Daphne Sleigh paints a vivid portrait of controversial archivist Major James Skitt Matthews in her impeccably researched look at this colorful character whose dedication, dogged persistence and guerrilla tactics were instrumental in preserving Vancouver's history. Matthews, noted for his fiery nature and stentorian voice as well as his zeal for collecting and preserving artifacts, was the founder of the City of Vancouver Archives, an institution he forced upon a reluctant city council and which he guarded ferociously until his death at age 92. In addition to collecting amassive number of historical objects and important early records, Matthews conducted hundreds of extensive interviews with Vancouver pioneers from disparate backgrounds, publishing them in his series Early Vancouver: Narratives of Pioneers of Vancouver, B.C.But before Matthews had even embarked on this vocation-he took up the heritage cause after retiring-he had lived an adventurous, action-packed life that to most people would seem like several lives. This compelling biography covers his unique background and the unusual experiences that shaped the man and set the stage for a remarkable future.