Alahambra Drive

Alhambra Drive is located on the farm originally owned by the Follweiter family.  The family also owned farm property between Schriener Street and McLean Street. Johann (John) Follweiter was born on July 31, 1924 in Sajk So Evan, Yugoslavia. John immigrated to Canada with his parents Jacob and Katherine and family on April 3, 1929 when he was four years old. The family started a mixed farm and orchard in the Brocklehurst area. The family was one of the original Pioneers in the area. During his life John was employed as a mill worker in Kamloops at Savona Timber and at the Tranquille Farm. In later years, he was a driver for the Budget Car Company which enabled him to see much of the province. John was involved with Missouri Synod Lutheran Church for many years. He was confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Brocklehurst, then attended the Church of the Good Shepherd in North Kamloops where his love for singing saw him involved with the Church Choir and until his death was a member of the Lord of Life Church in Valleyview. John is predeceased by his daughter Maureen Annette, parents Jacob and Katherine, his brothers Jacob and Henry, sisters Katherine Desrosier and Evelyn Hart. Alhambra was a citadel of the Moorish kings near Granada, Spain, built during the 13th and 14th Century.

Bossert Street

Emanuel David Bossert was born in Bessarabia, Romania in 1918 and came to Canada with his parents and siblings in 1928/29.  They lived for a time in parts of Alberta.  On arriving in the Kamloops region, he settled in the Brocklehurst area.  He was a WWII veteran, orchardist/farmer, builder, business owner, and DND firefighter over his lifetime. He married Elizabeth Katarius in 1941 in Kamloops.  After a time in Victoria, they returned to Kamloops in 1966 and began ranching at Monte Lake, B.C.  He and Elizabeth retired to Oliver, B.C. in 1997; and he returned to Kamloops in 2009 where he died on Jan 19, 2014. Subdivided 1954 – Map 6845- Owners of this property (both sides of the road) was Emanuel Bossert.
Herbert Mark Bossert, likely the brother of Emanuel David Bossert was born in 1923 in Hoffnungstal, Romania and immigrated to Canada in 1928/29.   Not certain when he landed up in Kamloops; however, between 1962 and 1974, he is listed on voters lists as a boiler man, carpenter and building contractor.  He passed away September 30, 2013 survived by his second wife, Betty (first wife Barbara predeceased in 1983), three sons, a daughter and four stepchildren.  Jan 19, 2019 Kamloops This Week notes “Bossert Avenue in Brocklehurst is named for Herbert Bossert, who owns nearly everything in the area after it was sold by B.C. Fruitlands “. Kamloops Museum and Archives.

Caroline Street

Today, Caroline Street runs down the middle of what was once the seven-acre apple orchard of Alfred and Linda Eppler. Alfred’s family came to Canada from Teplitz, Bessarabia in April 1930, part of a group of German families brought from Eastern Europe to farm the BC Fruitlands holdings in Brocklehurst.  He was nine year old at the time.  The Eppler family eventually settled on a piece of land along the Thompson River about where Downie Place is now.

As a young, married ex-soldier in the early 1940s, Alfred decided that this McIntosh apple orchard along Tranquille Road was just the place to raise his family.  (Incidentally, the name “Eppler” translates from German into English as “apple grower” or “apple seller.”)

A prolonged, unusually severe winter in late Dec.1949 through Jan.1950 wiped out most of the orchard. All the trees were bull-dozed into huge piles that burned for many days and nights until only ashes remained.  75% of Brocklehurst fruit trees were lost that winter when temperatures dipped as low as 37.5F.

The family (that now included 2 children) turned to mixed crop farming – asparagus, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, seed beans, to name a few.  These were sold to suppliers and packing houses, and to local people who came from town to buy “off the field.”  By this time, Alfred was also working full-time as a DND fireman at the Navy Depot on “The Hill” above town.

In the mid-1950s, when the population of the area began expanding, the farm was subdivided into building lots which were quickly bought up by young families.  Alfred constructed a fine new house for his own family on one of the frontal lots along Tranquille Road to replace the tiny one-bedroom house they had been living in up to then.  Things were comfortable at last.

But then the Navy Depot closed (early 1960s), so Alfred moved his family to Victoria where he continued on as a DND fireman at the naval base there.

However, he and his wife left a bit of themselves behind in Brocklehurst, for back when they subdivided their property they gave their daughter’s name to the road running down the heart of their old farm: Caroline.

 

Source:   Sharon Caroline Westselaar (nee Eppler)

Bentley Place

Named for Dalton Wilfred Bentley who came to Kamloops in 1953 and was involved in ranching and land development.  Dalton established The Bentley Place Development in Brocklehurst in 1959.  He was born 20 March 1903 in Moorhead, Clay County, Minnesota and died in Kamloops 13 March 1985 at age 81.  He and his wife are buried in Hillside Cemetery, Kamloops.  At the time of his passing, family included wife Florence, daughter Irene and husband Michael Schneider, sons Robert and wife Elsie of Kamloops, and Ronald of Fernie; sisters Mrs. Jeanette Girling of Victoria and Mrs. Lula Nave of Eston, Saskatchewan.

This information obtained from Newspaper Index, Surnames at Kamloops Archives and Find A Grave

Bray Place

Named for Fred Bray born Jan 30, 1903 in Devon, England.  He had worked for Mr. Jackson in the Long Lake area of Knutsford when he married Kathleen “Kate” Isobel Lyne, born Nov 26, 1911 in Lincolnshire, England, and they then moved to a farm in Westsyde.  They had four children Wallace (Freda) Bray of Bridge Lake, Edna (Alec) Farquharson of Kamloops, Betty (Sandy) Bruce of Smithers and Tom (Carol) Bray of Kamloops; all raised on their farm.  Fred and Kate lived on the farm for 37 years before subdividing it into residential lots.  Fred passed away March 18, 1976 at age 73 and Kate continued to live there until 2004 when she moved into Berwick on the Park.  Kate died October 12, 2005.  Both are buried at Hillside Cemetery, Sec R, Row 10, Lot 5, SubLot W.

Information obtained from Find a Grave and Kamloops Museum and Archives.

Brunner Street

Was named for Joe Brunner who came to Canada in 1928 from Austria.  He came to Brocklehurst in 1943 and was well known for his outspokeness and involvement in the community.  He was a lifetime member of the Community Hall Association, twice ran for alderman of the former District Municipality of Brocklehurst and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Railway Workers and employed by CNR for 40 years.  He was Secretary of Brocklehurst Golden Age Bowling Association at the time of his death.  He died in Royal Inland Hospital 30 Aug 1976 and was survived by wife Emma, son Eric, daughter Ella (Mrs. G. Graham) and grandson Robbie Brunner, all of Kingston Ontario and one sister.

Subdivided 1957- Map 8352 Information obtained from Kamloops Museum and Archives.

Centennial Drive

Was named for The Canadian Centennial was a yearlong celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1, 1967.  One of the projects included the 1,500 seat Norbrock Stadium on McArthur Island.
Information from Kamloops Museum & Archives Newspaper Index

Gellrich Avenue

Was named for Alfred Richard Gellrich was born in 1896 in Germany.  He immigrated from Hamburg with his wife, Marta and son Ginter to Winnipeg and gave his occupation as “landarbeiter”.  Gellrich was subdivided out of Lot 76, Plan 1105 in 1956 (Map 8075).  Alfred is listed in the 1949 and 1957 directories as a labourer with the BC Government and is living at R.R.#1, Brocklehurst.  He died February 2, 1963 in Kamloops and is buried is Hillside Cemetery. In the 1960 directory, his son Ginter A. Gellrich is listed as a Range Rider at the Dominion Range Experimental Farm; he is listed in 1963 as living at 908 Holt Street, but is not listed in 1966.
Information obtained from Muesum and Archives