Bate, Mark
Mark Bate is one of the oldest living pioneers of British Columbia, and the city of Nanaimo holds him in especial esteem, since he was been a resident there for nearly fifty years - in fact he was there before anything like a town existed. His career throughout has been one of intense industry and persistent activity in whatever channels chance or purpose has directed his energies. He possessed only knowledge of a trade and plenty of ambition as capital when he began climbing the road to success, but, judging from his present prosperity and high place in the esteem of his fellow men, those qualifications were ample prerequisites for what he sought in life
A native of Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, and a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Robinson) Bate, Mr. Bate enjoyed early educational opportunities in the Dudley grammar and other schools, and then entered the service of Bramah, Cochrane & Company at the Woodside Iron Works, with which his father had also been connected. While thus employed a letter written by his uncle, George Robinson, reached him, in which was a glowing and enthusiastic description of the wonderful gold country on the Fraser river in British Columbia, and for a young man of energy and a thirst of adventure this was all that was needed to lure him forth from the quiet and serenity of home surroundings, and accordingly in 1856 he set out to join his uncle, who, as manager of the Hudson's Bay Company coal mines at Nanaimo, had already partaken in the glories of the British Columbia country.
His first ten days in the province were spent in Victoria, and since that time Nanaimo has been almost continuously his place of residence and the scene of his activities. On his arrival he worked at engine driving and weighing coal, and then entered the Hudson's Bay Company's office as a clerk,continuing thus until the whole Nanaimo estate was sold to the Vancouver Coal Company. In 1863 he became the successor of James Farquhar as accountant of the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company, Limited, and in 1869 was promoted to the position of local manager, remaining in that capacity until the appointment of Mr. Robins as his successor in 1884.
In 1886 he was appointed to the office of government assessor, and now for almost twenty years he has capably and honourably discharged the duties of this public office of trust.He was the first mayor of Nanaimo, serving from 1875 to 1879, from 1881 to 1886, from 1888 to 1889 and from 1898 to 1900, having been elected eleven times by acclamation. In 1878, in behalf of the coal company he gave the hospital site for the city, also the cemetery site, and aided materially the fire department and many other public and private institutions. He edited and partly owned in 1866 the "Nanaimo Gazette", the first paper published at Nanaimo, and also, being a moulder, turned out at Nanaimo the first casting in iron ever made in British Columbia.
Mr. Bate has a fine family of bright and capable sons and daughters, and of the ten children born to himself and wife, eight are still living, namely: Emily, who is in South Africa; Mark, Jr., who is accountant in the Western Fuel Company's office; Sarah Ann, the wife of W. J. Goepel, of Nelson, British Columbia; Thomas Ezra, in business in Cumberland; George Arthur, one of the deceased sons; Lucy Alicia, wife of Montague Stanley Davis, of Nelson; Mary Beatrice is the wife of George Wadham Bruce Heathcote, who is assistant manager of the Bank of Commerce of San Francisco; William Charles, deceased; Elizabeth Ada, whose husband, J. H. Hawthornthwaite, is present member of the provincial parliament of Nanaimo; and John Augustus, the youngest.
Mr. Bate affiliates with Ashlar Lodge, No. 3 A. F. & A. M., with Black Diamond Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., with the Independent Order of Foresters and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. The Church of England represents his religious faith.
R. E. Gosnell, A History of British Columbia, (Vancouver, B. C.: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906). pp. 335-336.