| Feature Type: | Community - An unincorporated populated place, generally with a population of 50 or more, and having a recognized central area that might contain a post office, store and/or community hall, etc, intended for the use of the general public in the region. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | E side of Howe Sound, S of Squamish, New Westminster Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 49°37'34"N, 123°12'12"W at the approximate population centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 92G/11 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Britannia Beach (Post Office & Steamer Landing) adopted 12 December 1939 on 92/SE, as labelled on BC map 2B, 1914. Form of name changed to Britannia Beach (Post Office) 12 September 1972; form further changed to Britannia Beach (Community) 20 October 1982. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Britannia Beach Post Office opened 1 January 1907, named in association with the nearby mine, in turn named after the Britannia Range. Ferry service discontinued sometime before May 1965. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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The original name for Britannia was Shisháýu7áy. The name refers to little spirits who are embodied in the screech owls that used to inhabit the area and fill the night air with their eerie cries.... At Britannia Beach trespassers were transformed into stone during mythological times.... There is a small rock island immediately off the north shore of Britannia where the Squamish laid their slain enemies after defending the territory from marauding northern tribes. (December 2011 from: Cultural Journey Sea-to-Sky Corridor website, Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations) Source: included with note |