Drawing the British Columbians out and making them feel proud

“The goal is to draw the British out and make them a little prouder. My goal as president is to make people more aware.”

By Ryan Neale

The Scottish have the Robbie Burns Day, and the Irish have the St. Patrick’s Day, and the British? There is a lot the British have too, if you listen to what Steve McVittie has to say.

“Look around Vancouver. We have streets, mountain and lakes that were named by the British. They were some of the original immigrants who made Canada their home,” McVittie says.

He says the British are proud of their culture and heritage, but an innate reserve nature may be stopping them from celebrating it. McVittie is president of the Royal Society of St. George, British Columbia Branch, and a proud Canadian and equally proud of his heritage.

His family traces its roots to Bedford, and his grandfather was a surgeon general in the British army and a honorary physician for Queen Victoria.

If you are British or have roots in that country, mark down April 21 in your calendar. It’s the Queen’s Birthday and the society is organising an event at the Yaletown Roundhouse Community Centre, where there will be a diverse array of British food, music, and merchandise.

You don’t have to be British to join a meetup. If you are interested in British culture, you’re welcome. Younger people are also encouraged to attend since according to McVittie, the future of the society is in their hands.

Established in 1894, the Royal Society of St. George, British Columbia Branch (SGSBC) followed many other chapters around North America with its goal in aiding British immigrants.

The promotion of the English way of life was a key ambition that was pursued, and in 1963, Queen Elizabeth II granted the society its own Royal Charter. St. George – the English patron saint – is the namesake of the society, however, it serves all that are British.

After its re-activation in 1987, the St. George Society of BC operates today with the ultimate goal of celebrating British heritage in a Canadian context.

“The purpose is to continue to recognize the Queen as the head of the British Commonwealth, and to celebrate British events as well as other British customs.” St. George Society of BC president, Steve McVittie says of the current purpose.

In its past, SGSBC have been responsible for the formation of a separate division that helped new British immigrants integrate smoothly into Canadian society.

McVittie notes that while subtle differences, even distinguishing vocabulary can be tricky for British ex-pats, “The words are different, for us it’s a trunk, for them it’s a boot.” Additionally, the Society also participates in some charitable work with various local charities.

Nowadays, the St. George Society of BC focuses on an individual basis as opposed to completing ‘bigger’ projects.

The overarching reason for this is for people of British descent to discover and celebrate their heritage individually and in a community. He says there are people who no longer want to be associated with the Queen.

“I think it’s nice to have roots… you look at the Royal Family, there’s still a lot of dignity there.” He believes that the main reason the society isn’t as strong as it could be is due to the reserved persona of the English.

But the upcoming event could provide them a place to connect with their roots and support the society. SGSBC hopes that by gathering a larger presence they can attract people who previously were unaware of them.

One way McVittie has tried to promote the British heritage is through proclamations. In the past, the City of Vancouver, City of Victoria, New Westminster, among others have declared April 23^rd St. George Day.

While the proclamation does hold sentimental value, the real value is in the minutes the council publishes, garnering greater exposure for the Society.

“The goal is to draw the British out and make them a little prouder. My goal as president is to make people more aware.”