Joe Fortes
Male, Deceased Person
1863 – 1922
Who was Joe Fortes?
Joseph Seraphim Fortes was a prominent figure in the early history of Vancouver. He was born in Bridgetown, Barbados
After the disastrous fire, which completely destroyed the recently incorporated City of Vancouver on June 13, 1886, Joe Fortes worked as a shoeshine boy and porter at the Sunnyside Hotel and as a bartender at the Bodega Saloon on Cordova and Carrall.
Making his home at English Bay, he lived in a tent on the beach during the milder months of the year. After the start of the 20th century, he moved into a cottage at the foot of Bidwell Street on the shore-side of Beach Avenue. His little house was later moved to the other side of the street, just east of Alexandra Park.
Joe Fortes devoted all of his free time to teaching children to swim and to patrolling the beach. The self-appointed unpaid guard continued to support himself by working odd jobs until, in 1900, the City appointed him its first official lifeguard.
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- Born
- Feb 9, 1863
Port of Spain - Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Lived in
- Vancouver
- Liverpool
- Died
- Feb 4, 1922
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Joe Fortes." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/joe_fortes>.
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