Barnston Island in short
Where: Fraser River, just below the mouth of the Pitt
Named for: George Barnston (1798 to 1882), HBC clerk
Post office: July 1, 1911 to March 31, 1944
One of three clerks
Barnston was one of three Hudson's Bay Company clerks who went with James McMillan on the 1827 expedition that founded Fort Langley, according to BC Geographical Names. Barnston had come over from the North West Company when the two firms merged.
An island community
The island had its own post office from July 1, 1911 to March 31, 1944, the provincial file says. The island sits in the Fraser, just below the mouth of the Pitt River.
Want the rest of the 1827 story? Read our Thomas Langley history.
Source: BC Geographical Names (entries 11670, 11671), read Oct 29, 2026.
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