Jardine, Robert Laidlaw

Person

Jardine, Robert Laidlaw

26 Sep 1918 - 27 Mar 2008¹

Robert Jardine was born just over a month after his father was killed in a speeder accident.

His first years was spent in Kelowna. The family moved to North Vancouver about 1919 or 1920 so his mother could work for Thomas Neiland as a housekeeper. (Lizzie and Tom later married, in 1922).

In May 1921 Thomas Neiland moved the whole family up to Alta Lake to start his own logging camp.

At first the family lived in the Alta Lake townsite, but after 8 months they moved down to Thomas Neiland’s first venture at Alpha Lake; logging cedar logs to be exported to Japan. In July 1922 the export log prices of cedar logs collapsed and so did Thomas Neiland, who had to file for bankruptcy.

Tom was not defeated, however. He gained financing under the name of Lizzie Neiland and bought land at 34 ½ mile. In 1923 the family moved into an old logger’s cabin on the property and this became their home for the next 20 or more years.

Bob was one of the students of the first school at Alta Lake, which opened in 1932. Before that he had been taught by correspondence.²

Bob left Alta Lake to join the Air Force in World War 2, he served in Canada as a fireman. After the war he returned to Whistler and worked with Bob Williamson as a lineman (telephone communication) but he was laid off or thought he was going to be so he joined the Air Force again and married Stella, an Air Woman. They were posted all over Canada. Bob and Stella retired to Kelowna. ³

Neiland, Thomas Warren (Jnr) (29 Jul 1922-1995 ¹)

Neiland, Thomas (Snr) ([1870] - 1 Mar 1949²)

Jardine, John Alexander (Jack) (27 Jul 1914¹ - Spring 1999²)

Neiland, Lizzie (24 Feb 1882 - 9 Dec 1984)

Betts, "Jenny" Janet (December 7, 1912 - Aug 1, 2003)

¹Family tree given by Louise Smith
²Florence's new book
³Email from Louise Smith, Jan 25, 2012.