The Final Chapter of the Hazeley Letters: How the Story Ends (1897)

This post concludes the Hazeley Letter series, a collection of family correspondence between 1896 and 1897 by the Wright family while living in Agassiz, British Columbia.

Over the course of this series, these letters have allowed us a rare and personal glimpse into early colonial life in the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Through their letters home, we have followed the Wright siblings as they navigated farming, family responsibilities, harsh winters, flooding along the Fraser River, transportation difficulties with the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the social life of a growing community. The details were not previously readily available to the community of Agassiz.

In these final letters, we see a continuation of their daily lives, but also the closing of a chapter. What began as a journey into the unknown colonial world of British Columbia by four young adult siblings and their attempt to create a profitable farm, ended with a story about resilience, change, and personal growth.

Everyday Life in Agassiz, British Columbia (1896-1897)

By 1897 communities like Agassiz were still developing. They were shaped by agriculture, railway connections, and the constant environmental challenges of the Fraser Valley. The Wright family’s letters reflect these early moments in British Columbia’s history.

These letters are especially valuable because they capture everyday experiences – details that are absent from official records.

Domestic Life and Household Work in 1890s British Columbia

Through the letters we learn about how they did laundry without modern plumbing, often outsourcing to Chinese workers. We know how they managed household supplies, and how running out was a real problem. May talks about the amount of sewing and mending that is required, along with the task of making new clothes for her and her siblings.

Other intimate details such as how they prepared for the holidays were shared. The planning, shopping, preparations and finally the menu for their festive feasts. We even learn about their traditions they have brought from back home.

Farming Life in the Fraser Valley: Work, Crops, and Survival

Life in Agassiz was closely tied to agriculture. Farming was not just about being profitable, it was about survival tied directly to the weather and environment. These letters reflect this constant connection to the environment. Farming required long hours, physical labour, and a willingness to adapt to conditions that were often unpredictable.

Transportation & Travel in 1890s British Columbia

Despite its rural setting, Agassiz was not entirely isolated. The Canadian Pacific Railway played a crucial role in connecting the community to larger centers like Vancouver and Victoria.

Travel, however, was never simple. Delayed trains, changing schedules, and long journeys made even short trips feel significant. When members of the Wright family travelled, it became an event that was planned, discussed, and remembered in detail.

Fraser River Flooding and Weather Challenges in Early Agassiz

The natural environment was a constant presence in everyday life. The Fraser River, while essential to the region, also posed a serious threat during periods of flooding. Rising water levels were closely watched and frequently discussed in the letters.

Weather more broadly shaped daily routines. Harsh winters, sudden changes, and seasonal uncertainty meant that plans often had to be adjusted. These conditions were were central to how people lived and worked and were frequently communicated in their letters back home.

The Importance of Letters in Early Canadian Settler Life

At the heart of the Hazeley Letters is the act of communication itself. In the 1890s, letters were the primary way families stayed connected across long distances. They keep the siblings connected to their family and friends back home.

The Wright siblings wrote regularly, sharing updates, concerns, and small details of daily life. These letters carried emotional weight. They helped maintain relationships, bridge geographic distance, and provide reassurance in an unfamiliar environment.

Social Life in Small Communities: Church, Visits, and Daily Interaction

Even in a rural setting, social life remained important. Visits with neighbours, time spent at church, and community gatherings all played a role in daily life. The letters demonstrate the importance of having a network of relationships that extended beyond the immediate household. These connections helped create a sense of belonging and stability in a place that was still growing and changing.

Life in Vancouver and Victoria vs Rural Agassiz in 1897

One of the most striking contrasts in the letters is the difference between rural and urban life. When May travels to Vancouver and Victoria, her experiences highlight a different world. It’s one with more social opportunities, entertainment, and movement.

These moments provide an important contrast to life on the farm. They show how individuals could move between these spaces, experiencing both the isolation of rural life and the activity of the city.

Gender Roles and Expectations in 19th Century British Columbia

The letters also reveal how gender roles shaped everyday life. Women were often responsible for maintaining the household, while men were expected to take on physically demanding labour. In the letters May is primarily focused on maintaining the house and Cecil is in charge of the farming with help from Jack and Harold.

At the same time, these roles were not always rigid. May’s travels and social independence suggest that women were also navigating new opportunities and expectations in this changing environment. Even the step of learning to ride a bicycle was a huge step towards more independence for May.

What Happened to the Wright Family After the Hazeley Letters (1897 and Beyond)

The Hazeley Letters provide a detailed snapshot of life in Agassiz between 1896 and 1897, they also leave an important question unanswered – what happened to the Wright family after these letters end?

May Wright’s Life Beyond the Letters

May left Agassiz sometime between the end of the letters and 1900. By 1901, May was enrolled in Nursing school in England. May spent her career working at different hospitals and private homes as a nurse. She did extensive trans-Atlantic travelling through the course of her life. She remained living close to her parents in England. May did not end up marrying or having children, instead focused on her career.

May lived until the age of 72. In 1952, she died of a stroke due to clogged arteries and heart disease.

Cecil Wright

Cecil remained in Agassiz until 1901 when he left to fight in the Boer War. During his time in Agassiz, he became a very popular rancher and competed in various agricultural shows.

In February 1900, Cecil participated in a fundraiser for those killed in South Africa.

In May 1900 Cecil’s father and sister Dorothy visited him. Later that year in December, he returns home for the holidays.

His return to Agassiz, was short lived as he ended up returning to England to join the Imperial Yeomanry. He went to South Africa to fight in the Boer War, leaving instructions for all his possessions at the Hazeley Ranch be sold off at auction.

After that it is unclear if he had any children, although he married and spent the rest of his life in South Africa with his wife. He was alive until at least 1948 according to Jack’s obituary.

Harold Purton Wright

Based on community records we know that Harold was still in Agassiz in 1899, but was gone by fall 1900 when his father and sister Dorothy came to visit Cecil. Harold was in the army and his time was detailed in one of my previous posts. You can read it here.

In 1913, Harold married Marion Blanche Heard, however the marriage didn’t last long due to his wife’s passing. Marion was mentioned multiple times in the Hazeley letters, primarily from their time in Manitoba.

Harold lived until the age of 48. He died in 1926, only 6 days after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He also had chronic bronchitis. He was survived by his second wife Nellie. They had no children.

Father, Mother, and Sister

Their father, John Preston and younger sister Dorothy, visited Cecil in Agassiz in 1900 and they went to Victoria. There are no records of their mother Edith visiting British Columbia.

Their father, Reverend John Preston Wright lived until the age of 84. He died in 1927 as a result of complications from an operation for a groin hernia.

Their mother, Edith Jane Wright, died in 1915 at the age of 64 due to liver cancer.

Dorothy, spent her life living close to her family in England, however never married nor had any children. Her occupation is listed as been a bookkeeper and at one point working at Harold’s company, Vintan Garages. She died in 1970 at the age of 76. Like May, she spent her time travelling across the Atlantic and to Australia.

May’s Letter to Mother – June 25, 1897

69. Superior St.
James Bay
Victoria, B.C.

June 25, 1897

My dearest Mother,

I had a notice from a few days ago to say there was a parcel for me, so the gloves have come, but I have not sent for them as I leave here to-morrow; the Jamesons have asked me to stay a day longer to go to the Naval ball to-night.

Mr. George came down on Monday, he has finished his work up at the Lake, but he has decided not to go to Ontario. I think it is a mistake, but I suppose he knows his business best.

The service at Beacon Hill last Sunday was rather a farce, there were thousands there but only a few could hear & all the rest talked and walked about all the time it was taking Mr. Sharpe of Esquimalt & Bishop Cridge.

In the evening I went to church at Esquimalt. It is a pretty little church close to the sea, all the churches were very empty in the evening I hear.

On Monday there was a service, but we got there just as the National Anthem was being played. Miss Jameson is a good hand at being late.

On Thursday afternoon we went up the gorge in a boat to the Regatta, it was very gay, quantities of boats & flags; the most amusing races were the Indian canoe races, about ten canoes in each race with about twenty Indians in each canoe; I never saw so many Indians before, all up the one bank was nothing but canoes of all sizes with whole families in them. The ship races were nice, 16 & 18 oar boats.

On Wednesday we were invited to go out for the day on a small steamer to watch the yacht races, we were out for eight hours, we watched the races for about half the time, & then steamed to different places, first we went to Esquimalt harbour, there are a good many ships in now, the Oregon of the American Navy; & the —, Wildswan, Amphion, & Pheasant of the English. Then we went down to see the quarantine station & further still, but I forget the name of the place.

Yesterday we went on the Oregon, I believe it is the finest ship in the American Navy, it certainly is very beautiful, all white with beautiful polished steel guns & so large. It has been hotter the last few days, but we haven’t had any really hot weather since I came.

Mr. George is going to take us for a drive this afternoon. He says the mosquitos were very bad up at Agassiz when he left. There has been no through train for a week I hear, so you will not have got my last letter much before this one. I couldn’t tell you about those letters that Father wanted to know which got here first, as I can find out nothing about the boys letters, they have only sent three, Mr. White forwards the ones addressed to me.

Love to everybody,

Your affectionate daughter,

May Wright.