Basil Winter “Bas” Charman (1926 - 2011)
Basil Charman was born in Kelowna, British Columbia and joined the Merchant Navy in 1943 at age seventeen to serve in the Second World War. He was discharged in 1947 after receiving the Atlantic Star and Pacific Star medals. He returned to Kelowna and worked at the Sun-Rype packing plant. Basil and Daphne Leggatt were married in October 1947. [Daphne Jean Charman, nee Leggatt (1927 - 2011)] In 1948, Bas was making $135 a month and his brother Lionel, who was working in Dawson for Yukon Consolidated Gold Corp (YCGC), told him he could make $245 a month as a labourer. Bas flew to Dawson in April 1948 and a month later Daphne followed him with all their possessions.1)
Basil advanced in YCGC’s Bear Creek shop crew from a hammerman in 1952 to machinist.2) Their first home was at Granville, but they moved to Bear Creek soon after and stayed there until 1966. The first two years were difficult as the work was seasonal, but Bas cut wood to tide them over. When YCGC started operating year-round, Bas became a full-time machinist.3)
Bas and Daphne raised two sons, David and Robin, and Daphne worked as a cook and secretary/bookkeeper for several different employers. When YCGC closed down, they moved to Whitehorse and Bas joined White Pass as foreman of the freight sheds and then worked as a mechanic for the Highway division. Daphne worked at the liquor store and at an accounting firm. She then worked at Murdoch's Gem Shop as their bookkeeper until her retirement. In his retirement, Bas took up stained glass and they both enjoyed gardening. They were long-time members of the Yukon Craft's Society, the Art Society and the Fireweed Market. Daphne was treasurer of the Yukon Crafts Society for many years. They are remembered as real characters, expert gardeners, good neighbours, interesting conversationalists, and storytellers of life in Dawson and Bear Creek.4)