6.7.197

1907-1920s -- Dooley (l) and Mickey O'Kelly

Thomas Patrick O'Kelly married Gladys Bourchier, probably in Edmonton, where their two sons Patrick Edward James, known as Mickey, and Miall Bourchier, known as Dooley, were born. In 1907 T.P. O'Kelly was a trader for the Hudson's Bay Company and travelled in the north. Around 1912 T. J. O'Kelly was involved with a Vancouver firm, Robertson, in producing advertising photographs for distribution to such places as B. C. House in London to attract people who would purchase land in Sechelt (see photograph 6.7.198). He and his family came to Sechelt in 1912 where he was briefly the only partner Bert Whitaker ever had. The family lived in the hotel and in the Whitaker's Beach House until 1915. T.P. O'Kelly was post master at Sechelt for six months in 1914 and a school trustee in 1915. He served as an army captain in WW1 and saw action at Paschendaele. Later he took sled dogs to Russia for the British army. His nephew Tom Pinder came to live with the O'Kellys in 1918 after the death of his mother Kate Pinder who was Gladys O'Kelly's sister.

Photographs courtesy the O'Kelly family See also oversize photographs 6.15.94, 6.15.129.