Sedley Bell-Irving Sweeny (November 29, 1917 - December 19, 2013) was born in England. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with a commission in the Royal Engineers and went on to serve in World War II with the 8th Army from El Alamein onwards, then in Sicily, Italy and Greece; he was awarded Military Cross for valour at the Garigliano River crossing in Jan.'44.
He married Diana Game in 1941 and they had three daughters: Nicola, Terry and Robin. He retired from the army in 1957, bought a farm in Wales, and for the next thirty years devoted his energies to sustainable land management, self sufficiency and, increasingly, the welfare of marginalized people. With Diana, he managed an orphanage for Tibetan refugee children in Simla, India, on behalf of Save the Children Fund, subsequently founding The Society for Training in Rural Industries and Village Enterprises, through which he provided instruction and practical experience for Tibetan family groups on his farm.
Sedley returned to BC in 1985, divorced and single again. At age 71 he rowed to Cortes from Vancouver, where he met and married his second wife, Trude Albright, in 1989. Sedley was a Self Sufficiency advocate promoting a Cortes wide vision of cooperation and skill sharing. He and Trude were involved in many Cortes community initiatives including an emergency first aid and ambulance service; the Friends of Cortes Association; the Cortes Ecoforestry Society; the Cortes Earmark Book of islander skills; and The Cooperation For Cortes Self Sufficiency. Many of the associated activities happened at Trude's Café. A skilled boat-builder, he converted a fishing boat into a junk-rigged yacht, and he also instructed Cortes youth in boatbuilding and sailing.
Sedley died at home at the age of 96 and is buried in the Whaletown cemetery.
Custodial History
There is no accession record; fonds has been given an arbitrary FIC (Found In Collection) number based on the date of processing.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of writings by Sedley Sweeny, including a book, "The Challenge of Smallholding", and two photographs of his sailboat, "Wild Rose".
Sedley Bell-Irving Sweeny (November 29, 1917 - December 19, 2013) lived a long and interesting life. At age 71 he rowed to Cortes from Vancouver, where he met and married his second wife, Trude Albright, in 1989.Sedley was a Self Sufficiency advocate promoting a Cortes wide vision of cooperation and skill sharing. A skilled boat-builder, he converted a fishing boat into a junk-rigged yacht. Sedley never owned a car on Cortes, rather walking and hitchhiking where ever he had to go.
Sweeny was an army officer, a farmer, an engineer and a sailor. He ran an orphanage for Tibetan Refugees and helped with Tibetan ecoforestry. He knew the Dalai Lama personally and brought Trude to meet him. He wrote many articles and books; including The Intuitive View of the Whole (attached), The Challenge of Smallholding and Working up a Smallholding. Sedley was an incredible boat builder and spent a lot of time on the water.
Scope and Content
File consists of a book by Sweeny, "The Challenge of Smallholding", published by Oxford University Press, 1987.
File consists of a two booklets, "An Intuitive View of the Whole" and "Children of Tibet", a Cortes Island Self-Sufficiency pamphlet, poetry by Sweeny and the Dalai Lama, and a letter about ecoforestry trainng for Tibetan refugees in India.
File consists of a two booklets, "An Intuitive View of the Whole" and "Children of Tibet", a Cortes Island Self-Sufficiency pamphlet, poetry by Sweeny and the Dalai Lama, and a letter about ecoforestry trainng for Tibetan refugees in India.
Photo depicts a line of buildings on the shore at Seaford, with a long wharf going into the water. Hazel McKay and Audrey Denny are diving into the water from logs beside the wharf. Photograph is stained and creased.
Photo depicts a line of buildings on the shore at Seaford, with a long wharf going into the water. Hazel McKay and Audrey Denny are diving into the water from logs beside the wharf. Photograph is stained and creased.
L to R: Art Hayes, Nerine Hayes, Frank Hayes, Florence McKay, Gwen Campbell, Fraser Campbell.
Front: Bobby Hayes, Irene Hayes, Clarence Byers and Queenie the dog.
L to R: Art Hayes, Nerine Hayes, Frank Hayes, Florence McKay, Gwen Campbell, Fraser Campbell.
Front: Bobby Hayes, Irene Hayes, Clarence Byers and Queenie the dog.
Photo depicts a group of people who lived at the Von Donop creek logging camp (buildings not shown).
Back: Scotty McKenzie, Clarence Byers, Henry Byers, Ken Hansen
Seated: Ervin McKay, Florence McKay, Ruth Byers
End at right: Hazel Hansen, Amy McKenzie
Babies: Irene and Lorraine Byers
Photo depicts a group of people who lived at the Von Donop creek logging camp (buildings not shown).
Back: Scotty McKenzie, Clarence Byers, Henry Byers, Ken Hansen
Seated: Ervin McKay, Florence McKay, Ruth Byers
End at right: Hazel Hansen, Amy McKenzie
Babies: Irene and Lorraine Byers
Verso: "Truck logging at Seaford, Cortez Isld. Scotty McKenzie with pike pole. Clarence Byers truck driver. Hayes Anderson truck.
Moved to Von Donop Oct 1st, 1939.
Five families:
1. Henry and Ruth Byers
2. Ervin and Florence McKay
3. Clarence and Etta Byers
4. Scotty and Amy McKenzie
5. Ken and Hazel Hansen
Ervin and Florence were parents of Etta and Hazel.
Henry and Ruth were parents of Amy and Clarence.
Verso: "Truck logging at Seaford, Cortez Isld. Scotty McKenzie with pike pole. Clarence Byers truck driver. Hayes Anderson truck.
Moved to Von Donop Oct 1st, 1939.
Five families:
1. Henry and Ruth Byers
2. Ervin and Florence McKay
3. Clarence and Etta Byers
4. Scotty and Amy McKenzie
5. Ken and Hazel Hansen
Ervin and Florence were parents of Etta and Hazel.
Henry and Ruth were parents of Amy and Clarence.
Fonds consists of ten photographs (nine black and white; 1 coloured) depicting members of the extended Byers/ Manson families, logging at Seaford and Von Donop Inlet, and the Union Steamship Chelohsin.
Henry and Ruth Byers, Ervin and Florence (Manson) McKay, Clarence and Etta (McKay) Byers, Ken and Hazel (McKay) Hansen, Scotty and Amy (Byers) McKenzie moved to Von Donop Inlet in 1939, where they ran a logging operation.
Custodial History
Found in Information Files folder (Byers family), August 1, 2020 and transferred to Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of ten photographs (nine black and white; 1 coloured) depicting members of the extended Byers/ Manson families, logging at Seaford and Von Donop Inlet, and the Union Steamship Chelohsin.