Name/Title
Vivian Marine engine, single cylinderDescription
Vivian single cylinder marine engine circa 1920Context
Will Vivian grew up in 1890's Vancouver. He set up a tiny shop at 1090 West 6th Ave. and his first engine was finished in 1909. Vivian was in the right place at the right time with a simple reliable marine engine. The West Coast cannery fleets were converting from sail to power. By the end of the Depression Vivian engines were used to generate electricity, pump out mines and drydocks, power sawmills as well as fishboats, tugs and ferries. The engines were not sophisticated, 600 rpm was the maximum. WW2 brought a great boom to Vivian. In 1950 Will Vivian sold his controlling intertest to a U.K. company. The Vivian name disappeared in the early 1950's when the company was taken over by A.V. Roe. Little remains of Vivian history but volume 9 of the Raincoast Chronicles contains an interesting article titled " Will Vivian, Pioneer Engine Builder".