"Princess Norah with her dead master" 1929 photo by Ben Leeson
This historical North Island photograph, taken by Ben Leeson in 1929, is entitled "Princess Norah with her dead master." Her dead master was Captain Edward Gillam, who spent most of his career piloting CPR steamships along the West Coast of Vancouver Island route. Gillam worked on the Princess Maquinna and the steamship Tees before taking charge of the Princess Norah. He died while on the bridge of the ship, and is buried in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria. While a Captain on the West Coast Gillam often came to the need of those in distress and provided a much needed lifeline to the outside world. Notably he made a heroic rescue attempt when the Carelmapu ran aground near Long Beach in a horrible storm, but only 5 of the crew of 24 survived. Gillam Channel in Esperanza and the Gillam Islands in Quatsino Sound are both named after him.
Captain Edward Gillam
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