The Oak Bay Encyclopedia ^TM
T . H . E . .. E . A . R . L . Y . .. Y . E . A . R . S

A listing of noteworthy
people, places and things from
Oak Bay's early years

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Click on any letter, above, to visit specific section of encyclopedia

	A
	A & W drive-in restaurant 1961–c1991 1921 Oak Bay Avenue (1961–1970... phone books)
	a favourite pit stop when out cruising in the '60s
	Janice Mason photo A & W 1921 Oak Bay Avenue location Click on image to view enlargement
	There were two A&W locations in Victoria: one at 3335 Douglas. Street and the other at 1921 Oak Bay Avenue.
	The Oak Bay Avenue location opened in 1961 (a year after the Douglas Street location) and, although not quite in Oak Bay, immediately became the social centre for Oak Bay students out cruising on Friday and Saturday evenings. It was the place to be seen.
	We're grateful to Janice Mason for the image above. Janice lived across the street from the A&W on Oak Bay Avenue during the 1960s.
	Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts of the A&W
	Ackerman's Upholstery 2280 Cadboro Bay Road (...1964–1968 phone books)
Previous location of Willows Fish & Chips Subsequent location of Chews TV & Stereo Centre
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Acme Transfer 2019 Oak Bay Avenue (1952–1954 phone books)
	LATEST METHOD REFRIGERATION FURNITURE & PIANO MOVING – HOUSEHOLD GOODS – BAGGAGE – Residence 2-3215 2019 Oak Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5311. — ad in 1954 phone book
	Active Radio & Television 2047 Oak Bay Avenue (1967–1968 phone books) 2170 Oak Bay Avenue (1969–1979... phone books)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Adrien's Bakery three locations — all in Oak Bay
	2190 Oak Bay Avenue ...Adrien's French Pastry & Confectionery (...1941–1942... phone books) ...Adrien's Cake and Chocolate Shop (1944–1950 phone books) ...Adrien's Bakery (1957–1962... phone books) 2533 Estevan Avenue ...Adrien's Cake and Chocolate Shop (1947–1952 phone books) ...Adrien's Cake Shop (1953–1954 phone books) ...Adrien's Bakery & Coffee Shop (1955–1957... phone books) ...Adrien's Bakery (...1959–1962... phone books) 2863 Foul Bay Road ...Adrien's Bakery (...1959–1962... phone books)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Agricultural Fair
	an annual Victoria tradition that began in 1861 and continued in Oak Bay until the 1940s
	Royal BC Museum and Archives | D-07174 Edenbank Ayrshires Click on image to view enlargement
	An agricultural fair is the highpoint of the year in a rural community. It allows farmers and ranchers to socialize and compete with their produce and livestock.
	Victoria began its tradition of agricultural exhibitions in 1861 when it began holding annual fairs at different locations throughout the city. In 1883 a permanent building was constructed in Beacon Hill Park where a provincial fair was held every second year, alternating with New Westminster. The pressures of urban growth in the late 1880s thwarted expansion plans in the Park and, wanting to host an annual fair, it was decided to relocate beyond the city limits. Land was purchased at "The Willows" in Oak Bay where a magnificent exhibition hall was constructed in 1891. The Willows Fair continued into the 1940s.
	see Willows Fair, Horse Show Pavilion
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Albert's Barber Shop 2006 Oak Bay Avenue (1932... city directory)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Alfred White confectioner 2205 Oak Bay Avenue (1932... city directory)
Previous location of Harry Edwards, baker Subsequent location of Henry Usher, confectioner
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Aline's ladies' ready-to-wear 1179 Newport Avenue (1948–1949 phone books)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Allenby Street see Street/Place Names section
	Anderson Hill (Blueberry Hill) see Street/Place Names section
	Andre's Tea Room 2225 Oak Bay Avenue (1947–1948 city directories)
Former location of Sunbeam Tea Room Subsequent location of Sunbeam Gifts
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Annandale 1897 — 1587/95 York Place
	1897/98 home of Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper1
	Oak Bay Archives Annandale Click on image to view enlargement
1 Federal minister (1888–1896), Solicitor General of Canada (1896) and son of Sir Charles Tupper, Prime Minister of Canada and a Father of Canadian Confederation
	see Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper
	Profile under development
	Anscomb, The Honourable Herbert 1892–1972
	reeve of Oak Bay (1925–1927) / mayor of Victoria (1928–1931) / cabinet minister in the provincial government (1941–1952)
	RBCM & A | C-00592 H Anscomb Click on image to view enlargement
	Herbert Anscomb was born in England in 1892 and emigrated to Canada in 1911. Arriving in Victoria he found work as a bookkeeper with the Victoria Brewing Company. Before long he was managing the company, although a tea-totaller himself.
	In 1925, at the age of 33, he became the youngest reeve of Oak Bay where he served for 3 years. In 1928 he became mayor of Victoria and served in this capacity until 1931.
	He entered provincial politics in 1938 and served in the wartime coalition government of John Hart. After the war he served as Finance Minister and developed the reputation as an ultra conservative, introducing the first provincial sales tax in 1948.1
	Although disillusioned by the hypocrisy in politics, Anscomb served conscienciously in the political arena for 27 years as "one of the last of the real conservatives."
	Herbert Anscomb is remembered in Oak Bay by Anscomb Place
1 Fellow M.P., W.A.C. Bennett thought Anscomb's fiscal policies were far too conservative to build a vibrant economy and reacted by crossing the floor to form the Social Credit government which dominated B.C. politics for the next three decades.
	Anscomb Place see Street/Place Names section
	Arden 1176 Beach Drive
	1902 home of Ada (Pemberton) and Hugo Beaven
	Royal BC Museum and Archives | A-06788 Arden Click on image to view enlargement
	Ada Beaven was Joseph Despard Pemberton's daughter. After her husband, Hugo Beaven, a rose fancier of renown, died in 1937, Ada donated 500 rose plants to establish the Rose Garden at Windsor Park. In 1939 she donated some "Arden" land for the Native Plant Garden located at the corner of Beach Drive and Margate Avenue. Ada continued to live at Arden until her death at age 91 in 1958.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Arena See Patrick Arena
	Arena Bakery 2069 Cadboro Bay Road (1928–1930 city directories)
Previous location of Chas Savage hardware Subsequent location of XL Bakery
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Arena Grocery 2069 Cadboro Bay Road (1923 city directory)
Previous location of William Johnson grocer Subsequent location of Chas Savage hardware
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Arena (Imperial Oil) Service Station "Cranmore Road at Fort Street" (early address) 2174 Cadboro Bay Road (...1930–1946 phone books) 2151 Cadboro Bay Road (1947–1948 phone books)
	Royal BC Museum and Archives | I-01004 Arena Service Station (circa 1945) Click on image to view enlargement
	Named after the Patrick Arena, one block west, which burned to the ground in 1929. Subsequently called Cranmore Service from 1949.
Despite two addresses noted above, this is the same location with an address change, although even/odd addresses present a puzzlement. It would appear that the municipality flipped the odd/even street number alignment in 1947 and adjusted the numbers.
	see Cranmore Service
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Argyle, Thomas 1839–1919
	Royal Engineer / Race Rocks lighthouse keeper / an owner of the Willows Hotel
	Thomas Argyle
	Twenty-year-old Thomas Argyle came to Canada in 1859 as one of 150 Royal Engineers (Sappers) assigned to maintain a British presence in New Caledonia (British Columbia). The Sappers built roads and bridges, and enforced British law upon rumbunctuous American goldseekers in the Fraser canyon.
	At the end of his service, in 1863, Argyle opted to accept a land grant of 150 acres at Rocky Point in Metchosin where, in 1867, he became the keeper of the Race Rocks lighthouse until his retirement in 1888.
	On July 10, 1871 he purchased the Willows Hotel, Oak Bay's first commercial establishment, then located on Cadboro Bay Road at Willows Road (Eastdowne).
Argyle's second home is reportedly still standing on the Camosun Campus grounds, although this has yet to be confirmed. Argyle Avenue, north of the campus, is probably named after him. Fellow sapper, William Haynes, was another early owner of the Willows Hotel.
	see Willows Hotel
	Aristocrats, Victoria ice hockey team 1913–1917, 1919–1922
	Victoria team denied 1914 Stanley Cup in Oak Bay arena
	Victoria Aristocrats
	Professional ice hockey began in Victoria in 1912. The first game was played between the Victoria Senators and the New Westminster Royals in Oak Bay's Patrick Arena on January 2, 1912.
	This was the first hockey game in Canada played on artificial ice.
	The Victoria Senators changed its name to the Victoria Aristocrats for the 1913/14 season and won the Pacific Coast League championship, earning the right to challenge the Quebec Bulldogs (the then-current Stanley Cup holders). With home ice advantage at Oak Bay's Patrick Arena, the Aristocrats won the championship but were denied the Stanley Cup as it was deemed, by eastern authorities, to be an exhibition series. But the Aristocrats are recognized as having won the "World Ice Hockey Championship" in 1913.
	During World War I the arena was commandeered by the Canadian government, so the team moved south after the 1916/17 season and became the Spokane Canaries. After the war the team returned to the Oak Bay arena and was once again called the Aristocrats until re-named the Cougars starting from the1922 season until the league folded in 1926.
	see Victoria Senators, Victoria Cougars
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Arnold's Bakery 2522 Estevan Avenue (...1964–1970... phone books) 2863 Foul Bay Road (...1964–1970... phone books)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Armstrong Avenue see Street/Place Names section
	Ashdowne Road see Street/Place Names section
	Ashdowne, Miss V E nursery school 2164 Oak Bay Avenue (...1944... phone book)
	see Greater Victoria Nursery School
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Ashton and Farrow plumbers 2205 Oak Bay Avenue (1918... phone book)
	Oak Bay Branch of Victoria plumbing company
Previous location of Avenue Meat Market Subsequent location of Harry Edwards, baker
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Auto Livery & Taxi 1196 Newport Avenue (...1925... phone book)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Avenue Confectionery 2205 Oak Bay Avenue (1926–1929 city directories)
Previous location of Henry Usher, confectioner Subsequent location of Usher's Confectionery Store
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Avenue Dress Shop 2259 Oak Bay Avenue (1960–1970... phone books)
	Congratulations to Grads of Oak Bay High from the .AVENUE DRESS SHOP .2259 Oak Bay Avenue . . . . . . . . Phone EV 6-2523 — text from ad in 1960 OBHS Oak Leaves yearbook
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Avenue Electric 2047 Oak Bay Avenue (1948–1956 phone books) 2006 Oak Bay Avenue (1957–1960 phone books)
	ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Appliance & Radio Repairs – We Specialize in Range Repairs . . Ron Winter . . Day or Night 2047 Oak Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1087 . . — ad in 1954 phone book
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Avenue Meat Market 2205 Oak Bay Avenue (1915... city directories)
	Avenue Meat Market was the first business at this address.
Subsequent location of Ashton & Farrow, plumbers
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Avenue Theatre 1914–1921 2009 Oak Bay Avenue (1914 – 1917 city directories) 2013 Oak Bay Avenue (1918 – 1921 city directories) same location
	an early motion picture theatre
	Oak Bay Archives Avenue Theatre
	The Avenue Theatre was one of the first theatres designed specifically for motion pictures, rather than stage productions.
	It was an independent movie house that played the popular silent films of the day.
	"...one of the best and most up-to-date theatres of its kind in B.C." — 1913 newspaper ad
	But despite recognizing and embracing the film industry in its infancy, the success of the Avenue Theatre was short-lived. For whatever reason, it closed its doors in 1921.
	In 1922, the building was gutted to create a large open space — which served as an automotive garage for a succession of enterprises1 until 1943.
	In 1944, this historic building was converted to an apartment block — Oak Bay Apartments — and is still standing at 2013 Oak Bay Avenue.
1 Mechanical Motor Works (1923–1928), Victoria Auto Trunk Works (1929–1930) and W.E. Ferriday taxi, tranfer and storage enterprises (1932–1942).
	Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts of the Avenue Theatre
	Avondale Road see Street/Place Names section

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