Harold Reinhold Svensson 1899 – 1985

My father, Harold Swanson, was born in the family home in Spånga, Hanaskog, Sweden on September 16, 1899. His father had a sawmill business. Eventually the family moved to Agnesberg, also in Hanaskog. His father set up an oak flooring business and raised show horses there. My dad graduated from Malmö Tekniska Läroverk which helped him to get work in Canada. He was well educated and spoke Swedish, German and English which helped him when travelling to Germany on business.The family business eventually went into bancruptcy and the oak flooring business was sold to Tarkett.

In 1929 my Dad and his brother came to Canada by ship and rode the rails. He stopped in Alberta for 2 years to work on a farm and in the forest. In 1931 he rode the rails to Vancouver and Vancouver Island working at a variety of saw mill companies for .42 cents an hour which was a top wage then. He worked with a company installing the first Swedish Ramsågen in the Vancouver area. KomHS technical education he received in Sweden came in handy. During 1941 to 1945 he worked as an engineer at Heaps Engineering, next came Ideal Iron works and finally Dominion Bridge where he worked until 67 years of age and retired. Dominion Bridge stopped making gang saws and only sold parts. I remember my dad had to travel to many states in the south of USA.I remember my dad asking a black person to help him, no problem with his work! I think dad experienced racism first hand.

I remember going on holiday with my dad and mom through BC and having to stop at all the saw mills on the route! Dad met my mother at the Swedish Lutheran church. My brother was born on Vancouver Island, he was the first white baby born in the area. Dad must have been excited , he used Svensson on my brother’s birth certificate! Jack had to change his last name to Swanson later.The family was very active in the Swedish Lutheran Church. My dad was a good friend of Matthew Lindfors and was President of the Swedish Press.

My dad became a board member at the Swedish Canadian rest home in North Vancouver in 1950.My dad served as vice president for two years and two years as president.The mortgage was burnt while my dad was president. The North Vancouver Swedish rest home was evetnually sold to the BC government to make way for roads to the new Second Narrows Bridge. While working for Dominion Bridge, my dad would go out during lunch looking for a suitable acreage for the new Swedish Rest home. He came across a nursery for sale and the rest is history. My dad continued as a board member and served on 3 building committees. After retiring, he would drive up to the home to look after daily business and received a $200 car allowance! In march 1970 he received a special certificate for services rendered signed by C Hagman, president and John Leander, secretary. He carrried on as trustee and voiced his disapproval from time to time.

Written by Glenn Swanson