The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 15
January 7, 2011
Valley PIONEER
HISTORY — Pictured, clockwise from left: Peter Bartman as a young boy of one or two years old; Peter’s parents, Reuben and Hattie Bartman, with Peter’s older sister, Anna, before departing to a journey to Eastern Canada; Peter as a baby, sitting on his grandfather’s knee.
... Contiued from previous page Peter’s father Reuben ran the resort for Mr. Holland until some time in the Depression. He leased the property and tried to later buy it when Mr. Holland decided to sell in 1939. But war broke out and ruined the deal, as British assets were frozen all over the world. The papers had been drawn up, but not yet finalized. When Holland died his son Bill inherited the property. He offered Reuben the opportunity to purchase it with a preferred option but because Peter indicated no desire to take over when Reuben retired, other buyers were sought. Reuben facilitated the sale to the Wilders, who further developed Fairmont. After high school Peter worked for Fairmont’s Lloyd Wilder in his mill and then for Estella Mines near Wasa. There was no phone at Wasa and part of his job was to drive to Kimberley each day from the mine and send telegraphs to the office in Vancouver. At the time, shares in the mine were selling for six cents each. This is what used to be referred to as penny stocks. Ernie McFarlene, president of the Royal Canadian
Flying Club Association used to visit Fairmont. Peter told him he wanted to get his commercial pilot’s license. Two weeks later Ernie told the chief pilot for the western division of Trans Canada Airlines (TCA) about this. Peter says, “I was given the opportunity to apply to the airline and they interviewed me and said if I got my license they’d hire me.” He had tried to get into the Canadian Air Force in 1950, but was turned down because he didn’t have high school French. The Korean War was on and they weren’t releasing any pilots from service either. Peter saved money to pay for his flying lessons and was later hired by TCA. They later changed their name to Air Canada. He flew for them for 39 years. Peter married Marilyn in 1964 and they adopted two children, David and Laurie. When their marriage later dissolved, Laurie, who had special needs, remained with Peter. He was flying the Bombay/Singapore run and was often away for two weeks and home two weeks. Good family friends made sure Laurie was looked after and got to school when he was away flying.
Photos submitted by Peter Bartman
Peter lived in Toronto for most of this time. He built himself a 40-foot sailboat and took it to Florida. After retirement he purchased a house there. “I was always looking for crew, as with a boat that size you needed help. I’d take it to the Bahamas every year. I’d met some people who knew some sailors who knew Sandi, who’d been widowed. She needed crew for her boat.” Sandi and Peter married in 2001. The couple has two grandchildren by David, and Laurie married last year is expecting her first child in January. Both David and Laurie live in Mississauga, Ont. This past spring Peter and Sandi went hiking in Italy for two weeks. Then in July they went to the Burnside River, Nunavut, for 12 days to watch the caribou migration. In November and December they traveled in Australia. About ten years ago Peter and Sandi were driving through the valley with their trailer and saw property for sale, purchased it and built a house. They now split their time between Florida and the valley, when they aren’t in other far-flung places.