The man who irrigated the Okanagan
Erected in Kelowna’s Kerry Park in 1958 by the Central British Columbia branches of The Association of Professional Engineers of BC and The Engineering Institute of Canada, the sign has an important message:
To Commemorate
The Work Of Our Pioneer Engineers, Among Them
F.W. Groves
Who Between 1908 and 1948
Was Responsible For Most Of
The Irrigation Works
Built In This Area.
Francis William Groves was born in Mullavilly, Armagh, Ireland, on Nov. 17, 1867, son of the Rev. Henry Charles Groves and Katherine Eliza “Kate” Little.
He studied civil engineering at Dublin’s Royal College of Science.
After graduating from university, Groves worked at various projects, including surveying several proposed Irish railways. Unable to find permanent employment, he left Ireland, sailing from Londonderry on March 31, 1893, and arrived at Halifax two weeks later.
Groves did not linger in eastern Canada, but caught the train for British Columbia. After a brief sojourn in Vernon, he settled in Vancouver. During the next five years, Groves worked at a number of surveying projects in the Pacific Northwest, including the proposed Kaslo and Slocan Railway, connecting with the mining town of Sandon.
In late 1897, Groves became Provincial Land Surveyor, qualifying for this position while living at Victoria. The following year, after a brief stay in Spokane, Wash., Groves moved to Rossland, B.C.
On Nov. 30, 1898, at Rossland, Groves married Eva Isobel James. She was born at Calcutta, India, on Dec. 17, 1865, daughter of John and Clara Jeannette James. She came to Canada in 1891.
Shortly after their marriage, Francis and Eva Groves moved to Greenwood, B.C. He worked as a civil engineer at nearby Anaconda, now one of the historic Boundary Country’s many ghost towns.
In Greenwood, the Groves had the first two of their three children: Godfrey Charles Francis Groves (born Aug. 26, 1900, died at Kelowna, Dec. 29, 1971) and John Desmond Groves (born at Anaconda, Nov. 24, 1901, died at San Diego, Calif., March 7, 1990).
Francis and Eva’s third child, Edward Tennyson Groves, was born at Princeton, Dec. 12, 1905, the family having relocated to the Similkameen in 1903.
Francis worked as a surveyor at Princeton for four years, until the family moved — this time to Okanagan Centre.
Okanagan Centre was in its infancy in 1907. Brothers Homer and Lester Maddock were establishing their new townsite and they hired Groves to lay out and install an ambitious irrigation system, providing water to 2,000 acres of potential orchards. This was the first of Groves’ many Okanagan irrigation projects.
In the fall of 1909, Groves was hired by the South Kelowna Land Company to install an irrigation system for 2,000 acres of bench land south of Kelowna. This mega-project involved the construction of a large storage reservoir, concrete-lined ditches, and pipelines.
The 1911 Canada census shows the Groves family — Francis, Eva, and sons Godfrey, John, and Edward – living in Kelowna on Lake Avenue, near Abbott Street. Francis’ occupation was “engineer.”
The 1913 W.A. Jeffries Directory for British Columbia has the following Kelowna entry, on page 71: Groves Francis W (Eva I) civ eng [civil engineer] r [residence] Park av
The Groves family is in the 1921 Canada census, living on Park Avenue. Francis was a surveyor. Godfrey Groves was enumerated as a university student. He later became a mining engineer.
The outbreak of war in 1914 temporarily ended the South Kelowna Land Company’s project. Living at Kelowna with his family, Francis opened an office, offering services as a consulting engineer and land surveyor.
The District Water Rights Branch Engineer was on military service and so Francis became Acting District Engineer, which he continued until 1920.
Between 1920 and 1947, Groves worked for numerous local companies. He designed and installed irrigation systems for K.L.O. Water District, Westbank Irrigation District, Black Mountain Irrigation District, Peachland Municipal Irrigation District, Glenmore Irrigation District, South East Kelowna Irrigation District, and Scotty Creek Irrigation District, to name but a few.
Agricultural enterprises and municipalities alike benefitted from Groves’ expertise.
After their sons left home, Francis and Eva Groves remained in Kelowna. As well as surveying and installing irrigation systems, Francis Groves raised mink, then a fashionable fur.
Groves died in Kelowna on March 25, 1948 at the age 80. His Death Registration lists his occupation as “Civil Engineer,” retiring on Dec. 26, 1947 — three months before his death.
Eva Groves moved to California in 1953, to live with her son Edward. She died at San Diego on May 10 1955. Her body was returned to Kelowna, for burial beside her husband in Kelowna Cemetery.
Six months ago, I would have suggested that people stroll by and admire the former Groves home, the historic Edwardian-era home located at 409 Park Avenue. This is no longer possible.
On Feb. 24, 2020, Kelowna city council voted to remove the 113-year-old Groves home from Kelowna’s Heritage Register.
With the recommendation of Kelowna’s Planning Department and the blessing of all but one of Kelowna’s councillors, the Groves home was demolished on March 30, to be replaced by two modern structures.
Although located in the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area – designated for the protection of architectural heritage – the Groves home succumbed to the wrecker’s ball.
On March 30, 2020, Kelowna lost another piece of its architectural history – a tangible reminder of the role that Francis Groves played in bringing water to Central Okanagan residents.
An account of Francis Groves’ life — including details of his involvement in Okanagan irrigation systems — is on pages 49 to 54 of “The Twenty-third Report” of the Okanagan Historical Society (1959).
This article is part of aseries, submitted by the Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Historical Society. Additional information is always welcome at P.O Box 22105 Capri P.O., Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9N9.