History of the Hoffmann Family

The Hoffman family consisting of Ladislaus (1872-1952),Emilie (1874-1970),Frieda (1906-2009),and Hans (1912-1999) arrived in Pitt Meadows in 1934. Ladislaus had immigrated from Europe to start a life of farming in Grandview Manitoba in 1893, while leaving his sweetheart, Emilie behind. Ten years later after he had gotten the land “proved” up, he invited her to Canada to join him and get married which she accepted in 1903. They had their first child, Frieda in 1906 followed by Hans in 1912. In 1918, the family had moved to run an orchard in Aldergrove, British Columbia.

Hans as a child, was always getting into the machinery. Hans easily understood a lot of complex mechanical processes early on, it was only a matter of time before he became the mechanical genius that Pitt Meadows remembers. Hans attended the four-year program at the Trapp Technical School in New Westminster and had graduated at 22. He returned home to the family farm, but everyone knew his passion lay in the mechanical not farming. Luckily, the family found and purchased the garage that would become the Hoffmann and Son Shop in 1934. In 1936, the family built a new and larger shop overtop the original building, which was then torn down, except the south wing.

Hans Hoffmann was an integral part of the lifeblood of Pitt Meadows for more than 45 years, as Hans worked in and then ran the family business out of 12277 Harris Road. If it were not for him, many of the farmers and early settlers in the area could not have survived. One anonymous farmer fondly insisted: "You know, when I was just getting started, I didn't have a lot of money, I can't tell you how many times Hans Hoffmann repaired something, made something for me that allowed me to go on and farm." Another person from the community echoed this sentiment: the Hoffmann's "didn't charge anything. People got work done which was just ridiculously cheap. But it was always good. Hans was so fastidious, everything had to be perfect." A garage, a machine shop, a ditching and drainage business, Hoffmann and Son Ltd. was a mainstay in this small, agricultural town. (Doug McDermott, Interview)

Left to run the administration of the family shop, Hans' sister Frieda can easily be forgotten in the story of Hoffmann and Son Ltd. However, Frieda's loyalty and dedication to her family was vital to the shop's lasting success. Frieda supported her brother through her whole life. Freida originally graduated from UBC and was a teacher having started in 1927. When her father became too ill to run the shop, Frieda left her teaching career to take care of her family and run the shop. Each day, between the hours of 2:00pm and 5:00pm Frieda would write letters, bill customers, answer phones, do the shop's accounting, and whatever else was needed.

Along with running his business, Hans was part of the original ARP Fire Department, creating the first Fire Truck with Ted Ming and allowing the department to run out of his shop.

Starting in the 1970's and continuing though the 1990's Hans and Frieda Hoffmann began gifting portions of their property to the community of Pitt Meadows. Among these donations is Hoffmann Park, a suburban oasis consisting of many acres of second growth forested land lying in heart of Pitt Meadows just to the west of Harris Road and to the south of Advent Road. In 1999 the Hoffmann and Son machine shop site, including the land, buildings, equipment and engine collection, was gifted to the Museum Society to be held on behalf of the community. The Hoffmann and Son shop opened to the public as a museum in 2001. And, finally, in 2002 the Hoffmann family home was gifted to the municipality to be used as a park caretaker residence. Together these donations are an extraordinary gift left to the community the Hoffmann's called home for more than 60 years. With the hard work of Museum volunteers and the support of local government the Hoffmann legacy lives on and is available for residents of and visitors to Pitt Meadows who venture inside its doors.