A Homegrown Hero
In fencing, we use the term ‘Navvy Jack’ to describe material used in pouring our post foundations. While there are plenty of silly slang terms in the construction industry, like Honey-Wagon or Butt-Weld, Navvy-Jack has origins close to home!
What is Navvy Jack exactly?
Navvy Jack refers to a specific mixture of gravel, sand, and silt commonly used in construction, particularly for concrete and foundational works. Its composition typically includes:
- Fine sand: Provides compactability and strength to the mix.
- Small stones or gravel: Adds structural integrity and resistance to cracking.
- Occasional silt or clay: Helps bind the mix for specific applications.
With the combination of the above attributes, the aggregate compound has found use in countless construction operations for its versatility and scalability depending on what’s being built. This aggregate was introduced by a local gravel company headed by none other than John “Navvy Jack” Thomas.
Who was the original Navvy Jack?
Coming from his homeland of Wales in the 1860s, Mr. Thomas was a pivotal figure in British Columbia’s pioneer history and renowned for his many “firsts,” including the launch of the region’s first by-request ferry service between Vancouver and Ambleside in 1866. His home, still standing at 1768 Argyle Avenue, was the location of the first post office, church service and wedding ceremony in West Vancouver. It was built in 1874, shortly after he married Rowia, a Musqueam Nation woman who was the grandaughter of “Old Chief” Kiapilano/Capilano. Many Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam families in the area can attribute some of their ancestry to this union.
The Name
So what about John’s strange nickname? First, “Jack” has also been a nickname for John since ancient times. The term “Navvy” is described in the Oxford Dictionary as meaning “an excavator”, originating in Britain during the great canal building period of the1800s. At that time canals were referred to as “Navigations” and those employed in the excavations became known as “Navvies”. In the early days of Vancouver, the smaller workforce meant people often worked on a first name basis. Thus, descriptions or occupations were used to help differentiate between those with common first names e.g. the talkative saloonkeeper John Deighton was known as “Gassy Jack”, the gravel supplier with a background in digging was “Navvy Jack”, and so on.
A Legacy
The longevity of John Thomas’ Argyle Avenue house can be attributed in part due to the materials used in its construction, and is a testament to the centuries-long success of Navvy-Jack aggregate in the building of B.C. infrastructure. Mr. Thomas had quite the impact in the early days of pioneering Vancouver, and this includes in the construction industry. The next time you walk past a concrete building or fence post, you just may recollect the entrepreneurial spirit of a certain Welshman and his impact on British Columbia.
