Hello Kay,
I looked up the death registration for Christopher Lordan in Coquitlam and at first, I didn't think he was a match. But I checked the only other Lordan death in BC, Dorothy Lordan, and it confirmed that he was Christopher Cave Lordan. Here are the details from the death registrations:
Christopher - died at Valleyview Hospital at Essondale on 4 Apr 1963; he lived in the city (Coquitlam) for 3yrs 3mos 28 days, in the province 22yrs and in Canada 45yrs prior to death; his usual residence was 742 Oliver Street in Victoria; he was a widow; born in the Royal Borough England on 12 Jan 1887; profession was unknown; wife's name unknown; father was Frederick Lordan; mother Molly surname unknown; the informant is listed as "committal papers"; he died of broncho pneumonia, secondary cause was "chronic brain syndrome due to senile brain disease"; he was cremated.
Dorothy - died at Oak Bay Hospital on 10 July 1942; usual residence was 742 Oliver Street Victoria; born on 26 Nov 1878 in Ontario; her occupation was home duties; husband was Christopher Cave Lordan; father was George Quart; mother was Mary Jamieson; both parents born in Ontario; she lived in the city for 3 1/2 yrs, in the province for 3 1/2yrs and in Canada for life prior to her death; she died of cancer of the stomach and was cremated.
To explain a few things on the death registration - the details are those provided by the informant so they aren't always correct. In this case, the details were taken from the forms completed when he was committed to Essondale. His wife had already died and it doesn't look like there were any children so the information supplied at the time likely came from his family doctor. This may explain why the birth place is a bit off.
Essondale was the unofficial name of Riverview Hospital - the main psychiatric hospital in Greater Vancouver (Coquitlam is considered a suburb of Vancouver although it is a city in its own right). But based on the death registration, it sounds like he suffered from senility rather than a psychiatric illness. I did a quick google check (because thankfully I don't know anything about psychiatric hospitals!) and it looks like Valleyview was originally a home for the aged. He may have been suffering from an alzheimers type illness and with no family to care for him, was institutionalized in a long term care facility. Riverview closed some years ago and there were disputes over what to do with the property - while it sat empty, it was used as the site of many, many movie location shoots. Many of the original hospital buildings have been torn down and the area is under redevelopment. I am sure if you google Essondale or Riverview, you'll find more details and some photos.
Looking at the emigration dates on the registrations, it suggests he emigrated to Canada abt 1918, moved to BC between 1938-41 and was committed to Riverview in 1959/60. I checked findmypast but couldn't find a match for any Lordan in 1918.
There is an incoming passenger list for William Lordan - departed Southampton on 30 Jul 1938 on board the Alaunia, bound for Montreal, occupation Director, age 50, last address in the UK c/o E.H. Taylor Ltd, Beehive Works, Welwyn, country of permanent future residence listed as England. So it looks like he entered Canada, travelled over the border and eventually returned home via New York.
Regards,
Lynwen
