| 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 Lake Koocanusa, SW of Fernie, Kootenay Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 49°22'59"N, 115°18'03"W at the approximate population centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 82G/6 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Jaffray (Post Office & Station) adopted 12 December 1939 on 82/SE, as identified in the 1930 BC Gazetteer. Confirmed 7 December 1950 on Columbia River Basin manuscript 52. Form of name changed to Jaffray (Post Office) 6 April 1981 on 82G/6, as identified in the 1953 & 1966 BC Gazetteers. Form of name changed to Jaffray (community) 14 January 1983 on 82 G/6. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Original name of the settlement here was Cranston, although a post office was never opened under that name; Cranston is labelled on 1897 map in BC Mines Report, and on Dawson's 1898 map East and West Kootenay Districts (Southern Portion). Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Jaffray Post Office was opened 1 September 1901. In response to James White's enquiry to all Post Masters, the Jaffrey post master [signature not legible] responded 23 August 1905: "Called after Robert Jaffray of Toronto Ont. Never a Resident of this Province. President of a Coal Mining Co at Fernie B.C. 35 Miles East of this place. A Well known Toronto Man and who is still living - the place called after him because His Company was the first to Introduce Capital to the coal mines in this locality." (James White letters) See also Morgan, H.J., The Canadian Men and Women of the Times, Toronto, 1912, p.573; 1898 BC Mines Report, p.1116; 1899 BC Mines Report, p.773, 822. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Robert Jaffray (1832-1914). Born in Scotland, arrived Canada 1852; Toronto industrialist and financier, president of Cariboo-McKinney Gold Mining and Milling Co, president of Cariboo Consolidated Mining & Milling Co. Ltd of Toronto (head offices at Camp McKinney), Vice-President and Managing Director (later President) of Crows Nest Pass Coal Company Ltd, registered owners of Coal Creek Colliery, president Toronto Globe Printing Co; appointed senator 1906; served until his death in 1914. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |