Forward Harbour facts for kids

Forward Harbour was once a small town on the coast of British Columbia, Canada. It was known as a "cannery town." This means its main business was a factory that canned fish, especially salmon. The town was located in a beautiful area called the Johnstone Strait. This is on the mainland side of Wellbore Channel. It's found to the east of Hardwicke Island.

What Was Forward Harbour?

Forward Harbour was a special kind of town. It was built around a fish cannery. A cannery is a factory where fish, like salmon, are caught and then put into cans. This made it easy to store and transport the fish. Many people lived and worked in towns like Forward Harbour. They helped catch and process the fish.

Where Was Forward Harbour Located?

Forward Harbour was located on the Central Coast of British Columbia. This is a beautiful part of Canada. The town was on an inlet, which is a narrow arm of the sea. This inlet had the same name: Forward Harbour. It was on the mainland side of a waterway called Wellbore Channel. This channel is just east of Hardwicke Island. Other nearby places included Jackson Bay to the north and Heydon Bay to the east on Loughborough Inlet.

How Did Forward Harbour Get Its Name?

Forward Harbour got its name in 1865. It was named after a ship called HMS Forward. This ship was a "gunboat" from the Royal Navy. A gunboat is a small warship that carries guns. Lieutenant Horace Douglas Lascelles was in charge of HMS Forward at that time.

Who Was HMS Forward?

HMS Forward was a ship built in 1855. It was part of the Royal Navy, which is the navy of the United Kingdom. These ships often explored new areas. They also helped map coastlines. Naming places after ships or their commanders was a common practice back then.

Naming Other Places in Forward Harbour

Many other places in the Forward Harbour area were also named after the Lascelles family. This was done to honor them. For example, two points of land were named Florence Point and Cust Point. These names honored Lady Florence Cust. She was the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Harewood. She was also married to Lieutenant Colonel John F. Cust. An "Earl" is a noble title in the United Kingdom.