In 1913 Harry Keefer persuaded about a dozen families to travel on the S.S. Cowichan to Savary, leaving Vancouver on July 3rd and arriving at Savary on July 4th. This excursion resulted in many property sales and was duly recorded, with everyone gathered on the Keefers’ front porch for a group photograph. (see Magnetic Isle pp. 48-49)
The following is an excerpt from from the reminiscences of Dr. Frank Turnbull on his early days in Vancouver and beginning his practice in neurosurgery. He titled it "Travail in the West”.
Page 25….When Dad's (Dr. James Lockie Turnbull) financial state improved, a friend and property developer, Harry Keefer, persuaded him to build a summer home at Savary Island, a small sand island encircled by beautiful beaches about 90 miles north of Vancouver. On July 3rd of that year, the commodious S.S. Cowichan was chartered for a sales trip. I was aboard along with my mother and brother Walter and about a dozen other families on our way to the first sale of island lots. Dad remained at home.
The ship anchored off the white sandy beach at Savary next morning. On that hot summer day it looked like an idyllic tropical isle to a boy who was familiar with the illustrations in "Robinson Crusoe". A dense forest of Douglas firs came down to the sea grass at the border of the sand. Three widely separated small houses set back in the woods couldn't be seen from the ship.
Dad had deputized mother to select two lots for a future summer cottage and she chose carefully. Over the years the wisdom of her choices has been repeatedly vindicated.
In 1914 the property was registered to Dr. James Lockie Turnbull, 307 Birks Bldg., Vancouver and then 476 E. Broadway, Vancouver.
A substantial two-storey log home with loft or mezzanine was built by Bill Mace for Dr. Turnbull and his wife Jean Alexandra, sons Frank and Walter and daughter Eleanor. Eleanor spent time in Scotland and Switzerland with her mother and so did not spend as much time at Savary as her brothers. Dr. Turnbull had a “retainer”, Hedley Sutton, who helped out with things. This first home burned to the ground sometime between 1925 and1928.
It was replaced by a single-storey log structure. The bedrooms and bathroom were set off to one side of the large central living room with stone fireplace. The kitchen and dining room were built on the other end.
After J.L. Turnbull's death, his son Dr. Frank Turnbull, with his wife Jean and children Ian, Joan, Sheila and Susan, spent many summers at Savary. Dr. Frank Turnbull was a pioneer neurosurgeon – the first neurosurgeon in Vancouver. He has documented this important time in his book, Turnbull F.: Operating on the Fontier: Memoirs of a Pioneer Canadian Neurosurgeon, Madeira Park, BC: Capilano Publication, 1995.
After Frank's death, the home passed to his daughter Susan Poulos (née Turnbull). With her husband George and daughters Andrea and Farrell, many happy family memories continued. To accommodate the growing family, a second cottage was built behind the home.
After Susan’s death, the next owner was her daughter Farrell Eckman (neé Poulos). With husband Dave and daughters Georgia and Jamie it was decided to replace the 90 year-old cabin as repairs and upkeep became too difficult. Their beautiful new home, built by Matt Howe Construction, was completed in the summer of 2020. The new design retains much of the original footprint but is raised up to take advantage of the fabulous view over Keefer Bay.
Published 2025
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