The Galleon Books, Antique, Collectible and Unique Find Show will have a booth JHR & THR # 39 with an exhibition by the Roberts Heritage Foundation which witll include writings by the Welsh born Druid mystic, John Hugh Roberts (JHR) 60 years of his personal Diaries (from Wales 1840’s, to Ontario, Canada,
to Iowa USA and back to and the dairies ending in Vancouver in 1912) and 60 original
Photographs of the early Roberts family from 1880’s to the early 1900’s. We are lucky to have these as Charles and Fred Steele had a photography company Steele and Brothers in Winnipeg. Along with
photographs are John H Roberts 90 pages of handwritten mystical Druid manuscripts and his
original handwritten 256 page ‘Stone Book of Knowledge’.
With these fascinating writings is a collection of art works created by his son, Tomhu
Huron Roberts (THR), recognized as one of the first artists to reside in Vancouver in 1885,
included are 5 Oil Paintings, over 20 individual sketches and 8 sketchbooks (lesson books) with
multiple miniature illustrations with often with technical lessons pertaining to specific
illustrations.
Dale Bertrand has been the Executive Director of the Roberts Heritage Foundation,
1996, which was founded to help historians and history buffs, understand the Robert’s families
importance to the early development of various parts of Canada. John Hugh was
involved in building two home building projects at Jarvis and Dundas area in Toronto in
the late 1881 -1883, selling these with the decision to cross Canada, the family left but
stopped off in Winnipeg to help create the Welsh community in 1883-84. From there they
traveled overland to San Francisco to board a boat to arrive in Vancouver in 1885.
The family, John Hugh, his wife Anne, son Tomhu Huron, daughters Sarah Anne and
Mississippi homesteaded at Quebec and 10 th Ave, building a home overlooking the Main
Street bridge and the town of Hastings, a year later becoming the town of Vancouver.
In the years 1886 to 1938, John Hugh and his son Tomhu invested in properties in
various parts of lower B.C., Lillooet. Lulu Island, Point Grey, and even a very large
section of Caulfield in 1938 by Tomhu Huron Roberts.
Along with land development Tomhu Huron Roberts had a fine since of artistic ability and was involved in many shows and developing his artistic style. We have many of his art sketchbook/lesson books where he goes into details on techniques of painting as he was also a teacher of art.
Dale has been the owner/promoter of the collection for almost 46 years is in talks
with various institutions and art galleries across Canada as a number of them are
interested in all or parts of the collection. He is looking to sell and re-house his
collection either at the appropriate museum of with the right private collector (s).
Early Canadian artist Tomhu Huron Roberts (THR) (son of John Hugh & Anne Roberts)
was born in 1859 in Collingwood, Simcoe County .Along with land development Tomhu had a fine since of artistic ability and even became
the first registered artist in the Henderson Directory. He was reported to be a
founding member of the Pioneer Art Gallery, the first art gallery in Vancouver is the late
1880’s.
In the Collection there is Seven framed works including oil paintings, watercolour and ink sketches.
Including is a self-portrait and portrait of his nephew, Charles Steele who has been recognized by the
City of Vancouver, as the first “registered boy” born after the inauguration of the City of
Vancouver in 1886. In recognition a Vancouver Sun article 1971 shows him wearing a
medal presented to him in honor. Dale’s mother and Charles Steele were good friends.
The collection also includes seven small art lesson books by Tomhu Huron Roberts on
painting with many small miniatures of people and places along with notable sketches of
Timothy Eaton. THR was paid $1 per day to teach fine art to Mr, Eaton over a seven-
week period and made several sketches of him.
Approximately 20 (double-sided as loose pages from sketchbook ) larger sketches of people and scenes from 1870s in Toronto to a few Winnipeg sketches from 1883 of peoples and scenes and after one sketchbook book arriving in Vancouver in 1885 with the many art lesson books from this period.
Dale Bertrand, as owner and Executive Officer of the Roberts Heritage Foundation, has
published six books by John Hugh Roberts on projects with four of the books containing illuminations by Leo D’ Pasqua of the writing. Each book is 20 – 25 pages of 9 ½” by 12” original art. The four books are called The Three Mermaid, Chief Festival of the Druids, The Galcerth of Halloween and Nennius, These books of the original llluminations will be for sale. Also they are printed 8x 10 small books adaptations which are available Amazon in hard copy and digital format books.
Another book is Druicial Quest which highlights Dale’s journey in researching the manuscirpts with travels to various parts of the world with his wife Della such as Mexico, England, Wales and also him to Peru. John Hugh Roberts also took nine years to write a book called ‘The Stone Book of Knowledge’ and this has been published and available on Amazon as both a hard and digital copy.
Also to be shown and be for sale will be an original illuminated painting called the ‘Druid Money’ created by Leo D’Pasqua in 1986 that is from a drawing done by John Hugh Roberts and is in the Stone Book of Knowledge.
Hope you can make the show in Victoria or arrange to see the collection in Nanaimo. For further inquiries contact Dale Bertrand Executive Director of the Roberts Heritiage Foundation at azatlan@yahoo.com or call 250 7342729.
Thanks from The Roberts Heritage Foundation
Links/References
Youtube – First Days in Vancouver – produced by Della Burford & Dale Bertrand –
Books where Tomhu Huron Roberts is mentioned:
Artists Overland –Burnaby Art Gallery
Early Painters and Engravers -J. Russell Harper
Fine Arts in Vancouver -William Wylie Thom
Desolation to Splendor -Maria Tippett & Douglas Cole
Dictionary of Canadian Artists – Colin S. McDonald 1997
Books:
Druidical Quest –author- Dale Bertrand ..also excerpts from John Hugh ISBN 978-
0969561170
Three Mermaids –Author – John Hugh Roberts ISBN-978-0987830272
Chief Festival of the Druids –Author – John Hugh Roberts ISBN 978-0987830296
Gaelcerth of Halloween -author John Hugh Roberts ISBN 978-0987830289
Nennius –Author John Hugh Roberts ISBN 978-1927825006
Stone Book of Knowledge –Author – John Hugh Roberts ISBN 978-0987830258
Create a Dream, with Della Burford 