The Remarkable Adventures of Portuguese Joe Silvey

Ann Turner is the financial and budget manager of the University of
British Columbia Library.

“Portuguese Joe” Silvey was one of the early European immigrants who
came to the wilds of British Columbia around 1850 to find gold but found
instead a new home, a wife, and a livelihood. He settled first in Point
Roberts, then in the area on Burrard Inlet that became Vancouver and
Stanley Park, and finally on Reid Island in the Georgia Strait,
supporting his growing family mostly by fishing. He had 11 children, who
also settled in the area and raised families of their own.

This book was written by noted B.C. historian Jean Barman for two of
Joe’s great-great-great-grandsons who had heard her discussing
“Portuguese Joe” on a CBC Radio broadcast, wondered about a family
connection, and wanted to hear more about him. It is a wonderful example
of the historian’s art: a lively compilation of the family’s own
oral history from the collective memories of the surviving members,
confirmed by the traditional sources for historical research such as
land registries, censuses, and church records. Above all it is a great
story of pioneer life in the early days of British Columbia’s
settlement, well illustrated with historical photographs from family
members and archival collections.