Harewood History: Born of Coal and Community

August 15, 2025

Part 1 of the Harewood History Series

Nestled in the heart of Nanaimo, Harewood is a neighbourhood with roots as deep and rugged as the coal seams that first brought it to life. Born of resource extraction but nurtured by tight-knit families and civic pride, Harewood has always been a place shaped by hard work, cooperation, and resilience.

When you grow up in Harewood, you learn the code early: work hard, stand your ground, and back up your friends. It’s not just a neighbourhood – it’s a mindset. A place where miners, loggers, misfits, artists, farmers and families built something real with grit and laughter, far from the manicured lawns of more "proper" addresses. But where did Harewood's story begin?

The Land of Wakesiah

In its earliest days, the area we now call Harewood was referred to as the Land of Wakesiah – a name derived from a Chinook word meaning "Far Away."

Long before the streets were paved or the mines were dug, the land was home to Indigenous peoples who lived in connection with the natural landscape. Their presence is an essential, though often underacknowledged, part of Harewood's history.

In the mid-1800s, an Indigenous guide known as Coal Tyhee led settler John Mackay to this area and pointed out a valuable coal outcropping – a moment that helped ignite the coal rush that would transform Nanaimo forever.

Not long after, in 1852, conflict and colonization clashed when Governor James Douglas led efforts to capture those accused in the murder of a Hudson's Bay shepherd, sparking violent tensions. This event, along with others, foreshadowed the colonial transformation of the land into an industrial outpost.

From Aristocracy to Industry

The name "Harewood" traces its roots to 19th-century England. Henry Lascelles, the 3rd Earl of Harewood, was part of a British aristocratic family with ties to colonial industries. Through his connection to the Harewood Coal Mining Company – a venture with interests in Vancouver Island's rich coal seams – the name made its way to the unceded Snuneymuxw territories we now call Nanaimo.

It was the lure of coal that changed everything. Vast underground deposits drew the attention of British and Canadian entrepreneurs, and soon the area was brimming with coal shafts and company buildings.

The Harewood Coal Mining Company began operations in the late 1800s, as Nanaimo was exploding into one of the most important coal ports on the Pacific coast. Unlike the downtown or waterfront areas where money and management lived, the Harewood site grew into a working-class outpost – a bit rougher, a bit rowdier, but no less essential to the economy that powered BC's early growth.

The Western Fuel Company established the Harewood Coal Mine and later built the Harewood School, solidifying the area as a full-fledged mining community. The "Harewood Improvement District" was established to bring services and structure to the rapidly growing neighbourhood, with locals eventually taking over management from the coal companies.

A Village of Workers and Rebels

By the early 1900s, "Harewood Village" began taking shape. It wasn't just a coal hub – it was a self-sufficient rural community. Families grew food, children attended Harewood School, and the social life of the neighbourhood revolved around dances, local halls, and backyard get-togethers.

Unlike many colonial towns with a strict social hierarchy, Harewood's residents had more in common with each other than they did with the folks "uptown." They were miners, loggers, fishermen, farmers – people who knew struggle, danger, and the value of loyalty. That cultural DNA still runs deep.

The Father of Harewood

One man who played a major role in Harewood's development was Samuel Matthew Robins, often referred to as the "Father of Harewood."

Robins came to Nanaimo in 1884 as the superintendent of the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company's operations. He provided the land for the settlement of Harewood, as well as the property needed for the community's first school in 1892. His vision and generosity helped shape the neighbourhood's layout and social infrastructure, setting the tone for Harewood’s grassroots growth.

Five Acres

Robins designed a plan to subdivide Harewood into five-acre lots, which would be leased to his workmen at discounted rates. As families moved in and workers began to settle, the area known as "Five Acres" emerged as one of the first formally organized residential zones. It was a place where settlers built modest homes and began raising children, planting gardens, and forming the civic bonds that would define the district. Some of the earliest documented homes in this area date back to the late 1800s, and several historic family names can be traced back to this vital area of the neighborhood.

Though born of coal, Harewood was sustained by its community spirit. Residents formed their own fire department, constructed their own roads (often using labour from the Nanaimo Jail), and pushed to improve everything from schools to water access. Over the decades, as the mines closed and the city of Nanaimo grew, Harewood evolved into a working-class neighborhood proud of its identity and history.

Absorbed by the City, but Never Assimilated

As Nanaimo expanded in the mid-20th century, Harewood was gradually absorbed into the city. What was once "out in the sticks" became closer to the urban core. Roads were paved, schools expanded, and zoning changed. But Harewood never really became like the rest of Nanaimo. It kept its voice – sometimes loud, sometimes funny, always authentic.

By the 1980s and '90s, the neighbourhood had picked up a bit of a reputation. Outsiders might have seen Harewood as "the rough side of town," but for the people who lived there, it was a badge of honour. Music scenes, skateboarding crews, pot dealers, and punk kids shared the same streets as working families, seniors, and new immigrants. It was – and is – a beautiful mosaic of cultural elements against a sublime natural backdrop. Harewood is a great place to live.

The Changing Face of Harewood

One of the biggest shifts in recent decades came with the growth of Vancouver Island University (VIU), formerly Malaspina College. The campus, which borders the neighbourhood, brought thousands of new students to the area and triggered waves of development. New businesses, housing projects, and amenities began to spring up.

But Harewood hasn't lost its edge. Sure, it's grown. It's changed. But it still feels like home – a place where people look out for each other and still have a little bit of coal dust in their blood.