Charles (Charlie) George Case was born in London, where his father ran a livery stable and drove hansom cabs around London. He signed up for the Boer War and when it was over, he sailed for the United States, in 1906, to follow the gold seekers to Calfornia. He was in San Francisco when the great earthquake struck and he worked for a glazier, replacing many smashed windows.
He came north to B.C. to Prince Rupert and worked on the Great Northern Railway. His fiancee in England, Ellen Dingley from Birmingham came out as far as Brandon, Manitoba where Charlie met her and they were married there in 1912.
They lived in Prince Rupert until Charlie went to work in Stewart in the mine and Ellen remained in Prince Rupert where a son, Ralph, was born. She was walking along a sidewalk one day pushing the infant in a carriage when as explosion blew her off here feet and tossed the baby through a store window. Neither were badly hurt, but it was caused by too large a powder charge being set off while the channel around the island was being deepened to allow ships to enter.
Their next move was to Port Coquitlam where Charlie built a hotel and had a half interest in a transfer business as well. A son, Stanley (Stan) was born there. Unfortunately the hotel burned down and he sold out his share in the transfer and moved to Greenwood where he worked in the mine. Meanwhile, Ellen and the two boys returned to England for a year. By 1922, Charlie was in Rossland working for the LeRoi Mine, and from there he transferred to Kimberley in 1923.
Charlie lived in the townsite bunkhouse while Ellen and the children lived in Cranbrook for a year. She had a brother, Ed Dingley, who worked for the C.P.R. as freight agent from 1910 to 1955. Houses were being built on the McDougall Townsite and they moved into the first house that was built on Fourth Avenue and Charlie worked in the mine.
Following their schooling, the two boys got work with the Company. Ralph worked in the Mine and Stan started in the Rockhouse. Ralph married Eileen Thomas and they had two daughters, Judith and Sharon. He was not well for a number of years and died in 1947, shortly after his father passed away in the same year.
Stan was working in the Rockhouse when he signed up in the R.C.A.F. in 1943. He trained as an Areo Mechanic and spent two years on submarine patrol on the west coast, from Vancouver north. He was stationed in England for less than a year, training on Lancaster bombers.
On his return, Stan went back in the Rockhouse for a short time before transferring to the car shop.
As a boy, Stan kept himself busy at odd jobs after school. He helped his Dad cut firewook where the Lindsay Park School now stands. He set pins for bowling at the McDougall Hall. He was the first paper boy that delivered the Daily Bulletin in Townsited. He helped mow the spacious lawns around the McDougall Hall and acted as a lifeguard at the pool during the summer months, along with Nip Twells.
Stan remained a bachelor. He enjoys curling and ten pin bowling and has many trophies to show for his skill and he golfs during the summer. He used to hunt and fish.
Mr. and Mrs. Case retired to the coast in the 1940's. Charlie died at seventy and Ellen lived to be ninety-eight. Charlie was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Ellen was a charter member of the Eastern Star in Kimberley.
Stan likes living in Kimberley and plans to remain.
