They came by the thousands to reinvent themselves or simply continue a lifestyle often met with disapproval.
Between 1880 and 1914, a steady flow of upper-class British men made their way to Western Canada, including the North Okanagan. They were single, had few opportunities and, in many cases, their families were willing to send regular cheques to ensure that they didn’t return home.
It was through these allowances that they became known as remittance men.
“With a lot of them, families couldn’t figure out what to do with them in Britain,” said Mark Zuehlke, a Victoria author of his recently released Scoundrels, Dreams and Second Sons.
Zuehlke was born in Vernon and raised in Falkland until his family moved to Summerland and Oliver, where he graduated from high school in 1973.
“I kept coming across stories about remittance men and one that stuck in y mind was of them burning their cabins and heading off to (First World) war,” said Zuehlke, who is best known for his Canadian Battle Series.
“I wondered what kind of lives they led that prompted them on mass to go off to war.”
While many of the Britons looked to settle down and find a place in Canadian society, others were more interested in the good times. Among them was Coutts Marjoribanks.
“He’s probably my favourite. What a rascal he was,” said Zuehlke.
Marjoribanks had been hired by his sister, Lady Aberdeen, to manage the Coldstream Ranch. But he was more frequently going from hotel to hotel in Vernon.
“Marjoribanks loved a grand entrance and so would always come into town on a big black horse called Cap at a clattering gallop, pull up short in front of the Kalamalka Hotel and dismount with a cavalier flourish,” states the book released by Harbour Publishing.
Two others highlighted are Bob Gamman and Guy Ford, who stole a wagon and rode to Okanagan Landing with two cases of whiskey and two barrels of rum before stealing a boat and rowing to Fintry. Once there, they started a fire in August.
“Gamman and Ford narrowly averted starting a wildfire by desperately stamping the spreading flames out. But the danger the fire had posed drew the attention of Fintry’s residents, who came after the two men with a small posse,” states the book.
But despite the antics of a few individuals, most of the remittance men helped establish Vernon, Coldstream and other communities.
“They had a civilizing effect on Western Canada. They brought the baggage of their culture,” said Zuehlke.
“They brought an element of culture that persisted. They were also fun when everybody else was so serious.”
Conformity to societal norms was pervasive, so the remittance men stood out for their independence.
“They wanted to experience new things and be adventurous. They would get into situations and muddle their way through,” said Zuehlke.