ARCHITECTURE:
This house, originally thought to have been built c.1895 because of its similarity to a Victorian cottage, is now known to have been built in the Edwardian era. A surprising feature of this home is that it is constructed of brick with unusual angled brick joints in the bay. It is a single storey house with a ridged hipped roof, and angled front bay below a pedimented gable. There is a shed-roofed dormer on the front. The roof extends over the entry porch, which has two turned columns, two pilasters and turned spindles in the balustrade. The front step balustrades are capped heavy stone blocks. It also has a heavy stone foundation. The rock of the front wall of the property was reportedly excavated from the basement.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS
:
1908-44: Bricklayer Albert Turner (b. Leeds, Yorks, ENG, 1872-1932) married widow Henrietta Christopher (née Ball, b. Victoria, 1872-1944) in 1908. [Note: Henrietta’s mother was Hannah Ball, one of the first non-Native babies born in Victoria. Hannah’s parents were John and Mary Ann Parker (1192 Fort St, Fernwood) of Craigflower Farmhouse, who arrived on the third voyage of the Norman Morison in 1853. Hannah Parker married blacksmith Charles Ball in Victoria in 1868. Their daughter Henrietta Ball married carpenter and farmer John William Christopher (b. London, ENG, 1872-1905) in 1896, but he died of a typhoid ulcer, leaving her with their son Claude.] In 1901 Henrietta and John Christopher lived in Colwood, not far from bricklayers Albert and Arthur Turner (b. Leeds, ENG, 1881-1950) and their mother Eliza Robbins (1286 Pembroke St, Fernwood), who came to Canada in 1884.
According to land titles, Albert and Arthur bought this property together in 1907, and Arthur and Henrietta lived here from 1908. In 1918 when their son Claude, an automobile mechanic, was drafted under the Military Service Act 1917, his wife Myrtle was living at 1149 Dominion Rd with his mother. In 1922 Arthur and Henrietta moved to 730 Craigflower Rd, Vic West, but still owned 1149 Dominion.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
Tenants: 1923-32: Sarah “Annie” Hill (née Jones, b. Wolverhampton, ENG, 1876-1954), the widow of Frank Hadden Hill, and her offspring: Harry Hadden Hill, a seaman, then a mechanic at National Motors, then a civil servant; Richard E. Hill, a toy maker with Hiker Manufacturing Co of Canada, 878 Viewfield Rd; Hazel Helen Hill, a saleswoman at A.E. Taylor & Co, sewing machines, pictures and picture framing; and Earl R. Hill, a driver with Mrs. Drakes Home Bakery.
1933-44: Henrietta Turner moved back into the house after Arthur’s death, as did her daughter Bertha Hannah (1909-1975) and Bertha’s husband John Arthur Forbes (b. London, ENG, 1904-1984), who married in 1929. John was a salesman for Scott & Peden Ltd, then an egg dealer at 2514 Douglas St. However, in 1938-40 Henrietta was living at 114 Douglas St with her older unmarried sister, Adeline Ball (1866-1945). In 1941 John was away on active service in WWII, and Henrietta and Adeline moved back in with Bertha. By 1943 Bertha was back in 730 Craigflower Rd leaving 1149 Dominion Rd to Henrietta.
1945: Realtor and insurance agent Charles Randall Bishop was executor of Henrietta’s estate and in March advertised her three properties for sale by tender: 1149 Dominion Av, 730 Craigflower Rd, and 108 Regina Av in Saanich. 1149 Dominion was vacant that year.
1947-52: LS. Maynard V. Johnson, RCN, and his wife Georgina.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & IMAGES:
• This Old House, Victoria’s Heritage Neighbourhoods,
Volume One: Fernwood & Victoria West
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