The Oak Bay Encyclopedia

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.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||

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

A&W Drivein (on Oak Bay Avenue)

A favourite pit stop when out cruising

"How many times did I drive into that Oak Bay A&W for a "small orange and a baby burger"? It was usually all I could afford on my measly allowance. Someone usually ordered a "Swamp Water" or that ugly mixture of milk and root beer. The name eludes me. Jungle Juice?"

— Dave Foster, OBHS class of 1960

* * *

"Ah yes, Swamp Water - for those with more refined tastes! I think it was 50% root beer and 50% orange. The A&W was a great place to congregate with friends, although the carhops did their futile best to confine us to our cars."

— Gary Wilcox, OBHS class of 1960

* * *

"The old A&W lasted until 1991 when Payless Gas did a land lease with plans to redevelop the whole block. They only redeveloped the A&W half with an office block and left the old Gulf gas station. Payless was bought by Shell who are in the process of remediating the gas site and are planning to build a Tim Horton's. I wonder if it will be a drive in."

— Bryan Bradbury, OBHS class of 1960

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Acme Transfer
2019 Oak Bay Avenue (...1954... phone book)

One of many W.E. Ferriday enterprises in the municipality

LATEST METHOD REFRIGERATION
FURNITURE & PIANO MOVING – HOUSEHOLD
GOODS – BAGGAGE – Residence 2-3215
2019 Oak Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5311.

— ad in 1954 phone book

see W.E. Ferriday

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Adrien's Bakery
Two locations — both in Oak Bay

2190 Oak Bay Avenue
...Adrien's French Pastry & Confectionery (...1941... phone book)
...Adrien's Cake and Chocolate Shop (...1947... phone book)
...Adrien's Bakery (...1957... phone book)

2533 Estevan Avenue
...Adrien's Cake and Chocolate Shop (...1947... phone book)
...Adrien's Cake Shop (...1954... phone book)
...Adrien's Bakery & Coffee Shop (...1957... phone book)

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Agricultural Fairs

An annual Victoria tradition that began in 1861 and continued in Oak Bay until the 1940s

Click on image to see 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.


	* Formally referred to as the Provincial Exhibition at Willows Park

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Allenby Street
see Street/Place Names section

Anderson Hill (Blueberry Hill)
see Street/Place Names section

"Annandale"
1587/95 York Place
Built: 1897/98
Original owner: Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper*

OAK BAY HERITAGE BUILDING


	* Minister of Justice for the Dominion Government, son of Sir Charles Tupper, a Father of Canadian Confederation

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Anscomb, Herbert
(1892–1972)

Reeve of Oak Bay (1925–1927), Mayor of Victoria (1928–1931) and cabinet minister in the provincial government (1941–1952)

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.*

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


	* 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"
Beach Drive and Margate Avenue
Built: 1927
Original owners: Ada and Hugo Beaven

BUILDING DEMOLISHED IN 1958 (?)

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 Service Station
2174 Cadboro Bay Road (...1930–1941... phone books)
2151 Cadboro Bay Road (...1947... phone book)

Same location with address change

Named after the Patrick Arena, one block west, which burned to the ground in 1929. Subsequently called Cranmore Service in late '40s or early '50s.

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Argyle, Thomas
(1839–1919)

Royal Engineer, Race Rocks lighthouse keeper, and an owner of the Willows Hotel

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 11, 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. (to be confirmed)

"Aristocrats," Victoria
1913–1922

Victoria team denied 1914 Stanley Cup in Oak Bay arena

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 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.

During World War I the arena was commandeered by the Canadian government, so the team moved south 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.

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Armstrong Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

Ashdowne Road
see Street/Place Names section

Ashton and Farrow Plumbers
2205 Oak Bay Avenue (...1918... phone book)

Oak Bay Branch of Victoria plumbing company


	Subsequent location of Usher's Confectionery Store (...1930–1957... phone books)

Subsequent location of Fisher's Confectionery (1959 OBHS yearbook ad)

Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Avenue Electric
2047 Oak Bay Avenue (...1954... phone book)
2006 Oak Bay Avenue (...1957... phone book)

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 Theatre
2013 Oak Bay Avenue
(1913 – Depression)

... one of the best and most up-to-date theatres of its kind in B.C.

. — from 1913 newspaper ad

Victoria's first building designed specifically for film — the Avenue Theatre — was located in Oak Bay. It opened in 1913 but succumbed to the onset of the Depression. The building was gutted and became a workplace for Victoria Auto Trunk Works (1930 phone book) and a warehouse for Oak Bay Transfer and Storage (1934 phone book) before being converted to an apartment block in 1943. This historic building is still standing at 2013 Oak Bay Avenue, just east of Foul Bay Road.

Click on the MEMORABILIA button to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts of the Avenue Theatre

Avondale Road
see Street/Place Names section

Click here to suggest a topic or to submit material

The Oak Bay Encyclopedia
is constantly evolving. Please bookmark
and return often.