ARCHITECTURE:
This two-storey, side-gabled, Georgian Revival-style house is unusual in that it has six bays. The front façade is symmetrical but with a sunroom on the right side and a single-storey, end-gabled garage extension with two dormers on the left. The single-storey, flat-roofed sunroom has a balcony above with a diamond-patterned balustrade and finely-turned urn finials. Both ends have through-thecornice brick chimneys at the ridge, splitting fan-shaped windows in the gables. The front façade has a centrally- located, gabled, round-arched portico with denticulated cornice and Tuscan columns leading to a recessed and panelled entry. The rear has an offset entry under a second floor Palladian window. All windows are multi-lights over- one. In 1997 five gabled dormers were added to the front, creating a 2½-storey house. The exterior is clad in bevelled siding. The property has a fine rustic granite wall with crenalated capping and wrought iron gates, to which the name Dreemskerry is attached.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
1922-29: Dr. William “Howard” Miller, CAMC, CEF (b. Topsail, NL, 1890-1928) came here with his family in 1893. Educated here, he taught at Boys’ Central and North Ward Schools, then studied at McGill College, Victoria, and medicine at McGill, QC. In 1917 with the rank of Capt he was Acting Deputy ADMS, MD 11 and MO, Irving House Hospital. He was posted to England in 1918 as MO, ASC Headquarters, Shorncliffe, then to other UK military hospitals. He married Pauline (née Lemon, b. Kansas, USA 1894-1988) in Yamhill, OR, USA in 1919. Her father, George W. Lemon, founder and president of First National Bank in Pratt, KS, USA 1902-55, commissioned this house. After Dr. Miller’s death, she moved to California but came back to Victoria in the early 1960s. She built a pink bungalow at 2985 Beach Dr where she lived until her death.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
1930-34: Clifford Edmund Whitaker (b. Sunrise City, AK, USA 1899-1935) married Ann Estelle “Stella” (née Neville, b. Baltimore, MD, USA 1899-1981) in Baltimore in 1919. His family, identified with the early history of Maryland and Pennsylvania were founders of Whitaker Iron Co in 1832. He came here in 1923 and at first fruit-farmed in Saanich. In 1926 he was VP at Revercomb Bros and in 1927 pres. of Whitaker & Revercomb Auto & Radio Parts (1537 Gladstone Av) until his death. Stella was educated in Baltimore, graduated from Teachers’ Training College and taught for a year. During WWI she served in the Quartermasters’ Corps, Washington, DC. They later divorced.
1938-44: Col. Thomas McAllister Knox, US Army (b. Fort Lapwai, ID, USA 1881-1963) married Edith Rucker (née Armes, b. Washington, DC, USA 1887-1974) in Chicago in 1920. He served with 7th Infantry in WWI. They retired here in September 1934, spent a year with their daughter in Oregon in 1937 then returned here permanently. An avid hunter, it is rumoured that he hung venison in the front room fireplace.
1944-60s: Dr. William Athol McElmoyle (b. Minnedosa, MB 1904-1979) married Dorothy May (née Finley, b. Ottawa, ON 1905-1998) in Winnipeg in 1935. A respected physician and surgeon, the Dr. William A McElmoyle Memorial Bursary was established at Univ of Manitoba in his honour. They were both members of the Victoria Musical Arts Society and many fund raisers were held in their home.
1981-2014: Bryan Stoodley (b. Bournemouth, ENG) married Maureen (née Griffiths, b. Osset, Yorks, ENG 1929-2014) in 1951 and they honeymooned near Dreemskerry, Isle of Man. They immigrated to Edmonton in 1955, where she worked for Marshall Wells, he as a financial planner. In 1976 she established her own antiques business that grew to three stores in Edmonton, then moved the business here in 1981. In 1986 they opened Dreemskerry [Manx Gaelic for “ridge by the sea”] B&B. She grew up in Douglas, Isle of Man, attending school there with renowned artist Toni Onley. Maureen was appointed the Manx Government’s Representative for Western Canada in 1976.