ARCHITECTURE:
This Edwardian Classical Revival two-storey brick house is one of the few surviving residential buildings on the northern edge of Downtown. The multi-hipped slate roof has multiple modillions in the eaves. Both sides of the house have two-storey angled bays under hipped roofs. The rear has a generous porch with spindle balusters and three chamfered posts. The front façade has a hip-roofed, two-storey angled bay to the left, to the right a deep open porch with solid balustrade and Tuscan columns supporting a large hipped roof. The entrance has a glazed panel in the door, leaded sidelights and transom. The front corners are emphasized by painted quoins. Some windows are one-over-one double-hung sashes, some larger single-paned with leaded art glass transoms. The original concrete block garden wall imitates rusticated stone blocks
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
Owners: 1910-44: Brick was considered somewhat unusual for a Victoria residence but is explained by the ties to Baker Brick & Tile Co. James Baker (b. London, ON 1854-1929) built his retirement home, rumoured to be with the last bricks made before he sold the brickyard, furnishing it exclusively with items from Weiler Bros. He also built 968 Balmoral Rd (North Park), but never lived there. His parents, grain merchant Richard Baker and Mary Jennings arrived here in 1867 on SS Active via New York, Jamaica, Isthmus of Panama and San Francisco. James worked on HBC’s Uplands farm, Lansdowne Rd with his father until he was 18. In 1878 he entered the teaming or cartage business, then spent a successful year in the Cassiar gold fields before returning to teaming, eventually owning 40 teams. A contractor with McGregor & Jeeves on the legislative buildings (501 Belleville St, James Bay) and Bank of Montréal, he built Cadboro Bay Rd and several roads in Metchosin and Sooke. In 1891 he and brother John established Baker Brick & Tile Co on Douglas St. His many business interests included Victoria Ice Co 1898-1910. He was a city alderman in 1891-93. He returned to Baker Bricks in 1920-27, then retired.
In 1887 James married Clara Helen (née Wagner, b. Frankfurt, GER 1848-1902), widow of brother George Henry Baker (1844-1886); she died of diabetes. In 1904 he married Helen Clara (née Marrion, b. Surrey, ENG 1876-1972), a bookkeeper at Victoria Ice Co. She was a member in Nightingale Chapter, IODE, and instrumental in raising funds for a sunroom at RJH
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
Tenants: 1933-43: Provincial civil servant Andrew Paton (b. SCT 1891-1980) and Grace (née Michie, b. Wellington, BC 1893-1976). He was an Exalted Ruler of Victoria Elks Lodge, she a member of Royal Purple Elks Club of BC and IODE. Owners: 1945: Lawrence and Edith Lee of Lee So & Sons, 1821 Douglas St.
Owners: 1946-48: Lance Cpl. Henry “Harry” Huntley, CEF (b. Coolham, Sx, ENG 1888-1969) and second wife Leah “Vida” (née Rusk, b. Gainsborough, SK 1908-?) came from SK in 1941. A painter by trade, he came to Canada in 1907, married Nora Memelia Olsen (b. Berlevog, NOR 1891-1967) in Estevan, SK in 1912, but later divorced.
Tenants: 1949-51: Michael Dan Kadylak (b. Austria 1901-1989) married Caroline (née Hyra, b. Angusville, MB 1911-2004) in Toronto in 1938; they operated a rooming house here.
Owners: 1952-c.60: Hilmar Olai Hovind (b. Olso, NOR 1886-1976) and Margaret Lucy (née Robbins, b. London, ENG 1885-1969) came from SK in 1941 where he had homesteaded since 1915. He worked for VMD then as a janitor at YMCA.
Discovery Sports Club, home to Castaway Wanderers Rugby Club and Castaways FC Soccer Club, is based here. In the 1990s the house was restored under the direction of Nigel Banks of Banks Design, and won a Hallmark Society Award for the restoration.