Edgar Fawcett - Some Reminiscences of old Victoria

To return to the directory. Of those remaining whose names are recorded, there are, alas! only sixty-two to-day with us. I have been carefully over the list from A to Z and sixty-two is the number. Of course there may be others that I did not know, and doubtless there are some; there are omissions also, I am sure, and several I have added to make up the sixty-two. There is one thing sure, that as a rule only the head of a family was recorded, male or female, as there are many residents to-day who were young men or youths, or young women or girls, when this directory was compiled. I shall give here the names of these sixty-two who are still privileged to be residents of this beautiful city that we old residents are so proud of, as well as those of two living abroad and one in Kamloops.

The list alphabetically is:

• Adams, Daniel F., contractor.

• Anderson, E. H., variety store.

• Alport, Charles (in South Africa).

• Anderson, J. R., agricultural department.

• Barnett, Josiah, in United States.

• Barnswell, James, carpenter.

• Bauman, Frederick, confectioner.

• Beaven, Hon. Robert.

• Botterell, Mat., butcher.

• Blaguiere, Edward.

• Bullen, Jonathan, bricklayer.

• Boscowitz, Joseph, fur dealer.

• Borde, August, Chatham Street.

• Burnes, Thomas, saloonkeeper.

• Carey, Joseph W.

• Cridge, Edward, rector Christ Church.

• Crowther, John C., painter.

• Davie, Doctor John C.

• Dougall, John, iron moulder.

• Drake, M. W. T., solicitor.

• Elliott, W. A., engineer Labouchere .

• Fawcett, R. W., house decorator.

• Gerow, G. C., carriagemaker.

• Helmcken, Honorable John S., M.P.P.

• Geiger, Thomali, barber.

• Gilmore, Alexander, clothier.

• Glide, Harry, with Plaskett & Co.

• Harvey, Rout., commission merchant.

• Higgins, David W., publisher Chronicle .

• Kelly, Samuel, tinsmith.

• Kent, Charles, hardware, K. & F.

• King, J. H., Mousquetaire saloon.

• Kinsman, John, contractor.

• Levy, H. E., special officer.

• Levy, Joseph, fruit store.

• Lissett, James, painter.

• Macdonald, W. J., Reid & Macdonald.

• Maynard, Richard, bootmaker.

• Marvin, Edward B., sailmaker.

• McMillan, J. E., publisher Chronicle .

• Monro, Alexander, accountant Hudson’s Bay Company.

• Nuttall, Thomas C., book-keeper.

• Pearson, Edward, tinsmith.

• Porter, Arthur, brickmaker.

• Powell, Doctor I. W.

• Richardson, George, proprietor of first brick hotel.

• Roper, S., Kamloops.

• Styles, S. T., plasterer.

• Shotbolt, Thomas, druggist.

• Stockham, F., baker.

• Sparrow, J. M., post office.

• Stewart, John, plumber.

• Sylvester, Frank.

• Turner, John H. (Todd & Turner), Victoria Produce Market.

• Vowell, Arthur, Indian superintendent.

• White, Edward (late Brown & White).

• Wilson, Alexander, messenger, Bank British North America.

• Wilson, William, draper.

• Wilson, Thomas Sidney, cabinetmaker.

• Wriglesworth, Joseph, London Hotel.

• Wylly, C. G., accountant.

• Welch, George, Esquimalt Waterworks.

Many of these since died.

List of those deceased, but whose descendants are residents here now, or living elsewhere:

• Barron, David F., cabinetmaker, widow, son and two daughters.

• Belasco, Abraham, tobacconist, two sons.

• Broderick, R., coal dealer, widow and two sons.

• Cameron, Thomas, blacksmith, two daughters and sons.

• Chadwick, Thomas, hotelkeeper, two sons and daughter.

• Courtney, H. E., solicitor, sons.

• Cotsford, Thomas, sons.

• Davies, J. P., auctioneer, several sons.

• Doan, J. H., captain, daughter.

• Duck, Simeon, carriagemaker, sons.

• Ella, Captain H. B., Hudson’s Bay Company, all family, two sons and two daughters living in Victoria.

• Flett, John, Hudson’s Bay Company, several sons.

• Gowen, Charles, brewer, widow, several sons and daughters.

• Hall, Richard, agent, two sons – Richard and John.

• Hall, Philip, several sons.

• Harris, Thomas, mayor, two daughters.

• Heal, John, boarding-house, two sons.

• Heathorn, William, bootmaker, three sons and three daughters.

• Heisterman, H., Exchange reading room, sons and daughters.

• Heywood, Joseph, butcher, wife and daughter.

• Hibben, Thomas Napier, widow, two sons and two daughters.

• Huston, Guy, gunsmith, two daughters.

• Irving, William, captain steamer Reliance , son and daughters.

• Jackson, Doctor William, three sons and daughters.

• Jungerman, J. L., watchmaker, daughter (Mrs. Erb).

• Jewell, Henry, sons.

• Leigh, William, second Town Clerk of Victoria, who held the position from about 1863, to the time of his death. He was in charge of Uplands Farm (1859) for the Hudson’s Bay Company, and under the supervision of Mr. J. D. Pemberton, built Victoria District Church, and as an amateur musician helped at charitable entertainments. Son in San Francisco, granddaughter in Victoria (Mrs. Simpson).

• Leneven, David, merchant, son and daughters.

• Lewis, Lewis, clothier, son and daughter.

• Lindsay, Daniel, son and daughter.

• Loat, Christopher, sons and daughter.

• Lowen, Joseph, brewer, widow, sons and daughters.

• Lowenberg, L., estate agent, a nephew.

• McDonell, R. J., captain, a widow.

• Mason, George, brickmaker, a widow.

• McKeon, William, hotel, wife, son and daughter.

• McLean, Alexander, son.

• McQuade, Peter, ship chandler, son and two daughters.

• Meldram, John H., two sons.

• Moore, M. (Curtis & Moore), widow and two sons.

• Mouat, William, captain Enterprise , sons and daughters.

• Nesbitt, Samuel, biscuit-baker, two sons.

• Nicholles, Doctor John, one son.

• Pitts, John H., son and daughters.

• Rhodes, Henry, merchant, sons and daughters.

• Sayward, William, sons.

• Sehl, Jacob, sons and daughters.

• Short, Henry, sons and daughters.

• Smith, John, carpenter, Mears Street, sons and daughters.

• Smith, M. R., baker, sons and daughters.

• Stahlschmidt, Thomas L., son.

• Stemmler, Louis, upholsterer, son (spice mills).

• Thain, Captain John, son and daughter.

• Todd, J. H., sons and daughters.

• Tolmie, Doctor W. F., sons and daughters.

• Waitt, M. W., stationer, widow and two daughters.

• Williams, John W., livery stable, widow and daughters.

• Woods, Richard, Government clerk, sons and daughters.

• Wootton, Henry, postmaster, sons and daughters.

• Workman, Aaron, daughters.

• Yates, James Stewart, two sons.

Many deaths since this list was made.

I must again repeat that this list of sixty-two may be augmented by others who were heads of families even at that time. I might take our own family for an example, although it does not prove the rule. It consisted of my father, mother and three brothers, and is represented in the directory by my father, Thomas L. Fawcett, and my eldest brother, Rowland W. Then, again, there is the Elford family, of father, mother, three sons and two daughters. This family is not recorded, and to-day there are two sons, John and Theophilus, and two married sisters.

Among the names in the list of those living now, but not recorded, is a son of Abraham Belasco, tobacconist of Yates Street in 1862, by name David. Those interested in theatricals (and who is not?) will recognize the name as the prominent theatrical manager of New York. I little thought when going to school with him at the Collegiate School, under Rev. C. T. Woods, that he would be so well known a character as he is to-day. In closing this reminiscence I would ask to be pardoned for any errors or omissions, for my memory will bear refreshing. I also must thank my old friend Dick Hall, and others, for names of early pioneers who have been left out of the directory.