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|   Julie LawsonA native of Victoria, where Emily: Across The James Bay Bridge is set, Julie Lawson has written a number of books for young readers. Find out about her fascination with Chinese immigrants and the 1800s in her chat with www.ourcanadiangirl.ca. Q: Why did you decide to write about Victoria at the end of the 1800s? A: As a third-generation Victorian (fourth-generation on my father's side), I have always been interested in the history of Victoria. When I was approached about this series, I was in the process of moving from the country into the city, specifically to James Bay, one of the first residential areas of Victoria. I decided to set my story here so that I could "follow in Emily's footsteps." The layout of the streets is much the same as it was a hundred years ago; many homes from the late 1800s have been restored; Beacon Hill Park, the Inner Harbour and the waterfront are all within walking distance -- as is the school Emily attended. Q: What kind of research did you do to find out about the world Emily and Hing lived in? A: I spent hours in the BC Provincial Archives looking at photographs and reading newspapers and other documents of the period. A valuable resource was the 1897 edition of Business Records of BC that includes a city directory and an overview of the 1896 economic situation. I also took guided tours in three heritage homes, that are now museums: Emily Carr House (the home of the artist and writer), Helmcken House (home of pioneer Dr. Helmcken) and Point Ellis House (home of early settlers). These homes give a hands-on taste of what life was like back then. Four books that proved especially helpful are More English than the English: A Very Social History of Victoria by Terry Reksten; The Forbidden City within Victoria: Myth, Symbol and Streetscape of Canada's Earliest Chinatown by David Chuenyan Lai; Camas Chronicles of James Bay, a collection of reminiscences and anecdotes by some of Victoria's earliest residents, and A Victorian Tapestry, a compilation of conversational impressions of Victoria from the 1880s until the First World War. The views and observations expressed by the residents interviewed in A Victorian Tapestry, as well as the descriptions of their life in the late 1890s, inspired some of the incidents related in Emily's story. I also did extensive research on the history of the Chinese who came to BC in the 1880s to work on the CPR. Q: What do you think was most different about life in that time? A: I think it was the lack of labour-saving devices -- washers and dryers, microwaves, calculators, computers, private vehicles for transportation. People didn't have television or video games for passive entertainment; instead they had to rely on their own resources for entertainment, such as singing around the piano. I find it ironic that nowadays, with such an abundance of labour-saving devices, we still complain about having too much to do and so little time. You'd think life would be easier! Q: Do you think that Emily would be a very different person if she were alive today? A: Emily is spirited and resourceful, qualities that would serve her well today. She also has a sense of right and wrong, and a growing awareness of injustice. We've come a long ways in terms of racial integration and acceptance, and Victoria today has a rich cultural diversity. Today, Emily would likely have classmates and friends from any number of ethnic groups, including the Chinese. Q: Would you want to go back and live in that time yourself? A: Yes! Provided I could afford to send out the laundry. |
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