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

	J
	Jack Burgess Men's Wear (...1959–1960 phone books) Jack Burgess Men's & Ladies' Wear (1961–1966 phone books) Jack Burgess Ltd Boys' Wear (1967 phone book) Jack Burgess Ltd Men & Boys' Clothing (1968 phone book) Jack Burgess Ltd Men & Collegiate Clothing (1969–1970 phone books) 2201 Oak Bay Avenue
	QUALITY CLOTHES FOR MEN & BOYS CUSTOM TAILORING & ALTERATIONS. 2201 Oak Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EV 4-7924 — ad in 1959 phone book
	"In the early 1950s, Mr Tyler ran the Oak Bay Theatre. When the Bank of Montreal moved from the corner of Hampshire and Oak Bay Avenue, in the mid '50s, Mr. Tyler and his son opened a clothing store at this location. It was subsequently taken over by Jack Burgess." — Richard Goodall, OBHS class of 1960
	* * *
	" . . . dad and mom went on to purchase S.R.Tyler Exclusive Men's Wear which became Jack Burgess Ltd and eventually also took on Ladies ready-to-wear. Ironically, I continued on in the Clothing Business and did build and operate Pickwicks Restaurant in Athlone court." — Rick Burgess, Oak Bay resident, 1944-1998
Previous location of S.R. Tyler & Son Exclusive Men's Wear
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jackson's Grocery & Confectionery 947 Monterey Avenue (...1966... city directory)
Previous location of Del's Handy Store Subsequent location of Monterey Grocery
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	James, Percy Leonard 1878–1970
	renowned Oak Bay architect
	P L James
	Living and working in the same community as fellow architects Samuel Maclure and Francis Rattenbury, Percy Leonard James doesn't often get the full recognition he deserves. Working alone or in partnerships, James designed some of the city's most noteworthy buildings, many in Oak Bay.
	P. Leonard James was born into an artistic family on December 7, 1878, in London, England. He studied architecture, articled in 1893, and worked for several firms in London.
	Ambitious and desiring more opportunity, he emigrated to Canada in 1906 and within two years had settled in Oak Bay. In 1910 he was joined by his architect brother, Douglas, and together they formed the firm James and James.
	James and James designed Oak Bay's first high school (1912), Oak Bay's first Municipal Hall (1912), Oak Bay Grocery (1912) and St. Mary's Church (1912). The James brothers also designed some of the most beautiful homes in the city before the partnership was dissolved in 1914 when both brothers enlisted to serve in World War I.
	Upon returning from the War, P.L. James entered into a working relationship with Francis Rattenbury that would last four years. They teamed on several projects, most notably the Crystal Garden and the CPR Steamship Terminal building. But working with Rattenbury wasn't worth the headaches, so he terminated this relationship. In 1928 James teamed with Hubert Savage to work on high-end homes in Oak Bay and throughout the city. This partnership lasted until 1933, when James closed his office to travel in Europe for a year.
	He returned home and re-opened his office in 1934. In 1938 he designed the Oak Bay Firehall.
	While abroad he was influenced by the new International Style of architecture — "function dictates form" — an influence he expressed in later commissions such as the Federal Building and Post Office1 (1948) and, most notably, Oak Bay Junior High School (1951).
	James died on January 2, 1970 at the age of 92. His biography — The Life and Times of Victoria Architect, P. Leonard James — was published in 2005 by his daughter, Rosemary James Cross.
1 In 1996 the refurbished Federal Building was officially named "P L James Place."
	Jas Shanks barber 2242 Oak Bay Avenue (1937–1938 city directories)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jeanne's Harper Method Beauty Salon 2541 Estevan Avenue (1956–1957... phone books) 2448 Dunlevy Street (1959 phone book) 2541 Estevan Avenue (1960–1970... phone books)
	— 1957 ad Click on image to view enlargement
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jeffrey, John F grocer 891 Newport Avenue (1913 city directory) 2661 Saratoga Avenue (1914–1921 city directories)
John F Jeffrey assumed proprietorship of the confectionery business (Newport Confectionery Store) his wife, Joan, started from their home a year earlier. He ran the business from this address for one year, afterwhich time their house was demolished to make way a large apartment/commercial block, Newport Apartments. Their business reestablished itself in one of the new retail addresses that became available – 2661 Saratoga Avenue – which was on the very spot where their house once stood. In 1921 Saratoga Avenue was renamed Windsor Road and the Jeffrey's new retail address became 2661 Windsor Road John F Jeffrey would enlarge upon this space to establish Newport Grocery. His wife, Joan, was proprietor of Newport Apartments, where they lived.
Previous location of Newport Confectionery Store Subsequent location of Newport Grocery
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jiminy Crickets Kindergarten (1956 phone book) Jiminy Crickets Nursery & Kindergarten (1955, 1957–1968 phone books) Jiminy Crickets Junior Primary (...1965–1968 phone books) 1061 Foul Bay Road
	popular pre-school in 1950s and 1960s
	courtesy Alastair Wade 1958 Afternoon Class Click on image to view enlargement
	"I attended Jiminy Crickets in the late 1950s. It was attended by a great many Oak Bay kids. It was located in a renovated house with a converted garage just off the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Foul Bay Road, very close to Frost’s Corner Store. Half-day and all-day kindergarten was offered. The school uniform was blue blazers and red corduroy pants.   The house was later demolished and replaced with an apartment building." — Alastair Wade, Jiminy Crickets student in late 1950s
By 1968, Jiminy Crickets had relocated to 3410 Shelbourne Street in Saanich
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jimmy Chicken (Jimmy Chickens) ? –1901
	Songhees native and local character RBCM & A | F-03795 Jimmy Chicken
	During the 1890s many Songhees lived on Chatham Island and, for the most part, avoided contact with Oak Bay residents except, perhaps, to dig for clams on local beaches.
	But there was one notable exception — Jimmy Chicken. Jimmy lived in a little shack on Mary Tod Island with his wife Jenny.
	According to Bea Hamilton, who lived in Oak Bay during the 1890s, Jimmy Chicken got his name, well, by stealing chickens. In her recollections, written in 1965, she stated:
	My sisters would see him scuttling into his canoe and paddling away in a hurry and they knew that someone in the neighbourhood was minus a bird or two that day.
	Jimmy and Jenny also harvested the sea, and did business with John Virtue of the Mount Baker Hotel. The proceeds of their enterprise went, sadly, to alcohol. T.W. Paterson in Capital Characters says
	This amazing eccentric and his wife Jenny lived in their little shack during the rare intervals between enforced stays "inside the precincts of the durance vile on Comorant Street or the brick mansion on Topaz Avenue" (the city and provincial jails).
	Commenting on Jimmy's court appearances, one official speculated that
	it has taken more than three gallons of ink and four boxes of steel pins for the city's clerk to register the entries in which the classic name Jimmy Chickens appears, while the liquour that Jimmy and his wife punished so far in their life time would fill the Esquimalt [dry] dock three times, floating two such boats as the Westmore, or keeping 18 dudes, of ordinary capacity, drunk for a decade!
	Despite their antics, Jimmy and his Jenny were loved by all.
	After Jenny died, Jimmy seemed to find solace within the four walls of a jail cell. He was a model prisoner, and was often released for short periods to run errands afterwhich he would faithfully return to his cell.
	When Jimmy died in 1901 there was a massive Indian funeral. Early residents recall over one hundred canoes on Oak Bay Beach as Songhees attended ceremonial dances to the beating of drums. Then his body was put aboard a large canoe which led the procession to Chatham Island where, with further ceremonies, he was laid to rest beside his beloved Jenny.1
	Mary Tod Island is remembered by many as Jimmy Chicken Island.
1 An article in an 1901 issue of the Daily Colonist states that Jimmy and Jenny were buried on Mary Tod Island.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jimmy Chicken Island (Mary Tod Island) see Street/Place Names section
	Joan's Beauty Salon 2530 Estevan Avenue (1949 phone book) 2519 Estevan Avenue (1950–1954 phone books) 2527 Estevan Avenue (1955–1970... phone books)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Joe Busby barber 2067 Cadboro Bay Road (1955 city directory)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Johnny Dunn shoe repairs 2240 Oak Bay Avenue (1935–1944 city directories)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Johnson, William grocer 2069 Cadboro Bay Road (1914–1921 city directories)
First occupancy at this address Subsequent location of Arena Grocery
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Johnston's Pharmacy 2067 Cadboro Bay Road (1953–1954 phone books) 2043 Cadboro Bay Road (1955–1959 phone books) 1955 Fort Street (1960 phone book) . PRESCRIPTION SERVICE FREE DELIVERY 9 A.M. – 9 P.M. 2067 Cadboro Bay Rd . . . . . . . . . 2-7831 — ad in 1954 phone book . PRESCRIPTION - DRUGS - FREE DELIVERY Next to Oak Bay Junior High School 2043 Cadboro Bay . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7831 or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9687 — ad in 1957 phone book
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jolimont 1936 Hampshire Road
	1892 home of William Herbert Bainbridge
	Jolimont
Oak Bay Heritage Building Winner of 1986 Hallmark Society Heritage Award
	Jones' Corner Shop confectionery 2000 Oak Bay Avenue (1930–1935 city directories / phone books)
	popular confectionery during the 1930s
Jones' Corner Shop was the first business at this address. Subsequent location of Robin's Corner Shop
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jones TV 2248 Oak Bay Avenue (...1959–1960... phone books)
	Guaranteed Repairs To All Makes Of TV – RADIO – APPLIANCES EV 5-8222 SERVING OAK BAY & DISTRICT 25 Years Canadian & English Experience 2248 Oak Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .EV 5-8222 — ad in 1959 phone book
Previous location of Hudson's Subsequent location of Music Box HiFi-TV
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Juan de Fuca Profile under development
	Juan de Fuca, Strait of see Street/Place Names section
	Jubilee Cabs 2019 Oak Bay Avenue (1957... phone book)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Jubilee Florist 2067 Cadboro Bay Road (1950–1952 phone books)
	— 1952 ad Click on image to view enlargement
	Junction Road see Street/Place Names section

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