BPM Annual Report 2024

2024 Bralorne Pioneer Museum
Annual Report

A Message from the Board
2024 brought a measure of calm and "getting back to normal" for the community and operations at the Museum.
The life of our staff member, Janis Irvine, continued in an incredibly disrupted fashion having lost her home in the
Downton Lake Wildfire in 2023. Despite this, Janis has continued on at the Museum with commitment and
continuing to learn about the history of the upper Bridge River Valley. Thank you so much Janis.
The collection management program has continued on and based on the Deeds of Gifts we have built trust with the
people whose lived their lives in Bralorne, Pioneer or any other area of the Valley.
The Bralorne Pioneer Museum has been happy to play its part in the recovery of the area by hosting a fund that
assists in the preservation and conservation of assets in the area as a result of the Downton Lake Wildfire.
We wish everyone a very wonderful end of 2024 and a highly enjoyable 2025.
Al Moritz
President
Museum Staff
Janis Irvine
Museum Assistant

Operations & Projects
● Museum opened 4 days per week to the public between May and October.
● 7 th Season operating under the Management agreement between Bralorne-Pioneer
Museum and the BRVCA.
● Maintained Facebook and Instagram accounts.
● Provided monthly submissions to the Mountain Telegraph newsletter.
Visitor Services
• While not back to 2022 levels, visitors to the Museum between Jan - October totaled 312 and
inquiries by people looking for their relatives increased by 50%.
Retail Sales
● Book sales were definitely on the upswing this year with total sales from
all sources totaling $1594.61
● All books at the Museum are immensely popular and sales continue.
Donations
• Donations to our general operating fund rebounded, but not fully
recovered to the 2022 pre fire levels.
• The Great Canadian Giving Challenge was our best fundraising at $3525.
• Other general donations were $834.00
• We also did a fishing raffle which netted $1,160.
• The General Operating Fund had 47 donors.
• The Museum is also housing the BRV Preservation and Conservation fund, dedicated to
preserving and conserving the community.

Collection Management
Working in the Bralorne Pioneer Museum is a pleasure. There is always lots to do when you start to
investigate pictures or items that appear to lack information. But we all know that when we find
information from the past, especially about relatives and others related to your family or even the area where you
live, how rewarding and extra special that feels.
The Museum has donors who continually support the idea of having their history stored forever on our
Past Perfect Program. In one such case the Museum had been given over 250 pictures and supporting
documents of family history, pictures that the Museum did not have, and we are thankful to them for
trusting these items to us for perpetuity. The effort of her doing so much work in passing on these
documents and pictures to the Museum will forever be remembered in her name and those of her relatives
who lived and worked in the valley.
Deed of Gifts were completed for the following donations:
• Family of Stan Savage 1930 era photographs of Bradian Mine and Crews
• Jean Watt – various straight pens, nibs, stamps and ink well from the 1950 era
• David Snow – 150–200-year-old Buckskin leather coat with beading done with porcupine quills
• Norm Gonski’s personal standing radio from the 1940 era
• Harvey Lewis childhood books, clothing, items donated by Phyllis Lewis
Originally found in a gold miner’s home, this picture was
given to the Museum around 1972-73 and we understand a
relative of this little girl had come to the Museum and saw
the picture hanging in the old Museum. It was not until
August of this year that I located her picture as it had no
archive number or accession number. After extensive
research I discovered who this young child was. This is the
child of Delina Noel’s sister, Marie Louise Litalien-
Laventure. She lived between 1881- 1975 and her name is
Violet Mary Hoey. When this picture was posted on
Facebook we received a response stating “That is
grandmother Hoey.” It feels really great when everything
comes together – Janis Irvine, Museum Assistant

This picture was taken by Charlie Cunningham
shortly after the Amalgamation of Bralorne Mines
and Pioneer Mines in 1960 to become Bralorne
Pioneer Mines. The two men standing on the stairs
of the Administration Office are Alan Poole, and
Massee Mitchell.
This is Matt Foster and Emerald McNeil. They are at
Matt Foster's farm on Little Gun Lake between the
years 1934 until the mid 1940’s.
This pictures notes December 13, 1931 as the date of birth of this
little girl and the first baby girl born in Bralorne, Lorna Maki.
Delina Noel was this little girls Godmother.
REMEMBER YOUR PAST LIVES HERE