1140 Arthur Currie Lane

ARCHITECTURE:

This large Queen Anne hip-roofed structure has two gabled bays: one three-storey square bay set at an angle on the corner of the house, in place of the more conventional tower, and one second-storey bay with cutaway corners, sitting on the verandah roof. The wrap-around verandah a shed roof and a pedimented porch leads to the stairway. Other features are paired eave modillions in front, single at the side, decorative shingles in the gables, and Queen Anne double-hung sash windows throughout.

The City of Victoria bought the house in 1975. Through years of public wrangling about how and whether it should be developed, it was called the Godfeldt Property until its sale back into private hands. A major rehabilitation by Martin Whitehead and Hugh Peet in the mid-1980s saved the house: all panes of glass in the house were broken when the rehabilitation was begun. They turned it into four suites. Martin and Hugh won a Hallmark Society President’s Award in 1986 for their tremendous efforts and sensitive rehabilitation. The house is now again a single family dwelling.

ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:

1891-1920: United Empire Loyalist (UEL) Beaumont Thomas Frederick William “Beau” Boggs (b. Halifax, NS, 1863-1943) came west as a Lieutenant with the Halifax Provisional Battalion during the 1885 Riel Rebellion. Settling in Victoria the following year, he became successful in real estate, especially during the pre-WWI boom, with Robert S. Day (806 Dereen Pl, Rockland) as Day & Boggs. In 1890 Beau married Louisa Mary (1869-1960), Victoria-born daughter of pioneer hoteliers George and Mary Jane Richardson, and commissioned John Teague to design Maplewood. The VDC, 17 Feb 1891, wrote: “A Pretty Cottage – Tomorrow is the last day for receiving tenders for the erection of Mr. Beaumont Boggs’ pretty cottage home on the Gorge and Craigflower road, plans of which are on view at the office of Mr. J. Teague, architect. The house is to be a two-storey cottage with broad and picturesque verandahs and highly ornamental windows from which a fine view of Victoria Arm [the Gorge waterway] is obtained. The cottage will be built this summer, and cost between $2,000 and $3,000.” Beau’s widowed mother Charlotte Boggs lived with them. A barn on the SW corner of the property housed two horses, a cow and chickens. A Chinese gardener looked after the grounds.

Beau served on the Victoria Real Estate Board, Victoria School Board, the Game Board, and as president of the BC Historical Society. He was a founding member of the UEL Association.He was a life member of Victoria and District Fire Insurance Assn and Army and Navy Veterans. In 1921 the Boggs moved into Mount Edward Apartments at 1002 Vancouver St, Fairfield. Beau retired about 1933. When Mary died aged 90, she had lost three of her four children (she didn’t like the name Boggs, so they each had Beaumont as well). Their sons: Capt. Arthur Beaumont Boggs (b. 1891) was a Royal Military College graduate who received his British Army commission c.1912. He was in India with the 29th Indian Lancers when WWI began and stayed to help recruit the Regiment to full strength. He later was wounded in action in France, and in 1922 was awarded the Order of the British Empire. His marriage is registered in British non-conformist records, but neither date nor bride’s name is given. When his father died in 1943, Capt. Boggs was in Palestine and died sometime later. Lieut. Herbert Beaumont Boggs (1892-1915) was killed in February 1915 commanding a platoon of the 7th Battalion Canadian Infantry, BC Regiment CEF at Armentières near Ypres and is buried in Ploegstreet Churchyard. He was the first Victorian, and one of the first two Canadian officers killed in WWI. The telegram announcing his death to his parents was sent by his commander and their neighbour, Col. Arthur Currie (1114 Arthur Currie Ln). Their daughters: Mary Charlotte Beaumont Boggs (1893-1932) in 1915 married realtor Thomas Allsop Brown, the son of Percival Rideout Brown and a director of P.R. Brown & Sons. Dorothy Louise Beaumont Boggs (1899-1991) married Henry Richard O. Townshend in 1924.

OTHER OCCUPANTS:

1921-28: McCrae P. Blair, civil engineer and director of Ryan McIntosh Hibberson & Blair Timber Co.

1931-34: Teacher and musician Everard Algibus Neave (b. New Zealand, 1879-1954), musician Nora Lansdowne (née Cottell, b. Bayswater, London, ENG, 1871-1946), and their offspring, who remained single: civil servant Nina Elizabeth (b. Vancouver, 1908-1972) and mechanic Digby Everard (b. Victoria, 1911-1981). The house was duplexed in 1933. The family left Victoria in 1934-35, and Nora and Everard separated. 1936-41: Nora and Nina were back in Maplewood. When Nora died, she and Nina were residing at 32 Paddon Av, James Bay.

1933-39: Isabel Lilian “Lily” Beneman (b. ENG, 1878-1938), the wife of Charles, their son John Robert “Jack” (b. Victoria, 1915-1961), a seaman, RCN, who rose to the rank Chief PO, and daughter Mary G. Charles Beneman was a clerk and 45 in February 1918 when he joined the No.11 Detachment, Military Police, CEF, for service in WWI. He became a seaman, as did their son Charles “Athol”. Charles didn’t live with Lily in Maplewood.

1939-41: Mary Beneman still lived in Maplewood while her brother Jack was on active service.
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1942-61: Cooper Frederick W. Spedding (b. ENG, 1876-1974) and Sarah (née Pearson, b. ENG, 1875-1961). Later owners: Seaman Helga Godfeldt, RCN, and his wife Inger K, an Empress Hotel maid, owned the property for some years until 1975.