Home
Fred Braches on George Godwin
Precious little spadework on B.C. literary history has been undertaken by B.C.'s universities.
The likes of that late Charles Lillard contributed ten times more to the subject than most B.C. English professors combined.
A rare exception has been the biographer David Stouck who has undertaken biographies of Ethel Wilson and Sinclair Ross (who died here).
Nearly all B.C. English professors continue to specialize in non-B.C. writers-leaving the grunt work to non-academics such as Dutch-born Fred Braches (b. 1930).
Braches and his wife Helmi immigrated to Vancouver in 1975 and have lived for decades on acreage in the community of Whonnock, in Maple Ridge, B.C.
After he retired from a career in ocean transportation, Braches became increasingly interested in the obscure early history of the eastern part of Maple Ridge. He has been steadily amassing materials about the life and times of the Fraser Valley pioneer George Godwin (1889-1974), a prolific British immigrant who wrote two novels directly connected to Whonnock, The Eternal Forest (1929) and Why Stay We Here? (1930).
Not a mere amateur enthusiast, Braches served as editor and prime producer of BC Historical News for several years before the B.C. Historical Federation changed the magazine's name to British Columbia History. Along the way he won their Best Article Award for 2009 and their Web site Award in 2008 for his Slumach website.
Braches has since remained active by writing, editing and producing a series on the history of Whonnock and Ruskin (Maple Ridge) called Whonnock Notes, freely available on the internet but also produced in a magazine format. Most recently has gathered many years of research into a single Spring issue devoted entirely to Godwin.
After a foreword by Godwin's granddaughter, Lucy Godwin, Fred Braches clearly states in his preface that his extensively illustrated booklet "does not pretend to be a biography of George Godwin.";
He is also careful to credit the essential spadework of Godwin's great-nephew Robert S. Thomson who has edited and reissued both of Godwin's B.C.-related novels.
"Most of the published biographical information about George Godwin was either written
by Robert Thomson or is based on his research,"; Braches writes, "That includes the information about the life of the author in my Whonnock Notes No. 6, "Ferguson's Landing, George Godwin's
Whonnock,"; published in 2000.
"Since Dr. Thomson's biographical work was mainly done in the 1990s, updates and revisions
are necessary to correct erroneous views that have no basis in fact.";
Braches has expanded knowledge of the subject by gathering photos and quoting from the following sources.
(1) Letters to Dr. Ethlyn Trapp in Vancouver, written in the years 1939 - 1941 and in
1970. Vancouver City Archives, Reference code AM211.
(2) Letters to J. S. (Ted) Roberts, written between May 1964 and April 1965. This
correspondence started with a shared interested in the life and work of Captain
George Vancouver but also provides insight in other matters that interested George
Godwin. The original letters are now the property of Lucy Godwin who kindly gave
me permission to publish part of their content in this issue of Whonnock Notes.
(3) Godwin's "Private Journal,"; and specifically the description of his early childhood,
written on the last pages of this journal, probably in his last years. Quotations have
been transcribed from a photocopy of the original manuscript, also with Lucy
Godwin's consent.
Braches also acknowledges and thanks Lucy Godwin (daughter of Godwin's daughter Monica) and Paul Godwin, son of Godwin's oldest son Eric.
Extensive information on George Godwin is also available from the ABCBookWorld public reference site.
Fred Braches's Whonnock Notes, No. 21 - Spring 2015 includes the following bibliography of George Godwin's publications,
BOOKS:
Fiction
The Eternal Forest. London: Philip Alan, 1929, 318 p.
The Eternal Forest, under western skies. New York: Appleton, 1929. Reissued by Godwin Books,
R.S. Thomson Ed., 1994.
Why Stay We Here? London: Philip. Alan and New York: Appleton, 1930. 332 p. Reissued by
Godwin Books, R.S. Thomson Ed., 2003.
Empty Victory: A futuristic novel. London: John Long, 1932. 288 p.
The Lake of Memory. (Serialized in The Adelphi, 1950)
Biography
Vancouver, A Life: 1757-1798. London: Philip Alan and New York Appleton, 1930. 308 p.
Play
The Disciple: a play in three acts. London: Acorn Press, 1936. 88 p.
Non-fiction
Cain; or, the future of crime. London: Paul Kegan, 1928; New York: Dutton, 108 p.
Columbia; or, the future of Canada. London: Paul Kegan, New York: Dutton, 1928. 95 p.
Discovery: The Story of the Finding of the World. London: Heath, Cranton, 1933. 96 p.
Peter Kürten: A Study in Sadism. The Acorn Press, 1938. 58 p.
Queen Mary College, An Adventure in Education. London: Queen Mary College and Acorn Press,
1939. 209 p.
The Land our Larder: the story of the Surfleet experiment and its significance in war. London: Acorn
Press, 1939, 2nd Edition 1940. 127 p.
Our Woods in War: a survey of their vital rôle in defence. London: Acorn Press. 1940. 116 p.
Priest or Physician? A study of faith-healing. London: Watts, Thinkers Forum No. 10, 1941. 44 p.
Japan's New Order. London: Watts, Thinkers Forum No. 23. 1942. 32 p.
A Century of Trading, The story of the Firm of White, Child & Beney. Ed. George Godwin, London:
White, Child
Marconi (1939-45), A War Record. London: Chatto and Windus, 1946. 125 p. Also a French
version: Marconi, 1939-1945, sa contribution à l'effort de guerre, Londres: Chatto and
Windus, 1947.
The Great Mystics. London: Watts, Thinkers Library No. 106, 1945. 106 p. Folcroft Library
Edition, 1974. Norwood Editions, 1976, etc.
Hansons of Eastcheap: The Study of the House Samuel Hanson and Son Ltd., London, private
printing for S. Hanson & Son, 1947.
The Mystery of Anna Berger. London: Watts, Thinkers Library No. 130, 1948. 226 p.
The Trial of Peter Griffith: The Blackburn Baby Murder. Griffith, Peter, George Godwin Ed.
London: Hodge, 1950. 219 p.
The Great Revivalists. London: Watts, Thinkers Library, No. 140, 1951. 220 p. ; Boston:
Beacon Press. 1950.
The Middle Temple: the Society and Fellowship. London: Staples Press. 1954. 174 p.
Crime and Social Action. London: Watts, 1956. 277 p.
Criminal Man. New York: Braziller, 1957. 277 p.
Geoff, self-printed, 1967. in memory of his son Geoffrey Stephen Godwin who died at sea.
The likes of that late Charles Lillard contributed ten times more to the subject than most B.C. English professors combined.
A rare exception has been the biographer David Stouck who has undertaken biographies of Ethel Wilson and Sinclair Ross (who died here).
Nearly all B.C. English professors continue to specialize in non-B.C. writers-leaving the grunt work to non-academics such as Dutch-born Fred Braches (b. 1930).
Braches and his wife Helmi immigrated to Vancouver in 1975 and have lived for decades on acreage in the community of Whonnock, in Maple Ridge, B.C.
After he retired from a career in ocean transportation, Braches became increasingly interested in the obscure early history of the eastern part of Maple Ridge. He has been steadily amassing materials about the life and times of the Fraser Valley pioneer George Godwin (1889-1974), a prolific British immigrant who wrote two novels directly connected to Whonnock, The Eternal Forest (1929) and Why Stay We Here? (1930).
Not a mere amateur enthusiast, Braches served as editor and prime producer of BC Historical News for several years before the B.C. Historical Federation changed the magazine's name to British Columbia History. Along the way he won their Best Article Award for 2009 and their Web site Award in 2008 for his Slumach website.
Braches has since remained active by writing, editing and producing a series on the history of Whonnock and Ruskin (Maple Ridge) called Whonnock Notes, freely available on the internet but also produced in a magazine format. Most recently has gathered many years of research into a single Spring issue devoted entirely to Godwin.
After a foreword by Godwin's granddaughter, Lucy Godwin, Fred Braches clearly states in his preface that his extensively illustrated booklet "does not pretend to be a biography of George Godwin.";
He is also careful to credit the essential spadework of Godwin's great-nephew Robert S. Thomson who has edited and reissued both of Godwin's B.C.-related novels.
"Most of the published biographical information about George Godwin was either written
by Robert Thomson or is based on his research,"; Braches writes, "That includes the information about the life of the author in my Whonnock Notes No. 6, "Ferguson's Landing, George Godwin's
Whonnock,"; published in 2000.
"Since Dr. Thomson's biographical work was mainly done in the 1990s, updates and revisions
are necessary to correct erroneous views that have no basis in fact.";
Braches has expanded knowledge of the subject by gathering photos and quoting from the following sources.
(1) Letters to Dr. Ethlyn Trapp in Vancouver, written in the years 1939 - 1941 and in
1970. Vancouver City Archives, Reference code AM211.
(2) Letters to J. S. (Ted) Roberts, written between May 1964 and April 1965. This
correspondence started with a shared interested in the life and work of Captain
George Vancouver but also provides insight in other matters that interested George
Godwin. The original letters are now the property of Lucy Godwin who kindly gave
me permission to publish part of their content in this issue of Whonnock Notes.
(3) Godwin's "Private Journal,"; and specifically the description of his early childhood,
written on the last pages of this journal, probably in his last years. Quotations have
been transcribed from a photocopy of the original manuscript, also with Lucy
Godwin's consent.
Braches also acknowledges and thanks Lucy Godwin (daughter of Godwin's daughter Monica) and Paul Godwin, son of Godwin's oldest son Eric.
Extensive information on George Godwin is also available from the ABCBookWorld public reference site.
Fred Braches's Whonnock Notes, No. 21 - Spring 2015 includes the following bibliography of George Godwin's publications,
BOOKS:
Fiction
The Eternal Forest. London: Philip Alan, 1929, 318 p.
The Eternal Forest, under western skies. New York: Appleton, 1929. Reissued by Godwin Books,
R.S. Thomson Ed., 1994.
Why Stay We Here? London: Philip. Alan and New York: Appleton, 1930. 332 p. Reissued by
Godwin Books, R.S. Thomson Ed., 2003.
Empty Victory: A futuristic novel. London: John Long, 1932. 288 p.
The Lake of Memory. (Serialized in The Adelphi, 1950)
Biography
Vancouver, A Life: 1757-1798. London: Philip Alan and New York Appleton, 1930. 308 p.
Play
The Disciple: a play in three acts. London: Acorn Press, 1936. 88 p.
Non-fiction
Cain; or, the future of crime. London: Paul Kegan, 1928; New York: Dutton, 108 p.
Columbia; or, the future of Canada. London: Paul Kegan, New York: Dutton, 1928. 95 p.
Discovery: The Story of the Finding of the World. London: Heath, Cranton, 1933. 96 p.
Peter Kürten: A Study in Sadism. The Acorn Press, 1938. 58 p.
Queen Mary College, An Adventure in Education. London: Queen Mary College and Acorn Press,
1939. 209 p.
The Land our Larder: the story of the Surfleet experiment and its significance in war. London: Acorn
Press, 1939, 2nd Edition 1940. 127 p.
Our Woods in War: a survey of their vital rôle in defence. London: Acorn Press. 1940. 116 p.
Priest or Physician? A study of faith-healing. London: Watts, Thinkers Forum No. 10, 1941. 44 p.
Japan's New Order. London: Watts, Thinkers Forum No. 23. 1942. 32 p.
A Century of Trading, The story of the Firm of White, Child & Beney. Ed. George Godwin, London:
White, Child
Marconi (1939-45), A War Record. London: Chatto and Windus, 1946. 125 p. Also a French
version: Marconi, 1939-1945, sa contribution à l'effort de guerre, Londres: Chatto and
Windus, 1947.
The Great Mystics. London: Watts, Thinkers Library No. 106, 1945. 106 p. Folcroft Library
Edition, 1974. Norwood Editions, 1976, etc.
Hansons of Eastcheap: The Study of the House Samuel Hanson and Son Ltd., London, private
printing for S. Hanson & Son, 1947.
The Mystery of Anna Berger. London: Watts, Thinkers Library No. 130, 1948. 226 p.
The Trial of Peter Griffith: The Blackburn Baby Murder. Griffith, Peter, George Godwin Ed.
London: Hodge, 1950. 219 p.
The Great Revivalists. London: Watts, Thinkers Library, No. 140, 1951. 220 p. ; Boston:
Beacon Press. 1950.
The Middle Temple: the Society and Fellowship. London: Staples Press. 1954. 174 p.
Crime and Social Action. London: Watts, 1956. 277 p.
Criminal Man. New York: Braziller, 1957. 277 p.
Geoff, self-printed, 1967. in memory of his son Geoffrey Stephen Godwin who died at sea.
Submitted on March 2, 2015 in By David.
