Angus E Chilton's business card

Many soldiers returning to Canada after the First World War had very little time to re-adjust to civilian life.  Some returned to family farms or former employers while others chose to start their own business.

The 1921 Victoria City Directory reveals that more than a few put their Veteran status to good use.  This included the Veteran Auto Painting Works, Veteran Electric Co., Veteran Plumbing Co., Veterans New and Second-hand Store, Veterans Painting Co., Veterans Products Co. Ltd. and the Veterans Sightseeing & Transportation Co. Ltd..

Veterans Sightseeing & Transportation opened for business at 740 Yates Street in 1921, under the management of C M Roberts. By 1922, a former motor driver and veteran, Angus Everet Chilton was managing the business and it is his card that I’m featuring here.

Veterans' Tours brochure

By 1923 they had moved their office one door down to 742 Yates Street and were under the management of H L Sangster, who would run the business for more than 20 years.

The brochure featured here dates from 1925 or 1926 and promotes the company’s many special excursions. In addition to a 2-hour city tour they offered The Famous Land and Water Trip that included a drive over the Malahat Mountain, a ride on the Mill Bay Ferry and a visit to both Butchart Gardens and the Dominion Observatory.

In 1928 a second company, Blue Line Tours was opened and managed by Sangster until 1946 when Blue Line Transit (as it was by then known) was acquired by BCER.

For more scans of both items check out my Veteran’s Sightseeing & Transportation set on Flickr.

B&B reservations have been down a bit (hence our Summer Special – 10% discount on two nights or more) so I left before breakfast despite a yearning for more sleep and headed the short distance to Brentwood Bay. I was to start the day with my first kayaking experience and later do some hiking.

I met Peter of Pacifica Paddle who showed me the ropes, sort of.  Some recent guests had had a good tour with Pacifica and I knew the waters to be quite sheltered so felt reasonably comfortable about this first time. I became totally confident about setting off with Peter whose calm professionalism allayed any fears. After kitting up (first time I’ve worn a skirt!) we put out a kayak and I gingerly stepped aboard for some instruction. It was a bit wobbly at first but later I realised that that was the only time, once out it was “plain sailing”.

Launching out there was an instant feeling of calm and relaxation: I’d left the world behind. Occasional instructional comments fitted into easy conversation. I remember Peter asking an odd question “How often have you changed the wheel of a car?”. “Never” I replied. “Well, that’s about as often as a kayak tips over”.