<<

Craigflower Bridge Tr eebank

E SAANICH Rd. W.

VIEW & Tr eebank

E N Rd. Yarrow .

. . Mesher Pl. R Pl Rd Aral St n s ROYAL a i k i n l w a q R Vale Rd. a n Rh Dellwood Rd. e o T y l da h u G Ln e e . ov rthland Rd. C Ga . etis Garthland GORGE i Th Pl. W. PARK

Shirley Rd. A FIRST NATION ioux Pl

S GORGE PARK

Forshaw Rd.

m d Garthland G m o

RESERVE Pl. E. C Rd. rg

ESQUIMALT G e

i r ughton

o Na

r a Mc

i s a e.

GORGE VALE gf p a Av l e d

FIRST NATION l r n . a s o

GOLF CLUB C ga e . w r v

es A Alexander Rd. e . U

r RESERVE Selkirk . Arcadia l St Inskip St Av Kingsmill e. R DeCosta Pl . . t d . Rd. Dingley Dell r ESQUIMALT Agnes . . D d s St. Caroline Rd. d Cunningham Rd. R n . k a r LAMPSON R FOR PLACEMENTn l ONLY d Arm St k m Kellett . a r McAdam a . D b a PARK e P th St Cres. s Condor S l Pl. o n e H p H a l a . r MacLeod Ave. k Luscombe e i GlengarryPl t Tillicum r \

M Harman e Ave. k St. Kindersley Rd. V Fleming Pl. Ave. Rd. Flag lville Reeve Colville Anderson Ave. o St. Phoenix Coles. C H W a Dr. Pl. Rd. St u W a

. t u

r St. Carrie Pl c te . t Stancombe h le Ellery St e i Isbister St. Lockley Rd. n Pl. Pl. r Interv r s ck Naden St. o n

Elri St. Av

Lugrin Cave . e Pl Dominion Rd. v Blair McLean Dr. e. . ale Pl. Av A Devonshire Rd. b e Point Ellice . Po Rd. e H Pl e. (Bay Street) v i . rter o RO g Matheson Av VIC C h

R r s Rd. Fairview im CKCRESTo t Bridge gr o c HIGHROCK . o il c PARK k Vie Constance Cove P Woodway k h c g PARK wfield Rd. L r i Shearwater Rd. e A St a s e ve. Highrock ng t St.

C Ave. h Pl. u Na

den Wy. Pl k WEST Rd. o Cairn Esquimalt v c Rd. e . D o Warder ld Head St ra O Aldebury St. Upper k R Dominion Astle e Pl. (Esquimalt

COLWOOD A

r R Rd. v ill d Bryden Harbour Saunders St. St. Effingham e h . . . n . d St. . Pl er LampsonCt. R Se Sussex St. k Ter . F Carlton a Te District Miles Par Pl r. . Te r. . Ga

St. Ave. Grenville squ Norma t E imalt Wo S Ct. rdsley St n rrett CFB . to until 1890) s West Ba . a . Park Pl. l Pl l d St o R Carlisle Ave. Te . ESQUIMALT . W ir Wood u r. . m y St. y y St. offre s a J n

Comerford . Canteen Rd. a u B Grafton St. Ly . all St D B e . t m Craddock Juno S s i t. t. e Swinford St St Codville l S Mo St. . W L el Nelson St. Heald Pl. Colvile Island b resby St. Sturdee Paradise St p Beatty St. Foster m Av S. Joffre Gore . Ca Wy e. St

. St. Rd. Admirals chbury . St Av Lampson Pelly Island . St St

e. range Constance Ave. Constance

. Berens FraserGr eenwood St Av n St r Inner Mo e St Brothers Macaulay St ody Island v e. Cres. Gault al o u r Islands Bewdle Cres. . M b y r Harbour SAXE Hadfield Av WORK e. Vict a Peters St POINT Kinver Work ROYAL Ave. POINT PARK oria M Point unro . DND S . Vi H t. Thomas Pooley t e . Pl in v St ew Rd. Po o e Plaskett ROADS C Pl ax . VICTORIA S on i r. at Fleming a r Te i Clifton p Anson St Clent ns Bay . I Anson CresSt i Gillingham . t in r Islands MACAULAY o P POINT n li o PARK Harrison h g u Island o t t cL oin c y P M ula i aca N M V 0 1 \ STRAIT kilometre Q

Craigflower Contents Bridge Tr eebank

E SAANICH Rd. W.

VIEW & Tr eebank

E N Rd. Yarrow .

. . Mesher Pl. R Pl Introduction • 1 Rd Aral St n s ROYAL a i k i n l w a q R . Vale Rd Municipal Information • 2 a n Rh Dellwood Rd. e o T y l da h u G Ln e e . ov rthland Rd. C SONGHEES Ga . Services • 28 etis Garthland GORGE i Th Pl. W. ESQUIMALT PARK

Shirley Rd. A FIRST NATION ioux Pl

S GORGE PARK Forshaw Rd. d

m Garthland G Parks • 36 m o

RESERVE Pl. E. C Rd. rg

ESQUIMALT G e i r ughton o Na r a Mc i s a e.

GORGE VALE gf p a Av l e d

FIRST NATION l r n . a s o

GOLF CLUB C ga e . Schools • 48 w r v

es A Alexander Rd. e . U

r RESERVE Selkirk . Arcadia l St Inskip St Av Kingsmill e. Farms • 56 R DeCosta Pl . . t d . Rd. Dingley Dell r ESQUIMALT Agnes . . D d s St. Caroline Rd. d Cunningham Rd. R n . k la r LAMPSON Rd Churches and Early Worship • 60 n k m Kellett . Arm St a r McAdam a . D b a PARK e P th St Cres. s Condor S l Pl. o n e H p H a l a . r MacLeod Ave. k Luscombe e i GlengarryPl t Tillicum r \

M Harman e Ave. k St. Kindersley Rd. V Fleming Pub History • 68 Pl. Ave. Rd. Flag lville Reeve Colville Anderson Ave. o St. Phoenix Coles. C H W a Dr. Pl. Rd. St u W a

. t u

r St. Carrie Pl c te . t Stancombe h le Ellery St e Our Military Heritage • 80 i Isbister St. Lockley Rd. n Pl. Pl. r Interv r s ck Naden St. o n

Elri St. Av

Lugrin Cave . e Pl Dominion Rd. v Blair McLean Dr. e. . ale Pl. Av A Devonshire Rd. b e Point Ellice Industry • 92 . Po Rd. e H Pl e. (Bay Street) v i . rter o RO g Matheson Av VIC C h

R r s Rd. Fairview im CKCRESTo t Bridge gr o c HIGHROCK . o il c PARK k Vie Constance Cove P Woodway k h c g PARK wfield Rd. Sports • 100 L r i Shearwater Rd. e A St a s e ve. Highrock ng t St.

C Ave. h Pl. u Na

den Wy. Pl k WEST Rd. o Cairn Esquimalt v c Rd. e . D o Warder ld Head St ra O Aldebury St. Upper Our Built Heritage • 116 k R Dominion Astle e Pl. (Esquimalt

COLWOOD A r R Rd. v ill d Bryden Harbour Saunders St. St. Effingham e h . . . n . d St. . Pl er LampsonCt. R Se Sussex St. k Ter . F Carlton a Te District Early Organizations • 122 Miles Par Pl r. . Te r. . Ga

St. Ave. Grenville squ Norma t E imalt Wo S Ct. rdsley St n rrett CFB . to until 1890) s West Ba . a . Park Pl. l Pl l d St o R Artists and the arts • 130 Carlisle Ave. Te . ESQUIMALT . W ir Wood u r. . m y St. y y St. offre s a J n

Comerford . Canteen Rd. a u B Grafton St. Ly . all St D B e . Message from the mayor • 138 t m Craddock Juno S s i t. t. e Swinford St St Codville l S Mo St. . W L el Nelson St. Heald Pl. Colvile Island b resby St. Sturdee Paradise St p Beatty St. Foster m Av S. Joffre Gore . Ca Wy e. St

. St. Rd. Admirals chbury . St Av Lampson Pelly Island Acknowledgements and credits • 139 . St St

e. range Constance Ave. Constance

. Berens FraserGr eenwood St Av n St r Inner Mo e St Brothers Macaulay St ody Island v e. Cres. Gault al o u r Islands Bewdle Cres. . M b Bibliography • 140 y r Harbour SAXE Hadfield Av WORK e. Vict a Peters St POINT Kinver Work ROYAL Ave. POINT PARK oria M Point unro . DND S . Vi H t. Thomas Pooley t e . Pl in v St ew Rd. Po o e Plaskett ROADS C Pl ax . VICTORIA S on i r. at Fleming a r Te i Clifton p Anson St Clent ns Bay . I Anson CresSt i Gillingham . t in r Islands MACAULAY o P POINT n li o PARK Harrison h g u Island o t t cL oin c y P M ula i aca N M V 0 1

JUAN DE FUCA STRAIT kilometre \ Q \ 1912-2012EsquimaltR Centennial

Municipal Information

view of esquimalt VILLAGE, 1905.

Esquimalt - What’s In A Name? The name ‘Esquimalt’ was not always spelled this way. In early documents it is often seen as ‘Esquimault’. This was the spelling Chachimutupusas was the name given to the harbour and artist used to describe the scenes he sketched when surrounding land area by the Spanish in the 1790s. According to he visited the area between 1846-1848. This is also the spelling Ethnographer, Ethno Historian and Linguist Randy Bouchard, the incorporation committee used sixty-four years later in a E“the native person who provided this term was a Chief letter to the reeve and councillors dated 23 September 1912. named ‘Tetacus’ from the Neah Bay area who accompanied one of The other spellings used by members of the Royal Navy in their the Spanish vessels from Neah Bay to . While correspondence to senior officers in were ‘Squirnal’ the name has the appearance of a Makah term, it is more likely and ‘Squimalt’. a Makah pronunciation of a Lekwungen term.” There is no clear Pronounced “ess KWY-malt”, the name “Esquimalt (Municipal translation and it is thought it might simply refer to a village site. District)” was adopted in the 18th report of the Geographic Board The accepted definition of the word ‘Esquimalt’ was “a place of of Canada, 31 March 1924. It was re-approved 1 May 1934 on gradually shoaling waters” or “a place gradually shoaling.” The area National Defence sheet Victoria. described was Rowe Creek in the Esquimalt District at Parson’s In the 1950s, Wilson Duff, Curator of Anthropology at the Bridge. It was named for Thomas Rowe, RN paymaster, a member Provincial Museum, asked several Songhees of the crew of the survey ship HMS Fisgard. In 1848, Rowe Elders what the name Esquimalt, often spelled SXIMELEL, meant. Creek was renamed Millstream Creek. The mouth of Millstream, He was told there was no firm definition other than “the word ‘Swhaymalthelth’, was anglicized variously as ‘Es Whoy malth’, ‘Is applied loosely to the people, the village, or the harbour.” Whoy malth’, and eventually, ‘Esquimalt.’ This was the place where No matter how the name is spelled, there is only one Esquimalt. RN ships provisioned fresh water. Q Me m b e r s o f Es q u i m a l t Co u n c i l - 1912-2012 A community acquires a character in one hundred years, something that is the product of the place and the individuals who have lived in it. All of our elected officials come from different backgrounds and all have helped shape our community into the unique place that it is. Following are mini-bios of 2 those people. \ Surveying in 1912-1919 Esquimalt Q Instructing Captain Po p u l a t i o n McNeill to examine the East and Southeast coasts of 1911 c e n s u s 2,719 Island in 1837, (i n c l u d e s s o l d i e r s s t a t i o n e d a t Wo r k Po i n t Ba r r a c k s ) the Hudson’s Bay Company 1912 w a s a l e a p y e a r . (HBC) was pleased with the report on his findings as to the This note was found in the journal of Dockmaster Arthur J. Daniels, “Sunday 14 April 1912, SS Titanic lost off Bank of character of several inlets on the - 1600 people drowned.” south coast. Q In 1842, concluding ‘Vancouver’s Sweeney Cooperage Company Limited opened a plant Island’ should be the goal for the resettlement of Fort Vancouver in on Douglas Street (now Ellery Street) and advertised, the Territories, , accompanied by surveyor “We Manufacture Barrels for Everything with High Grade and map maker Adolphus Lee Lewes, was intent on finding a Cooperage Stock.” After fire destroyed the Esquimalt plant, specific site for the new fort. Both men determined Comosack 28 August 1924, the company relocated in Vancouver. Only Inlet was the most suitable harbour. Lewes drew “a coloured land the business office remained on the Island. use map of the area from to Portage Inlet showing Q areas of woods, forests, plains, marshes, rocks, hills and lakes Esquimalt connections to the Carnegie Library began in entitled ‘Ground Plan of Portion of Vancouver’s Island Selected for 1911 when Dr. Helen Gordon Stewart helped form the British Columbia Library Association. In 1912, she became New Establishment’. He added an insert map showing a selected the first woman Head Librarian. From 1917 to 1919, she part of the island and this map is considered the first cartographic held the office of president of the British Columbia Library document of Fort Victoria and Vancouver’s Island.” Association, the first woman to do that too. She was Almost no surveying or map making was done between 1843 one of the people responsible for the passing of the first and 1849. Land claims mapping started in 1849 when Walter C. Public Libraries Act. A no-nonsense woman, Dr. Stewart Grant arrived and assumed the work of part-time surveyor for the designed and built her own small cottage on Admirals HBC. By the end of 1849, it was evident to Douglas the lack of Road. She was one of the first women in the area to volunteer for overseas duty with the Red Cross during the maps was holding up land sales. A year later, after producing a map First World War. ‘Sketch of the South coast of the Island’ that was almost identical Q to a map produced in 1842, Grant resigned. When council passed By-law No.12 in March 1912, it Looking to replace Grant within Canada, in 1850 the approved dividing the township into three wards, each HBC committee rejected an application from Joseph Despard represented by two councillors. Pemberton (1821-1893) of Dublin, . Changing their Q minds in January 1851, the committee informed Douglas that On 31 December 1912, Pemberton, a competent surveyor and cartographer, was coming the township had from Britain to work for the company. Pemberton was educated $1206.72 in the bank at Trinity College, Dublin, as a railway engineer and he occupied and $210 cash on various positions in that profession. He was a Professor of Civil hand. Engineering at the Royal Agricultural College, England, from Q 1845-1850. Canadian born Dr. Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Bringing Benjamin W. Pearse as his assistant, Pemberton started Anthropologist, his duties in Victoria. He found it difficult to proceed quickly as Ethnologist and he had only done regional surveying and he had no experience Explorer, sailed from surveying new territory. Consulting books on work being done in Esquimalt Harbour New Zealand and , he applied some of those surveying in the whaling methods in Victoria and Esquimalt. barque Karluk on During the summer of 1851, a triangulation network was set his Canadian Expedition 17 June out, defining the boundaries of the district and Esquimalt. In 1852, 1913. he produced a map entitled ‘Roughly Sketched Water Supplies’ for the Esquimalt District showing rivers, lakes, streams, and marshes that could supply water for settlers and cattle. Included as well were sites that could be used for water operated mills. As far as the HBC was concerned land use in the Esquimalt Captain McNeillDid surveyed You the harboursKnow? of , Esquimalt District was principally for the Agricultural and Victoria in 1837, and recommended Victoria Harbour as the place to build a fort. Chief Factor Douglas, Q after taking a second look, was not impressed with Lu g r i n , Ch a r l e s He n r y , r e e v e , Se p t e m b e r 1912 - Ma r c h 1913. Esquimalt Harbour and wrote, “Its appearance is strikingly Bo r n 1846 Fr e d e r i c t o n , NB. Di e d 1917 Es q u i m a l t . unprepossessing, the outline of the country exhibiting a New Brunswick Militia. Justice of the Peace (JP), teacher, lawyer, confused assemblage of rock and wood.” journalist. Newspaper editor. Associations: Henry George Association, Board of Governors, UBC, Victoria & Island Development 8 Association, Victoria Board of Trade. 3 \ 1912-2012EsquimaltR Centennial The Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable The centerpiece, the Esquimalt Frank M. Ross, CMG, MC, LLD, presented the Coat-of-Arms to Coat-of-Arms, is fashioned in the township 23 January 1957. gold and surrounded with a double Charges for the Coat-of-Arms gold chain linking gold flowers were $100 (to receive approval representative of the dogwood, the from the Earls Marshall) and floral emblem of British Columbia. $295.55 (to cover registration The names of each reeve or mayor and fees required by the College of the dates of their years on council was Heralds). Esquimalt is one of a engraved on the back of each flower. The few places in Canada to have Chain of Office, set on a collar of blue its Coat-of-Arms registered velvet, is worn at the inaugural meeting for in England. The copyright each new council and at all formal occasions was registered in British attended by the Mayor. Columbia in 1958. In 1957, Commander Henry (Harry) W.S. \ Soulsby, RCN, (Retired), a Freedom of the Township gifted artist and craftsman, presented Esquimalt with a The custom of granting Freedom of the City to a military Coat-of-Arms carved in oak. It hung in the council chambers unit goes back more than 300 years. Throughout our in the old municipal hall until 2004. Mayor Darwin Robinson, a history, both in Britain and the Commonwealth, there is a shipwright and woodworker, took the coat-of-arms to his home strong tradition against the “warlike appearance of large bodies workshop where he removed it from its cloth backing, repaired of troops in the streets; disturbing the civil repose and posing a the damage that had occurred over the years and remounted it on a threat, real or imagined, of infringement of civil rights.” walnut shield. On British Columbia Day, August 2004, the Coat- The granting of the Freedom of a City to a military unit is a sign of-Arms was hung in the new municipal hall council chambers. of the trust and good relationship Council voted to send a personal letter to municipal employee between the two. The ceremony itself Reginald C. Jury, 4 January 1961 “commending him on the is symbolic of the days when cities excellent craftsmanship displayed in producing a large replica of the barred friend and foe alike until the Coat-of-Arms for the sports centre building.” At the same meeting authorities were assured that the council decided to ask Jury to make another large scale replica of the troops would be on best behaviour Coat-of-Arms for the municipal hall. That replica was mounted on and the purpose of the regiment’s the stone wall of the municipal hall when it opened in 2003. presence was pacific. Once granted, In July 1965, at the suggestion of Councillors Gerry Horne and the Freedom gives a unit the honour Ed DeCosta, council agreed to have small municipal crests made for all time of marching through for blazers/jackets so that “councillors would be recognized as the city with drums beating, colours being from Esquimalt” when they were on municipal business. flying, and bayonets fixed. The Esquimalt Charter, presented along with the crest in Traditionally, Freedom of the City 1957, was restored by art historian and calligrapher Georgia (Township) was given to army units Angelopoulos in 2005. The red ink she used was made for Queen garrisoned there. It is unusual for a Victoria more than a century before. The Charter hangs in the city to give this honour to a naval council chambers. unit because they do not normally guard or picket a community as a regular duty. Granting this honour to \ both the 3rd Battalion PPCLI and Chain of Office Maritime Command Pacific breaks tradition and was unique in Canadian When members of the Royal Canadian Legion Esquimalt military history. Dockyard Branch 172 learned the township did not have a chain “At the regular meeting of the of office, they took on the task of fundraising to provide one. After Esquimalt Municipal Council 8th day of May 1972, there passed raising $7000 to cover costs, they commissioned Birks Jewellers to by unanimous vote that in pursuance of the powers vested in design and craft a chain. With great pride, Legion President Cliff the Council by Statute, The Freedom of the Corporation of the Ludtke presented the Chain of Office to Mayor Ken Hill on 8 June Township of Esquimalt be conferred upon the Canadian Armed 1984 who gratefully accepted the gift on behalf of the residents. Forces stationed in Esquimalt with the right and privileges to Q Br o w n , Ch a r l e s , a l d e r m a n 1915. Did n o t c o m p l e t e t e r m , r e s i g n e d a n d r e t u r n e d t o En g l a n d . Bo r n 1865 En g l a n d . Royal Navy (RN).

14 1912-1919 CONTINUED

The earliestDid proposal You to join theKnow? Gorge waterway with march through the streets of the Municipality with Esquimalt Harbour was published in The Victoria Gazette Colours Flying, Bayonets Fixed and Drums Beating; in 1858. It suggested, “A few thousand dollars judiciously And That a special meeting of Council for the purpose expended would turn this ravine, between these two of formally granting this prime municipal honour on the bodies of water, into an excellent canal, uniting the two stationed in Esquimalt; and to harbors, and capable of floating lighters heavily loaded with merchandise, and when once into this inlet, the confer on the Commander, , Ex navigation to this city is easy of accomplishment - at Officio, all the privileges of a Freeman of the Municipality be least - so we are assured by old residents.” held on Saturday, September 16th, 1972.” The salute was taken by Mayor Arthur Young, and Admiral Richard H Leir, KCB, 8 KCMG, CD. Esquimalt resident Samuel J. Pomeroy (1868-1936), an The Certificate of Freedom of the Municipality states: “There active member of the British Campaigners’ Association, exists a pleasant association of historical significance between planted an oak tree in memory of Lord Horatio Kitchener the Civic Authorities and Units of the Sea and Land elements of (1850-1916) in the new Victoria High School grounds at the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Esquimalt and that the the corner of Fernwood Road and Grant Street. A sergeant Canadian Armed Forces have a distinguished record of service in the 50th Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment, in Canada and abroad which is respected and admired by the Samuel fought in the Sudan in 1884. Along with his residents of Esquimalt and that over the years the Canadian Armed other medals, he wore the Khedive’s Bronze star at the ceremony. In 2011, the tree was accidently chopped down Forces have had a strong influence on the successful development by the City of Victoria parks department. of Esquimalt.” Q 3 PPCLI exercised their right on 20 June 1987 during the 75th The Canadian government introduced personal income tax Anniversary Celebrations with Mayor Ken Hill and Lt. Colonel in 1917, as a ‘temporary’ war measure. Anthony W. Anderson, MBE, CD, Commanding Officer, 3rd Q Battalion PPCLI, taking the salute. Former Esquimalt police officer Arthur Halstead died 2 August 1917 of wounds received in action during the First World War. He joined the 103rd Battalion as a Sergeant- \ Major at the beginning of the war transferring to the Freeman of Esquimalt 16th Canadian Resident Battalion in England where he was promoted battalion Sergeant-Major. Later in the war, he surrendered his stripes and rejoined the artillery as Alfred Wurtele was given the honour of being the first Freeman a gunner with the 45th Battery (Ontario) Canadian Field of Esquimalt in 1987 during the 75th anniversary celebration of Artillery. the incorporation of the Township. Q He was born in Kingston, Ontario, In 1918, Victoria Mayor Bert Todd once again called for in 1897. After a distinguished career the amalgamation of Victoria and Esquimalt remarking, in the Royal Canadian Navy, he “This is no new idea, anyone free from local prejudice, any retired with the rank of Commander. stranger, would easily see the advantages of this .” He and his wife Ann built their Replying to his comments, Reeve Arthur Coles stated, “I family home on Plaskett Place. Alf don’t think you could get one person in Esquimalt to vote for Union. In the first place there would necessarily be was a longtime member of St. Paul’s higher taxes for the people of Esquimalt to pay and they Anglican Church where he served would naturally be opposed.” The Daily Times summed up as church warden. He took a great the remarks with: “The 1st War ended November 11, 1918 interest in the community and entered but the Amalgamation War continues.” municipal politics in 1946, serving as councillor until 1951. In 1952, he was elected mayor, a position he held until 1965 when he retired from politics. Through his efforts, a coat-of-arms and a new corporate seal was presented to Esquimalt in 1957. As a young man, he excelled in sports, competing in ice hockey, soccer, rugby, track and even boxing. He never lost his love of sports and in Q 1960 his influence was the reason why Canada mourned the loss of HMCS Galiano, the only the township successfully completed Canadian ship lost during the First World War. She went Q down with all hands off Cape St. James, 30 October Hy m e r s , Ge o r g e , c o u n c i l l o r 1915. 1918. Emma Mary Brunton, onboard Galiano after her Bo r n 1886 Du r h a m , En g l a n d . Di e d 1956 Va n c o u v e r , BC. rescue from Triangle Island, was the first woman lost on a Re a l e s t a t e a g e n t . Broker & financial agent. Canadian warship. Q

15