In 1946, the French government took out a contract for 15 colliers to transport coal from the U.S. to France – the Burrard Drydock won the bid to build 11 of these ships.
French engineers were tasked with creating outline drawings for the ships, while detailed versions were done by the draftsmen from Burrard.
The first of these built was the 7,500-ton SS Venissieux, pictured above.
Named after a small town in the Metropolis of Lyon, the ship was christened by the wife of the French consul, Madame Charles Claudon. The ship was later sold to an Australian company in 1954.
Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.
Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver, at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open for drop-ins on Monday and by appointment Tuesday-Friday, 12:30-4 p.m. Contact: [email protected]
Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.
