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



M


MacKenzie TV Service
2271 Bowker Avenue
(...1959 phone book)
1959 MacKenzie TV Service ad
1959 ad
Click on image to view enlargement
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Maclure, Samuel
1860–1929
Victoria's finest residential architect / early Oak Bay resident / signatory on 1906 petition to incorporate Oak Bay as a municipality
Samuel Maclure
Artist, landscapist Samuel Maclure was a self-taught architect who built homes that reflected the personality of the owner and the character of the setting. Many of his homes, built over a hundred years ago, are still cherished today.
Profile under development

McBratney's Fine Foods
2252 Oak Bay Avenue (19501956 phone books)
courtesy Janice Mason
1950 McBratneys Fine Foods photo
1950 newspaper image
Click on image to view enlargement

Previous location of Superior Food Stores
Subsequent location of Henderson's Oak Bay Grocery
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McCleave, J. Riding School and Saddle Horses
Exhibition Grounds (...1918... phone book)

Subsequent location of D.B. Carley's Victoria Riding Academy
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McCullough, R D grocer
2164 McNeill Avenue
(19361937 city directories)

Subsequent location of K Gent grocery and meats
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McCurrah's Grocery
947 Monterey Avenue
(1961 phone book)

Previous location of Campbell's Grocery
Subsequent location of Del's Handy Store
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McDougall, Dr Douglas W dentist
2225a Oak Bay Avenue (...1956... phone book)

McDougall, Dr R H dentist
1505 Hampshire Road
(1947–1956... phone books)

McInnes, J tailor
2009 Oak Bay Avenue (...1934... phone book)
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McLaren Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

McLaren, Chas shoe repairs
1193 Newport Avenue (19231924 city directories)
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McLure's Food Market
2518 Estevan Avenue
(19481968 phone books)
FREE DELIVERY
GROCERIES - FROZEN FOODS
NURSERY STOCK IN SEASON
J. W. (Julius) FORER
2518 Estevan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8311
ad in 1957 phone book
"McLure's was owned and operated in the 1950s by Mr. Jules Forer. Mr. Forer was Swiss by birth. The store had charge accounts for many customers and made home deliveries, often on a bicycle with two wire carriers: one on the front, one on the back. Deliveries were also made in a Ford panel delivery truck."
Terry Murphy
* * *
"In the 1960s the ownership changed hands to Mr. Ted Wills. I worked at the store from 1967 to 1968 as the stockboy and also used a red VW van to deliver groceries, mostly to homes in the Uplands.
I made $50/wk and got 10% off my groceries."
Mark Smith, OBHS class of 1967
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

McMicking Point
see Street/Place Names section

McNeill, Captain William Henry
1803–1875
captain of Hudson's Bay Company's steamship "Beaver" / one of Oak Bay's five original landowners
Capt McNeill
Profile under development

McNeill Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

McNeill Bay (Shoal Bay)
see Street/Place Names section

McNeill Bay (Shoal Bay) Tea Room
served ices and teas to McNeill Bay campers
Oak Bay Archives
McNeill Bay Tea Room
.McNeill Bay Tea Room
c 1912 – 1930s
Click on image to view enlargement
The McNeill Bay Tea Room was built around 1912 to serve ice cream and teas to Victoria families spending summers at their cabins at McNeill Bay. The tea room was situated on Beach Drive on the west side of Anderson Hill.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Mabel Ellis linens and novelties
2248 Oak Bay Avenue (1942 city directory)

Previous location of The Cake Shop
Subsequent location of Henry Oliver, women's clothing
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Magnet Hardware
2072 Cadboro Bay Road
(1949–1970... phone books)
PAINTS, GARDEN & FISHING SUPPLIES
DINKY TOYS – RENTALS

2072 Cadboro Bay . . . . . . . . . . 3-9022
ad in 1957 phone book

Former location of Karilyn Hardware
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Maison Dudley hairdressing
2001 Oak Bay Avenue (19261936 city directories / phone books)
2192 Oak Bay Avenue (19371964 city directories / phone books)
1528 Monterey (1965–1970... phone books).
PERMANENT WAVING, ETC.
Cor. Foul Bay Rd.

2001 Oak Bay Ave . . . . . . . . . . . Phone 2485
— ad in 1930 phone book

ad in 1938 Welcome to Victoria guidebook
"Established in Oak Bay Since 1925".
G. Dudley Stephens, Proprietor
Next to Municipal Hall
2192 Oak Bay
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5641
ad in 1957 phone book
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Manhattan Shakedown
1937 movie produced by film studio in Oak Bay
Lobby Card
Click on image to view enlargement
see Willows Park Studio
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Maquinna Street
see Street/Place Names section

Margate Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

Marine Chalet apartments
2451 Beresford Street
(...1930–1957... phone books)
Royal BC Museum and Archives | E-07675
Marine Chalet Apts

Building demolished
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Marionette Library
2207 Oak Bay Avenue
(19421946 city directories)
An Oak Bay branch of the Marionette Circulating Library was located in the Oak Bay Dry Goods store for five years in the early 1940s.
see Oak Bay Dry Goods
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Marne Street
see Street/Place Names section

Marrion Street
see Street/Place Names section

Mary Tod Island
see Street/Place Names section

Mathfair Bakery
2190 Oak Bay Avenue
(19511956 phone books)
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Mayhew, The Honourable R W
1880–1971
reeve of Oak Bay (1933–1935) / federal M.P. / Canadian Ambassador to Japan
.Hon R W Mayhew
Biographical material welcomed

Mayors of Oak Bay
see Reeves of Oak Bay

Meadow Place
see Street/Place Names section

Mechanical Motor Works
2013 Oak Bay Avenue (19231928 city directories)

Former location of Oak Bay's historic Avenue Theatre and subsequent location of Victoria Auto Trunk Works and Oak Bay Transfer and Storage before the building was converted to an apartment block in 1944.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Melita Hairdressing Parlors
2006 Oak Bay Avenue (...1934 phone book)

Subsequent location of Lucky Jim Barber Shop
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Merchants Bank of Canada, The (Oak Bay Branch)
2201 Oak Bay Avenue
(19151921 city directories)
Oak Bay's second banker
original 1916 cheque
1916 municipality cheque drawn on
The Merchants Bank of Canada
Click on image to view enlargement
Oak Bay's building boom from 1910–12 began to wane in 1913 and by mid-year unemployment was high and Oak Bay faced a financial crisis. The municipality's original banker, The Bank of British North America, refused an additional overdraft which resulted in the stoppage of public work projects causing further unemployment. The Merchants Bank of Canada came to the rescue and, in 1915, established a branch office in Oak Bay at 2201 Oak Bay Avenue.

This was the first business at this new address. In 1921 The Merchants Bank of Canada merged with the Bank of Montreal who then established a branch office in Oak Bay at this same 2201 Oak Bay Avenue address.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Merryfield & Dack Drug Stores
2001 Oak Bay Avenue
(1913 city directory)
1905 Foul Bay Road
(...1918 phone book)
2001 Oak Bay Avenue (19191924 city directories)
Oak Bay's first drug store
The Victoria pharmaceutical company Merryfield and Dack had several retail outlets: James Bay Pharmacy, Junction Pharmacy, Oak Bay Pharmacy and Star Pharmacy, the latter two located in Oak Bay. Proprietors for all stores were Garnet Merryfield and Howard Dack.

In 1909 Garnet Merryfield was working as a druggist at Terry's Drug Store in town.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Middowne Road
see Street/Place Names section

Midland Circle
see Street/Place Names section

Midland Road
see Street/Place Names section

Midway, the
popular attraction at the annual Willows Fair
Royal BC Museum and Archives | I-60836
The Midway
concessions and rides
Click on image to enjoy midway views
see Willows Fair

Miles' Grocery
537 Victoria Avenue
Miles' Grocery was a small, family-run enterprise on Victoria Avenue that served south Oak Bay from the early 1920s through the 1950s. It was established to provide employment for a disabled Great War veteran, and continued for nearly four decades with the support of several generations of the Miles family. They made their own breads and buns, and had a large vegetable garden that supplied even the downtown market. But with changing times, they began selling their land through the 1950s, and closed shop by the end of the decade as supermarkets began asserting their influence.
Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts of Miles' Grocery

Milton Street
see Street/Place Names section

Miss Ellanie's gift shop
2041 Oak Bay Avenue
(19551956 phone books)
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Mitchell Street
see Street/Place Names section

Monteith Street
see Street/Place Names section

Monterey Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

Monterey Barber Shop
2242 Oak Bay Avenue (19401967)
"The Monterey Barber Shop was on Oak Bay Avenue opposite the Golden Galleon Cafe. It was owned and operated by Mr. Bill Dewar."
Terry Murphy, OBHS class of 1958

In 1939, proprietor Bill Dewar called his barber shop simply Bill Dewar barber, but a year later it was Monterey Barber Shop.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Monterey Grocery
947 Monterey Avenue
(...1969... city directory)

Previous location of Jackson's Grocery & Confectionery
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Monterey Market
2251 Oak Bay Avenue (...1930–1970... phone books)
MONTEREY MARKET
J.W. WALLS,
.PROP.
2251 OAK BAY AVE.
PHONES 3-7172 OR 3-7173
.MEATS,
EGGS,
FISH AND POULTRY
text from ad in 1957 OBJHS OBEJAY yearbook.
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Monterey School
Profile under development

Monterey Store
947 Monterey Avenue
(19271935 city directories)

Previous location of Handy Store
Subsequent location of P J Donehy, grocer & confectioner
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Morgan's Grocery
1175 Newport Avenue
(1944–1970... phone books)
.Morgan's Grocery
Formerly known as Borrowman's Grocery Store and Tapley's Grocery, this small, family-run enterprise served the Windsor Park area for many decades. Ted and Noria Southwell purchased the business in 1957 and were the proprietors until the building was demolished in the late 1980s.
Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts of Morgan's Grocery

Morley's Confectionery
2284 Cadboro Bay Road
(19411945 city directories)

Previous location of Kraus' Confectionery
Subsequent location of Newall's Confectionery
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Mount Baker Hotel
1893–1902
Royal BC Museum and Archives | D-03006
Mt Baker Hotel
Profile under development

Mount Joy
Frederick Pemberton's picturesque estate
Royal BC Museum and Archives | G-03295
.Mount Joy
Profile under development

Mount Joy Avenue
see Street/Place Names section

Mountain View Lodge (Old Men's Home)
2251 Cadboro Bay Road
see Old Men's Home

Mow, Lee Farm
Cadboro Bay Road
(...1918... phone book)
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Municipal Golf Club
former name of Uplands Golf Club before 1922.
see Uplands Golf Club

Municipal Hall
2200 Oak Bay Avenue
see Oak Bay Municipal Hall

Munro's Bakery
1179 Newport Avenue
(19491955 city directories / phone books)

Former location of Aline's ladies' ready-to-wear
Subsequent location of Caspersen's Bakery
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Murder is News
1937 movie produced by film studio in Oak Bay
Production Still
...
DVD Cover
Click on image to view enlargement
see Willows Park Studio
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed

Musgrave Street
see Street/Place Names section

Music Box HiFi-TV
2248 Oak Bay Avenue
(19611969 phone books)
1961 ad
Click on image to view enlargemen

Previous location of Jones TV
Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed


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