BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Pauline Johnson Memorial, Stanley Park

This memorial was dedicated on May 26, 1922. It was sponsored by the Vancouver branch of the Women's Canadian Club, who had looked after Johnson's funeral arrangements in 1913. It was originally intended to be designed by sculptor Charles Marega (see proposal) but fundraising stopped when World War One began. Afterwards, Marega's design was considered too expensive. Architect James A. Benzie (AIBC member #13) and Major Harry Patterson, president of a local art monument firm, designed this monument for free, although it apparently cost $1,200.00 to construct (compared to Marega's $30,000.00). The carving was done by James McLeod Hurry, a stonemason from Aberdeen, Scotland, who was Patterson's foreman.

Originally a trickle of water ran down the rocks into a little pool, beneath which lies the concrete coffin containing Johnson's ashes.

The memorial has received numerous unfavorable comments and reviews over the years. It is hard to even notice it when you pass by, and if you do it looks like a pile of rocks. Pauline Johnson herself was insistent that there be no memorial for her, so this monument comes close to being compliant. Her name is carved on the left side. This portrait was noted as not looking anything like her. Hurry did seem to carve the bear claw necklace fairly well, and some of the silver ornaments on the fringed dress.

Johnson's complete costume was willed to the Vancouver Museum at her death, consisting of her "Indian Costume intact and comprising the scalps, silver brooches and all other decorations, and including skirt and bodice, moccasins, bear claw necklace, eagle plum(e) erect and the pair of bead and tooth bracelets given to me by Ernest Thompson Seton ..."

The "scalps" noted consisted of two cured human scalps, one was from "a poor Huron" that she had inherited from her family. The other was gifted to her by a Blackfoot Chief in Alberta after she tried to buy it from him. An interpreter explained that Johnson came "from a long line of scalpers."


Pauline Johnson Memorial, 1922. Photo Gary Sim 2008.


Carving by James McLeod Hurry, 1922. Photo Gary Sim 2008.


Plaque. Photo Gary Sim 2008.


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