NNSL (JAN 03/97) - Cyril John Baker, known as Yellowknife Johnney, died Nov. 24 in a Toronto hospital after suffering a stroke. He was 94.

Baker has been described as the founder of Yellowknife because it was his gold find that sparked development in the area.

Born in England, he studied geology and engineering before immigrating to Canada in 1926. He was attracted to mining possibilities in the North and worked for Noranda Mine at Rouyn, Que., before working for B.E.A.R. Ltd., a company involved in developing an uranium mine on the Arctic Circle in 1933.

While in the North, Baker and his partner Herb Dixon prospected in the Barren Lands, the Coppermine River and ended up on the Yellowknife River. One year, things were looking a little grim for the two men. The season was closing in and there were injuries: Dixon was suffering from a hernia, Baker from an axe slash to his knee. They were slipping and sliding over icy portages when the prospectors came to Quyta Lake and made the first discovery of free gold in the Yellowknife area.

To develop the Quyta Lake property, B.E.A.R. formed a subsidiary company, Yellowknife Gold Mines Ltd., and sent up a crew to develop the prospect the next year.

Baker was in that crew and ended up prospecting south of the area. He found gold on the east shore of Yellowknife Bay, opposite Latham Island.

Baker was interviewed about the find 60 years later and he still remembered seeing a vein, "lousy with visible gold."

This led to the first gold mine in the area.

By 1935, Burwash Yellowknife Gold Mines Ltd. had a camp, a dock and a prospect shaft sunk to 30 metres. From that shaft, 15 tonnes of ore, running 336 grams of gold per tonne, was sent south accompanied by Baker.

The first shipment of gold went by barge to Fort McMurray, then by rail to Trail B.C., for refining.

Baker's discoveries in the Yellowknife region fuelled a staking rush by mining companies and mapping by the Geological Survey of Canada. The same year Burwash Yellowknife Gold Mines was operating, Baker went on exploring the area and hit paydirt near the creek that bears his name, out by the present day Giant mine property.

Baker developed the Giant property, flying in crews of 40 men from Edmonton.

In 1939, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and made Wing Commander. Baker had also served in the First World War.

Walt Humphries, a Yellowknife independent prospector, artist and present owner of the original Baker claim, said that Baker was instrumental in Yellowknife's birth.

"His work certainly led to the founding of the gold rush and subsequently Yellowknife."

Baker was reputed to be a soft-spoken and well-respected man.

"Everybody I've ever talked to thought well of Baker. He was a gentleman, a good man to work for and in those days of many reprobates, this was high praise," Humphries said of his friend. "He always had a twinkle in his eye."

In 1995 Baker became the first honorary citizen of Yellowknife. Yellowknife Mayor Dave Lovell conferred the honor at a mining conference in Toronto, where Baker received a standing ovation.

Baker and his wife Marguerite raised a son, Jack.