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About the Fairbridge Chapel Heritage Society

Preserving Cowichan's Historical Legacy

Our Heritage Mission & History

The Fairbridge Chapel Heritage Society was founded in October 1987 through the vision and dedication of local citizens who recognized the profound historical significance of this cherished site. Working closely with the Cowichan Valley Regional District, our society undertook the vital mission of preserving and maintaining this important piece of local heritage.

The Society’s mandate encompasses the restoration, preservation and ongoing stewardship of three significant properties: the historic Chapel, the Cowichan Public School and their surrounding grounds. Through a collaborative partnership with the Regional District and the invaluable support of both the Fairbridge Canada Association and our wider community, we’ve transformed these historic buildings into vibrant community spaces that honour our past while serving present needs.

Leadership & Governance

The Society is led by a dedicated Board of Directors who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure the preservation of this historic site. Our current board members bring diverse skills and deep community connections to their roles.

Annual General Meeting & Society Documents

The Society holds its Annual General Meeting each spring, between the end of our fiscal year (March 31st) and June 30th. These meetings provide an opportunity for community engagement and transparent governance. Meeting minutes and annual reports are available for public review, demonstrating our commitment to accountability.=

Board of Directors

Mike Race, President
Erin Nicholson, Vice President
Jack Hicks, Treasurer
Karin Laurie, Secretary
Pat Skidmore, Member at Large

AGM Archive

Previous years’ minutes available upon request.

Publications & Resources

The Society produces informative publications about our heritage facilities and their historical significance. These materials offer insights into the Chapel’s architectural and cultural importance, the site’s role in the Fairbridge story, and our ongoing preservation efforts and community initiatives.

Books on Fairbridge Farm Schools & Child Migration

  • Fairbridge Farm: the building of a farm school, Ruby Fairbridge, Paterson Press, 1948
  • Fairbridge: Empire and Child Migration, Geoffrey Sherington, Chris Jeffery, University of Western Australia Press, 1998
  • The Forgotten Children: Fairbridge Farm School and Its Betrayal of Australia’s Child Migration, David Hill, Random House Australia, 2007
  • Marjorie: To Afraid to Cry, Patricia Skidmore, Dundurn, 2012
  • Marjorie: The War Years, Patricia Skidmore, Dundurn, 2018
  • Places of Worship, Ellen Mackay, Sono Nis Press, 1991
  • Windows: British Child Migrants to Africa, Rhodesia Fairbridge Memorial College, Editor Peter Gould, Fairbridge, 2001
  • Empty Cradles, change publishers to Corgi Books, 1995 and also Transworld Publishers, 1996
  • New Lives for Old, Roger Kershaw and Janet Sacks, The National Archives of the United Kingdom, 2008
  • English Bloods after dela Fosse add the words, Edited by Scott D. Shipman, Natural heritage Books, 2004
  • The Golden Bridge: Young Immigrants to Canada, 1833-1939, Marjorie Kohl, Natural Heritage Books, 2003
  • The Little Immigrants, Kenneth Bagnell, Macmillan of Canada, 1980
  • Lost Children of the Empire, Phillip Bean and Joy Melville, Unwin Hyman Limited, 1989
  • The Memories of a former Guttersnipe; Roddy Mackay, Park Place Publications, 2018
  • The Story of Kingsley Fairbridge, by Himself, Oxford university Press, 1927, Twelfth impression (Cape Town) 1959
  • Pinjarra—The Building of A Farm School, Ruby Fairbridge, Oxford University Press, London, 1937
  • Miracle of Fairbridge, Joan Halls, Hesperian Press 1999
  • Fairbridge Kid, John Lane, Freemantle Arts Centre Press
  • Rhondda Boy, Derrick Rees, private publication by D.R. Rees, 1992
  • Childhood Interrupted—A Child Migrants Journey, Evelyn Donnelly Toms (Blurbbook) 2014