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This page last updated October 22, 2007
The Thynne Lake Ranch between Tulameen and Brookmere.
Jack Thynne, obit. p. 104 OK Hist Soc 1957 John Granville Thynne, a Cornishman, settled on a homestead near Yorkton Sask and in 1887 came west to the Nicola, and afterwards to Otter Valley, where they ran a stopping place for many years. He died in Nov 1943. Mrs. Thynne (Mary E. daughter of Willilam Linklater the HBC factor at Fort Garry) moved to Princeton, subsequently died near her childhood home at Pelly Saskatchewan, at Fort Pelly where she'd grown up when the Bay post was moved there; lived through the Riel Rebellion, died 1957. Nicola Valley Historical Quarterly vol 4 No 2, (Merritt), April 1981. There was a tennis court in front of the Thynne house in the Otter Valley.
Note from Travis Hodgson, who writes way better than most 12 year olds: My uncle Iver Hoigaard used to own X3 THYNNE LAKE RANCH in Tulameen, B.C. We used to go there every year and I used to sleep in the same room that Billy Miner slept in when he came through on the stage coach. There was a bar in the lower part of the house when you went through the dining room and there were over 5 barns on the property. One of the ranch helpers, Louie, slept in the white little shack in the main yard. A few years ago a bear broke down the door and tried to get Louie but luckily Carey came and shot the bear. My Uncle Iver's wife Aunt Randi passed away last year. She thought the ranch was really great. We used to always sit around a big bon fire and Burt (the mountain man) would play his guitar for us and we'd sing!
Note from Terry Batstone: John Granville Thynne was my Great Grandfather. My Grandmother Mary Ethel died before I was born in '52; however I spent a lot of time with my Grandfather George Batstone on Fairford Dr. in Penticton. We the Batstones and the Brodericks had a family reunion at the old AP ranch a few years ago. This ranch was a wedding gift from John Thynne to my grandpa and grandma. It's on the the side of Thynne Lake Mountain on the Princeton-Merritt side of the valley. We all went over to Thynne Lake Ranch during the reunion and had the royal tour. It was a great day. I enjoyed the story of the Billy Miner room as my Aunt Molley Broderick has also told me the story. She is now in her 90s and still enjoys a beer or a shot of whisky. She has lost her eyesight but still enjoys reading through the talking book system at the library.
