My family and I have lived in Vernon for over 14 years but just this past year have moved into the area known simply as “Harwood”. Being a bit of a hobby historian I thought I would take a look at who was behind this name and quickly find out it was a very notable citizen of Vernon’s early years - Joe Harwood.
Joseph Harwood was born in Hertford, England in 1868 and came to Canada, through the streets of London, at the tender age of 14 with literally only a shilling to his name. Joe was one of the many children known as “Home Children” or “Barnardo’s Boys” – the roughly 100,000 British children who were disadvantaged or orphaned and sent to Canada between 1869 and 1939. Although this movement was likely well-intentioned, it was not without controversy either. However, for Joe Harwood, this movement was something he was always grateful for.
Sean Arthur Joyce writes: “Arriving in Canada illiterate left a deep mark on Joe Harwood. In later years he felt it was his duty to encourage public education in any way possible. He had a natural love of children and it was said he was the only trustee in the board’s history to visit the school every day. “He envisioned equal opportunities for all children, be they rich, poor or middle class,” writes Okanagan historian Mabel Johnson.”
Joe arrived in Canada in 1882 where he worked on a farm near Brandon, Manitoba. From there he worked in railway construction, lived in Calgary for a while as a liveryman and finally found Vernon, the home of his greatest accomplishments, in 1893.
Joe married Marion Bioletti and together they had 5 sons and 2 daughters whom they raised in Vernon. They were married for over 50 years. Mr. Harwood served on the board of Vernon Jubilee Hospital for 20 years and was a strong supporter of the Salvation Army - “The site on which the present Salvation Army Citadel now stands, on 32nd Street and 31st Avenue … was donated by Mr. Harwood”.
Joe also served on the Vernon School Board for 28 consecutive years until he was finally named president of the B.C. School Trustees Association. The Okanagan Historical Society report records that: “In the 1930’s, he was named as B.C. school-trustee-delegate to a great rally of educational authorities in San Francisco, attended by delegates from 54 nations. He took the conference by storm. His photograph, 4 columns wide, adorned the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle, covering the event. "I had no education myself; that's the reason I want to see today's children get one," he said, addressing 7,000 delegates.”
Another local education pioneer, Anna Fulton Cail, tells this story of Harwood: “Then there was the time when Joe Harwood got stuck in a heating grill at Central School (Beairsto) when he was coming to play Santa for the children. I remember there was an air vent in the northeast room. There was a little flag that blew in the breeze all the time. Suddenly, we were expecting nothing, there is a noise and the vent comes off and here appears Joe Harwood. He was a Trustee and he was built like Santa Clause so he didn’t need any padding. Here was Santa coming through the vent. But, I heard afterwards from my Dad that he and Bill English, who was the head maintenance man, were behind and he (Harwood) was stuck.”
A kind and congenial man, Harwood was known as “Sunshine (Sunny) Joe” to the locals. He was a tremendously hard worker and owned many local businesses, was the post master, was active in the local railways and finally, on April 20th, 1950 Harwood Elementary was opened and named in his honour – just a month after he passed away. The neighbourhood now surrounding the elementary school is also known as “Harwood” and for this we should be very proud and grateful.
In closing, the OHSR records again for us: “In giant, well-equipped, adequately lighted and heated schools, (Joe Harwood) …saw the sons and daughters of prosperous people, some of whom stemmed from the British aristocracy, rub shoulders, sharpen pencils and play games, also learn the three R's, with the children of penniless immigrants from other countries, who had come to Canada to seek those very things for which Joe crusaded.”
"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27
Sources and Further Reading:
https://vernonmuseum.ca/ex_anna_cail.html
(OHSR 24:37-43)
https://chameleonfire1.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/barnardos-poster-boys-in-the-west-part-one/
#1 A Child Immigrant from England
Sean Arthur Joyce writes: “Arriving in Canada illiterate left a deep mark on Joe Harwood. In later years he felt it was his duty to encourage public education in any way possible. He had a natural love of children and it was said he was the only trustee in the board’s history to visit the school every day. “He envisioned equal opportunities for all children, be they rich, poor or middle class,” writes Okanagan historian Mabel Johnson.”
#2 Finding Vernon, BC
Joe married Marion Bioletti and together they had 5 sons and 2 daughters whom they raised in Vernon. They were married for over 50 years. Mr. Harwood served on the board of Vernon Jubilee Hospital for 20 years and was a strong supporter of the Salvation Army - “The site on which the present Salvation Army Citadel now stands, on 32nd Street and 31st Avenue … was donated by Mr. Harwood”.
#3 His Love of Education
Another local education pioneer, Anna Fulton Cail, tells this story of Harwood: “Then there was the time when Joe Harwood got stuck in a heating grill at Central School (Beairsto) when he was coming to play Santa for the children. I remember there was an air vent in the northeast room. There was a little flag that blew in the breeze all the time. Suddenly, we were expecting nothing, there is a noise and the vent comes off and here appears Joe Harwood. He was a Trustee and he was built like Santa Clause so he didn’t need any padding. Here was Santa coming through the vent. But, I heard afterwards from my Dad that he and Bill English, who was the head maintenance man, were behind and he (Harwood) was stuck.”
#4 Joe Harwood’s Legacy
In closing, the OHSR records again for us: “In giant, well-equipped, adequately lighted and heated schools, (Joe Harwood) …saw the sons and daughters of prosperous people, some of whom stemmed from the British aristocracy, rub shoulders, sharpen pencils and play games, also learn the three R's, with the children of penniless immigrants from other countries, who had come to Canada to seek those very things for which Joe crusaded.”
"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27
Sources and Further Reading:
https://vernonmuseum.ca/ex_anna_cail.html
(OHSR 24:37-43)
https://chameleonfire1.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/barnardos-poster-boys-in-the-west-part-one/
