Some highlights from 17.5 hours/week at Oak Bay Archives in 2023:

Arrangement & Description (Cataloguing):

• Local history reference files: index new online here
• Local history reference files: 8 large drawers reversed for easy access and filing
• Community records @Oak Bay Archives: live and updatable list now on Connect here Formerly a list of 6 items, now 125, more to come.
• MemoryBC: arranging, describing and digitizing several small previously unprocessed collections of mostly photos, and uploading draft fonds descriptions to MemoryBC.
• OBA PR 104 Harold & Sally Francis photos: new detailed listing of online here
• archivist successfully completed AABC course on managing oral history collections, projects and programs
• OBA PR131 Logan Mayhew House plans etc updated file list new online here
• OBA PR 231 Dr Larry McCann's research papers about John Olmsted's design of the Uplands and many other planned suburbs, file list new online here
• Marion Cumming books: received a donation of books and papers for the archives reference files and library from Marion Cumming's estate. The books are in the archives' online library catalogue https://www.librarything.com/catalog/OakBayArchives(External link) and featured in an MH foyer display over the summer.

Digitization:

• OBA PR 132/01 Kootenays photo album online View on Flickr
• OBA PR 132 Burgess diary digitized, transcribed, and posted online: a 353-page, 40,000 word diary written by Mrs Mary Burgess of Bentinck Ontario in 1907-1908, during part of the time she and her husband spent in Central/North Saanich helping their daughter and her husband establish their farm and care for their then 2 small children. More about the transcription project here.
• OBA PR 104 Francis photos (150 images) online View here
• OBA PR 198 Bert Howell photo collection: continuing work on several hundred individual film negatives and glass plates from the 1900’s to 1920’s. Bertram Howell (1877-1972), formerly of Marrion St., was an Oak Bay electrician and prolific photographer.

Outreach:

• Attended Heritage Foundation meetings throughout the year
• Created a new Archives leaflet
• provided binder "On the Street Where You Live" for St Patrick street party, containing extracts from city directories 1910-1998, index of building permits for the street 1909-1971, list of street names & changes, archives leaflet.
• virtual class visit with the Grade Fours at GNS
• featured in the ‘Tea With’ article in the spring Tweed magazine (p.18)! While press interviews are not a standard thing for municipal staff, this one was a good way to introduce what would normally be my rather more public-facing face, and get some information about the archives out into the community.
• Display, MH foyer and online: using digitized historic city directories for local history research
• Display, MH foyer and online: Marion Cumming gift

Volunteer program:

• preparation for restarting in-person Archives visits, Archives volunteers and enquirers back on site - full revision of the volunteers' handbook (previous version 2013) and creating additional policy & procedure documents, project descriptions etc, to form an archives volunteer program structure.
• meetings in April & June with Archives volunteers, Director and Deputy Director of Corporate Services, Cllr Watson (Archives Liaison)
• restarted monthly volunteers' bulletins

The archives reopened to researchers in person by appointment 9.30-4 Tuesdays and Fridays at the end of June. In mid-July, two archives volunteers returned for weekly work slots. By the end of the year, 4 new regular volunteers had joined us, and several more people had expressed interest in volunteering in the new year.

Volunteer work in 2023 totalled 110 person-hours, and included:

• indexing Oak Bay's historic building permits - continuing an long-standing project
• indexing the contents of demolished-property files transferred from the Building & Planning department - catching up on another ongoing project
• reference files - overhaul & 2 add recent large accessions
• physical numbering of items in a new accession of personal papers
• maps survey: - listing and photographing rolled oversize maps/plans/drawings
• tagging (subject indexing) photos online - remote project
• oral history transcripts - checking/revising

Public drop-in hours resumed on Tuesday mornings 10am-1pm (restoring and extending the pre-2020 Tuesday 9.30-12 slot). There were 14 in-person enquiries in the latter half of 2023, <1 per week and 9% of the year's total.

Some numbers:

• Enquiries: 149. 14 in person, 10 by phone, a couple of letters, the rest (83%) by email
• Images created: 1100
• Images uploaded to Flickr: 11,500
• Blog posts: 14
• Tweets: only about a dozen tweets. X has changed the analytics function so I don't have a sum total of views for this year.
• Flickr views: 27.7K in 2023
• Volunteer e-bulletins: 3

Summary

Change, as usual

Once again, the numbers show a change in emphasis in my work from last year to this. Much of my time in the first half of 2023 was occupied with creating new documentation for a structured archives volunteer program, in preparation for bringing volunteers back on site. The latter half of 2023 has been my first experience at Oak Bay Archives of having volunteers and the researching public back in person. I had 3 different line managers in the course of the year.

Making it work - volunteers & researchers on site in a smaller space

Space-wise, we are now working in the "new normal" - because we no longer have access to the big meeting room that used to adjoin the reference library area, we have max 4 work stations available at any one time, and we only have one table large enough to accommodate maps, plans, or most oversize material. With the archivist and two volunteers working on Tuesday mornings, one drop-in visitor brings us up to capacity! There has not been a great rush of drop-ins; most people seem to have grown used to being able to email or phone in their enquiry and receive an electronic response, with images and more information attached or linked for download.

Increasing Discoverability

Looking ahead, my own work is concentrated as much as possible on improving descriptions of the collections, and making those descriptions accessible - that is, archival cataloguing. An underlying, and related, massive project is a full assessment of the "described-ness" and "findability" of the collections: there is a summary list of most of the holdings, but what exactly is in each box? In many cases the most detailed list of the contents is on the outside of a folder or envelope, rather than in any printed or electronic catalogue, so as I physically open each box and check the contents, I am thinking about questions such as:

• what needs appraisal and weeding?
• does the list on this folder exist elsewhere, or do I need to copy it?
• Does it correspond to the box or folder's contents?
• which collections, files or items have not yet been described in detail?
• what donor/accession information is on record for each collection?
• which collections have photographic elements that need digitising? have some been scanned and not others?
• are any of these items modern prints of copy loans rather than original material in the OBA collections? If so, are they identified as such, and is their source identified? Copy loans should not be accessioned as though they were original archival material - they should be in the reference files.
• are any of these items printed books that should be transferred to the OBA reference library shelves and catalogue?
• which items are in fragile condition and may need conservation repairs?
• What sizes and shapes of files need new acid-free boxes, folders and envelopes?

So far, results and research outcomes of increased descriptions online are still on a small scale, but my anecdotal observation is that there is plenty of substantial content for research and public interest in the collections, and there is a lively research community - professionals, academics, students, local historians, and the researching public - ready to engage with collections as soon as descriptions can be made available.

I hope the increasing visibility and findability of Oak Bay's collections online will encourage enquirers and researchers, and that it will prompt those considering what to do in the long term with their personal, business, or family collections of letters, diaries, administrative records, photographs, drawings, and other forms of textual and visual records to think of Oak Bay Archives as a good option.

- Anna Sander, March 2024

=========================

Questions? Please get in touch!

Website: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives

Photo Search: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives/photographs

Blog posts: https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives

Email: archives@oakbay.ca(

Phone: 250-598-3290

- Post by Anna Sander, April 2023.

To cite: Sander, Anna. (2023, April). '2023 in review.' [Blog post]. District of Oak Bay, Archives. Retrieved from https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives/news_feed/2023-in-review [date accessed].

Where archives are concerned, there's no such thing as a small leak. One of the archives repositories was affected by a leak elsewhere on the ground floor at Municipal Hall in mid March. Fortunately it was clean water, and only at floor level, i.e. the carpets got wet, and it was discovered and dealt with quickly. The contents of the largest repository were decanted into the search room & other repositories, disrupting volunteer and drop-in hours for the week. Since (of course) no boxes were sitting on the floor, no archive material got wet. Many thanks to the recovery team who dealt with the incident promptly and thoroughly, and to colleagues who helped move boxes and shelving in both directions. A week after the leak, all was back to normal. Temperature and relative humidity are continuously monitored, and rH is back to the usual consistent <50%.

Public open hours: The Archives were open for enquiries and on-site research appointments 17.5 hours/week as usual, with drop-in hours on Tuesday mornings except for 12 March.

Enquiries: 9, of which in person 1. People have been getting out into their gardens! and half of March was spring break for many schools and families.

Running total for 2024: 40

On-site volunteer hours logged: 42 (4 volunteers)

Volunteer projects:

• municipal demolished-property files indexing
• historic building permits indexing
• scanning photographs
• physical numbering of hundreds of items in several collections of personal papers, preparatory to cataloguing

Digital images:

• Larry McCann & UVic students' photographic sample of Oak Bay houses by building era, photos taken ca. 2000-2002: 800 of 1700 uploaded so far, scanning and processing of 2nd half underway

Views on Flickr in March: 11.6 K (total 265.3 K by 2 April, since 3 Mar 2022, i.e. a monthly average of about 10,000 views of individual photos).

There are now more than 3,000 publicly viewable photos on the growing Oak Bay Archives Flickr account in addition to the 1300 on the District website. The rest are access and preservation copies. Owing to copyright restrictions and other access conditions, these individual copies can be made available to researchers on request for private study purposes only. They are also used remotely by volunteers working on indexing and tagging projects, and in-house for reference during cataloguing, to minimize light exposure to and handling of the originals.

What are people looking at?

The most-viewed single photo so far is a page from the middle of a Taylor family album, showing several photos in which they visit the Porritt family in Calgary in 1937. I have no idea why this particular photo has had more than 1300 views so far! The rest of the photos in the same album average 30 views each.

The most-viewed album is the big series of photos taken from historic appraisal cards; most individual photos have had several hundred views, and some more than a thousand.

Archivist's work:

• dealing with consequences of the flood
• continuing shelf check & locations register update
• scanning and processing of digital images as above
• scanning and processing access & preservation images of photographs, updating catalogue descriptions of PR 131 Mayhew house papers
• reviewing and updating catalogue descriptions of PR 106 Pattinson family papers
• internal and external enquiries research and responses, facilitating researcher visits, volunteer management & monthly bulletin

Questions or appointment requests? Please get in touch!

Website: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives
Photo Search: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives/photographs
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakbayarchives/
Blog posts: https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives
Email: archives@oakbay.ca
Phone: 250-598-3290

- Post by Anna Sander, 2 April 2024.

To cite: Sander, Anna. (2024, April). 'March in the Archives.' [Blog post]. District of Oak Bay, Archives. Retrieved from https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives/news_feed/march-in-the-archives-2 [date accessed].

We're back to normal after last week's little Moisture Incident, so drop-in hours resume tomorrow, 10-1. Kudos to the recovery team and many thanks to colleagues for help with moving boxes and shelving!

With apologies for the short notice, drop-in hours @OakBayArchives tomorrow 12 Mar are cancelled, as the contents of one storage area affected by flooding (small, clean water, dealt with) have been decanted into the search room & other repositories. No archive material got wet.

The affected storage room is the largest, so its shelving and contents are filling up the search room and the aisle in the smaller repositories.

Thanks to prompt response from disaster recovery teams and lots of help from my Municipal Hall colleagues, the affected room has been emptied and drying out is underway.

OBA PR 231 OB Houses 015 742 HAMPSHIRE - from McCann papers, photographic sample of Oak Bay houses by building era, ca. 2000/2001.

Public open hours: The Archives were open for enquiries and on-site research appointments 17.5 hours/week as usual, with drop-in hours on Tuesday mornings.

Enquiries: 16, of which 4 in person.

Running total for 2024: 30

On-site volunteer hours logged: 45 (5 volunteers)

Volunteer projects:

• municipal demolished-property files indexing
• historic building permits indexing
• reference files overhaul
• physical numbering of hundreds of items in several collections of personal papers, preparatory to cataloguing
• assisting with enquiries research e.g. compiling data from city directories

Digital images:

• Larry McCann & UVic students' photographic sample of Oak Bay houses by building era, photos taken ca. 2000-2002: 500 of 1700 digitized, upload pending further processing

Views on Flickr in December & January: 3.7K (total 253.7 K by 1 Mar, since 3 Mar 2022).

There are now 11,000 photos on the growing Oak Bay Archives Flickr account in addition to the 1300 on the District website.

Archivist's work (66.5h):

• attended AGM of Anglican Diocese of BC's Archives Advisory Committee as their external professional member (starting year 2)
• a print copy of Council minutes 1906-1912 is now available to consult in the Archives searchroom.
• continuing shelf check & locations register update
• scanning and processing of digital images as above, further processing of Annandale collection
• enquiries research and responses, facilitating researcher visits, volunteer management & monthly bulletin

Questions or appointment requests? Please get in touch!

Website: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives
Photo Search: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives/photographs
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakbayarchives/
Blog posts: https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives
Email: archives@oakbay.ca
Phone: 250-598-3290

- Post by Anna Sander, 1 March 2024.

To cite: Sander, Anna. (2024, February). 'December & January in the Archives.' [Blog post]. District of Oak Bay, Archives. Retrieved from https://connect.oakbay.ca/admin/projects/archives/news_feed/december-january-in-the-archives [date accessed].

Open hours: The Archives were closed to the public during December, normally a very quiet time for enquiries and a busy time outside the archives for volunteers. The archivist and volunteers returned in the second week of January and had drop-in hours on 4 Tuesday mornings as usual.

Enquiries: in January, 12, of which 2 were research visits in person.

Final total for 2023: 149, a small advance on 2020, 2021 and 2022. Of the 64 enquiries received after the archives opened for visitors in person in July, 15 (23%) were made in person, 11 (17%) by telephone and the remaining 38 (59%) by email. More enquiries by all methods in 2024, please!

On-site volunteer hours logged: 3 in December, 25 inJanuary

Volunteer projects:

• municipal demolished-property files indexing
• reference files overhaul & adding 2 recent large accessions of news cuttings on Oak Bay topics
• physical numbering of items in a new large accession of personal papers
• maps survey: listing and photographing rolled oversize maps/plans/drawings, hitherto undescribed
• tagging (subject indexing) Taylor family photos online - remote project
• oral history transcripts - checking/revising

Digital images:

• Annandale collection numbered, listed, digitization of 105 photos completed

Views on Flickr in December & January: total 247K by 9 Jan, so 14K in Dec-early Jan (a huge spike) and another 2000 to the end of January.

27,722 views of individual photos in 2023, passed 250,000 total views at the end of January.

There are now 11,000 photos on the growing Oak Bay Archives Flickr account in addition to the 1300 on the District website.

Archivist's work:

• PR 131 Mayhew house section 2/10 (plans & drawings) renumbered, description updated and online
• continuing shelf check & locations register update
• processing new accessions
• digitization as above, further processing of Annandale collection
• volunteer management including monthly bulletins, year-end online meeting

Questions or appointment requests? Please get in touch!

Website: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives
Photo Search: https://www.oakbay.ca/archives/photographs
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakbayarchives/
Blog posts: https://connect.oakbay.ca/archives
Email: archives@oakbay.ca
Phone: 250-598-3290

- Post by Anna Sander, 2 February 2024.

To cite: Sander, Anna. (2024, February). 'December & January in the Archives.' [Blog post]. District of Oak Bay, Archives. Retrieved from https://connect.oakbay.ca/admin/projects/archives/news_feed/december-january-in-the-archives [date accessed].

Research collection re Uplands & Oak Bay land use & planning history. The bulk of this material consists of copies of archive material, yet to be appraised. Assume material is copied, including most photographs, unless specified original, pending further description.

Biographical information

• More about Imagining Uplands and the author (UBC Press)
• article re archives donation (2019, Victoria News, archived)
• Emeritus Faculty listing at UVic Geography
• article re life, work, and archives donation (2020, Oak Bay News, archived)
• Obituary (2020)

Box list only - no further details are available yet. This is a very large and recently acquired research collection which requires more detailed cataloguing. Arrangement is Dr McCann's. Initial survey by Liam Dyson for OBA, 2019. Accession 2019/15 Extent: 50 banker's boxes.

Box 1 Victoria Uplands. 10 Binders

• 1/1 Uplands Olmsted Records 1907
• 1/2 Uplands Olmsted Records 1908
• 1/3 Uplands Olmsted Records 1909
• 1/4 Uplands Olmsted Records 1910-1911
• 1/5 Uplands Olmsted Records 1912-1913
• 1/6 Uplands Olmsted Records 1914-1920
• 1/7 Uplands Lecture Slides
• 1/8 Newspaper Clippings for the Uplands
• 1/9 H.B.Co Uplands Farm 1894-1913
• 1/10 unlabelled binder.

Binders contain research material: photocopies of documents such as correspondence, estimates for the cost of improvements, legal and financial documents, price lists (with acreage estimates) for Uplands lots, photocopies of Dr. McCann’s lecture slides (contains pictures), photocopied newspaper clippings on the Uplands, and copies of HBC documents concerning the Uplands development.

Box 2 Victoria Uplands, 5 folders

• photocopies of financial documents and correspondence
• copies of street indexes and lot division maps (for Uplands and South Oak Bay)
• full page slides; detailed maps of ‘Greater Victoria’
• statistics concerning Uplands development (architects, original owners, builder, square footage, etc)
• Uplands brochures and publications
• government documents (including zoning bylaws and council comments)
• McCann publications and notes on the structure of his works
• newspapers and photographs

Box 3 Victoria Uplands 7 folders

• correspondence
• photocopies of Oak Bay/Uplands land maps
• Dr. McCann’s research files such as book searches with notes and published papers (authored by himself and others)
• documents in binders on Shaughnessy and ‘Who’s Who in Western Canada’

Box 4 Victoria Uplands 5 folders

• correspondence
• copies of municipal documents e.g. bylaws and planning commissions
• photocopies of lot maps and newspaper clippings maps
• Uplands ads in the Times Colonist
• notes on the business of Uplands land development;
• photocopies of research documents and McCann notes (old photographs included)
• research inventories and letters
• photocopies of photographs e.g. assessment rolls.

Box 5 Victoria Uplands 3 folders, ca. 300 slides, 100+ photographs

• Metal box containing information about specific houses (with a photograph included) organized by street name
• collection of notes on Uplands home occupancy from roughly 1941 to 1971
• photocopies of zoning maps of Oak Bay and other Canadian cities
• photocopies of photographs
• slides of Victoria and Vancouver

Box 6 Victoria Uplands 3 folders, ca. 700 slides, ca. 50 photographs

• information about specific houses (with photographs included)
• slides
• photocopies of house examination documents

Box 7 Victoria Oak Bay 5 folders, ca. 600 slides

• Engineering documents
• photocopies of ledgers
• photocopies of a list of builders of each house
• binders filled with slides

Box 8 Victoria Oak Bay 7 binders, 1 slide

• 8/1 Oak Bay Municipal Records (Zoning and Planning)
• 8/2 Oak Bay Municipal Records (HBCo Farm and Maps)
• 8/3 Oak Bay Municipal Records (Assessments 1920s)
• 8/4 Oak Bay Municipal Records (Zoning 1920s-1940s)
• 8/5 Oak Bay Municipal Records (Uplands 1925)
• 8/6 Newspaper Clippings on Planning (O.B. Prince G. Vic. Van)
• 8/7 Mostly Exhibition Grounds 1940s and Old House Conversion
• 1940s Town Planning Engineer Musgrave
• Oak Bay Town Planning Committee

Box 9 Victoria Oak Bay 10 folders, 1 slide, ca. 40 photographs

• copies of land maps
• planning reports
• photocopies of Oak Bay catalogues
• McCann publications
• photographs
• book titled ‘The Life and Times of Victoria Architect P. Leonard James’
• McCann lectures and papers
• government and legal documents
• published Oak Bay plans
• zoning documents
• correspondence
• information on individual houses with pictures

Box 10 Victoria Oak Bay 10 folders, 511 slides

• newsletters, assessments and property records
• land maps
• copies of Oak Bay Council documents from 1906-1967
• census documents pertaining to Oak Bay
• McCann research notes and papers
• photocopies from BC Archives and City of Victoria Archives
• municipal publications
• correspondence
• reports on heritage buildings
• newspaper advertisements

Box 11 Victoria Oak Bay 3 folders 1940-1970...

• correspondence to the B.C. Land Office HBCo, and others
• photocopies of Oak Bay maps from the HBC Archives and newspaper clippings
• envelopes containing McCann research notes, colour/BW photocopies of pictures
• photocopies of UVIC/Land Use Committee minutes, Oak Bay Bylaws.

Box 12 Victoria 5 folders McCann research files

• correspondence to request documents, maps, and lecture notes from Geography 440
• photocopies and handwritten copies of historic home ledgers and lists
• photocopies of land maps and correspondence
• photocopies of house files/assessments found within a green binder
• 1971 Victoria Directory (streets and names)
• more building cards without assessments

Box 13 Victoria

• Land maps and plans organized into labelled folders within a brown accordion
• more components of the 1971 Victoria Directory
• master list of houses organized by street names
• photocopies of newspaper stories and other publications
• small binder with building cards.

Box 14 Victoria

• Research files with street directories (including owners’ occupation and social class)
• real estate ledgers and statistics
• photocopies of land maps
• 1951 Census (Victoria)
• McCann notes
• newspaper advertisements
• photocopies of correspondence
• government publications and magazines and brochures
• Songhees land transfer publications
• student essays from Geography 490 [closed]
• brown accordion filled with research files and papers including photocopies of land maps from different time periods

Box 15 Victoria

• books and other printed publications concerning geography, architecture, and heritage in the Victoria area
• photocopies of BC government documents & BC real estate documents

Box 16 Victoria Broadmead

• lists organized by street name, newspaper clippings relevant to Broadmead
• photocopied land maps and advertisements
• McCann publications
• design plans
• paper prepared for Dr. McCann
• hand-drawn maps and McCann notes
• photocopies of government and legal documents concerning Broadmead
• One green binder labelled ‘Broadmead Farms Ltd Company Records 1965-1999.’ [copies]
• 2 slides, 8 photographs

Box 17 Olmsted

• Three binders filled with slides of Olmsted sites in Calgary, the USA, and others
• folders of photocopied documents e.g. newspaper clippings, correspondence, land maps, ledgers, job files, financial documents, and others dealing with Olmsted projects in Seattle, Spokane, Portland, and other places in the United States (one folder for Quebec City too). Each folder contained the job file and relevant information for an Olmsted project in a specific location.
• 950 slides

Box 18 Olmsted

• correspondence, job files, and land maps for American and Canadian projects
• modern maps of Seattle and Spokane
• BC Electric photocopied documents
• McCann research notes and papers by others
• photocopied photos
• photocopies of websites

Box 19 Olmsted Projects

• Book on the Olmsted projects
• Green journal filled with McCann’s handwritten research notes
• three black binders labelled ‘FIDIE & JCO Early Years,’ ‘JCO BG1,’ and ‘JCO Collection’ all containing photocopies of correspondence, Olmsted project documents (including a land deed copy), published research papers, and a copy of the ‘John Charles Olmsted Collection’ archival holdings all from the Harvard Frances Loeb Library
• four red binders ‘JCO A4-10,’ ‘JCO 2931 Financial Misc,’ ‘Olmsted Office,’ and ‘JCO 2931 Biography’ containing
  • photocopies of correspondence
  • description of John Charles Olmsted in 1904 from ‘Men of Mark in Massachusetts’
  • early list of Olmsted parks
  • research publications
  • documents/correspondence re death of John Charles Olmsted
  • financial information for JCO and the Olmsted business
  • Olmsted family history
  • photocopies of maps
  • book titled ‘The Master List of Design Projects of the Olmsted Firm 1857-1979’

Box 20 Olmsted Projects

• Black journal: McCann research notes/ideas for papers/publications
• 9 blue binders contain photocopies of documents:
  • Winnipeg,’ ‘South Winnipeg Apollo
  • University of Manitoba Tuxedo Site 1909-1911
  • University of Manitoba Tuxedo Site 1909-1914’
  • Winnipeg Canadian Exposition
  • Myth Money Men M.A. Thesis J.S. Pask
  • Levin - Ph.D. thesis Win Cal Regina
  • Tuxedo Town Council Minutes
  • Tuxedo Park Land Company c.1910-1930

Box 21 Olmsted Projects 7 binders

• labelled ‘Winnipeg University of Manitoba St. Vital 1913-1914,’ ‘Calgary SMt Royal SumA Br,’ ‘Prince Albert,’ ‘JCO to FIDIE 1907-1908,’ ‘JCO to FIDIE 1909-1913,’ ‘JCO-Sophie Correspondence W. Canadian Projects,’ and ‘Olmsted Archives Library of Congress.’ These binders contain photocopies of documents that relate exactly to the title of each respective binder. All contents in good condition. 7 24

Box 22 H.B.Co [HBC, Hudson's Bay Company]

• Copy of Masters thesis by Aman Paul Gill titled ‘Staying the Course: Resisting Change in a Planned Middle-Class Neighbourhood’; folder containing typed research notes from McCann; 8 binders containing photocopied material (even the Requisition for Research Copies forms) from the HBC Archives pertaining to the Lansdowne Park Subdivision.

Box 23 H.B.Co [HBC, Hudson's Bay Company] 8 binders

• photocopied research material (correspondence, land documents, financial statements, newspaper clippings, land maps etc) from the HBC Archives pertaining to the Lansdowne Park Subdivision, Uplands Farm, HBCo Crestview Subdivision, and Lansdowne Slopes.

Box 24 Hudson’s Bay Co 6 binders

• labelled ‘HBCo:Victoria 19th C Land Sales,’ ‘HBCo Winnipeg,’ ‘HBCo PSA Co,’ (two boxes) ‘GR 441 Premier: Papers on Planning,’ and ‘Lands - BC Govt. Town Planning.’ Photocopies of land maps, ledgers, correspondence, land agreements, and government documents related to town planning etc from the HBCo Archives.

Box 25 Hudson’s Bay Co

• 3 binders, photocopied documents, 2 printed land maps from the HBC Archives. Continuation of Box 24.

Box 26 MISC

• Four envelopes photocopies of photos (Canadian cities from the air, Halifax, St. John)
• photocopies of land maps for Mount Royal Heights in Prince Albert
• 64 slides
• 8 binders of photocopies of research papers and newspaper clippings:
  • Hubbard & Kiball Landscape Design
  • Hubbard’s Our Cities Today…
  • Monchow Deed [Helen Monchow, The Use of Deed Restrictions in Subdivision Development, 1928]
  • Jr. Town Planning Institute of Canada 1928-1931
  • Jr. Town Planning Institute of Canada 1925-1927
  • Thomas Adams, Design of Residential [areas; basic considerations, principles, and methods, 1934]
  • Jr. Town Planning Institute of Canada 1921-1924
  • and one unlabelled

Box 27 MISC. University Planning [University of VIctoria]

• Black journal of McCann handwritten research notes
• folder photocopied documents on‘Lansdowne Campus’ (former Victoria College and Normal School, now Camosun College)
• photocopied documents on Victoria College and UVic planning
• copy of ‘A Plan for the University Area’ , Saanich Planning Department
• photocopies of research papers on universities in Canada
• copies of correspondence and land agreements regarding the development of UVic’s campus
• newspaper clippings.

Box 28 Toronto - photocopies. Documents pertain to subdivisions in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, and the Maritime provinces.

• land maps
• correspondence and newspaper clippings
• research papers
• government documents
• subdivision reports and ledgers
• photographs of Dovercourt
• 44 slides, 10 photographs

Box 29 Point Grey

• Binders labelled ‘Shaughnessy & U.E.L.,’ ‘Point Grey Harvey Papers - 1924 Local Improvement (3 binders),’ ‘Point Grey Vancouver Archives - CPR in Vancouver.’ Binders contain slides, neighbourhood guide books, photocopies of correspondence, photocopies of government documents, photocopies of newspaper clippings, photocopies from the City of Vancouver Archives. All documents pertain to Point Grey/Vancouver/Shaughnessy. 164 slides

Box 30 Point Grey

• Photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of handwritten notes; photocopies of financial documents; photocopies of newspaper clippings; photocopies of contracts; photocopies of City of Vancouver documents e.g. notices and reports; photocopies of a plebiscite; photocopies of land maps.

Box 31 Vancouver

• Photocopies of land maps; photocopies of research papers and McCann notes; small printed map of Halifax; two photographs in a small envelope; BC Studies booklet 1976-1977; newspaper pages; photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of government documents; photocopies of financial documents and financial ledgers.

Box 32 Vancouver

• Slides; photocopies of aerial photographs in envelope; two binders labelled ‘Shaughnessy Heights C.P.R.’ which contain photocopies of academic journal articles, photocopies from the Vancouver Archives, photocopies of government documents pertaining to Shaughnessy Heights (building restrictions in ‘An Act Relating to Shaughnessy Heights’), photocopy of a speech delivered to the Shaughnessy Ratepayers’ Association, photocopies of correspondence, and photocopies of newspaper articles.

Box 33 West Vancouver

• Photocopies of architecture and planning journal articles; black leather notebook with McCann handwritten notes; book on the history of the Capilano Timber Company; bounded copy of ‘The West Vancouver Survey of Significant Architecture 1945-1975’; bounded copies of ‘West Vancouver Heritage Inventory’; photocopies of newspaper advertisements, memoranda, and land maps; binder containing a photocopy of a government report; photocopies of correspondence; documents pertaining to McCann’s archival research in West Vancouver; photocopies of municipal reports; folder with glossy photographs; one reel of film; photocopies of house information; bounded copy of ‘Joseph Bentley Leyland Papers Inventory 1989’. 1 reel of film

Box 34 British Properties 6 binders

• labelled ‘British Pacific Properties West Vancouver, 1931-1932,’ ‘British Pacific Properties West Vancouver, 1933-1934,’ ‘BPP Sentinel Hill Capilano Heights Taylor House,’ ‘British Pacific Properties Corporate Records,’ ‘Parslow “Suspend the Bridge,”’ ‘BPP Bridge.’ Binders contain McCann research notes; photocopies of government documents; photocopies of BPP business ledgers; photocopies of BPP annual reports; photocopies of BC company registration searches; photocopies of the Company’s Act; masters thesis.

Box 35 British Properties 6 binders

• labelled ‘Company Records: British Pacific Securities & Capilano Estate,’ ‘British Pacific Properties Contract with West Vancouver Municipality 1931,’ ‘Company Records 1st Narrows Capilano Estates,’ and 3 unlabelled. Binders contain photocopy requisition forms from the BC Archives; photocopies of the Companies Act; photocopy of BC Supreme Court documents; photocopies of financial documents; photocopy of handwritten notes; photocopies of ledgers; 5 photos glued onto blue paper; photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of land maps; photocopies of lot subdivision documents; photocopies of assessment ledgers; photocopies of newspaper articles; photocopies of government plans. 5 photographs

Box 36 British Properties

• Envelope with photocopied aerial photographs; binder containing a photocopy of the biography of AJT Taylor; binder labelled ‘British Pacific Properties West Vancouver 1937-1947’ containing research papers, photocopies of correspondence, photocopies of property restrictions, and photocopies of photographs; binder filled with pages of slides. ca. 250 slides, 4 photographs

Box 37 Montreal

• Photocopies of newspaper articles; photocopies of land maps; photocopies of magazine articles; photocopies of research papers; handwritten notes; photocopied articles from the Labour Gazette; photocopy of a Montreal field guide; photocopies of correspondence and bylaws

Box 38 Montreal

• Small box filled with slides and photocopies of land maps; photocopies of articles and academic journals; photocopies of land maps; photocopies of government reports; folder with materials from the national map collection; folders of McCann research materials; hardcopy booklets; photocopies of newspaper articles and old street directories. 10 slides

Box 39 Montreal

• Photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of planning reports; binder titled ‘Our Olmsted Legacy’ from the National Association for Olmsted Parks conference in 2003; photocopies of job files; photocopies of research papers.

Box 40 Calgary

• Binder filled with slides; photocopies of research papers; photocopies of images; photocopies of correspondence and subdivision plans; book titled ‘Calgary: An Illustrated History’; photocopies of zoning reports; photocopies of government documents; photocopies of land maps. ca. 300 slides

Box 41 Edmonton

• Box with film from UBC Library; photocopies of land maps; McCann archival search documents; photocopies of correspondence; book titled ‘Regina: A City of Beautiful Homes’; city planning documents and bylaws; photocopies of ledgers and other financial documents.

Box 42 Edmonton

• Photocopies of land maps in envelopes; photocopies of research papers on large paper and regular sized paper; photocopies of correspondence and other HBC Archives documents.

Box 43 Winnipeg

• Two binders filled with slides; photocopies of research papers; photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of newspaper articles; handwritten notes. ca. 280 slides

Box 44 Winnipeg

• Two binders filled with slides; 5 boxes of film; photocopies of land maps; photocopies of photographs in envelopes; photocopies of correspondence; photocopies of financial ledgers; photocopies of building files; photocopies of minutes of council; folder with documents regarding South Winnipeg Limited; folder with documents regarding the University of Manitoba; photocopies of research articles.ca. 300 slides, 5 boxes of film

Box 45 Winnipeg

• Folder with Winnipeg house data; photocopies of land maps; building notes and street ledgers; photocopies of correspondence; photocopy of a general index for the Board of Railway Commissioners for Canada; photocopies of newspaper and magazine articles; photocopies of research papers; photocopies of emails; photocopies of government town planning documents.

Box 46 Palos Verdes

• research notes from a notebook
• Palos Verdes Los Angeles 1924-1933 et. al.
• Palos Verdes Los Angeles 1913-1914
• Palos Verdes Reports Torrance
• photocopies of job files
• photocopies of correspondence
• photocopies of proposed suburb bylaws
• photocopies of land maps
• copy of Trust Indenture: Palos Verdes Project
• photocopies of newspaper articles
• one larger colour map
• photocopies of trust and legal documents
• photocopies of research papers.

Box 47 Maps - Victoria Uplands

• 23 rolls of maps, some duplication

Box 48 Maps - Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax

• Large booklet titled ‘Olmsted Landscape Legacy 1903-2003’
• 24 rolls of maps, no duplication.

Box 49 Maps - Winnipeg Tuxedo

• 17 rolls of maps, no duplication.

Box 50 Loose Items

• Two notebooks with handwritten notes by McCann
• laminated map of Victoria
• geography calendar
• two cardboard maps of Victoria.

Oversize items

• Old photograph of Victoria printed on board
• copy of 1889 drawing of Victoria printed on board,
• copy of 1860 painting of Victoria printed on board
• 6 maps on paper

== end ==

Community Records

The collections and fonds listed below have been generously donated to Oak Bay Archives by individuals, families, businesses, and organizations in our community. They are often also referred to as family, business, personal or private papers. "Private" refers to the documents' origins (as opposed to public records created e.g. by local government), rather than their current status. Most of the community records at Oak Bay Archives are available to historical researchers; there are specific exceptions for e.g. personal information that is protected by BC's privacy laws.

How can I view records and find out more? Records can normally be viewed at Oak Bay Archives by appointment in advance. *Please note that cataloguing is incomplete and ongoing. Cataloguing priorities may be influenced by research requests; more information about the collections can be requested from the Archivist. Some of the photographic holdings in these collections have been digitized and are available to search online.

Do you want my historic records? Oak Bay Archives welcomes donations of records of persons, families, businesses and organizations that help to document the history of Oak Bay. We collect mainly textual and photographic records, as we do not have specialist storage or conservation facilities for most types of objects. The Archives normally collects original records rather than copied or published material, except where these provide valuable context to original archival material.

This list is incomplete online - under construction 2023 - . Please contact the Archivist for further details.

The list on this page is long! To search by keyword, hold down Ctrl+F and type your keyword into the search box that pops up.

PR 102 Oak Bay United Church. 13 photographs of the exterior of Oak Bay United Church at Granite x Mitchell. (Accession 2001/5)

PR 103 Patrick Family photographs. Digital copies only. Accessions 2015-012 and 2016-004.

PR 104 Harold & Ada Francis photographs. 152 photographs and ephemera 1900s-1970s. Accession 2016/6. View photos online View collection list

PR 105 Oak Bay public library. Interior and exterior photographs of the original library building and the expansion into Tonkin House (1423 Hampshire Rd). Accession 1999/1.

PR 106 Pattinson family papers. Personal & business papers pertaining to Robert and Rose Pattinson of Oak Bay and their children Joan and Roy Pattinson. Includes several items re Oak Bay Pharmacy, Robert Pattinson's WW1 service, Roy Pattinson's WW2 service and death.Accessions 2015/10, 2016/32. View a selection of photographs online

PR 107 Seniors North West Golf Association. 1923-1990s. 30 cm of textual records. Minutes, financial records, prize lists etc. Accession 2015/11.

PR 109 Bruce Stewart photos. Digital images: photographic survey of dmestic architecture in Oak Bay (2007); photographic survey of Oak Bay United Church (2011). Accession 2015/14.

PR 110. Frank Burrell photos. ca. 250 photographic prints taken by Frank Burrell 1890s-1920s: family portraits and events, civic events, Willows Camp during WW1, portraits, still life, streetscapes, photos of SPhie Pemberton's paintings. Accession 2010/10. View online

PR 111. Willows beach photo. 1 group photo, showing Joyce Whitehead, Mrs Maynard (Oak Bay potter), Madam Valda (dance instructor), Winifred Whitehead. 1920s. Accession 2016/9. View online.

PR 112. Layborn house. 1 electronic image of 2065 Oak Bay Avenue, pre-1967. Copy loan only; original print not held at OBA. View online.

PR 113. "Arden" - Beaven family home, 1120 Beach Drive. 1 plan, 3 photographs, 1 brochure. Accession 2016/11. View selected images online.

PR 114 Haynes family photographs. ca. 450 photos, 2 printed items. Photos relate to AE Haynes family of Beach Drive 1890-1950: Oak Bay Camp, Arthur Haynes real estate office, streetscapes of downtown VIctoria, family life in Oak Bay. Accession 20013/17. View many of the photos online

PR 116 W.E. Oliver papers. 1902-2007. 5 cm of textual records. Papers relating to William Edgar Oliver, first Reeve of Oak Bay, including: an architectural drawing by Francis Rattenbury of "Bongate", the Oliver family home at 1159 Beach Drive; mortgage documents; household accounts ledger, 1917-1920; 1906 petition for incorporation (photocopy); an album of family history; correspondence from Dr Andrew Gillespie. (Accession 2006-004) View a selection of the photos online.

PR 117 Bowker Creek Restoration Restoration Research Project files. 33 photographs, news cuttings, notes on Bowker Creek area history. Accession 2016/15. View a selection of photos online

PR 118 Monterey School fonds. 1914-2005 | 2.2 metres of textual records, photographs, news clippings and trophies. Records of Monterey Elementary School from 1914 to 2005, including class photographs, school activities, examples of students’ work, scrapbooks documenting the history of the school, news clippings of Monterey School students who served in the Second World War, publications and artifacts. Includes the records of the Monterey Parent Association, 1939-2005. (Accessions 1994-018 and 2005-014). Please note restricted access to records containing personal information 100 years old or less.

PR 119 Joe Easingwood fonds 1950-2013 | textual records, photographs, multimedia. Correspondence, news cuttings, photographs and other material relating to the life and career of broadcaster Joe Easingwood and of his wife Dawn Shipton Easingwood. (Accession 2016-021) A detailed description of this fonds is available on MemoryBC.

PR 120 Blethering Place Tea Room reno photographs. 1982. 55 photographs documenting the 1982 renovation of Monterey Mews at the NW corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Monterey Avenue. Accession 2016/28.

PR 121 Association of Women Electors of Greater Victoria. 12 cm textual records including newsletters, MS notes & ephemera. Accession 2010/3, donated 1994 and 1997.

PR 123 Tod House collection. 1976-1999 | 50 cm of textual records, plans, photographs and artifacts. The collection consists of reports, research files, plans, photographs, wallpaper samples and archaeological material relating to Tod House, Oak Bay as compiled by the BC Heritage Branch, 1976-1999. Tod House was built by HBC officer John Tod in 1850 and is one of the oldest buildings in Greater Victoria and the longest continuously occupied residence in western Canada. (Accession 2004-003). For more information about Tod House visit Canada's Historic Places.

PR 124 Sealand of the Pacific - Ruff collection. 1968-1975 | 64 photographs and 1 album (copy). The collection consists of photographs, slides and news clippings relating to Sealand of the Pacific. The collection includes photographs showing the construction of the aquarium facility at the Oak Bay Marina, transportation of whales to captivity, and marine mammal displays. The records were donated to Oak Bay Archives by Stu Ruff in 2016. (Accessions 2016-018 and 2017-010).

PR 125 Pauline family collection. ca.1900. 5 small oil paintings by FA Pauline depicting landscape scenes of England (1890-1920). Accession 2014-008.

PR 126 Oak Bay Girls Drill Team. 1944-1959. 1 album of photographs, correspondence, ephemera & news cuttings, 3 uniforms. Accession 1994/16. View photos online.

PR 127 Majorie & Percy Barber papers. 1925-1978. Photographs, paintings & textual records, Marjorie Martinson's wedding dress. Accession 2016/33

PR 128 Patrick Arena Monument collection. 1998-2002. Research material compiled by Oak Bay Heritage Commission re cairn commemorating Oak Bay's hockey history. Commemorative album, news cuttings, copy photographs, minutes and other material. Accession 2002/12.

PR 129 Woodward family papers. 1930s-1970s. Photo albums, news cuttings and other material re William Culham Woodward, 16th Lt Gov of BC, and Woodward family. Accession 2017/1

PR 131 Logan & Margaret Mayhew house papers. 1955-1987. 30 cm of textual records, photographs & plans. Photographs, architectural drawings, correspondence, news cuttings re construction of Mayhew home, 3515 Beach Drive, 1950. Accession 2009/3. View file list here

PR 132 Rhonda Lillard collection. 4 items: photograph album documenting trip to East Kootenays, 1935-42; Diary of Mrs Walter Burgess nee Mary Hastie, 1907-08, Central Saanich; California Insurance Co receipt book 1892; Gray Bros Victoria account book, 1930. Accession 2010/5. View Burgess diary online

PR 133 Lorna Elder album - Oak Bay Recreation. 1957-1980 | 1 scrapbook. The album consists of news clippings, correspondence, and ephemera documenting the development of recreational facilities in Oak Bay. Lorna Elder, a long-time Oak Bay resident, helped to establish playground and recreational facilities in Oak Bay in the 1960s and 1970s. She was a member of the Association of Women Electors of Greater Victoria. (Accession 2017-008) A description of this item is available on MemoryBC. View album online

PR 134 Denny family papers. 1930-1965. Photographs, slides, letters created by members of the Denny family, incl photographs of 3130 Midland Road, St Christopher's School, 210 Denison, 1863 Crescent road. Accession 2017/12.

PR 135 Edna Hurley papers

PR 136 Gary Wilcox papers

PR 137 "Voices from History" oral history collection.

PR 138 Oak Bay Archives Oral History Collection.

PR 139 Flanagan family papers.

PR 140 Oak Bay Tea Party Society papers. Accession 2017/23

PR 141 Business receipts collection. Accession 1994/2

PR 142 Ross/ Blair Gowie collection. Copy photos of Blair Gowie, 2031 Runnymede Road. Originals not held at OBA. Accession 1994/4.

PR 144 Derek Todd memoir of life in York Place 1940s-1960s. Accession 1994-31.

PR 146 Oak Bay Board of School Trustees. Correspondence 1906. Accession 2013/2

PR 147 Gwladys Downes papers. 1911-1931. Accessions 1995/2, 2003/5.

PR 149 Brice family photographs. Accessions 2000/3, 2014/10.

PR 150 Native Plant Garden Restoration Project papers. Accession 2003/6.

PR 151 New Horizons Village Crafts Society fonds. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, photographs, grant applications, constitution, board duties, store operation policies. 1973-2009. Accessions 2003/7, 2009/5.

PR 152 Oak Bay High School collection. 1927-2003. Photographs, publications. Accessions 2016/23 and others.

PR 154 Willows School Collection. 1970-1998. Photographs, publications. Accessions 2005/12 and others.

PR 155 Harling Point Chinese Cemetery collection. 1902-1920. Accessions 2004/4, 2004/9.

PR 156 Uplands School fonds. 1959-2002. Accession 2004/5.

PR 157 Warburton Pike collection. 1892-1934. Publications, photograph, cuttings and research correspondence about the life of Warbuton Pike, collected by Major WH Langley. Accession 2004/6.

PR 158 2809 Burdick photographs. Copy photos of 2809 Burdick 1945-1950. Accession 2004/12. Original photograph prints not held at OBA.

PR 159 Terry Reksten fonds. Research collection of photographs, slides, audio tapes, copy photos; personal papers incl day books, personal correspondence and other records; news cuttings albums. Accessions 2004/11, 2009/2.

PR 160 Wootton family papers. 1900-1950. Photographs, news cuttings. Accession 2018/4.

PR 161 Monterey School work. 1935-36. Examples of grade 9 Home Economics work done by Joan Pickles as a student at Monterey School. Accessions 2005/1-2.

PR 163 Douglas McLelland collection. 1887-1976. Uplands booklet, 2 paintings, 1 scrapbook. Accession 2005/16.

PR 164 T P Horne school certificates. 1919-2005. School certificates and other personal papers of Thomas Percy Horne. Accession 2005/18.

PR 166 Marion Bell papers. 1923-1942. Personal papers of Marion Bell. Accession 2010/4.

PR 167 Hope family photographs. Digital copies only. Original album is held by Saanich Archives. Accession 2010/11.

PR 168 WW2 Air Raid Precautions (ARP) artifacts. 1939-1945.

PR 169 Oak Bay Green Committee scrapbooks. 2005-2011.

PR 170 Ker family photographs ca.1947.

PR 172 Evans Coleman & Johnson cement plant, New Westminster - photographs.

PR 173 Norman Pimlott memoir "My Way: Norm's ups and downs on the sea of life" 2012.

PR 174 Victoria Riding Academy. 1942-1947. Photographs.

PR 177 Collett family papers. ca. 1920. WW1 Honour Roll of Hampshire Road Methodist Church, family certificates, photographs, printed books, ephemera.

PR 179 Oak Bay Beach Hotel Commuity Advisory Committee. 2004. Correspondence, research notes, news cuttings. Accession 2017/18.

PR 180 Windsor Dog Park Group papers. 1996-2011. Photograph albums. Accession 2014/9.

PR 181 Oak Bay ephemera. Accession 2011/4.

PR 182 Painting of Uplands Grocery. Accession 2016/16

PR 183 Collection of 7 Christmas postcards. Accession 2016/17

PR 186 F M Rattenbury collection. 2 original letters, research notes, copies of news cuttings, copies of receipts, etc. Accession 2016/24

PR 188 Penny Farthing Pub redevelopment. 2001. Photographs of 2228 Oak Bay Avenue. Accession 2016/30.

PR 191 Davenport Pharmacy collection. 1950-1960s. 2 photographs, 1 newspaper cutting, 1 CD-Rom (digital images). Accession 2017/31.

PR 192 Querky the Garry Oak Tree photo album. Accession 2017/13.

PR 195 BC Agricultural Association collection. 1920-1934. 3 items. Accession 2017/19.

PR 196 Oak Bay Information Centre proposal. 1994. Copies of working drawings. Accession 1994/3.

PR 197 3045 Midland Road. House plans. Accession 2014/6.

PR 198 Bertram Howell photographic fonds. 1885-1925. Accession 2017/24.

PR 199 Oak Bay Cenotaph unveiling ceremony photographs and program. 1948. Accession 2013/6.

PR 201 3385 Upper Terrace records. House plans, garden layout plan. Accession 2007/1.

PR 203 Tor Miller scrapbook. 1923-2001. Accession 2017/26.

PR 204 Kildonan House records. Original blue print plans, 1 cop photograph of Kildonan, 931 Foul Bay Road. Accession 2017/28.

PR 205 Vey family photographs, 2576 Estevan Ave. 1929-1936. 2 photos. Accession 2008/1.

PR 206 Oak Bay Tea Party photographs. 1962-1978. 40 photographs, news cuttings. Accession 2004/7.

PR 208 Watercolour paintings by Norma H Pite. 2 paintings of views from the art room at Oak Bay High School, 1933. Accession 2017/44.

PR 209 Estevan Village photographs by Alan McKinley, 2009 and 2011. 13 photographs. Accession 2009/4.

PR 210 2347 Windsor Road photographs. 5 photos. 1895-1930. Accession 2009-1

PR 211 4 reproductions of works by Edward Goodall. Accession 2017/47.

PR 212 Land deed: AH Blakemore, Cranmore Street & District of Oak Bay, 1912.; 1 photograph, letter. Accession 1997/2.

PR 211 4 reproductions of works by Edward Goodall: the old Oak Bay Boathouse, view of Olympic Mountains from VIctoria Golf Club, sketch of Glenlyon Preparatory School (1701 Beach Drive), view of Cadboro Bay. Not original artworks. Accession 2017/47.

PR 212 Title deed (land transaction record): AH Blakemore, Cranmore Street, and District of Oak Bay.

PR 213 History of the Victoria Coffee Club 1930-2017. Typescript 2017. Accession 2018/2.

PR 214 Hinkins / Unwin photo album. Photographs of south Oak Bay, Victoria and other locations, ca. 1900-1920. Accession 2006/6. View photos online.

PR 215 Lt. Allan Hart papers. Records and artifacts re WW1 service of Lt Allan Hart (1893-1985). Accessions 2017/36, 2019/4.

PR 216 Cllr. Sherry Irvine papers. 3 albums of news cuttings, 1 oral history recording re Charlotte (Sherry) Irvine's 2 terms on Oak Bay Council 1990-1996. Accessions 2018/11, 2019/?.

PR 218 11 photographs of demolition of house at 2042 Byron St, 1994. Accession 1994/8.

PR 219 Harling Point Neighbourhood Association & Chinese Cemetery. Records and photos of committee planning restoration of Chinese Cemtery at Harling Point, 1996-2000. Accessions 201/1, 2001/5, 2004/4.

PR 220 2264 Windsor Road collection. Antique electric toaster, 1910 house furnishings invoices found at 2264 Windsor Road prior to demolition in 2018. Accession 2017/48.

PR 221 Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force photographs, created and collected by Charles Croft. Accession 2019/13.

PR 223 Annandale collection. Accession 2019/8.

PR 224 Box of printing plates used in production of Ron Baird's 1979 book Success Story - the history of Oak Bay.

PR 225 Marjorie Ann Aldritt papers. Achievement certificates, photographs, news cuttings, personal papers and biographical material, prize books, award items.

PR 226 Sealand of the Pacific - Denny collection. Photographs, photo negatives, news cuttings re Sealand of the Pacific, 1970s and later publications. Accession 2019/1

PR 227 Oral history recording: Shirley Tucker, 2018.

PR 228 Oak Bay Volunteer Services fonds. Photographs, cuttings, ephemera, correspondence re early years of Oak Bay Volunteer Services (founded 1977). Accession 2019/21.

PR 229 Campbell family papers. 1914-1918. WW1 documents, photographs and objects re the Campbell family of Dunlevy St, Oak Bay. Accession 2019/3.

PR 230 Nils Jensen papers. Obituary, memorial service leaflet and other items re career of Nils Jensen, Mayor of Oak Bay 2011-2018. Accessions 2019/6.

PR 231 Larry McCann papers. 1908-2016. Research collection re Uplands & Oak Bay land use & planning history. Extent: 51 boxes. Accession 2019/15 View preliminary file list here

PR 232 Jim Munro reference book collection. 250 printed books on BC and local history. Accession 2019/14

PR 233 Diana Butler papers. 1985-1996. speeches, camptaign material, photographs, new cutings re Diana butler's terms as Alderman (Councillor) and Mayor of Oak Bay. Accession 2019-17

PR 234 Harness family collection. 1916-1956. Oak Bay High School printed items, photographs. Accessions 2002/4, 2019/18.

PR 235 Reeve Richard Ratcliffe Taylor papers. 2 photograph albums, family history material, ephemera. View photos online

PR 236 5 tourist postcards, 1906-1930. CPR Empress Hotel, CPR steamer, view of Olympic Mountains, view of Mt Baker. Accession 2015/9.

PR 237 1226 Hampshire Road restoration photographs. 2002-3. 160 photographs. Accession 2013/14.

PR 238 1996 Blizzard - Oak Bay Avenue. Digital photographs. Accession 1996/2

PR 240 Wildflower sketchbook of (Ada) Hope Leeder, later Yarrow. 1909-1910. Accession 2001/7.

PR 242 Bartholomew family papers. Accession 2020/1.

During 2023, I've been asked for information about the history of:

• municipal bylaws
• the municipal coat of arms
• farms, fences Fire Chiefs
• gardens (public and private)
• heritage walking trails
• individual former residents of Oak Bay
• oral history interviews/transcripts
• parks, plant nurseries, Police Department
• Ryland Huntley Record lounge, formerly on Oak Bay Ave
• schools and nurseries/daycares
• Sealand of the Pacific, seawalls, sewers
• streetcars
• streets/neighbourhoods and individual houses/properties (many - these are the majority of requests)
• the Oak Bay Tea Party
• Oak Bay Tennis Club
• trees
• Oak Bay United Church
• the University of Victoria (as it relates to the municipality of Oak Bay, which includes part of the Gordon Head campus)
• the Uplands and Uplands Park
• Willows Exhibition grounds / Fairgrounds / Driving Park / Aerodrome
• Willows Park Grocery
• Windsor Park and the Windsor Pavilion / former BC Electric Park / velodrome

and I've also had enquiries about:

• becoming a volunteer with the archives
• making research appointments
• what's in the archives
• prospective donations of archival material, reference files and printed books
• advice on looking after family photos and papers
• obtaining copies of historic photos
• topics that aren't to do with Oak Bay - for instance, Camosun College/ Victoria College/ Normal School (Saanich) or anything on Oak Bay Avenue east of Foul Bay Road (City of Victoria)

Introduction and biographical sketch

Robert Logan Mayhew was born in Calgary on 29 April 1912 to Robert Wellington Mayhew and Grace Logan Mayhew. He attended Willows School in Oak Bay and later St Michael's School, where he served as a prefect in 1937. His father was Reeve of Oak Bay in 1933 and an MP from 1937 to 1952, serving as the Minister of Fisheries and later as the Ambassador to Japan. Logan Mayhew was involved in running the family roofing and building firm in Victoria until 1951 when he established an automotive and machinery equipment firm. Logan Mayhew and Margaret Jane Bucklin (8 May 1920 - 19 September 2007) met in Victoria in the 1930s. They had three children: Robert Jr., Marlyn Jean and Rani Lee. Margaret Mayhew was an avid golfer and member of the Victoria Golf Club. Logan Mayhew died on 12 November 1990.

The Mayhew home at 3515 Beach Drive was designed by architect Ron Thom of Berwick Thompson and Pratt and constructed beginning in the fall of 1950. It was the first Modern Post and Beam style house built in Oak Bay.

Related collections and resources:

• 7 drawings, Canadian Architectural Archives at University of Calgary click here
• Papers of Robert Wellington Mayhew and Grace Logan Mayhew, University of Victoria: click here
• Margaret Mayhew obituary
• Logan Mayhew death certificate
• The Logan Mayhew House is on Canada's Historic Places Register: see entry here.
• The house is also included in the Modern Archicture Design Story virtual exhibition by the University of Victoria's Legacy Art Galleries: click here

Collection listing:

The material listed below is available to consult in person at Oak Bay Archives but has not been digitized (2023).

OBA PR 131/1. Correspondence and other documentation.

1/1 Plant list for landscaping 3515 Beach Drive ca.1950

1/2 Correspondence, estimates and receipts relating to the construction of 3515 Beach 1950-1951

1/3 Correspondence, estimates and receipts relating to the construction of 3515 Beach 1950-1952

1/4 Alterations and roofing of 3515 Beach 1979-1984

1/5 Alterations and roofing of 3515 Beach 1979-1984

1/6 Articles and news clippings 1950 onwards

1/7 Thom partnership ca.1950

1/8 House plan correspondence to Margaret Mayhew 1949-1951

1/9 Publications and news clippings 1950-1974

1/10 Photocopy of sketch by Edward Goodall of 3515 Beach ND

OBA PR 131/2. Photographs and plans

2/1/1-2 2 b/w photographs of sketches of 3515 Beach Drive ca.1950

• 2/1/1 B/W photographic print of watercolour sketch showing view over roof of 3515 Beach Drive toward mountains - planes of roof and chimney stacks are shown as well as trees incorporated into the design. Photograph has been altered in pencil with the addition of a long diagonal rectangle at lower right. Artist of original sketch not identified; photograph by Graham Warrington, Vancouver. ND, ca. 1950. (Accn 2009/3/1)
• 2/1/2 B/W photographic print of pencil sketch showing part of 3515 Beach Drive from the garden - trellis and divided patio surrounding ?a shallow rectangular pool, including surrounding trees. Artist of original sketch not identified; photograph by Graham Warrington, Vancouver. ND, ca. 1950. (Accn 2009/3/2)

2/2/1-33 33 5 1/2 x 3" b/w photographs of construction of 3515 Beach (33 images) 1950-1951 (Accn 2009/3/3-35 - no.9 missing or void March 2024. If void, total 32.)

2/3/1-14 14 b/w 6x9cm b/w photographs of construction of 3515 Beach, 1950-1951. (Accn 2009/3/26-49)

2/4/1-24 24 6x9 cm B/W photographs of construction of 3515 Beach Drive. Winter 1950-1951 (Accn 2009/3/50-73).

• 6 annotated "Winter 1950 / Alex Johnston / 3515 Beach Dr. / l.r. [i.e. living room] fireplace"
• 11 annotated "Nov. 1950 / The butterfly roof over the kitchen area / 3515 Beach Dr."
• 15 annotated "Spring 1950 / 3515 Beach Dr. / Kitchen / B__ Dunkley / Ron Thom"
• 16 "Winter 1950 / 3515 Beach Dr. / W. wing / Fred Rockett"
• 18 "Spring 1950 / 3515 Breach Dr. / Logan Mayhew / Alex Johnston / B__ Dunkley / Ron Thom"
• 19 "Winter 1950 / 3515 Beach Dr. / Ron Thom"
• 20 "March 191, S.W. patio outside children's playroom
• 24 annotated later "not 3515".

2/5/1-17 17 colour photographs of roofing of 3515 Beach Drive, 1987. (Accn 2009/3/74-90). 1 shows Claude Maurice standing on a sawhorse and another man standing in front of a moulded bath/shower unit.

2/6/1-11 11 colour Polaroid photographs of roofing of 3515 Beach Drive [1987]. (Accn 2009/3/95-101)

2/7/1-2 2 b/w photographs of 3515 Beach Drive [ca.1960]. (Accn 2009/3/102-103). Photographer of 2/7/1: Bill Halkett, Victoria.

2/8 colour negatives of 2/5 1987

2/9 Album of news clippings relating to the construction of 3515 Beach 1950-1955 - read transcript/description here [PDF]

2/10 architectural plans

2/10/01 Uplands plan, part of Section 31. 10 June 1912. 78 x 103 cm

2/10/02 Proposed Mayhew residence Birley Wade & Stockdill. 5 March 1946. 39 x 53 cm

2/10/03/1 Proposed Mayhew residence, Marvell Construction Co. Main floor plan. 19 March 1948. 41 x 63 cm. onionskin – caution fragile.

2/10/03/2 Proposed Mayhew residence, Marvell Construction Co. Basement plan. 19 March 1948. 41 x 63 cm. onionskin – caution fragile.

2/10/04 Residence for Logan Mayhew, Uplands Victoria BC. Full main floor & roof plan. Revised 9 September 1948. 82 x 93cm. Blueprint.

2/10/05/1 Plan of topographical survey of Lot 6 Block 1 Plan 1216A Section 31 Victoria BC & profile of sanitary sewer. [Mayhew property]. 22 February 1950. 64 x 53 cm. Original ink on oilcloth.

2/10/05/2 Plan of topographical survey of Lot 6 Block 1 Plan 1216A Section 31 Victoria BC & profile of sanitary sewer. [Mayhew property]. 22 February 1950. 64 x 53 cm, Paper copy.

2/10/06 Residence for Logan Mayhew – no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 9pp. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/1 Residence for Logan Mayhew: ground floor plan. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/2 Residence for Logan Mayhew: elevations. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/3 Residence for Logan Mayhew: foundations. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/4 Residence for Logan Mayhew: roof framing. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/5 Residence for Logan Mayhew: sections & details. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/6 Residence for Logan Mayhew: kitchen details. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/7 Residence for Logan Mayhew: fireplace, rec room storage, closet, dressing room details. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/06/8 Residence for Logan Mayhew: main floor plan incl carport, shed, patio. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm. Onionskin - fragile.

2/10/06/9 Residence for Logan Mayhew: main floor plan, MS revisions to central entrance vestibule. no date, ca. 1950. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 74 x 96cm

2/10/07 Mayhew residence Design for outdoor lanterns. August 1951. 78.5 x 33cm. Caution: onionskin, fragile.

2/10/08 Mayhew residence, bedroom. Elevations. North Park Studio. 20 November 1968. 43 x 28 cm. Paper, photocopy.

2/10/09 Master suite renovations, September 1986. Elevations, Plan no. 0877. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/10 Mayhew residence Bedroom elevations. 20 November 1986. 43 x 28 cm. Prob. North Park Studio.

2/10/11 Mayhew residence bedroom plans November 1986. North Park Studio. 3pp. 43 x 28 cm

2/10/12 Master suite renovations. Revised 17 December 1986. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/13 Master suite renovations. Revised 24 December 1986. Elevation, plan no. 0877. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/14 Master suite renovations: plan & elevations. Revised 2 January 1987. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/15 Master suite renovations. Revised 2 January 1987. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/16 Master suite renovations: plan & elevations, ceilings, windows. Revised 2 February 1987. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/17 Master suite renovations. Revised 2 February 1987. 80 x 57.5 cm. Claude Maurice architect.

2/10/18 Mayhew residence – no title, no date. 43 x 28 cm. not identified 2024.

2/10/19 Mayhew residence – no title, no date. Exterior plan (?). 67.5 x 32cm. Caution: onionskin, fragile.

2/10/20 Mayhew residence – no title, no date. Garden lighting plan. Caution: onionskin, fragile.

2/10/21 Garden trellis (“Trellice”) – no date. Drawn by R.J. Thom, architect, Thompson Berwick Pratt. 45 x 75 cm. Blueprint.

2/10/22 General landscape plan, 14 March 1952 1/3 ( 2 copies), 2/4 (1 copy), 3/4 (3 copies). Muirhead & Fisher. 85 x 83 cm. Blueprints

2/10/23 Garden construction plan 4/4 (3 copies). 14 March 1952 Muirhead & Fisher. 70 x 80 cm. Blueprints

2/10/24 Watercolour sketch of Mayhew house (carport), no date. Stamped Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt. 78 x 56 cm

2/10/25 pencil sketch, design for lighting/lanterns in oak & parchment no title or date

2/10/26 Copy of 1/1 plant list. Blueprint.

Please note that these plans and drawings are in copyright in Canada. They have not been digitized.

Plans reviewed and list updated A Sander January 2024.