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THE HUBERT EVANS STORYHubert Evans was a writer for over 70 years, and has been called "The Elder of our Tribe" by fellow Canadian writer, Margaret Laurence. As well as being a writer, Hubert Evans was also a boat builder and commercial fisherman during the Depression Years. To help supplement his income during this time, his typewriter was put aside for boat building tools and a fishing line. Although many fishing boats were commercially produced, hundreds of people on the West Coast made their own double-ender rowboats from material they could gather together from the beaches and the forests. A handful of these sturdy boats remain. Hubert Evans' boat is one of them. The boat is on display at the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada and it could be used for fishing even today. How did Evans and his family ride out the Depression? This story will look at the life and times of Hubert Evans and his boat building and fishing experiences.
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HUBERT REGINALD EVANS (1892 to 1986) Photo taken c. 1940's1940
Unknown
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Hubert Reginald Evans was born in Ontario in May 1892. His father and mother introduced Evans to the wonders of the outdoors and literature at an early age. Evans writing career started in 1900 at the tender age of 9 when he won a competition to create a limerick to promote tea. He was paid $1.00 for his creation and that was the start of his writing career. Evans enjoyed working with his hands and believed that mental labours should be balanced with physical labour. During his life he was a news reporter, soldier, salmon fisheries officer (eventually a superintendent), writer, boat builder, gardener and commercial fisherman.4
ANNA WINTER EVANS Photo C. 1940's1940
Unknown
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Anna Winter Evans was Hubert Evans soul mate. They believed in the philosophy of travelling light and that material goods were not important. Anna Winter and Hubert Evans met in their early school years in Ontario. Anna Winter received a university degree and was a trained teacher. They kept in touch by letter over the years and were married in 1920. Anna was well read and enjoyed literature. She encouraged Evans to make writing his career.6
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY CREATED BY HUBERT EVANS IN 1977 FOR AN UNKNOWN PUBLICATION1977
Rare Books & Special Collections, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Over the years Evans wrote "sixty serials, two hundred-odd short stories, and about a dozen CBC radio plays". He also wrote numerous books including "Mist on the River" which was inspired by his time living in a Native community in Northern British Columbia. He wrote for a wide range of audience from juveniles to comments on problems of the day. While in his 80's he also wrote three books of poetry.8
ANNA WINTER EVANS WITH DERRY C. 19211921
Near Lakelse, Northern British Columbia, Canada
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Evans had many jobs before he decided to write for a living. In 1921, Evans, his wife and the family dog Derry moved to Lakelse in Northern British Columbia. Evans was to work as a fisheries officer in a salmon hatchery. He would write in the early morning and then canoe to work. Writing in the morning and then working with his hands in the afternoon become a pattern during his writing career. Evans based many of his adventure stories on the family Airedale, Derry and Evans' experiences in the outdoors.10
HAND DRAWN MAP BY HUBERT EVANS A trip on the local built boat ChackChack.1950
Rare Books & Special Collections, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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After living in Cultus Lake and North Vancouver, the Evanses spent a summer travelling the Coast looking for a place where they could build their own home. In the late 1920's, the Evans family found their special place on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia in Roberts Creek. Beachcombing provided the material to build their house. A sizable garden and the ocean provided the meals. The Evanses lived for short periods of time in other locations but they always returned to their home at Roberts Creek.12
Example of one of the numerous magazines Evans wrote for in the early part of his career.1934
Rare Books & Special Collections, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Just before the Depression, Evans was writing fiction articles for 40-50 various magazines and making a comfortable living. He wrote on a broad range of topics. For example, in 1926 he wrote an article predicting the demise of the salmon as well as dog stories in a Girl Scout magazine. He wrote for MacLean's Magazine, The Canadian, The Toronto Star Weekly, American Boy, American Girl, Blackie's in the United Kingdom and even a Swedish magazine plus many others.14
PEN AND INK DRAWING OF DOUBLE ENDER 'SAILING FREE' By Joan Huestis Foster1990
Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives, Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada
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