Suitcase Travelers: Indian Immigrants

1920s to 1930s

Population of Pitt Meadows: 800 people (1931)

Unfortunately, during this time Indian immigrants were treated poorly. They were seen as less than British subjects, due to colonialism and racist ideologies. A lot of them were following family who had arrived earlier and had sent back enough money for the rest of them to join and help with the new family farms. These people were leaving behind the comfort of the known, to travel into an unknown world, and most had never even left their birthplace.

How they would have gotten to Pitt Meadows during this time

In the early 20th century the trip from India to Canada would have taken around 45 to 60 days! You would travel by train to Calcutta, take a boat from Calcutta to Hong Kong, and then a boat from Hong Kong to Canada. It was a lot of waiting for ships to come and allow you to get passage, as many immigrants recall that there were no passenger ships at the time from Calcutta to Hong Kong and you had to wait for a freight ship to take you! The living conditions on these ships weren’t ideal. You would also bring your food onto these ships, so the smell of everyone’s cooking would linger on the decks where everyone cooked. When in Hong Kong, you would have to wait for clearance to continue to go onto Canada and this would take months! This was because there was no Canadian Immigrant office in India, all that had to be dealt with in Hong Kong. CPR operated the Empress Passenger Line, a group of four ships that would take you from Hong Kong to Canada (there were other stops on the way like Tokyo, Nagasaki, and Honolulu). Groups of immigrants would travel in groups to help ease the unfamiliarity with the familiar (Indian families would find other Indian groups, Chinese families would find other Chinese groups for example).

Unfortunately, in an attempt to refuse Indian immigrants into Canada, immigration officers could block entry to anyone they wished. A way they would do this came into effect in 1908, the continuous passage provision where an immigrant would have to travel to Canada on one continuous journey from their homeland. There was no way for this to happen as there was no way to get from India to Canada directly. The greatest example of this racism would occur with the Komagata Maru which had sailed from Hong Kong to Canada with 376 prospective immigrants. The ship was left in the harbour for two months and was forced to return to Asia. By the 1920s, the wives and children of South Asian Canadians were allowed to immigrate again, although this was a small number of immigrants, and didn’t allow any new immigrants who couldn’t do the continuous passage into the country.

History of Pitt Meadows during that time

Pitt Meadows in the 1920s was a period of growth and formation. In 1921 the Women’s Institute formed and started over forty years of community involvement, and the Struthers family purchased the General Store building (now the Museum). In 1922 the Community Church Society formed and bought the 7th day Adventist church (the Community Church). In 1928, Pitt Meadows got electric lights by May and the recreation hall construction is well underway. By the 1930s the depression hits and impacts local farmers. The Municipal Hall (Heritage Hall) was burned to the ground, and the community rallied to rebuild it in 1931. The Lougheed Highway was completed in 1931, the Royal Oak was planted by the Hall in 1937, the library van started up in 1931, and the Athletic Association was formed in 1938. During this period, Pitt Meadows citizens are still mostly farmers and the population is still very small.

What they would have brought with them

Indian immigrants were required to have at least $200 to come into the country as that was part of the new laws in place (European immigrants only needed $25). This group would have also brought their faith into the new country, Hinduism and Sikhism. They would have brought in different ideologies than previous immigrant groups, as our ideologies are based on what we know and experience. The clothing they would have brought would have been different from traditional European clothing. They would be wearing items like turbans, sarees, lungis, and many other items that would have helped them connect back to their homeland.

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The Banns family arrived in Pitt Meadows during this time in 1929. What follows is a small history of the family.

Banns Family History

The Banns family was very influential in Pitt Meadows. Many of us have fond memories of the family, and they are still very prevalent in the community. The Banns family was one of the first South Asian immigrants to settle in our community.

Thakar Singh Banns came over by boat in approximately 1913, then we went back to India in 1921 and had a son Rattan was born in Hardespur in 1923 with his wife Swarn Kaur and then he came out to Canada that year. Their son Minter was born in 1924, daughter Bunt was born in 1927, son Teja was born in 1929, daughter Ruttan was born in 1931 and son Stoke was born in 1934. The family lived in Dollarton (North Vancouver) when they arrived, but they moved to Pitt Meadows in 1929. Thakar purchased the first farm on Ford Road (40 acres) and some more acres on McTavish Road (10 acres). The family would acquire more than 100 acres along Windsor Road in the intervening years for the Dairy farm. In 1944 he built the big barn and big house on the farm. Sadly, his son Rattan passed away from Tuberculosis in 1945 at 21 years old. He would operate a large dairy farm on the Windsor Road land and was a contractor with the B.C. Forest Products. Minter would work alongside his father at the Hammond Mill and made many lifelong friendships. In 1952, Thakar purchased 80 acres on Dominion Avenue, and in 1953 he purchased 50 acres at the end of Windsor Road along the Fraser River. Sadly, on May 31st, 1957, Thakar would die of a heart attack at home. Swarn Kaur would pass away years later in 1971.

The family would build Poco Valley Golf and Country Club on the Dominion Avenue land in 1971 and sell it in 1978. The golf course was a lot of work with building and maintenance and was done by the family.

Although Thakar and Swarn have long since passed away, the family and legacy they left behind continue to thrive in Pitt Meadows. The Banns family have continued serving our community, and leaving their legacy behind that we all look at with fondness.

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All immigrants have struggled, worked hard, and sacrificed to build their lives here in Canada. The fear of leaving the known for a promise of a better life is what keeps one going, it's all about hope.

Culture Days 2024.