ministry of Environment
Parks and Protected Areas
West Coast Region
2080-A Labieux Rd., Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6J9
Tel: 250-391-2315
Fax: 250-478-9211
email:Joe.Benning@gov.bc.ca

From: Usha Rautenbach <usha@saltspring.com>
Subject: Re: Burgoyne Bay - pioneer well

This well is on the property, lot 3, originally pre-empted by early pioneer Lunney beside Maxwell's lots.
Source 1: My 1874 survey map by Ashdown Green.
Source 2: My later map shows Roscoe's pre-emption subsequently subdivided with North section of Lunney's original lot 4.

Hope this helps. Usha

Lunney, James
Section 3 and 4 on Burgoyne Bay
Pre-emption record           June 18, 1861                     #85
Improvement Certificate June 5, 1875                          #183
Leave of absence     April 25, 1862 – Oct.1862        VM257

Letter sent in the same writing (and spelling!) as John Maxwell's with similar map and description of property. The name is spelt "Luney", land description appears on outside of envelope with date, plus "11 a.m." Mr Morley also lists this property (including the description of Range 2), notes that the land was pre-empted in 1862; on Improvement cert, This may not be for this property; date of pre- emption given as 1862; land clearing, house, barn, fencing etc.; improvements to west end of claim; leave requested April 25,1862 - Oct 1862
50 acres Section 3, range 4 purchased from crown in 4 installments, 1880-1883 of 12.50 each; range 2 section 4 north half payed for cash 50$ in 1880, same crown grant no.; north half payed off in 4 installments 1880-1883. There is another pre emption # 85, Hollins, 1884.

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