Cornish, Gordon Howard
Regina Ida (Blasutig/Marino) Cornish (1910-1979)
Father: Charles Gordon Cornish (1883-1953)
Mother: Kathleen (Pelling) Cornish (c.1890-1928)
Sons: Edward Reid Irwin “Eddie/Eddy”, Earl, Robert “Bobby”, Guerino Marino (step-son) (1929-2018)
Daughter: Carol (Cornish) Huff
Gordon Cornish was born on March 2, 1909, in Vancouver, BC, the son of Charles Gordon Cornish and Kathleen (Pelling) Cornish. He married Regina Marino in Princeton on March 23, 1931. At the time of his marriage, Cornish was working as a stage driver. He died on April 10, 1970 in Vancouver General Hospital. At the time of his death, he had been working as an orderly at Princeton General Hospital for fifteen years.
It appears he came to Princeton around 1930. At that time, he was a labourer at Ashington Coal Co. Also new to the community that year was Herbert Cornish (Gordon’s uncle?), a carpenter at the Ashington Coal Company.
Gordon Cornish’s son, Edward, was born in October 1931(?) and was the first baby born to an employee of the Ashington Coal Co.
He earned mine rescue certificate in 1932.
Gordon Cornish was a member of the volunteer fire brigade (1931, 1932, 1935, 1941) and an officer of the Princeton and District Fish, Game and Forest Protective Association (1941).
He joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) #52 on December 16, 1943 at the age of 34. His occupation was listed as “truck driver.”
He served in World War II.
He purchased the trucking company “Model Transfer” from W.S. Garrison in September 1944.
IOOF Question Book for Applicants; Princeton Our Valley, page 1; Marriage registration (BC Archives); Death registration (BC Archives); British Columbia Directories (1930-1949); Princeton Star, January 2, 1930, page 5; March 26, 1931, page 1; April 30, 1931, page 1; April 14, 1932, page 1; June 9, 1932, page 1; May 23, 1935, page 1; Similkameen Star, January 16, 1941, page 4; February 13, 1941, page 1; September 14, 1944, page 4