Skip to content

Time Traveller: This 12-year-old mill worker had a very dangerous job

Delmar Germyn worked as a 'skid greaser' in the North Vancouver logging industry in the 1920s
12-year-old-logging-worker-delmar-germyn

Here is a photo of 12-year-old Delmar Germyn working as a “skid greaser” in 1924. A dangerous job, skid greasers were tasked with applying dog-fish oil to wooden skids to ensure that felled logs would move efficiently down the skids to the mills.

Delmar was one of seven children born to Charles and May Germyn, settlers in Lynn Valley who lived on Burill Avenue after moving from Ontario.

Charles worked as a teamster and lumberman. This photo is from Walter Draycott’s photo collection which documents the early logging industry in Lynn Valley.

Visit the MONOVA website 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]

Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks