Biographical data

Biographical Data
Gaudin, James Photo Credit: Unknown

Biographical Data

Gaudin, James

Photo Credit: Unknown

Title	Captain (MM)
Official Number

Birth	28/01/1839	Death	12/01/1913
Place	Isle of Jersey	Place	Victoria
Area	Channel Islands	Area	BC
Country	UK	Country	Canada

Titles
Honours
Awards
Qualifications

Biography
He apprenticed in English merchant vessels. He served in vessels in the East India and Australia trade to 1865. In 1865 he was the Chief Officer of the barque Prince of Wales. In 1865 he was qualified as a Master Mariner when he began running between London and Victoria to 1881 in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company. He was the Master of the Lady Lampson 1869. Settling in Victoria he was appointed Agent in Victoria of the Marine & Fisheries Department in 1881. In 1881 - 1888 heserved as Government Pilot in Victoria. He married Agnes Anderson at North Saanich. He lived at Isla Villa located at 501 Craigflower Road in Victoria BC. He was a Marine Pilot in 1883 to 1888. In 1888 he joined government service and took command of the Sir James Douglas in the lighthouse service. In 1892 he took command of the Quadra as relief skipper and struck Quadra Rock in Houston Stewart Channel in 05/1892. He was appointed as Marine Agent in Vctoria BC on 09/09/1892-1911. He was the "czar" of the coast for mariners was for many years the Marine Agent who had broad responsibilities for marine affairs and he was also in charge of the lighthouses. He was a Marine Agent from 1892-1911, and was one of the memorable characters in that position. Almost half of the light stations of the coast were constructed during his tenure. Never a lightkeeper himself he was very familiar, from piloting vessels along the Vancouver Island coast, with the importance of lights to shipping. After a busy career as a master of the government vessel Sir James Douglas and as a Victoria Harbour Pilot he became Marine Agent. His extensive knowledge of the coast enabled him to have a unique perspective on the positioning of lighthouses. His knowledge of and concern for the working conditions and well-being of the lightkeepers and their families motivated him to work tirelessly for improvements. The sometimes desperate conditions prevailing at the lights meant that performance and reliability were often affected. However the proposals from Gaudin for improvements often fell on deaf ears in Ottawa. He appointed the lightkeepers usually on the recommendation of politicians. On his visits to the light stations he discovered that ability and political reliability were not often found together in these appointees.

Biography

He apprenticed in English merchant vessels. He served in vessels in the East India and Australia trade to 1865. In 1865 he was the Chief Officer of the barque Prince of Wales. In 1865 he was qualified as a Master Mariner when he began running between London and Victoria to 1881 in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company. He was the Master of the Lady Lampson 1869. Settling in Victoria he was appointed Agent in Victoria of the Marine & Fisheries Department in 1881. In 1881 - 1888 heserved as Government Pilot in Victoria. He married Agnes Anderson at North Saanich. He lived at Isla Villa located at 501 Craigflower Road in Victoria BC. He was a Marine Pilot in 1883 to 1888. In 1888 he joined government service and took command of the Sir James Douglas in the lighthouse service. In 1892 he took command of the Quadra as relief skipper and struck Quadra Rock in Houston Stewart Channel in 05/1892. He was appointed as Marine Agent in Vctoria BC on 09/09/1892-1911. He was the "czar" of the coast for mariners was for many years the Marine Agent who had broad responsibilities for marine affairs and he was also in charge of the lighthouses. He was a Marine Agent from 1892-1911, and was one of the memorable characters in that position. Almost half of the light stations of the coast were constructed during his tenure. Never a lightkeeper himself he was very familiar, from piloting vessels along the Vancouver Island coast, with the importance of lights to shipping. After a busy career as a master of the government vessel Sir James Douglas and as a Victoria Harbour Pilot he became Marine Agent. His extensive knowledge of the coast enabled him to have a unique perspective on the positioning of lighthouses. His knowledge of and concern for the working conditions and well-being of the lightkeepers and their families motivated him to work tirelessly for improvements. The sometimes desperate conditions prevailing at the lights meant that performance and reliability were often affected. However the proposals from Gaudin for improvements often fell on deaf ears in Ottawa. He appointed the lightkeepers usually on the recommendation of politicians. On his visits to the light stations he discovered that ability and political reliability were not often found together in these appointees.

Military Service

Vessels Owned	Rover of the Seas
Aircraft Flown
Named Features	Gaudin Point (BC). Gaudin Pasage (BC). Gaudin Rock (BC).

Anecdotes

References
Walbran, Captain John T. (1909); Lugrin, N. deB. (1928); Appleton, Thomas E. (1970); E.W. Wright (ed.) 1967; Victoria City Directory (1908); Dalzell, Kathleen E. (1973); Wright, E.W. (ed.) (1895 reprinted 1967);
Last update
2010-11-27 00:00:00

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Biographical Data

Gaudin, James