Tomekichi Homma — 1865 - 1945
Tomekichi Homma was born into an ancient Samurai family in
Onigoye mura, Chiba ken, Japan on June 6, 1865.
He came to Canada at the age of 18 in 1883.
He settled in Steveston and was instrumental in forming the
Fisherman’s Association, Gyosha Dantai, in 1887.
He helped create the first Japanese Language school and started the first
Japanese daily newspaper in Vancouver, the Canada Shimpo, 1897.
In 1899 - 1901 he fought for the Japanese franchise in the
district court and the Supreme Court of Canada. However,
when it was taken to the Privy Council in England, he lost.
47 years later in 1949, Tomekichi’s son, Seiji, was witness to the
BC Legislature introducing legislation giving Japanese Canadians the right to vote.
He lived in West Vancouver in his later years and was interned during the war years.
He passed away in Slocan at the age of 80, October 28, 1945.
The geokids placed a cache near their favourite school, T. Homma Elementary. Please bring your own pen and tweezers.