Live at Lunch: Prohibition in British Columbia

Prohibition in British Columbia: How the Prohibitionists Won the Battle but Lost the War

Prohibition came into effect in BC on October 1, 1917, making BC the last Canadian province to enact prohibition and the first to end it. The story of how its supporters prevailed and how it ultimately failed is complex, fascinating and at times humourous, involving fraud, duplicity and corruption. Archivist Frederike Verspoor will present it through the records of the BC Archives. 

About the Speaker:

An archivist for the BC Archives since 2002, Frederike Verspoor previously worked at the BC Legislative Library and at the Royal BC Museum Library where her master’s degrees in history and in library science were augmented by developing expertise in a wide range of subjects and disciplines. Frederike has a particular interest in BC, Canadian and British government documents and records, including court records (current and historical), statutes and case law. Visit Frederike's profile page for a full biography.