ARCHITECTURE:
This Eclectic British Arts & Crafts house is two-storied and hip-roofed with exposed rafter tails. The garden façade on the left side has three sections separated by four Tuscan columns. The gabled square bay on the far left has bracketed, carved bargeboards and sits over an angled stone-clad bay. On the far right is a hipped, through-the cornice wall dormer. The main floor of the central portion is a conservatory. A porch to the right, originally topped by a pergola, now has a second-storey balcony. The street façade has an angled bay beside a square bay on the main floor. The upper floor has Tudor Revival stucco and half-timbering, the lower floor is largely stone, and the right side is shingled. The external chimney was orignally all stone; the upper portion is now stuccoed. There are battered stone piers on the corners. The roof has always been tiled.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
1909-49: Charles Joseph Vancouver Spratt (b. Victoria 1873-1941) married Marguerite Ethel (née Deuel, b. Sacramento, CA 1872-1946) in 1892. (They first lived at 219 Gorge Rd E). Charles’s father, Joseph Spratt (b. ENG 1835-1888), est Albion Iron Foundry in San Francisco then came to Victoria in 1862. He entered the shipping business, acquiring steamers Caribou Fly, Emma and Wilson G. Hunt. He founded Albion Iron Works (AIW) (6 Chatham St.) on May 4th, 1863 with Johann Kriemler (b. Speicher, Switzerland 1831-1889) [Johann married Mary-Grace (née Dodd, 1843-1887), daughter of Capt. Charles Dodd & Grace McTavish, very early Gordon Head settlers (4139 Lambrick Way, Saanich Designated Heritage)]. AIW eventually expanded to an area bounded by Pembroke, Store, Chatham and Government Sts. Prominent Victorians Robert Dunsmuir, R.P. Rithet, Robert Ward and Joseph Trutch were among AIW’s directors. Joseph Spratt retired from active management of AIW in 1882. [On 23 July 1907, much of AIW was levelled in a tremendous fire which also destroyed much of Chinatown and other residential blocks. Albion Stove Works (2101 Government St) was formed in 1905.] Joseph established Spratt’s Wharf and a floating cannery “Spratt’s Ark” in 1883. In 1887 he and former AIW manager Andrew Gray (1135 Catherine St) established Victoria Machinery Depot (VMD).
Charles Spratt was only 14 when Joseph died, but later on controlled VMD. When his health failed in 1921-28, Marguerite assumed control of VMD, then again in 1935. VMD established a second yard at Rithet’s Piers (33 Dallas Rd) and built 25 ships during WWII, employing a workforce of thousands. Marguerite’s achievements were remarkable and she was one of the first women in North America recognized in this field. When she died, her estate was valued at $471,000; part was left to St. Joseph’s Hospital and SPCA. Her pet terrier Rip received $75 per month for companion housekeeper and house occupancy until shortly before his death in 1949.
OTHER OCCUPANTS
1950-94: Sisters Gladys Evelyn (b. Victoria 1890-1975) and Gwendolyn Norah (b. Victoria, 1893-1994) were daughters of Frederick Hayes Hewlings (b. Bristol, ENG 1861-1935) and Grace (née Swinnock, b. Ramsgate, ENG 1862-1935). Gladys taught piano and was active with St. John Ambulance. Gwen graduated from Royal Victoria Coll, affiliated with McGill Univ, in 1913. She taught at Cedar Hill School then Tillicum where she was principal before going to Esquimalt High in 1917. In 1926 she became principal of EHS – BC’s first woman high school principal. In 1940 for reasons not known, she gave up the position and returned to full time teaching. Miss Hewlings taught English Literature, French and Drama; under her guidance Esquimalt Drama Club always took top honours at Greater Victoria Drama Festival. In 1958 she received the Canadian Drama Award in recognition of her contribution to the performing arts. A world traveller, antique collector, patron of the arts and student of Shakespeare, this very popular teacher retired in 1959.