AREA 79 ARCHIVES TIMELINE
The Candy Man was Charlie Welch a non alcoholic who’s life had been marked by tragedy. His wife a top notch candy maker on which they established their business was an alcoholic. Her fight against the illness had ended only with her death in the late 1930’s. From agonizing over her plight, Charlie had learned that somewhere, some place, somehow there was an answer to alcoholism. Charlie kept in touch with family and had learned that his wife’s brother Roland M. had found A.A. in Sacramento and had managed to stay sober for 3 years. He asked Roland if he might visit a friend and hopeless alcoholic Charlie B. in Vancouver.
VANCOUVER CHAPTER 1
Held in the beautiful home of Charlie Welch
4 men were present at the first meeting
after 6 months there were 41 members
9 months later – New Westminster had it’s first meeting
1 year later there were 1341 members
The meeting moved from Charlie Welches home in 1945
Charlie Welch, a non-alcoholic and the man who was most instrumental in bringing aa to Vancouver was nominated and elected a life member of the Vancouver chapter in the capacity of honorary vice-president. Charlie paid for the newspaper ads in the early years until aa became self-supporting.
Many letters were received following the advertisement placed in the Vancouver Sun and Province. This was the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous Chapter 1 in Vancouver
CHARLIE B. (first president of the Vancouver Chapter of AA) was presented with a tribute which expressed the deep appreciation and gratitude for the service he had rendered to humanity.
Fred the owner of the bottle one of the first members in A.A. in the BC/Yukon area decided to pass the bottle from one to another on the honour system. Each one who held the bottle had the honour of passing it on to another who was active in A.A. and felt that he could carry it for a year without opening it. From 1946- 1954, it went from one to another in Vancouvers West End Group. In 1954 it came to the Kamloops Roundup of Alcoholics Anonymous and in 1982 it was presented to the BC/Yukon Area 79 Archives.
This article, written by T.A. Jarvis provided a very positive overview of aa and the 12 steps of the program with the notable comment at the end “….it is the only case in the centuries-old history of medicine in which a successful treatment for a disease has been discovered and put into practice not by outside doctors and research workers, but by the sick people themselves.”
Although the total number of members within the lower mainland chapters is unknown it would seem that they had a fairly healthy bank balance for the times? $13,150.72 was a considerable amount of money in 1947!
Telegram from Bobbie B. to Everett G. confirming a visit by Bill & Lois W.
Example of a roll call page taken from the record book of the Charlie B. chapter. it appears members were “qualifying” as indicated by the “Q” entered after the “yes” beside the third name from the bottom on the oct 17th roll call.
Letter to New York adding another new group. The A.A. Arctics Group in Mayo Landing, Yukon Territory The most Northerly Group in Canada. Around the same time a Loner’s group was formed somewhere off the Alaskan Highway.
1945 – 1949 Groups expanded and flourished
New Westminster Group
Kerrisdale A2 – Still active Today
The founding of Kerrisdale A2 stemmed directly from the earliest A.A. in British Columbia. In 1947, when the “West End” Vancouver’s original A.A. group became too big for the Boilermakers Hall, it splintered into two new groups, Kerrisdale A1 ( later Kerrisdale Men’s) and Kerrisdale A2.
West End Chapter The earliest known group in the B.C Yukon area, Still active today
First Edition of Vancouver newsletter “The Lifeline”…..years later this newsletter became our current “Grassroots” publication
Before the Traditions were ratified Many groups in the BC/Yukon Area adopted these By-laws
New Westminster Chapter West End Chapter Roll Call: The Secretary shall call the roll at the opening of each meeting The member shall answer “Here Yes” if alcohol has been partaken since his last roll call answer, or “Here No” if total abstinence has been maintained. BRITISH COLUMBIA By-laws 1950
A person attends the first meeting as a visitor, for the next three meetings, if he(she) can truthfully declare that during this time he (she) has not partaken of any intoxicating beverage, he (she) will be known as a novice.
During the following four meetings , if he (she) continues their sobriety, then becomes a qualified member and from then on assumes the status of Active Member.
A Novice has neither voice nor vote A qualified Member has voice but no vote Any member partaking of alcohol automatically reverts to his former status Any Officer partaking of Alcohol relinquishes his office and reverts to a qualified member status
Letter to New York reporting on the progress in the area and including a $96 donation from 4 of the local groups:
Centre Group – $7.50
Kerrisdale Men’s – $16.50
Metropolitan – $21.00
North Shore – $51.00
The letter also advised of the start-up of a group in the B.C. Penitentiary
A 12 page booklet publication put out by the BC Penitentiary A.A. group that contains articles by Pen members and friends of Alcoholics Anonymous
Picture taken in front of the original BC Pen *1953. back row: Earle W, bill w, Rev. Bryce Wallace, Father Barry, Alec W. Font Row: Walter B, George S, Jim M, Warden Douglas.
…the doors are open and the coffee is on for the newcomer and the person coming back, regardless of orientation……. (Documented history of the group “Live and Let Live”)
Printed June1978 Revised 1983 Revised 2007
A Reunion for the 25th Anniversary of ICYPAA held in Vancouver was celebrated at the Scandinavian Centre In Burnaby, B.C.
The Story of the effects of the World-Wide Pandemic on Alcoholics Anonymous in BC/Yukon, Area 79 and A.A. as a whole. Volume 1