Frederick O. Robinson was born in 1903 in Port Arthur, Ontario, and was educated through a machinist trade apprenticeship. Robinson worked at the Canadian National Railway (CNR) for 25 years before being elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1943, representing the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) party. Despite his election win, Robinson continued working as a machinist at the CNR.
From 1943 to 1945, Robinson served on the Board of Education. In this role, Robinson pushed to establish a university in Northwestern Ontario; this work led to the founding of the Lakehead Technical Institute (1946), which later became Lakehead University.
From 1946-1949, Robinson served on the Port Arthur City Council. From 1949-1955, Robinson was elected the Mayor of Port Arthur. His time in office is remembered for the founding of new schools, new health and welfare offices, and a new fire hall; and improving infrastructure, such as sidewalks and storm sewers. After 1955, Robinson served as a Personnel and Public Relations Officer for the Port Arthur Public Utilities Commission. Robinson retired in 1966 and passed away in 1969.
- Lakehead University Archive. Frederick O. Robinson fonds. https://archives.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/frederick-o-robinson-fonds
- City of Thunder Bay. Mayor Frederick Oliver Robinson. https://www.thunderbay.ca/en/city-hall/mayor-frederick-oliver-robinson.aspx
Silver Islet Mine was founded in 1870 at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula, an area that now belongs to the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The silver deposit at Silver Islet was first discovered in 1868 by the Montreal Mining Company. In 1870, Alexander H. Sibley's Silver Islet Mining Company acquired the mine. The mine was built deep below the waterline, which proved challenging logistically; they used pumps and breakwaters against the rough waters of Lake Superior.
Originally, the Islet measured 50 square meters, although it grew 10 times its size with housing for miners. By 1884, a problem occurred with a coal shipment that fueled the pumps and breakwaters; it resulted in the mine flooding. In the 1910s and the 1970s, companies attempted to reopen Silver Islet Mine, yet they were unsuccessful. Today, the mining town is a small community that serves cottagers and tourists.
Sources
- Lakehead University Archive. Silver Islet Collection. https://archives.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/silver-islet-collection
- Wikipedia. Silver Islet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Islet