William "Billy" Barker
William Billy Barker
William "Billy" Barker was an Englishman who arrived in Victoria in 1858 looking for gold. After two unsuccessful attempts to find above the canyons, he decided to try looking for gold downstream. Creating the Barker Company along with seven other Englishmen in 1862, Barker sank a shaft below the canyon at Williams Creek where the depth of the overburden made some people suggest the gold would never be found. At a depth of forty feet down, Barker and company struck pay dirt. Barker and his company had found the beginning of a very rich gold deposit. In the first few days, Barker had discovered close to 60 ounces of gold which would be worth almost 60 thousand Canadian dollars now. It is possible that Billy Barker mined close to 37,500 ounces of gold, which is worth almost $40 million Canadian dollars today
The news spread rapidly. Soon the town of Barkerville, named after Billy Barker, was born. Billy would become very rich and became an investor. When he started investing, he would open up new mines where he thought there would be gold, but would never find as much as he found in Barkerville. He started to loan his money as well and soon he ran out of money. Billy would soon return to his old habit of searching for gold. He would never find much and soon would live out the rest of his days in a retirement home in Victoria. Billy Barker died on July 11th, 1894 and his legacy lives on in Barkerville, B.C.
The news spread rapidly. Soon the town of Barkerville, named after Billy Barker, was born. Billy would become very rich and became an investor. When he started investing, he would open up new mines where he thought there would be gold, but would never find as much as he found in Barkerville. He started to loan his money as well and soon he ran out of money. Billy would soon return to his old habit of searching for gold. He would never find much and soon would live out the rest of his days in a retirement home in Victoria. Billy Barker died on July 11th, 1894 and his legacy lives on in Barkerville, B.C.