27
Bruce Johnstone met Beatrice May Bradley during a winter furlough in Victoria in 1912. Bradley's brother-in-law was the head of the British Columbia Fisheries Department. They were married in the fall of 1913. At that point, Johnstone arranged to sell the hot springs property, and bought a home in Victoria. The sale of the hot springs fell through, and the newlyweds returned to Lakelse Lake in 1915.28
Bruce, Lloyd, and Mae Johnstone in Front of Construction.1920
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on verso reads: 'Mother, Dad + Lloyd, 1920.'
29
Mae and Lloyd Johnstone at Lakelse Lake.1921
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on verso reads: 'Lloyd and Mother, 1921.'
30
From 1916 to 1921, the Johnstones spent the winters in the nearby community of Terrace, where Lloyd attended school.31
Lloyd and Mae Johnstone in Front of House on Eby Street.1921
Terrace, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on verso reads: '1921 - Lloyd Johnstone _ mother at old Eby House now DeJongs.'
32
Lloyd Johnstone with Pet Bear at Lakelse Hot Springs.Early 1920s
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
33
Split-Cedar Plank Walk from Lakelse Lake to Hot Springs.1910-1928
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on verso reads: '"Old porky" was taken over another picket. Walk to HotSprings.'
34
In 1921, Johnstone sold the Lakelse hot springs for a second time, and again tried to relocate to Victoria. Lloyd attended school in Victoria from 1921 to 1928. In 1928, the sale once again defaulted, and the family resumed operating the lodge during the tourist season.35
Mae and Bruce Johnstone.1920-1921
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on front reads: 'MOTHER + DAD. 1921. VICTORIA. BC.'
Caption on verso reads: 'Bruce + May Johnstone. Taken in 1920.'
36
The resort pictured in the 1921 brochure of the Lakelse Hot Springs, Ltd. included a hotel complex, private lakeview lots, tennis courts, and ample facilities for a rustic but comfortable summer vacation. 'Lakelse offers more attractions to the tourist, holiday seeker and sportsman than any resort in existence,' the Edmonton-based development company crowed to potential investors. Like later developers of the hot springs property, the group had grand plans. It is unclear whether Lakelse Hot Springs, Ltd. was the group that purchased the hot springs property from Johnstone in 1921 and later defaulted on the sale. Alternatively, or perhaps simultaneously, this group could have been the Grand Trunk Pacific-financed company that several early settlers remember trying to negotiate with Johnstone. Floyd Frank recalled that railway officials offered Johnstone increasing sums of money for the property, envisioning a Jasper-scale resort community. Johnstone was said to have maintained that he would only accept their 'good offer' if he could manage any hotel that was developed. This seems unlikely, since Johnstone had tried to sell the hot springs property twice by 1921 in order to move his family south to a community with larger schools and more amenities.37
Proposed Hotel at Lakelse Hot Springs, Excerpted from a Promotional Brochure.1921
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
38
The original lodge at the Lakelse hot springs burned down in 1936.39
Original Lodge at Lakelse Hot Springs.1922
Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Caption on verso reads: 'Old Hotel at Hot Springs. Lakelse Lake. 1922.'
40
Bruce Johnstone catered mostly to people with rheumatism and arthritis. The Lakelse Hot Springs was also frequented by commercial fishermen from Prince Rupert. |
 |
 |
 |