Summary of a memoir of Grace’s life in Zeballos, courtesy of the Zeballos Museum

John and I were married September 27, 1939. He went to Zeballos to find work, which was very scarce at that time. I stayed with my Godmother in Vancouver, then later with John’s Uncle & Aunt in Surrey, B.C.. John finally got a job in order to keep him, to play fiddle for the dance band. He gave a man the money (cash) to take to me at Surrey (everyone seemed trustworthy in those days).
John Bowles & Laurence Giles
Grace Bowles & Laurence Giles

I had a lovely trip by boat, four days, via Victoria and another young bride and I were seated at Captain’s table for meals. I arrived at Zeballos Christmas Eve with a very bad cold. John took me out for hot rums to a place with small, single cot rooms which seemed nice and private and it was much later that I realized where we had been. However, the rum was good.

Our L-shaped shack was plenty big enough for us but you would laugh at the stove. I think it was the first old Gurney ever made, weighed a ton or two and was totally rusted. After I got busy with emery paper and Vaseline it looked better, it was a dandy and I hated to part with it.
Grace Bowles, August 1939
 John worked at the Privateer Mine and we lived on the flats below, about 5 miles up from town.

John’s boss was a good friend of ours but honest, he caught John asleep after lunch one day (John had a severe cough and cold) so boss gave him 10 days with no pay. We flew out to Vancouver with babe 3 months old.

We came back to Nelson and Balfour in Aug 1941. We sold our house in Zeballos to someone for $200 which is what we had paid for it and he promised to pay it off by $20/month, which he did. Nothing in writing but as I said everyone seemed honest then.

 
Grace Bowles, 1992