Pioneer West Coast Steamship Captain.
William Irving was a steamship captain and entrepreneur in Oregon, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada. The Irvington neighbourhood in Portland, Oregon is named in his honour and in New Westminster, British Columbia his home, "Irving House", is now a heritage site. He was one of the earliest pioneers of steamer travel in the Pacific Northwest and is remembered as one of the most successful and popular captains of the era.
In 1859, William Irving and his family moved to Victoria where he became a partner in the Victoria Steam Navigation Company and built two stern wheelers, the Governor Douglas and the Colonel Moody to serve between New Westminster and Victoria. However, Irving did not have a monopoly on the route and rate wars soon erupted between him and his main rival, Captain William Moore who was running his Henrietta on the same route.
By 1860, when the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush was starting to decline, more than a dozen stern wheelers were working in the on the Fraser River between New Westminster, Fort Hope and Port Douglas and more were arriving from American waters or were being built locally. In 1862, news of the gold strikes in the Cariboo Gold Rush brought 4,000 miners to the area and the rate wars began anew. Irving sold his boats to John Wright and William Moore left to go work on the Stikine River, briefly putting an end to their rivalry. Irving immediately had another stern wheeler built, the Reliance and was kept busy shipping miners and supplies to Yale where they could travel on the nearly completed Cariboo Wagon Road to the goldfields at Barkerville.
In 1863 and 1864 rate wars erupted again when Irving's old rival, Moore returned from the Stikine River, rich with profits and ready to take on the new Reliance with his Flying Dutchman and Alexandra. Nevertheless, Irving managed to keep most of his customers and Moore claimed bankruptcy and his boats were taken from service.
Captain William Irving moved his family to New Westminster, into their new house at 302 Royal Avenue, on August 5, 1865. This house is preserved as Irving House and is the oldest intact house in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
By 1865, there were only four stern wheelers on the lower Fraser River, Irving's Reliance and Onward and Captain Fleming's Lillooet and Hope.
The two captains agreed to run their stern wheelers on alternate years and take an equal share of the profits.
1871 was the year that British Columbia went from being the Colony of British Columbia and became a province in the Dominion of Canada, an arrangement that included the promise of a railway constructed to the coast. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway would breathe new life into the area and make the faltering river trade profitable again.
Tragically, William Irving would not live long enough to enjoy the prosperity of this new era. He died on August 28, 1872 at New Westminster. On the day of his funeral all of the flags in town were flown at half-mast and all of the stores were closed.
William Irving was a steamship captain and entrepreneur in Oregon, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada. The Irvington neighbourhood in Portland, Oregon is named in his honour and in New Westminster, British Columbia his home, "Irving House", is now a heritage site. He was one of the earliest pioneers of steamer travel in the Pacific Northwest and is remembered as one of the most successful and popular captains of the era.
In 1859, William Irving and his family moved to Victoria where he became a partner in the Victoria Steam Navigation Company and built two stern wheelers, the Governor Douglas and the Colonel Moody to serve between New Westminster and Victoria. However, Irving did not have a monopoly on the route and rate wars soon erupted between him and his main rival, Captain William Moore who was running his Henrietta on the same route.
By 1860, when the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush was starting to decline, more than a dozen stern wheelers were working in the on the Fraser River between New Westminster, Fort Hope and Port Douglas and more were arriving from American waters or were being built locally. In 1862, news of the gold strikes in the Cariboo Gold Rush brought 4,000 miners to the area and the rate wars began anew. Irving sold his boats to John Wright and William Moore left to go work on the Stikine River, briefly putting an end to their rivalry. Irving immediately had another stern wheeler built, the Reliance and was kept busy shipping miners and supplies to Yale where they could travel on the nearly completed Cariboo Wagon Road to the goldfields at Barkerville.
In 1863 and 1864 rate wars erupted again when Irving's old rival, Moore returned from the Stikine River, rich with profits and ready to take on the new Reliance with his Flying Dutchman and Alexandra. Nevertheless, Irving managed to keep most of his customers and Moore claimed bankruptcy and his boats were taken from service.
Captain William Irving moved his family to New Westminster, into their new house at 302 Royal Avenue, on August 5, 1865. This house is preserved as Irving House and is the oldest intact house in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
By 1865, there were only four stern wheelers on the lower Fraser River, Irving's Reliance and Onward and Captain Fleming's Lillooet and Hope.
The two captains agreed to run their stern wheelers on alternate years and take an equal share of the profits.
1871 was the year that British Columbia went from being the Colony of British Columbia and became a province in the Dominion of Canada, an arrangement that included the promise of a railway constructed to the coast. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway would breathe new life into the area and make the faltering river trade profitable again.
Tragically, William Irving would not live long enough to enjoy the prosperity of this new era. He died on August 28, 1872 at New Westminster. On the day of his funeral all of the flags in town were flown at half-mast and all of the stores were closed.
Pioneer West Coast Steamship Captain.
William Irving was a steamship captain and entrepreneur in Oregon, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada. The Irvington neighbourhood in Portland, Oregon is named in his honour and in New Westminster, British Columbia his home, "Irving House", is now a heritage site. He was one of the earliest pioneers of steamer travel in the Pacific Northwest and is remembered as one of the most successful and popular captains of the era.
In 1859, William Irving and his family moved to Victoria where he became a partner in the Victoria Steam Navigation Company and built two stern wheelers, the Governor Douglas and the Colonel Moody to serve between New Westminster and Victoria. However, Irving did not have a monopoly on the route and rate wars soon erupted between him and his main rival, Captain William Moore who was running his Henrietta on the same route.
By 1860, when the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush was starting to decline, more than a dozen stern wheelers were working in the on the Fraser River between New Westminster, Fort Hope and Port Douglas and more were arriving from American waters or were being built locally. In 1862, news of the gold strikes in the Cariboo Gold Rush brought 4,000 miners to the area and the rate wars began anew. Irving sold his boats to John Wright and William Moore left to go work on the Stikine River, briefly putting an end to their rivalry. Irving immediately had another stern wheeler built, the Reliance and was kept busy shipping miners and supplies to Yale where they could travel on the nearly completed Cariboo Wagon Road to the goldfields at Barkerville.
In 1863 and 1864 rate wars erupted again when Irving's old rival, Moore returned from the Stikine River, rich with profits and ready to take on the new Reliance with his Flying Dutchman and Alexandra. Nevertheless, Irving managed to keep most of his customers and Moore claimed bankruptcy and his boats were taken from service.
Captain William Irving moved his family to New Westminster, into their new house at 302 Royal Avenue, on August 5, 1865. This house is preserved as Irving House and is the oldest intact house in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
By 1865, there were only four stern wheelers on the lower Fraser River, Irving's Reliance and Onward and Captain Fleming's Lillooet and Hope.
The two captains agreed to run their stern wheelers on alternate years and take an equal share of the profits.
1871 was the year that British Columbia went from being the Colony of British Columbia and became a province in the Dominion of Canada, an arrangement that included the promise of a railway constructed to the coast. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway would breathe new life into the area and make the faltering river trade profitable again.
Tragically, William Irving would not live long enough to enjoy the prosperity of this new era. He died on August 28, 1872 at New Westminster. On the day of his funeral all of the flags in town were flown at half-mast and all of the stores were closed.
William Irving was a steamship captain and entrepreneur in Oregon, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada. The Irvington neighbourhood in Portland, Oregon is named in his honour and in New Westminster, British Columbia his home, "Irving House", is now a heritage site. He was one of the earliest pioneers of steamer travel in the Pacific Northwest and is remembered as one of the most successful and popular captains of the era.
In 1859, William Irving and his family moved to Victoria where he became a partner in the Victoria Steam Navigation Company and built two stern wheelers, the Governor Douglas and the Colonel Moody to serve between New Westminster and Victoria. However, Irving did not have a monopoly on the route and rate wars soon erupted between him and his main rival, Captain William Moore who was running his Henrietta on the same route.
By 1860, when the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush was starting to decline, more than a dozen stern wheelers were working in the on the Fraser River between New Westminster, Fort Hope and Port Douglas and more were arriving from American waters or were being built locally. In 1862, news of the gold strikes in the Cariboo Gold Rush brought 4,000 miners to the area and the rate wars began anew. Irving sold his boats to John Wright and William Moore left to go work on the Stikine River, briefly putting an end to their rivalry. Irving immediately had another stern wheeler built, the Reliance and was kept busy shipping miners and supplies to Yale where they could travel on the nearly completed Cariboo Wagon Road to the goldfields at Barkerville.
In 1863 and 1864 rate wars erupted again when Irving's old rival, Moore returned from the Stikine River, rich with profits and ready to take on the new Reliance with his Flying Dutchman and Alexandra. Nevertheless, Irving managed to keep most of his customers and Moore claimed bankruptcy and his boats were taken from service.
Captain William Irving moved his family to New Westminster, into their new house at 302 Royal Avenue, on August 5, 1865. This house is preserved as Irving House and is the oldest intact house in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
By 1865, there were only four stern wheelers on the lower Fraser River, Irving's Reliance and Onward and Captain Fleming's Lillooet and Hope.
The two captains agreed to run their stern wheelers on alternate years and take an equal share of the profits.
1871 was the year that British Columbia went from being the Colony of British Columbia and became a province in the Dominion of Canada, an arrangement that included the promise of a railway constructed to the coast. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway would breathe new life into the area and make the faltering river trade profitable again.
Tragically, William Irving would not live long enough to enjoy the prosperity of this new era. He died on August 28, 1872 at New Westminster. On the day of his funeral all of the flags in town were flown at half-mast and all of the stores were closed.
Inscription
Capt. W. Irving
Born Scotland Died August 28, 1872
Aged 56 Years
IRVING
Family Members
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