ARCHITECTURE:
This 1½-storey Queen Anne house is cross-gabled, unlike the more commonly seen hipped main roof. The gables all have decorative cutout and drop finial ornamentation in the apices, attached to the very narrow bargeboards. There are finials on all the gable peaks and ends. A shallow angled hipped roof with paired eaves brackets covers a panelled angled bay on the lower right front. A small shed roof to the left of the bay has a central pediment, below which is the entry porch. It has chamfered square posts, a spindled frieze and square balusters. The wooden steps were replaced by concrete ones decades ago. The upper and foundation levels are shingled and the lower floor is covered with drop siding. There are hip-roofed additions on the rear.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
1896-1902: Carpenter and builder Henry “Hudson/ Hodson” Roper (b. PEI, 1861) and Ada Amelia (née Noble, b. BC 1856) married in Victoria in 1890. His father and two brothers were also carpenters.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
1903-05: Carpenter Thomas and Ann Jane Buckler came here in 1885. They were Christadelphians.
1907-09: George and Effie Jane Halliday. George was manager of BC Trading Co, furniture dealers. Both born in Ontario, Effie died in Sidney and George in California. He was brought home to be buried with Effie in Ross Bay Cemetery.
1910-18: Alfred Schroeder (b. Chesley, ON, 1876-1969) and Marjorie Augusta “Gussie” (née Bell, b. Berlin, ON, 1878-1969) married in 1901. Alfred was living with his brothers above their grocery shop, Schroeder Bros at 73 Menzies, James Bay, at the time. This house was revenue property and they lived at 106 South Turner St, James Bay. Alfred and his brother Frank later had several hardware stores, including Fernwood Hardware at 2007 Fernwood Rd.
1913-18: Co-owner James M. McIntosh worked for British American Paint Co.
Tenants: 1912-16: William and Isabel Edith Streeter came to BC in 1911. William was a City of Victoria Engineering Department clerk, then a storekeeper.
Owners: 1919-25: Samuel T. and Leonore S.J. Vanstone, retired, who lived here from 1921-25.
1922-25: co-owned by Mary Ethel Collins.
1926-31: Real estate agent Charles Frederick Eagles (b. ENG, 1873-1939) and Mabel Florence (née Waters, b. ENG, 1878-1945) married in Victoria in 1919. Charles and his first wife Maud came to Victoria in 1911 via Brandon, MB.
1933-35: Retirees George and Jean May Lee-Warner married in Nelson, BC, in 1934.
1937-42: Carpenter George Gallaway and Eleanor (née Winson, b. Chesterfield, Derbys, ENG, 1881-1946) came to Victoria in 1913.
1943-66: Milos Belobaba and Alice (née Arstivo, b. Harbin, China, 1905-1985), and their offspring: George, a labourer, Lydia a stenographer at Standard Furniture, and Natalie, a saleswoman at Woolworths.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & IMAGES:
• This Old House, Victoria’s Heritage Neighbourhoods,
Volume One: Fernwood & Victoria West