IRSHDC : School : Port Simpson (BC) [873]

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The Crosby Girls' Home at Port Simpson, Miss S. Hart in charge (1888-1893). Source: The United Church of Canada Archives BCCA 2-978; The Children Remembered.

Home Communities of Students

Gitanmaax Band, Gitlaxt'aamiks, Gitsegukla First Nation, Gitxaała Nation, Gitxsan [Gitikshan], Kitselas Nation, Kitsumkalum Band, Lax Kw’alaams Band, Metlakatla First Nation, Nisga'a Nation, Nisga'a Village of Gingolx, Nisga'a Village of Laxgalts’ap, Nuxalk Nation, Tsimshian [Tsimpean].

Note on Home Communities

The “home communities" mentioned above come from the school narratives created by government researchers in the Indian Residential School litigation process. Here the communities are described as “bands” and “reserves.” We have tried to update the names to communities' current, preferred names (these names are hyperlinked in the list above). In instances where we have not been sure which community is being referenced, we have left the name as it appears in the school narrative and unlinked. The names of cultural groups have been updated and the original name placed in square brackets.

These lists on the school records are not comprehensive. In a few cases the community names have been supplemented with information from a school’s quarterly returns, but this has not been done consistently. This project is an iterative, ongoing one. If you are aware of other community names that we should include in this list, or would like to comment on those we have updated, please email us at irshdc.reference@ubc.ca.

Port Simpson (BC)

Dates of Operation

1879-1914

Settlement Agreement Dates

The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement recognized only the following as the dates of operation for Port Simpson Residential School: January 1, 1892 - June 30, 1948.

Description

The Port Simpson school was an outgrowth of the work of the Methodist missionary Thomas Crosby and his wife Emma. Starting in the 1870s, the Crosbys began boarding Aboriginal girls in their home in Port Simpson, British Columbia. By 1879, this work led to the establishment of the Crosby Home for Girls, which became a government-funded boarding school in 1893. The Crosby Boys’ Home was established in 1890. A 1905 inspection report concluded that the students were being harshly treated and underfed. The school remained in operation, with government funding until 1948. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)

Denomination

Methodist Church, United Church of Canada

More Information

Alternate Name(s)

Crosby Girls' Home
Crosby Home for Girls
Crosby's Home
Indian Residential School
Port Simpson Girls Industrial School
Port Simpson Girls Residential School
Port Simpson Girls' Industrial Home
Port Simpson Indian Girls Home
Port Simpson Indian Residential School
Port Simpson Industrial School
Port Simpson IRS
Port Simpson United Church Residential School

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Map Information

Location

Crosby Home for Girls, 1879-1948: "Point is on the location of the Crosby Home for Girls (1892-1948). The property was acquired in 1890 and the original school was built in 1891 and burnt down in 1921. In 1923 a new school/dormitory was built on the same site. From 1878 to 1892 the Crosby Home for Girls was located in the Methodist Mission lot. Across the street from the Church and adjacent to what later became the Port Simpson Home for Boys" (Orlandini, 2019).

Crosby Home for Boys, 1902-1914: "Point is on the site of the Methodist Mission in Port Simpson. On this block/lot was the Boy's Home on the south side (1902-1914), mission house (central part of lot) and the Crosby Home for Girls (1879 until 1892)" (Orlandini, 2019).

Location Credit

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Rosa Orlandini. The school/hostel location data was collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission / National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Morgan Hite (Atlas of Indian Residential Schools of Canada), Stephanie Pyne (Residential Schools Land Memory Mapping Project) and Rosa Orlandini (Map and GIS Librarian, York University Libraries). The location data and associated attribute data was enhanced, revised and updated by Rosa Orlandini, in consultation with the Archivists at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Location Source

Orlandini, Rosa, 2019, "Residential Schools Locations Dataset (Shapefile format)", https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/FJG5TG, Borealis, V3, UNF:6:TTc1mMvx2BlBqBgIN05xVw== [fileUNF]