The penciled signature was difficult to read at first – it was upside down and I was hunched over in the deepest, darkest corner of the crawlspace straddling awkwardly teetering mounds of rusted sheet metal – but it was definitely there:  J. Peart, St. Catharines, Ont. Cool!

So just who was J. Peart, and how did his signature come to be on the inside of some of the original Craigdarroch metalwork?

As usual, directory searches can be somewhat challenging especially when it comes to names spellings: “Peart” can show up as Peart, Pearl, or Pearce depending on the year and/or enumerator. However, with some continuity established, it looks like our target suspect was a John Peart who first appears in the Victoria directory in 1890. Occupation is “tinsmith”, and his employer is S. L. Kelly & Co.

Typical of many Victoria trades during the late 1880’s, business seemed to be booming and S. L. Kelly & Co was no exception. They boasted their highest employee roster during the years 1889 – 1890 with as many as five tin or coppersmiths, a bookkeeper, and a salesman. All in addition to the boss, Mr. Samuel Leon Kelly, himself a seasoned smith.

In fact, Samuel Kelly had set up his first shop in Victoria (on lower Yates Street between Waddington and Oriental Alleys) in 1863. He was a purveyor of iron, stoves, and tinware, but of the three it was the tinsmithing that would stay with him his entire life.

John Peart remained under the Kelly employ through 1891 and then disappears from the local directory lists. Off to greener pastures perhaps, or back to Ontario? An 1891 listing states an additional occupation as “plumber” and there was a “John Peart and Son” plumbing enterprise in St. Catharines that carried on well into the 1970’s. Connection maybe, don’t know yet.

S. L. Kelly & Co would slog it out until the end though. Along the way there would be an interest and shared business venue with the British Columbia Ice Company (are we smelling the beginnings of “HVAC” here? Stoves = Heating, Tinsmithing = Ventilating ducts, Ice = Cooling?). By 1892 the tinsmithing side of the venture was back down to only three employees, and over the next two years one of those, John Orr, would try to make a go of his own stove and tinsmith business on lower Store Street. It lasted for nearly ten years, but by 1903 he as well was no longer listed in Victoria directories.

Samuel Leon finally hung up his hammer and in 1902 listed himself as “retired”. He was living, along with his son Samuel Benjamin (still a tinner), at the home of Gildo Kelly, printer, on Superior Street.

Samuel Sr. died in 1909 at 87 years of age. Samuel Jr. moved to Vancouver, presumably to be with younger brother Alex, who had stuck with the ice business. And of our Mr. J. Peart from St. Catharines, well, I still don’t know what happened to him yet. But he put his hand to some beautiful sheet metal for Craigdarroch, and his signature is still going strong.

Research and photos by Frank Tosczak, Restoration Manager at Craigdarroch Castle

UPDATE: December 6, 2012

Since posting this article, we’ve had contact with John Peart’s family members. This has proven very fortuitous as we now have a photo from 1887 of employees outside S. L. Kelly & Co., John’s employer in Victoria.

Many thanks to LeRoy McFarlane for this photo and the one of John Peart and his dog “Pete” at the family’s store in St. Catharines Ontario!

Wanted: Information leading to the restoration and interpretation of Craigdarroch Castle and surrounding grounds.

Please go to this page for information on how you might help us

Watch the promo  here and be sure to tune in at 9pm July 19th on Check Television to watch the entire 52 minute video.

Victoria’s Castle is now for sale in the gift shop which is open 7 days a week. We will also be selling the video through our website later this week with our NEW secure online shopping option.

Victoria, BC, Canada – Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society has completed a new documentary film about The Castle and its history. Directed and produced by Castle Society Board Member Robin Adair, Victoria’s Castle will premiere at The Vic Theatre to an invitation-only audience on Friday May 4th which will include local officials, patrons and supporters of Craigdarroch Castle.

The vision for the film is to tell the history of Craigdarroch, while setting it in the context of Victoria’s local and regional history. Framing the immigration of the Dunsmuirs to Vancouver Island from Scotland, the developments that led up to the Castle’s construction and the subsequent events that shaped its many uses will help tell a more complete story about not only Craigdarroch, but the city of Victoria itself.

Coinciding with the city’s 150th anniversary and the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, the release of this documentary is timely in highlighting the relevance of the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society. With no dedicated civic museum in Victoria, the film will address a small portion of that need and provide valuable insights into the important role The Castle Society plays in preserving and sharing our local history.

“We are extremely pleased to have completed this project in 2012,” explains Executive Director John Hughes. “The documentary film is an incredibly powerful and effective medium for communicating. It can convey a story in a memorable and expedient manner. Additionally, the format will allow us to share the experience of Craigdarroch to new audiences, such as those who are not physically able to tour the Castle, or even bring the film to students directly in the classroom.”

For the general public, combination self-guided tours of the Castle and screenings of the documentary will begin on Friday, May 18th at Craigdarroch Castle. Doors open at 6:15pm and the film begins at 7. A special Victoria Day weekend screening is also scheduled for the evening of Sunday, May 20th. Admission is free for members and the cost for the general public is regular admission plus $5.00.

Additional tour & screenings are scheduled for Friday evenings on: May 18th and 25th, June 1st and 8th.

Contact: Elisabeth Hazell Manager of Operations and Development (250) 592-5323 x32 1050 Joan Crescent Victoria, BC, Canada ehazell@thecastle.ca

Daily weather forecasts for Victoria and Southern British Columbia first began on November 1, 1898 under the direction of meteorologist Edmund Baynes Reed who was joined later by assistant observer and forecaster Francis Napier Denison. They were also responsible for taking readings of the recently installed Milne seismograph, the first seismograph in British Columbia and one of the first routinely operated instruments of its kind in the world.

Baynes Reed died in 1916, and Francis Napier Denison took over as Director of the newly constructed Gonzales Hill Meteorological Observatory of which he had played a prominent role in designing. Numerous papers and articles on weather patterns and seismic observations were published by Denison to scientific journals and societies throughout North America and the UK. His reports of earthquake activity not only included epicentre and magnitude, but often exceeded similar reports provided by US counterparts where there was limited continuity or interest. Similarly, the marine warnings and weather forecasts Denison issued for the west coast were regarded with more favour as they were tailored to the Puget Sound area whereas the US forecasts for Washington State were generated in San Francisco.

In his 1923-24 annual report to the Meterological Service, Denison writes in part:

“From the first of July, 1923, a special weather summary and general forecast of the winds is sent out, …broadcasted to the ships within a radius of 3000 miles, and in some cases ships have reported receiving these messages at much greater distances, and appreciated knowledge of weather conditions both on the coast from Alaska to California, and also the positions and movements of some of the great Pacific storms are given westward to the 150th Meridian.

“Time is also sent out….. to shipping within a 3000 mile radius.”

“During the past year the Milne-Shaw seismographs have been in continuous operation and have given very satisfactory results. The total number of earthquakes recorded was 226… “

In 1936, after three postponements, Denison was finally allowed to retire after 37 years of service. He had not taken a statutory holiday in 21 years.

Forever the scientist, he appealed to the Board of School Trustees for a small amount of space, regardless of heat or light, in Victoria College to carry on his life’s work. In a letter dated May 6, 1938 from “Craigmyle” where he was boarding, he thanks them for their consideration:

Dear Prof. Cunningham,
Replying to your letter of April 30th, I am very pleased to learn that Principal Elliot and your Department will allow me the use of the small room in the basement of your college, and the key for the main door if required.
I have moved the seismograph into the new room under the stairs and find it will suit my purpose perfectly.
Thanking you for your kind service respecting the above,
I am sincerely yours,
F. Napier Denison.

Francis continued with his seismic research and weather observations at Craigdarroch using instruments he had either taken on loan from the Victoria Fire Department or built and erected himself at his own cost.

In a letter of October 1940, this time from the Stadacona Hotel, he sadly concedes that failing health will not allow him to continue and he graciously relinquishes his key and instruments to the College. He also encloses a copy of his last paper “Further Notes on Certain Horizontal Pendulum Movements” which was dated 1938 from the Victoria College address and published in the 1940 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

Citizens of Victoria would lament the passing of “their weatherman” whose dedication to the service still provided competitive local forecasts from his hotel suite for several years even after his retirement. His “courtly, old-world manner” made him a most gracious host at the Observatory, and it was said that his clear and deep thinking, so often associated with the inventive mind, could easily describe in a few short, understandable phrases, any matter pertaining to his research.

As wrote the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Francis Napier Denison:

“…(he) had something on the ball”.

Article by F. Tosczak, Restoration Manager, Craigdarroch Castle

For more great stories about Victoria’s past please visit the City of Victoria Website

Listed below are a couple of this season’s performances:

New this Year – A Christmas Carol Christmas-at-Craigdarroch

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted as a one-man play by Jason Stevens. His performance has been described as “perfect” by the Oak Bay News. Barry Bowman, well-known Victoria radio personality enthuses “To have this kind of talent, someone who can do this without lights, without props, is incredible.” Tickets $20 adults or $15 students. (Not designed for under ages 13.)

Members – $2.00 off. Reservations Required.

Family nights

Fun for the whole family when you join Kate the Parlor Maid or Christopher the Butler as they take you on a guided tour of the Castle. Find out about Victorian Christmas tradition, see a mummers play in the dance hall then enjoy cider and cookies served from the pantry after the tour. Reservations Required.

Craigdarroch Castle online pumpkin carving contest.

Carve your pumpkin inspired by Craigdarroch Castle and post your photos on our Facebook Page for a chance to win!

Prizes will be awarded for the following categories:

Most Creative:  Come up with the most surprising interpretation of a Craigdarroch pumpkin!

Technical Execution:  Show off your carving skills with detail and precision!

People’s Choice:  Generate the most “likes” of your photo for this prize!

Prizes include:

Family Membership (free admission plus discounts for special events and gift shop purchases for up to 4 people for one year:  value $75)

2 free passes plus a $50 gift certificate to the Museum Gift Shop (value $75)

One Individual yearly Membership plus 2 Tickets to see “A Christmas Carol” at Craigdarroch in December (value $75)

The contest begins today and continues until Monday, October 31^st.  Winners will be announced on November 1^st.

 Find us on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/craigdarrochcastle

It’s been 11 years since Giggling Iguana Productions first started their site specific Halloween offerings at Craigdarroch Castle. In the past decade, audiences have seen the horrors of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, been assaulted by Martians in “The War of the Worlds”, met a young man who thought “I Might be Edgar Allen Poe”, and gazed upon “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Each year audiences have experienced a unique site-specific production
using the magnificent interiors and grounds of Craigdarroch as the setting for these tales of mystery, horror and imagination.

This year, Giggling Iguana’s Ian Case will re-mount his adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s crumbling “House of Usher”. Renowned for his site-specific productions, Ian has a singular talent for exploiting the castle’s unique ambiance to perfect effect and audiences will not be disappointed. Scenes take place throughout the Castle and visitors
move from room to room as the plot progresses during the evening.

Thanks for your support! Tickets are Sold Out.

On September 24th and 25th, 2011, for the second year in a row, Victoria, British Columbia, will host an art-happening of steampunk art, tech, fashion, music, architecture, story, film and food. This year’s Victoria Steam Exposition is being hosted by Craigdarroch Castle, a building that exemplifies the lavish Victorian lifestyle.  Featuring two full days of exhibiting artists, performances, food and an exquisitely eccentric Cabaret-style evening celebration, this event is not to be missed.

On average, a tour of the Dunsmuir family home takes 45 minutes to an hour and there are volunteers throughout to assist you during your visit.

Flash photography is allowed and we even have I-Spy tours of the Castle for children so they will enjoy the attraction as much as you!

When you are finished take time to browse the Museum Gift Shop and relax in the Castle grounds before moving on to your next destination. If you need a taxi just ask, someone in the shop will be happy to call one for you.

For further information on your visit please contact us. To see if there are any events on during your visit follow this link to Events and Programs

We accept Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Interact and Traveller’s cheques.

Dunsmuir’s American connections are reflected in the Castle itself. He commissioned architect Warren Heywood Williams of Portland, Oregon to design Craigdarroch. When Williams died, Arthur L. Smith (a member of the same firm) completed the project with assistance from Williams’ son, David L. Williams.

The interior oak panelling was fabricated by the A.H. Andrews Co. of Chicago from white oak probably felled on land owned by the subsidiary Andrews Lumber Company in Arkansas. These pre-fabricated elements (including stairs, doors, window frames, and 2182 panels) were shipped from Chicago to Victoria in five railcars in the summer of 1890, and installed in the house. Other woods used in the house included: Spanish mahogany (in the Library); western red cedar (in the Porte Cochere Entrance); cherry (in the Breakfast Room and used for the window sashes throughout the house); Hawaiian koa (in the drawing room floor); and multi-patterned parquetry throughout the house incorporate exotic woods such as walnut, jarra, rosewood, maple, holly, and oak.

Craigdarroch Castle has one of North America’s finest collections of Victorian residential stained and leaded glass windows. These windows are believed to have been produced by an American studio.

The red slate for the roof was produced from a quarry near the Vermont/New York border. The ridge and hip roof pieces were originally manufactured in Lincoln, California by Gladding, McBean (a company still in operation). Paintings depicting American landscapes by Frederick Schafer adorned the walls of the Castle.