October is Latin American Heritage Month in Canada. Here is a photograph of the Silva family taken in 1940. Manuel Silva stands on the right while his son Tom holds grandson Jerry.
Manuel was born in Chile in 1876 and jumped ship in 1898 to settle in North Vancouver. He soon married Elizabeth Cordecedo and found work in Moodyville.
Tom worked as a fisherman, a ship’s rigger, a shop steward and a school janitor. He also served as president of CUPE 389 and was central to the implementation of equal pay for North Vancouver School District workers.
Visit for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.
Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver, at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open for drop-ins on Monday and by appointment Tuesday-Friday, 12:30-4 p.m. Contact: [email protected]
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