The History of the District of Saanich, formerly consisting of the Saanich and the Entire Penninsula

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC. It was not long before the old pioneers began to worry about the spiritual and moral wellbeing of their children, if not of themselves, and it would seem that many of them were deeply religious people, consequently in the very early years churches and missions were erected for this purpose. ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH. This is an Anglican church and is situated a little off the westerly end of Mt. Newton Cross Road, not far from the West Saanich Road. It was erected on a piece of land given by William Thomson.

Although Thomson, as we have stated, was brought up as a Presbyterian, he and his family have attended service there for five generations and many of the Thomsons and other old pioneers are buried in its cemetery. The church is built of California redwood. It was dedicated and consecrated by Rt. Rev. Bishop George Hills, June 3rd, 1862, and thus holds the enviable record of being the oldest building dedicated to the worship of God in Saanich. The first Saanich child christened in the church was Richard Thomson; the first wedding, according to the church records, took place August 10th, 1863, "Thomas Skitch-Cecilia Luxmore, Married in the District Church, South Saanich, in the Colony of Vancouver Island, according to the rites and ceremonies of the United Church of England and Ireland." Signed Richd. L. Lowe, Offic't'. Priest." The first preacher was the Rev. Richard Lowe.

Other ministers in the early days of the church were Rev. F. B. CribbelL Rev. J. Cave Brown and the Rev. R. Reynard. The latter is the first one mentioned as being Curate of the Parish and possibly the first one to live in the vicinity. OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH. Roman Catholic. Saanich was first visited by Rev. Father Lempfrit, O.M.I., in May, 1850, and Saanich became a permanent mission in 1859. The first church was a combination chapel and residence erected by Rev. Father Jagob O.M.I., on the East Saanich Reserve in 1860. Rev. Father d'Herbonnez built a chapel on the Southwest Saanich Reserve. Rev. Father Mundart took over the Saanich Mission in 1875.

He lived for a year in or under the trunk of a fallen tree, then he built a chapel at West Saanich in 1876. This building still stands and is now being used as a hall. Father 55 Mundart was recalled to Victoria in 1906 and for some years Saanich was served as a Mission from Victoria. In July, 1893, Rev. A. J. Vullinghs assumed charge of the Mission, which he served until July, 1909. It was he who erected the Church of Our Lady of Assumpton about 1894. After he left, the Mission was entrusted to the Marist Fathers. The first of the Fathers to come was Rev. Father E. M. Scheelan, who also had charge of Cobble Hill, Crofton, Sooke, Sidney and the Gulf Islands. Father Demers, who later became a Bishop, is mentioned by many oldtimers. He could have been one of the priests who came out from Victoria during the period it was served by the city church as a mission. The present Priests in charge of the North and South Saanich area are Father Philip Hanley and Father William Mudge.

SHADY CREEK CHURCH. The old Shady Creek Church was built by a group of Methodists on the old, or :first, East Saanich Road, which ran somewhere between the present East Road and the Pat Bay Highway, and a little southeast of the creek which gave it its name. Although the exact date of its erection is not known, it was probably in the year 1863. The site was on the old McMillan farm. Among the negroes who settled in Saanich were some deeply pious and religious folk. One of them, Charles Alexander, was chief instigator in the building of this church. He also acted as local preacher together with another named Shakespeare.

These were augmented by Ministers who came out from Victoria. Among the early pioneers to attend this church were the Michells. Deans, Andersons, Dawsons, and others. The present-day Shady Creek Church was built in 1895. It is situated on the East Saanich Road, and the cemetery is almost on the bank of Shady Creek. The land for this church site and the cemetery was given by Robert F. John. The congregation of this church later joined the union and it is now under the auspices of the United Church of Canada. Many of the old pioneers are buried in this cemetery. John Davis was the first.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH (Anglican) was the :first church built in North Saanich. It was built in 1884 and dedicated and opened for service by Bishop Hills in 18 8 5. The Rev. William Henry Gregory was the :first incumbent. It is situated on the corner of Mills Road and the West Saanich Road, very close to the beach and probably less than a hundred 56 yards away from high water or tide mark. It also has a cemetery and many of the oldtimers are buried there. Before this church was built, Anglican services were held in the old Institute Hall on Wain's Road.

NORTH SAANICH METHODIST CHURCH. The first service under the denomination held in North Saanich was at the home of Samuel Brethour. They also held services, later, in the old Institute Hall on Wain's Road, alternating with the Anglicans. The church was built in 1891 on a piece of land given by Samuel Brethour, Jr. It was a unique church, facing on East Road, opposite Mills Road. It had a spire or pointed tower sixty feet high. Two of the Brethour family are among the original trustees. Rev. Joseph Hall was the first Minister in charge. Prior to the opening of the Church, a Rev. Mr. Pollard used to come out from Victoria to give services at the places mentioned.

He was assisted by local preachers. One of these helpers was named " Hoisting Gear." The North Saanich Methodist Church was demolished about 1935. These are the pioneer churches of Saanich. As the influx of settlers increased more denominations came with them and many new churches were built. Some of them are of recent years and it could be said that if Saanich is lacking in religious instruction it is not through lack of a place to go to hear the gospel preached.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Before the conventional school districts were formed in North and South Saanich, the school on Mt. Newton Cross Road, that was mentioned in the history of W. Thomson, must have been taken over by the Colonial authorities and operated by them for a few years until the school districts were outlined and their boundaries defined. The teacher was a young man by the name of C. N. Young. This school was closed when the Saanich School District was officially formed. Some years later another school was built on Mt. Newton Cross Road and another in the Keating area, and the school first erected after the district was formed became abandoned also.

SAANICH SCHOOL DISTRICT was formed the 25th June, 1869, and William Turgoose gave a piece of land for the erection of a school. It was situated on the corner of what is now the White Road and Veyannes Road. This was the first 57 public school in Saanich. Fanny C. Butler was the first teacher. W. Thomson, the first Chairman of Trustees, and T. Michell first Secretary. In 1872 Inspector John Jessop made his first report and complained about the lack of attendance. Seeing some of the pupils were seven miles distant, this can hardly be wondered at.

NORTH SAANICH SCHOOL DISTRICT. In 1872, Saanich was split into two districts. The boundary line was from Saanich Arm to Bazan Bay. It was later altered and placed a little more south. A school was built on what is now Mills Road. The first teacher was Henry Brethour, who opened it for tuition in August, 1873. The following year Henry Brethour went to the mainland for a short period, then back to Ontario for more study. After teaching school in Kansas for a year and a half he returned to North Saanich and resumed his teaching duties again. He also taught at the Literary Institute Building on Wain's Cross Road, alternating his duties between the two, half a day at each place. Some oldtimers claim that Miss Mary Della Armstrong taught at the Literary Institute. This could have been while Henry Brethour was away east.

WEST SOUTH SAANICH, May 27th, 1880, saw the erection of another school in South Saanich. This was situated on the corner of SI uggett and West Saanich Roads on a piece of property given by Messrs. Sluggett and Stelly.

SIDNEY SCHOOL. This was built in 1894. Sidney was fast becoming a village and the other school became overcrowded. The schools mentioned here can be said to be the pioneer schools of the district. The old Saanich School has long since been demolished, but the other three buildings remain, but are no longer used for their original purpose. There are now two spacious High Schools in the districts we have mentioned, together with primary schools, and the district is now a part of School District No. 63 , which has interlocked it with the old Lake District. For a time there was a private school for boys at Brentwood. It was a preparatory school named Brentwood College. It was razed by fire in 1947. The Brentwood Chapel was endowed by it. Services are still held in this church. 

AGRICULTURE The Hudson's Bay Company were quick to recognize the need to grow foodstuffs near their posts or settlements, not only for human consumption, but fodder for their horses as well, consequently four farms were established in the vicinity of Victoria, under a subsidiary company of the H.B.C. An account of these will be found in other writings. Suffice it to say that with the exception of one of them they were not a complete success. On the other hand the early settlers in Saanich were soon able to demonstrate the fertility of the soil and it was not long before they were selling their products to the householders in Victoria.

The growing of grain was the first venture on any large scale, then dairying, sheep raising, poultry and hogs followed in quick succession. To improve their livestock some of the farmers imported pure blooded stock even as far away as England. This practice has been maintained until the present time and it is no idle boast to say that Saanich has within its bounds some of the finest herds of cattle in B.C. and can compete with the best in Canada at any exhibition. It was not long before the farmers branched out into specialized crops. Hop growing was the first. It has been narrated elsewhere who introduced this plant. It was a thriving business for a couple of decades but insufficient rainfall, coupled with competition from the Fraser Valley rendered the continuing of this crop unprofitable. As will also be noted elsewhere, seed-growing and nursery propagation was commenced in the 1870's.

This branch of farming or horticulture continues. Grapes were introduced and quite an acreage was planted to this crop at one time, but our climate is a little too moderate for this fruit and again the competition from California was too keen. Tree fruits were introduced in the very early days of settlement and many fine orchards were soon dotted around Saanich, and it has been proven that apples grown in Saanich are comparable to any grown elsewhere. In later years it became difficult to compete with the Okanagan fruits.

One simple reason was the fact that the Saanich fruit was from older varieties and planted long before the Okanagan orchards. Soft fruit was a " natural," many of them growing wild. Almost immediately cultured varieties were introduced and gradually grew to be a commercial venture. Bramble fruit (blackberries) was indigenous also, but not of good marketable quality, so a European variety was introduced and grown commercially. The acreage has dropped off in recent years, but like the broom plant, it also went wild. In the early years a bramble fruit called Loganberry was introduced to the Island from the USA.

It is a cross between the bramble and some other cane fruit. This fruit, together with the strawberry, are now the main commercial soft fruit crops. Stone fruits, especially the cherry, were also grown very successfully and many fine orchards were planted. Here again competition was too keen from other areas and many of the old plantations are either neglected or rooted out. A certain amount of income is still derived from stone fruit crops. The holly tree was brought in by the early settlers and holly tree farming in recent years has increased considerably. Vegetable growing was also practised in the very early days and market gardens are still very much in evidence. Potato growing is another major source of income to some Saanich farmers.

Bulbs are another specialized crop grown commercially in Saanich. They were first grown as a field venture on the old McTavish farm by the W ooldridges in the early thirties. The outbreak of war gave it impetus, the import of bulbs from Holland being stopped. Now many acres are devoted to this crop and in addition to the sale of bulbs, thousands of bunches of cut flowers are sold to Eastern points each year. Air transport is used extensively in flower shipments. Digitalis is another specialized plant grown in Saanich, but only a few farmers are engaged in the production of this herb. There may be other species or crops not noted, but from the foregoing it can be observed that Saanich soil and climate lends itself to almost any variety of plants with the possible exception of bananas, yet the inhabitants of Saanich often refer to it as the "Banana Belt of Canada."

SOCIETIES NORTH AND SOUTH SAANICH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY SAANICH FAIR. Just a little over a decade passed and the pioneer farmers of North and South Saanich decided it was time to show the rest of the Province their skill in husbandry. In late 1867 and early 1868 an enthusiastic group of farmers met and decided to form an Agricultural Society. This they did and named it "The North and South Saanich Agricultural Society." In October of 1868 a fair was staged on the farm of Robert Brown in North Saanich.

Below are brief descriptions of some of the piorneers into the area after whom many strees and places in Central Saanich were name. If you know the area you will recognize some of their names. DAVID COULTER owned 160 acres on the North side of Wain's Road. He sold to Gooch, who in turn sold this land to Rufus Horth. Coulter was a bachelor. GOOCH was also a bachelor and renowned as a bellsmith and bell ringer. He was an artist with the hand bells and added immensely to early day concert functions and social entertainment. He also taught the young people bell ringing. Living with him were a couple of young Englishmen named Smythe and Spalding. Spalding is credited with introducing the Airedale dog to this vicinity. After Gooch sold to Horth they bought one of the islands. It could have been the one we now know as Gooch Island.

JAMES BRYDEN was a Scotsman and a bachelor. He came to Saanich in the late sixties or early seventies and bought 160 acres of land at Canoe Cove. It embraced most of the area surrounding Canoe Cove. He was a miller by trade and worked for and assisted Henry Brackman to start his mill. JAMES J. DOWNEY and his wife, a Miss Ingram, were born in Limerick, Ireland. They arrived on the Pacific Coast via the Panama Isthmus July, 1858, and settled in North Saanich in 1866. They bought a large farm north of Downey Road, which was named after them. It stretched from there to the waterfront on Saanich Arm. The farm originally belonged to Bishop Hills, who had been renting it for a considerable time, or sold it to a man named G. Thomas. Whether the money derived from the rental, if any, together with the purchase price paid, went into church funds is not known, but there is a possibility that it was deeded to Bishop Hills somewhat after the fashion of the Glebe lands in England. Downey, like the rest of his neighbors, grew hops for a living.

They had a family of eight children. James T., Anne (spinster), Henry, Marianne (Mrs. Dallain) , Sarah (Mrs. Gordon), Belle (Mrs. Davie), Alan, Louisa (Mrs. Warren) H. R. BENNETT, a colored man, first owned a farm now operated by the Federal Government and called the Saanichton Experimental Farm. He sold it to a man named Veitch, who in turn sold it to the Government. It extends from the base of Mt. Newton to the East shore in a gradual slope. Almost at any spot on the farm a lovely view can be obtained of the islands and the Georgia Strait, as well as Mt. Baker and the mountains in the distance. Probably no other farm in Canada operated under Government control has such a favorable position or can grow such a variety of crops either in the agricultural or horticultural line.

CASPAR HERDER had a farm in the early days at the east end of McTavish Road. Most of his family died young but a son Louis, who married a Miss Imrie, was a councilor for the short-lived North Saanich Municipality. GEORGE HIGGS, a bachelor, had a farm of 150 acres near Wain's Farm. He came the same time as Turgoose, possibly helping him with the horses he brought. He also grew hops. He was an adept ploughman and used to be one of the judges at the Saanich Ploughing Matches. WILLIAM RICHARDSON was just a lad when he jumped his ship the "Helvetia" at Victoria in 1863. As a matter of record he was just 15 years and 12 days old.

Whatever he possessed had to be left on the boat of course. Therefore he struck out into the wilds of Saanich without a penny in his pocket. Someone advised him to look for work at William Thomson's farm. Here he got a job and worked for Thomson eleven years. During the years young Richardson was reaching manhood a young girl was also growing up and living and working with the Thomsons. Her name was Mary A. Rabey, who was born in Victoria in 1857. Her parents came to Victoria on the ship "Marquis of Bute." This was the same ship that Bishop Cridge came here in and the Rabeys worked for him. They both died when their children were young. Mrs. Thomson of Bannockburn took Mary (or Polly as she was usually known) while the Lidgates (Granny) took the other child, Henry, who was a mere baby.

Polly and William Richardson were married by Bishop Cridge in 1872. For some years the Richardsons worked for different farmers and at the Shawnigan Mills, then returned to South Saanich and took up land on Buck Hill, which is the hill at the easterly end of Keating 29 Cross Road. They had a family of fourteen children-William John, Elizabeth (Mrs. Parsons) , John Henry, Frederick, Grace (Mrs. Tumilty), Herbert, Fanny M. (Mrs. Wheeler), Charles G., Edward F., Kathleen G. (Mrs. Perdue), Margaret (Mrs. Clarke), Helen Mabel (Mrs. Thompson) , Elsie C. (Mrs. Symons) . They were all a hard-working family. Both the Richardsons lived to a ripe old age, even though old Bill was nearly kicked to death by a horse when in his sixties.

RICHARD JOHNS was a Welshman. He first emigrated to Pennsylvania and worked in the coal mines there. From there he trekked across the plains in company with some of that intrepid group usually referred to in many a story as the 49ers, and their destination, the gold mines of California. He stayed there until 1859 then, leaving his family in Pennsylvania, he struck out for the Cariboo. He worked in the gold claims there for about ten years, soon after which he either went back or sent for his family in Pennsylvania. He then came out to North Saanich and bought a big farm from a man named Booth. It consisted of 500 acres.

It was north of Mills Road and east along this road about half way. The northern boundary of the farm was Johns Road, named after him, and thence it went east to the sea. The easterly part was sold to Roberts later. After Richard Johns died the farm was bought by Mr. Matson, for many years owner of the Daily Colonist. He made it famous for its herd of Jersey cattle. Part of this farm is now the Sidney race track or Sandown Park. Richard Johns also bought 300 acres near Saanichton.

This was on the south side of the Holden Farm (Blink Bonnie) and easterly to the sea. The Masonic Temple and the Derrinberg Farm are on part of it. At his death, or before, it was divided between two of his sons, Richard and Joseph. Richard had the portion north of Newman Road and Joseph the south side. There were five children in the family-Joseph, Richard, James, David and Elizabeth (Mrs. J. James). STEPHEN SANDOVER came to this coast from Plymouth, England, in 1860, via the Panama Isthmus and sailing boat. He also joined in the Cariboo gold rush after operating for a short time a blacksmith shop in Victoria.

On his return he was again engaged in the blacksmith business with a man named Duck. In 18 71 he married Miss Mary Ann Harrison, and in 1874 bought a farm in North Saanich from J. Philip. 30 (Purchase price $6,000.00.) He took a keen interest in farming, especially cattle. To improve his herd he imported purebred stock from the Old Country. He was keenly interested in the Saanich Agricultural Society (Saanich Fair) and was its President for several years. He died in 1918 and was buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery. The farm was located north of the Experimental Farm or the old Bennet or Veitch Farm. The farmhouse still standing with the name "Sandover" on the entrance gate is on the East Saanich Road. The Sandovers had no family. SAMUEL BRETHOUR was the descendant of a family that were driven from Europe by the "Edict of Nantes." Queen Anne of England was helping these victims of religious persecution and arranged transportation for them to her colonies in America. The vessel on which the Brethours were sailing was wrecked on the coast of Ireland.

They settled down in Ireland for a couple of generations then, victims again of political unrest, this time they set their hopes on Canada. They landed at Montreal in 1834 and settled in the County of York, Ontario. In 1884 Samuel Brethour married a Miss John. They farmed in Ontario for 29 years and their thirteen children were born there. In the spring of 1873 they started another migration, this time to Victoria, British Columbia. For a time they shared a house in Victoria with the Sandovers and it was Sandover who persuaded the Brethours to go out to North Saanich and purchase land. He secured about 500 acres. It was situated east of where the airport now is and went to the sea, taking in all the land that Sidney village is now built on, in fact it was the Brethours who started and promoted the site and location of Sidney. Samuel Brethour only lived four years after coming to North Saanich.

At his death the farm was divided among the sons. Apart from having the credit of putting Sidney on the map, the Brethours were among the promoters of the old Victoria and Sidney railway. Julius Brethour was its first President of Directors. At one time the Brethour Brothers formed a company for the purpose of curing and marketing pork products. Henry Brethour, another son, was the first male teacher and the first to teach in a recognized public school in North Saanich. The eldest son, William, went to Kansas. The others, or most of them, stayed in North Saanich. They were John, Julius, Mary (Mrs. Robertson), Henry, James, Wesley, Samuel, Annie (Mrs. Smith), Phillip, Georgina (Mrs. Dr. Paul), Margaret ( died in Ontario) . Many of their descendants are still in the neighborhood.

John Brethour was one of the councillors on the short-lived North Saanich Municipality. THOMAS SKETCH was an Englishman, and prior to coming to North Saanich had been in the navy. He was married twice. His first wife died early. He married again and had a family of five or six children. There were Ernest, Frank, Stephen, Annie and Lizzie. Thomas Sketch and his wife both died while the family were small. The children were adopted by neighbours and some by the St. Ann's Academy. Mrs. Sketch was buried in the Catholic graveyard and Thomas in St. Stephen's cemetery. The Sketch Farm was on the east road near where the Masonic Temple is now. It later was bought by Richard Johns.

EDMUND or PETER SCOTT was a Canadian and according to old reports was one of the greatest workers ever seen in Saanich. It is said he felled more timber and cradled more grain than any other man in the district. He owned a part of the Holden Farm, according to some old records, yet he never appeared on any of the old voters' lists. He left the district and went mining for a time, then back East and got married, returning again to Saanich. There is no record of a family. He was assessed in 18 61 for Sections 3, 2 East. FIELDING SPOTTS and his wife were colored people. They owned a farm of 100 acres which was situated on the East Road about a mile south of Keating Cross Road. They were good living, religious people and highly regarded by their white neighbors.

Spotts was a school trustee for the South Saanich District for a considerable time and was always willing to assist in any community project. They had a large family, including: Charles, James, Fielding, Albert, Wendell, Frederick, Walter Theodore and Julia. They were an athletic family and carried off most of the prizes in the local events. They came to Saanich in the early sixties or late fifties, but they do not appear on any voters' list until 1874, but continue until 1898. 

Some of their descendants are still in Victoria district or on the Island. J. T. Mcllmoyle was born in the village of Cardinal. Ontario, 1840. Attracted by the stories of the Cariboo goldfields, he started for British Columbia in 1862 via the Panama route. He made two trips to the Cariboo and then in partnership with Peter Imrie he came out to North Saanich in 18 6 7, and together they purchased 300 acres of land from Bishop Hills. He married a daughter of Henry Simpson (Mary Ann) and eleven children were born to them. They were: James Henry, Nellie (Mrs. Post), Charles W., Walter Frank, George, Fred T., Emma (Mrs. Thomson), Alma Beatrice (Mrs. Edwards), Bert A. and Robert (twins). J. T. Mcllmoyle was one of the promoters of the Saanich Agricultural Society (Saanich Fair), and held different offices in the Society. He was Churchwarden of Patricia Bay Church, Holy Trinity, for fifteen years and represented Saanich District in the Legislature from 1878 to 1882.

He was also a member of the school board for many years. Apart from these civic duties he was an ardent member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. This was a benevolent as well as a fraternal society. He was Master Workman of the Saanich Lodge No. 89 and represented this district at their Supreme or Grand Lodge. He was also elected Grand Secretary of British Columbia in 1895. The Mcllmoyle and Imrie farm is now also a part of the airport. It was near the old Centre Road and north along the Mills farm to Mills Road. J. T. Mcllmoyle lived to the great age of 92 years. Many of his descendants are still in the district.

JOHN SLUGGETT was born in Thornbury, Devonshire, England, in 1829, as was his wife, Miss Fanny Down, born 1835. Shortly after their wedding in 1854 they emigrated to Canada. Their first home was in Guelph, Ontario. From here they moved to Owen Sound, then to Elderslie, where John Sluggett took up farming. All their children were born in Ontario. Annie (later Mrs. J. W. Thomson), at Guelph, John and George at Owen Sound and Fanny Amelia (Mrs. Pitzer), Robert, Frederick and Rose (Mrs. Harry Tanner), at Elderslie. Hearing glowing reports of the West ·Coast of Canada, John Sluggett again pulled up stakes in 1875 and came to 33 Vancouver Island and to Saanich.

Being favorably impressed with what he saw, he purchased for a start 700 acres from W. G. Smith, a Hudson's Bay man, for $7.50 an acre. He immediately returned East and brought out the entire family. If acquiring land would be a vice, then it would appear that this was the only one John Sluggett indulged in, for he was a very religious man and a strong temperance advocate. In addition to his original purchase he acquired more land and at his death his estate was nearly 1100 acres. It comprised practically all of the area, or at least two-thirds of present day Brentwood and eastward to the East Road. Among his religious activities were helping to establish the Calvary Baptist Church in Victoria, organizing in cooperation with the Methodists a Sunday school and church at Shady Creek.

The Baptist Church at Brentwood was built and named to his memory. He was a good farmer and is credited with operating the first threshing machine (horse powered) in the district. He was an enthusiastic member of the Agricultural Society and served as its President for a time. He was also interested in politics and contested the local riding as a Liberal and it is claimed he was the first Liberal candidate to save his deposit, though defeated. He and George Stelly donated half an acre each for the old West Saanich School, the first public school in that part of Saanich. In addition he was Justice of the Peace for many years and also owned and operated the Sluggett Post Office.

Many of his descendants are living in the district and some are, or have, bought back parts of the estate at a fancy price, that a:nce belonged to their ancestor. He died in 1909 and his wife in 1904. They are both buried in Shady Creek Cemetery. JOHN FURZE was from Devonshire, England, and a marine on H.M.S. Forward. This was the ship that bombarded Kuper Island Indian villages as a punishment to them for the massacre of some whites. He remained with the crew of the Forward for some time while based at Esquimalt. He then took his discharge and worked around Craigflower and then came out to Saanich.

He does not appear to have owned any land, yet he is shown on the voters' list of Saanich in 1877. As a farm laborer and helper he had at some time or other 34 worked for nearly every farmer in the district. It is said of him that he was a thoroughly good-hearted, generous old man. At the age of 85 he was knocked down by a car. The accident killed him. He was buried in the Shady Creek Cemetery, February 2nd, 1915. The funeral was under the auspices of the Orange Lodge of Saanichton. He was a devoted member of this Order. There are no existing records of a wife or family. LOUIS TRUDELLE was a French-Canadian who worked for the H.B.C. at one of their northern posts. His children were born in the North. Two of his daughters became Mrs. Marcotte and Mrs. Papillot. He owned a farm east of the East Road and along what is now Mt. Newton Cross Road. Part of present-day Saanichton is built on a portion of it. He is credited with having planted the first apple trees in the district. He does not appear on any voters' list but he is on the assessment roll of 18 64. He later went to live on San Juan Island after having sold his farm to an American by the name of Sloan. SLOAN, who bought the Trudelle farm, did not live there very long. He either died or left the place before dying. His widow married a Noel Leclaire.

EDWIN JOHN bought the Sloan Farm in 1869, but it was in 1851 that he left his native Wales with his young wife and baby son Robert for the mines in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. They stayed there until 1853, when they left for California by the Nicaragua route to San Francisco. From there they went to the Forest Hill mines, then to Virginia City in Nevada. In 18 64 they decided to try their luck in the Cariboo. By this time they had three children. They embarked on the "S.S. Brother Jonathon" and after a rough trip they made Esquimalt Harbour.

From Victoria they took boats to Yale. From here they made the journey to the Cariboo on foot. They came back to Victoria for the winter. Edwin John went back alone in the spring, but the whole family returned together again in 1865, this time travelling by their own horse and wagon as far as Van Winkle. They sold their horse and wagon here and again set out on foot to Barkerville. They got an addition to the family, "Edwin," at Stout's Gulch in 1866. They returned to Victoria in 1868 and in 1869 they came out to Saanich. Mrs. John died in 1883 and Edwin John in 1910. They are both buried in St. Stephen's cemetery. Their children were Robert F., Elizabeth A. (Mrs. Fell), Bedlington J., Edwin R., Katherine. Their eldest son Robert was a tax collector in Saanich and later a Member of Parliament for the Saanich District.

He was also Warden of the Provincial Jail in Victoria for many years. ON HING was Chinese and is mentioned here not as a resident of the Saanich District but rather as a reminder of the service he rendered to the early pioneers. There was a succession of On Hings but the original had an eye missing. At first he peddled with an old horse and later with a team and wagon. He bought butter, eggs and chicken from the farmers, mostly on a barter basis. He was supposed to have carried a wonderful stock of dress goods, groceries, etc., and when one considers the rough trails and the difficulty of getting to town he must have been most welcome to the ladies of that time. He used to make Wain's place his headquarters when in North Saanich. RICHARD POR TWA Y was an Englishman. He was supposed to have owned the land that Peter Imrie and J. T. Mcllmoyle purchased, but seeing that the last named bought from Bishop Hills, then Partway must have sold to the Reverend gentleman and he in turn to Imrie and Mcllmoyle.

Partway went to the Cariboo and contributed nothing of interest further so far as Saanich is concerned.

GEORGE MENAGH and JAMES MENAGH were brothers from Eastern Canada. Like so many other settlers in Saanich they also had come West primarily to go gold mining. George Menagh bought 80 acres from Samuel Roberts. This piece of land or farm was almost opposite the present-day race track. He was later joined by his son Alec, who married Miss Michell. Alec was a millwright and worked at the Brackman Mill. James Menagh in 1869 bought 160 acres from George (Bishop) Hills. This land forms the southern part of Sidney as it is today. He paid Bishop Hills $640 for this tract of land. In 1873 he sold it to Samuel Brethour. It is believed that he again went back to the mine or back East. OCT A VIUS OMMANEY. it would seem. was the first purchaser of the land that comprises the southern part of Sidney. 36 As far as can be ascertained he never resided on it. It was he who sold to Bishop Hills.

RIGHT REVEREND BISHOP HILLS, Bishop of British Columbia, arrived at Esquimalt in 1860 and walked through the mud to Victoria. He held a service in Christ Church the same day. He was particularly interested in land in North Saanich. Not only did he purchase part of the present Sidney site but also the Mcllmoyle, Downey and Imrie farms and in addition 600 acres which later became the Ardmore Farm also the Downey Farm. Of course he never did any improvement on this land unless through a lessee, and it must be concluded that it was just speculation on behalf of the church or some of it deeded to the church.

WILLIAM THOMSON the second white man to settle in Saanich is the pioneer who should be given the pre-eminence over all the others. Unlike many of the early settlers, he really proved the possibilities of the future and his work and diligence set the pattern for the district. He is also listed on the 185 9 voters' list as having a freehold farm of 200 acres named " Bannockburn." Mt. Newton Cross Road now runs by the farm and the house, which William Thomson built for his large family.

In truth it can be said that he was the first real farmer in Saanich. William Thomson was a Scotsman. He was born in 1829 and died in 1908, aged seventy-nine years. He was a shipwright by trade. At the age of nineteen he signed as a ships' carpenter on a freighter taking supplies to the Crimea for the army fighting in the Crimean Campaign. News of the California gold rush induced him to ship aboard a vessel bound for San Francisco. He worked at this port caulking vessels. He was paid $50.00 a side. It was good money but he had the urge to move onward so again shipped on a vessel bound for Vancouver's Island. The ship was named S.S. "William." On New Year's Eve 1854 this ship piled up on the rocks near Clo-oose and sank.

In 1861 he trekked across the 20 plains to California in the covered wagon mode of those days. He arrived in Sacramento when that district was experiencing a flood. Hearing of the Cariboo strike he sold some of his horses. He kept four and landed with them in Victoria. He went to work with his horses on the old Esquimalt Road. After saving enough money he sold his horses and headed for the Cariboo, where he bought an interest in the famous Raby Claim on Williams Creek. After two years he sold out his claims and came back to Victoria and decided to settle in the district. He went out into the Saanich district and bought a farm originally owned by a H. B. C. doctor by the name of Tuzo. It was being operated then by a man named Fronton, probably on a rental basis, as he does not appear on a voters' list of that period. This man planted a fifteen-acre apple orchard. The farm consisted of five hundred acres and William Turgoose paid $10.00 an acre for it. The northwest corner of this land is the centre of Saanichton. It stretched east to the Indian Reserve and south to the Michell farm. Part of it is now called the Saanichton Farm. while another part of it is owned by a grandson, Willard Michell. After purchasing the farm Turgoose made a trip to England, then back again to Illinois to marry his sweetheart, Emma Pope, then back to Saanich in 1865 to finally settle down.

He bred purebred horses of the Morgan strain and introduced the Durham or Shorthorn breed of cattle. The progeny of the horses were in demand by the livery stables, while progeny from his cattle became the foundation stock for many cattle ranchers. William Turgoose died in 1885, but his wife survived him till 1922. They had a family of seven children, one boy Fred, and six daughters. The first child Fanny remained a spinster. Emma married a building contractor by the name of Merkley. Annie married W. D. Michell of the pioneer Michell family. Carrie became Mrs. Pope. Mr. Pope was a sawmill man. Lottie was the wife of Bob Stewart, a miner. Stewart, B.C., is named after him. Winnie married Jack Brooks, son of Henry James Brooks, who had bought the old Deeks Farm, or Logana Farms of later years. William Turgoose did not occupy any civic positions but he was keenly interested in the development of the district and gave the land for the first South Saanich school. The proviso 21 of the gift was that it could only be used for educational purposes. The land still belongs to the school district, but the school itself was abandoned many years ago. More of this elsewhere. There was also a Post Office established at the Turgoose place, the forerunner of the Saanichton P.O.

THOMAS POTTER bought 100 acres of land from Jackson Estes in what is now called the Michell Valley, about half-way along Telegraph Road. From there it ran down to the sea. He does not appear to have done much farming, for in a few years he sold his farm and eventually started a brewery business in Victoria. JOHN DAWSON bought the Potter farm in 1878. He had been mining around Cassiar, where he made enough money to pay Potter six thousand dollars in cash for the property. Dawson married a Mary Munro, daughter of a pioneer of James Island. He was killed on the Brethour farm at Sidney. His horses, which were attached to a binder, became frightened and dragged the machine over him. This was probably the first farm machine fatality in the Province of B.C. It was a tragic end to what promised to be a career of usefulness to the community.

He was a member of the old fraternity of A.O.U.W. The members of this association paid him a glowing written memorial tribute. Mrs. Dawson later married Robert Anderson. A daughter of the marriage, Miss Christina Anderson, and a Dawson son, George, still live on the old Dawson farm, but much of the original farm has been subdivided and sold. GEORGE STEPHEN BUTLER. born in 1834, in the county of Hampshire, England, was the son of a clergyman. He was educated at Oxford University. In 1854 he joined the army. England was at war with Russia so, with his unit, the 17th Light Infantry, he went to the Crimea. He rose to the rank of Captain and was wounded in the siege of Sebastopol. After the war his regiment was posted to Quebec. Even though on the other side of Canada, news had reached this distant point of the Cariboo gold.

He sold his commission, returned to England and booked passage on a sailing ship. "The Shannon." It is not clear where he left the ship, but it is known that he crossed the Panama Isthmus and then took a boat for San Francisco and thence to Victoria, arriving here in 1861 and then on to the Fraser River to the goldfields. He spent six 22 years seeking the elusive metal, meeting with varying success. In 1868 he returned to Victoria where, it appears, he had a date with a young lady by the name of Miss Fanny Catherine Brett, who was also from Hampshire, England. She was born in 184 3. They were married on March 17th, 1868. Mrs. Butler had been a governess in England. She was also an accomplished pianist. Educationists were scarce in those days, consequently her services were immediately sought by William Thomson of Bannockburn who. with others, had built a school on his land on what is now the Mt. Newton Cross Road.

THOMAS LOWE. On the 1861 assessment roll this man owned all the land on the north side of Mills Road to what is now the John Road and linked up to the east with the 51 Booth, later the Johns, farm. It was later purchased by WILLIAM EDWARDS. Neither of these men appear to have resided on the property or did much improvement on it. Neither of these names appear on the voters' list, but in 1874 WILLIAM CLARK is shown as residing on this property and it was he who made it into a farm. GEORGE MILLS was a native of Fermanagh County, Ireland. He came to the Coast in the early sixties and immediately went to the gold fields, or perhaps one should say the creeks, for it was at Lightning Creek he purchased part of a claim. Two of his partners were Brackman and Roberts who, by the way, were neighbors of his in North Saanich. After his return from the gold mining venture he married Miss Ann Nicholson, daughter of Joseph Nicholson, a pioneer of the Lake District. He had purchased the Arlington farm from the Horths which, as we have observed, consisted of most of the westerly half of today's Patricia Bay Airport. A good farmer, he was noted for his high class cattle. It is said that he was the first man to raise turkeys on a commercial scale. He gave the land for the church and cemetery of Holy Trinity Church at Patricia Bay. It was called Union Bay then. Mills Road is named after him. It was ironical that he should be the first person to be buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery.

The cause of death was diagnosed as "inflammation of the bowels," which today we know as appendicitis. He was fifty-three when he died. Their children were Robert Francis, Evis Jane (Mrs. C. Mcllmoyle), Sarah Anne, Catherine (Mrs. Menzies), Ina (Mrs. Clapham). MOSES, ROWDEN and MARCUS WALTER were colored men who owned land north of Brookleigh Road. Rowden is on the South Saanich voters' list of 1875 to 1882 as a farmer near Elk Lake, but Marcus Walter is on the Lake District list. Little information can be gathered about these men. It is said they were neighbors of a man called Dupont. DUPONT, first name unknown, was a big, tall Frenchman. He was a charcoal burner. He had a good market for this in Victoria when the Chinese citizens were allowed to make opium. At one time he was supposed to have been a rich man and a street in San Francisco is named after him. He never appeared on any voters' list, even if he owned land. He is buried in the Catholic cemetery.

Henry Simpson was from Kent, England, and his wife, Adelaide, was from Essex, England. There is a possibility that Henry Simpson, who was first employed as a baker for the H.B.C. was in Victoria for some time and then returned to England for his wife. They are on the records as having arrived on the ship "Norman Morison" in January, 1853. They both worked for the H.B.C. for a time before coming out to Saanich, he as a baker and she as a laundress. They had a family all told of fourteen children, some of whom died young. Those who grew up in the district are Henry J., Mary Ann (Mrs. Mcllmoyle), Sarah (Mrs. Patterson), William, Edward, George, Charles, Emma (Mrs. Malcolm), Albert James, Adelaide (Mrs. Wain). JOHN COLES also appears on the 1859 voters' list for Saanich District.

He had 50 acres freehold near Coles' Harbor which was named after him. He was born in London, England. He was a midshipman on H.M.S. Thetis, which was stationed for a time at Esquimalt and later took part in the Crimean War. He returned to Vancouver Island in 1857 and bought more land. In 1861 he was assessed for 514 acres ( west half of the airport). He does not appear to have done much in an agricultural way as we find him living on Broughton Street in 1864. He was the first Member of the Legislature for Saanich. He returned to England in 1866. There was a question as to whether Mark Coles, who also gave his birthplace as London, was a brother of John Coles. He is shown on the assessment roll of 1864 as having ownership of 299 acres. He died of heart disease in the St. George Hotel, View Street, Victoria, March 13th, 1865, age 28. There was some fuss in the papers concerning his death. WILLIAM TOWNER was a pioneer hop grower of North Saanich. He was born in Kent, England, leaving there in April, 185 8, on a sailing ship from New York. A brother accompanied him. He went to Ontario and worked on a hop farm for a short time. From there he journeyed to California, again working in the hop fields there. It was natural that he should be interested in hops, seeing that Kent is the major hop growing county in England.

He came from California in 1864, bringing some hop plants with him and immediately proceeded to North Saanich where, in partnership with a man 18 named Cloake, he started the hop growing industry. He then bought three hundred and eighteen acres which were bounded on the East by the West Road and on the North by the Downey Road. It reached down to the sea and what is now Towner Park was part of the farm. Towner Bay is also, of course, named after him. He built three hop houses or kilns, which were a landmark for many years. He also introduced the California grape but the venture did not thrive too well. He was a bachelor and at his death the land became the possession of some nieces. He did not mix much in community affairs. ISAAC CLOAK or CLOAKE was a pioneer farmer of Deep Cove who, with William Towner, commenced hop growing in North Saanich.

He came to a tragic end, having been burnt to death in his shack during the night of September 17th, 1876. He is buried in the cemetery of St. Stephen's Church. There is little information or data on him as he does not appear to have left any offspring or relatives. WILLIAM and CHARLES REAY were a couple of bachelors who came from England in 1854. After working and gold mining in the Interior for some years they came out to North Saanich and purchased eleven hundred acres. This tract of land stretched from midway of the present airport east to where the Brethour farms commenced, then along their south boundary to the sea. Some of it is now part of the airfield.

They were shipwrecked coming into the Esquimalt Harbor and had to come ashore by canoe. They would never venture on the sea again. A nephew, Thomas Robert Smith, came out to them in 1871. William Reay was the first magistrate in North Saanich. THOMAS MICHELL with his wife Margaret came from Swansea, Wales. They were of Huguenot stock who fled to the south of England from the religious persecution that occurred in France in the 16th and 17th centuries. Soon after their marriage the Michells emigrated to the U.S.A., arriving in Baltimore in 185 6. There was unrest in that country and a civil war in the offing. After two years they returned to Wales. A son was born to them in I 8 61. When this child was six months old they set out for the West again. This time they set their sights on the British Colony, Vancouver's Island. The long tedious voyage around the 19 Cape Horn was made in the sailing ship " Sylistra."

They were accompanied by Thomas Michell's sister and husband, A. Wynne, and their son George. Four months and eighteen days were taken for the trip. Mr. Michell's first venture in Victoria was operating a grocery store on Johnson Street and later on Government Street. He then got the gold rush fever and went to the Cariboo. He had some success and with his modest poke returned to Victoria and opened a hotel on Yates Street called the "What Cheer House." The Dominion Hotel now stands on the same site. In 1867 he went out to South Saanich and bought one hundred and twenty-five acres of land from a colored man by the name of Estes and an interesting receipt dated March 26th, 1868, states that Thomas Michell bought of Howard Estes 21 head of cattle, small and big, 18 pigs, 24 chicken and turkeys, 1 wagon and harness, 1 plow, milking pans, etc., for the sum of $650.00.

The witness to the receipt was an old pioneer lawyer of Victoria, H. F. Heisterman. Thomas Michell brought the first steam threshing outfit to Saanich. He also was interested in all community projects. He served as a school trustee for many years. Mrs. Michell was noted for her farm products, the surplus of which she sold in Victoria, transporting them there on horseback "sidesaddle." In addition she acted as a nurse to the sick neighbors. Many a child born in Saanich first saw the light of day aided by her helping hand. For her kindly help she became known as Lady of the Valley.

They had a family of six children ; "John R.", a one-time member of the B.C. Legislature; Mary Victoria (Mrs. P . Morley), who almost was kidnapped by an Indian; Margaret (Mrs. T. Smith); Emily J. (Mrs. Alex Menagh) ; George T., still living at the time of writing, and whose wife Eliza McGraw was the daughter of the man who introduced the Skylark to the Saanich Peninsula ; and William T., the youngest. From this branch of the family it appears the name of Michell will be perpetuated for many years. One of his sons is still living on the old homestead. WILLIAM TURGOOSE was born in Lincolnshire, England. He first emigrated to Illinois, U.S.A. While there he developed a horse trading business. ran a threshing machine and other agricultural pursuits.

WILLIAM HARRISON, born in Cheshire, England, left his native country in the year 1851 and landed in New Orleans, U.S.A. With him were his two brothers, Eli and George. From New Orleans they sailed by river steamer up the Mississippi to Fort Bridger, where they joined up with a caravan party across the plains and mountains to Salt Lake City. This took them six months. They stayed with the Mormons till spring, then headed for California and did some gold mining on the American River. In 1885 they landed at Esquimalt. William went gold mining up the Fraser for a few years. He came back to Victoria and then went out to Saanich and bought a farm of 153 acres. It was on the east of the Holden farm and in those days was named Sunnyside Farm.

Today it is called Wilsona Farm. The old Victoria and Sidney Railway cut through the farm and William and his sons took a contract to supply cord-wood to burn in the engines. William Harrison was married before coming to the Colony. There were five children, Samuel G., Frances Jane, Solomon E., Ben W. and William Henry. The latter is living at the time of writing. Eli Harrison, a brother, carried on business as a painter and stayed in Victoria. He was the grandfather of a recent mayor of the city.

GEORGE HARRISON, a brother of those mentioned in this narrative, shared with them the various journeyings and also arrived in Victoria in 185 8. Here he found a gold mine but not of metal. Victoria had no water supply, so George Harrison started a successful business hauling and selling this most necessary items. In the early seventies he purchased land in Saanich, and in 1876 sold his water business md went out there to live permanently. The farm consisted of 50 acres and was situated almost exactly opposite the present Fair Grounds. The house he built is still in occupation. He was a churchwarden of St. Stephen's Church, in which there is a tablet to his memory. He was also a school trustee for Saanich School for many years. Keenly interested in agriculture it was only natural that he would be a valued member of the Agricultural Society. George Harrison married a Miss Mary Porter, who was born on Burnside Road in 1856. She was one of the early pupils of Craigflower School. They had eleven children, seven girls and four boys. All the boys died at birth or in their infancy. The girls were Alice May, who died at the age of seventeen, Annie Eliza (Mrs. Ferguson), Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Capt. Byers) , Eva Maud (Mrs. Roberts), Ellen Augusta (Mrs. Nelson), Edith Mabel, Irene Gertrude (Mrs. White). Mrs. Harrison died at the early age of forty-five in 1901, and Mr. Harrison in 1916. They are buried in St. Stephen's cemetery.

GEORGE BROWN and his son George Arthur owned a farm on and about Doe Ridge. This ridge is more or less an extension of Bear Hill. The southern part of Central Saanich Road now runs along its base and then curves over it to the East Road . It was near this location that the Brown farm was situated. George Brown was, or aped the style of, an English squire. Oldtimers say they were bookish and religious. They both appear on the 18 7 5 voters' list and the son is listed until 1898, after which they disappear. The son died in St. Joseph's Hospital, Victoria, B.C. It is not known that he was ever married. XAVIER MARCOTTE left his native Quebec in 1862 with a friend named Pappilon or Pappilot. After the usual weary and difficult crossing of the continent they eventually arrived in Victoria the same year and immediately made preparations to go gold mining up the Fraser. Making it a party of four they secured a canoe and their adventures on the journey is a story in itself. After a couple of trips or so to the goldfields Xavier Marcotte went out to Saanich and bought two sections of land.

Pappilo, as he was generally called, and no one seems to know if he had a first or Christian name, must have been in on the deal at first, as they both appear on the assessment roll in 1864. They both married daughters of Louis Trudelle, after which Pappilo took up a pre-emption on San Juan. Marcotte later purchased more land from an American family and thus increased his farm to 5 60 acres. It is situated on the north side of Mt. Newton Cross Road and 400 acres of it is now the Pickles farm. It stretched north over the No. 1 survey line, so that part of the farm was in North Saanich. The Marcottes had a family of nine children, Ellen, Felix, Celina, Peter (died young), Edward H. still living and farming at Metchosin. Frank, Joe, Clara (Mrs. Rouleau). Celina was married in the States and the family lost track of her. Xavier Marcotte was a big, powerful man and a hard worker. They were devout Catholics and both he and his wife and other members of the family are buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery on the West Road.

HUGH MUNRO and his wife Christine, after their marriage, left Scotland and settled in Ontario, where all their children were born, six girls and two boys. They were Isabelle (Mrs. John Black) , Eliza (Mrs. Charlie Neaves), Catherine (died young), Annie (Mrs. William McDowell), Christina (Mrs. Derrinberg), Alexander, Mary (first Mrs. G. Dawson) then (Mrs. M. Anderson), and William. In 1864 the whole family, with other relatives, returned to Scotland then, after a few months, emigrated to New Zealand, then Australia, where they stayed about five years, then they started wandering again via Honolulu to San Francisco, finally landing in Victoria in June, 18 70. In the fall of that year Hugh Munro bought a farm on James Island and took his family there. Most of Hugh Munro's life up to that time had been taken up with school-teaching. He evidently abandoned his profession as a school-master on James Island, except to tutor his own children. J

OHN IRVING. A letter addressed to this man, then living in England, from J. D. Pemberton, states that 159 acres had been allotted to him about fifteen miles from Victoria. The reason for the odd acreage was due to the fact that it abutted on the sea. There is little information to be gleaned about him and it is doubtful if he ever resided in the district.  There is a Peter Irving on the 1874 voters' list for North Saanich, but whether there is any connection is not known. It is likely he was a naval or seafaring man.

A. C. ANDERSON was a Hudson's Bay man. He came out to North Saanich in or around 1858. He and his son James bought together over 600 acres of land on the south side of Wain's Cross Road, starting from about the middle of it and then westward. James afterward became Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Alex, the elder brother, took over the management of both farms. In addition to these two there were three other sons, Walter, Allan and Arthur, and two girls, Agnes (Mrs. Captain Gordon), and Rose, a spinster. On the 18 5 9 voters' list A. C. Anderson's address was given as Victoria with 20 acres freehold , yet on the 1861 assessment roll Anderson and his son James were assessed for eight sections. On the 1874 voters' list A. C. Anderson still gives his address as Victoria, although his name appears on the North Saanich list, and Alex, his son, is also on the North Saanich list with the address of Rosebank Farm, North Saanich.

JOHN THOMAS HARRISON came to the U.S.A. from Norfolk, England, with his father when just a little boy. He and his sister (Mrs. San dover) came to Saanich in 18 71. He lived with Mr. Turgoose for some years. He later purchased a farm in North Saanich abutting on the East Road and west along the McTavish Road on the south side. He married Rose Thomas, daughter of George Thomas, a Saanich pioneer. They had a family of four children-Neva Pearl (Mrs. Roy Brethour) , Herbert William, Wilfrid Stephen, Edith Fanny Gertrude (Mrs. Joseph Mitchell) . John Thomas Harrison was a councillor on the old North Saanich Municipality.

GEORGE THOMAS came out to Fort Victoria with the H.B.C. on the sailing ship "Tory" in 1851. When rounding the Horn they encountered rough and contrary winds and were driven back and off course to such an extent that it took them six weeks before getting back again to Cape Horn. He was a carpenter for the H.B.C. for five years. He did other work after this around Victoria, including acting as guard on the stage between Esquimalt and Fort Victoria. In 1863 he married Miss Watson of Victoria, then moved out to North Saanich on a farm on the south side of Downey Road. This farm was part of the land acquired by Bishop Hills. It afterward became part of the Downey farm. Both of Thomas' children were born here. They later bought a farm at Tod Inlet, South Saanich. Part of this farm is now the famous Butchart Gardens. George Thomas deeded three acres of land as a school site for Mrs. Stephen Butler and with other neighbors assisted in building a house, one room of which was used as a classroom. After the public school was built on the West Road this classroom was used by Mrs. Butler as a private school for girls. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas were devout Anglicans and when in North Saanich used to travel all the way to St. Stephen's Church. In those days that was quite a trip to make. They were instrumental in building St. Mary's Church at Saanichton. Mrs. Thomas canvassed Victoria to collect money for the project. Their children were Fanny Rosa (Mrs. John Thomas Harrison) and Sarah Elizabeth Agnes (Mrs. George Simpson).

DONALD McDONALD was born in Rosshire, Scotland, 1825. He emigrated to Canada in 1852 and settled in Ontario. In 1858, attracted by the tales of the goldfields, he left for British Columbia via the Panama Isthmus. He arrived in Esquimalt in the spring of 1859 and proceeded straight to the gold fields. He tried his luck for several seasons, mostly in the Williams Creek area. He nearly lost his life on one of these trips up the Fraser. He was one of the partners of the Lightning Company who took over and worked the Discovery Claim on Lightning Creek. James Hagan was another of these partners. In 1871 he journeyed back to Scotland to marry the girl he had left behind, a Miss McKenzie of Inverness. In 1872 he came back to Victoria and in the spring of 1873 went out to North Saanich and bought 370 acres of land from John (Dutchy) Smith. This land included the Resthaven Area and the All Bay Sub-Division. McDonald was a community spirited man. He was one of the committee that sponsored and built an Institute Hall. It was called the North Saanich Mechanic's Literary Institute. It really was a social club. It was in this hall that the first school classes were held. He was a trustee of the first public school in North Saanich and he remained in this office till his death.

He was a Justice of the Peace for North Saanich and a director of the North and South Saanich Agricultural Society. The 24th of May picnics were always held at the McDonald farm on Shoal Harbour. On a 41 site donated by McDonald a grist mill was erected and operated by Brackman and Milne, later Brackman-Ker. Donald McDonald died in 18 9 7 and Mrs. McDonald in 1909. They are both buried in Patricia Bay Cemetery. They raised a family of eight children,-Helen (Mrs. Argyle), Margaret ( died young) , Alexander, Anne (died young) , Janet (Mrs. E. Wilkinson), Christina (Mrs. H. Musgrave), Celina (Mrs. Rankin), and Colin. Alex became an M.L.A. for Saanich.

It was called "The Saanich Fair." Thus in the centennial year of 1958 this Society carries on under the original title and the Saanich Fair has been held continuously through its ninety years of existence. The first President was Robert Brown and the first Secretary, G.S. Butler. The second Fair was held at Bannockburn, the farm of William Thomson. His machine shed was used for the smaller exhibits and William Thomson was the President. The next two Fairs were held in the school grounds on Mt. Newton Cross Road then it moved to its present location at Saanichton where it has been held ever since. The land for the new location was given by Henry Simpson and an Agricultural Hall was erected in 1875. In the early years the Steamer Maude used to make a special trip to convey visitors to the Fair. It usually left Victoria at 9.30 a.m. and the pleasant trip took about two hours to reach Harrison's wharf at Saanichton.

The Fair continues to be one of the most popular events of the Island. In the early days a huge marquee was erected and a license obtained to serve beer and liquor. Also a grand ball was staged in the evening. For some years horse racing was part of the entertainment. This is no longer indulged in but an outstanding horse show has taken its place and for a number of years Highland Dancing has been a featured attraction.

In 1953 it was decided to promote this Fair from a Class C to a Class B Exhibition. After three years of probation it became recognized as such. It was a bold undertaking but after the required years of operation under that status the 1958 Exhibition was the largest in attendance and entries than ever before. From a small prize list of around two hundred dollars it has now crept up to the six thousand dollar mark. It will have been noted in former pages the names of many of the pioneers who were members 61 and directors of this society, and fair, and they would be proud of the achievement of their offspring, for the scions of the Thomsons, the Simpsons and the Michells and others are active workers, members and directors. Mr. A. Doney is the President for 1959. His wife is the granddaughter of H. Simpson.

PLOUGHING MATCHES. In addition to staging a Fair, the Agricultural Society was used as a forum to agitate and suggest improvements for farming and other matters vital to this new country, in addition to sponsoring ploughing matches, and the like. The first ploughing match was held on the farm of Henry Simpson. The location shifted each year. In 1872 it was held at Royal Oak November 6th. According to the report in the Daily Colonist it coincided with copious showers. The Judges were Wm. Reid, Wm. Turgoose and S. Sandover. In the "Swing Beam Class" Wm. Snyder, J . T . Mcllmoyle and P. Imrie carried off the prizes in that order. In the "Wheel Plough" class John Durant got the only prize. In the "Amateur" class Wm. Thompson 1st, J . Greig 2nd and Labelle 3rd. In the "Boys" class Alex Thomson was first and Wm. Simpson second. Lieut.-Governor and Mrs. Trutch were in attendance and given hearty cheers when they arrived. It is reported that they sat down to a sumptuous dinner at 4 o'clock and that it was laid in Smallbone's best style. (Smallbone was host of the Royal Oak Inn.)

SOUTH SAANICH FARMERS INSTITUTE. This Association became a local of District A of the Farmers Institute of British Columbia. They relieved the Agricultural Society of the responsibility of attending to the economic welfare of the farmers' problems and other events leaving the latter to concentrate on the Fair. The Institute was registered on the 4th of April. 1913. The first President was G. Stewart and the first Secretary Philip Holloway. The first Board of Directors were Messrs. Dean, W. D. Michell. Cruse, Lemon and Radcliffe. W. D. Michell, son of pioneer Thomas Michell, in after years became President and held the post for twenty-five years. His son, Willard Michell, holds the office now and has done so the past few years. In recent years the membership of this group has declined chiefly because every commodity group has formed an association of its own but the Farmers' Institute still remams a clearing house for the 62 problems which affect all farmers in general and despite the paucity of its present membership it is still energetically maintaining the job of the watch dog of the farmer. Space will not permit us to summarize all they have done for the farming community of North and South Saanich but we must mention that they were responsible for the formation of the Saanich Fruit Growers' Association.

SAANICH FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. As we have noted already the climate and soil of Saanich proved to be ideal for the growing of fruit and it was not long before it became a commercial venture and the local market soon became flooded , with the resultant scramble for customers. This resulted in chaos both in prices and sales. After a year or two of discussing the problem the Farmers' Institute decided to form a Co-operative to collect and market their fruit. On January 10th, 1917, it was organized and registered under the Agriculture Marketing Act. Its first President was H. E. Tanner and the first Secretary-Manager, J. H. Sutton. It was a success from the start and even though it passed through some troublesome years it survived and today is in a strong and healthy position and rendering an indisputable service to the fruit growers.

Midway in its career trouble arose among its members and a separate organization was formed. After a few years of operation it ceased to function and the members returned to the parent body. This organization receives and markets for its members all soft and stone fruits . In favourable seasons much of it is shipped to the Prairie market. In the 19 5 3 season nearly 40,000 crates of strawberries and almost 8,000 crates of logans and some 200 crates of raspberries and almost the same number of blackberries were shipped to the Prairies, plus a large tonnage for jam and wine sold locally in B.C. Gross sales of this Association in 1958 amounted to approximately $350,000.00. This Association in turn helped to form the Fruit Growers Wine Company and a Jam Factory. The latter through lack of support and supplies failed while the former eventually became absorbed by a Mainland company.

ORGANIZATIONS SOUTH SAANICH WOMEN'S INSTITUTE. This Institution was formed April 3rd, 1913, and on February 19th, 1914, it became officially incorporated under the Agricultural 63 Society Act and numbered No. 18 on the Institute's Roll. The first President was Mrs. Henderson Lawrie and the first VicePresident, Mrs. R. E. Nimmo. Secretary-Treasurer Mrs. P. T. Lemon and the first Directors Mrs. W. D. Michell and Mrs. Rosa Tanner. They held their meetings in the Temperance Hall. Their rendezvous is still the same place but they are now co-owners of the Hall. In addition to performing the usual functions and duties of their Institution these members assisted their male counterpart in all their social functions and in the raising of funds for general purposes and in addition they have been responsible for the maintenance of a ladies section and directorate for the Agricultural Society. Their membership is not as large as in former years but they are still a very active group.

The President at the time of writing is Mrs. Speck and the Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. H. Young. A branch of the Womens Institute was formed in West Saanich in 1916. Meetings were held in the West Road Hall, at the corner of West Road and Keating Cross Road. The first President was Mrs. R. J. Parsell and the first Secretary Mrs. Robert Petch. In later years the meetings have been held in the Institute Hall on West Road which was built for this purpose in 1924. The President at time of writing is Mrs. Wm. Parker.

SAANICH BULB GROWERS' ASSOCIATION was incorporated 27th October, 1937. The name was changed 2nd February, 1949, to the Vancouver Island Bulb Growers' Association. It is responsible for the collecting, shipping and general economic welfare of the bulb growers. As the acreage in this crop gradually increased to other island areas it became necessary to include the whole Island.

VANCOUVER ISLAND HOLLY GROWERS' CO-OP ASSOCIATION. This association got its impetus from the Saanich Growers but like the bulb growers they found it necessary to include the rest of the Island. The acreage in this type of farming is also expanding. It was incorporated November 25th, 1950.

ISLAND FARMS DAIRIES CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION. This Association also takes in the whole of Vancouver Island in its membership. Its beginning and foundation is interesting. In the depression of the l 930's George Malcolm a son-in-law of Henry Simpson was operating a dairy farm on part of the old Simpson estate. The producer price of milk was so low it was almost impossible to get any revenue out of his dairy by selling milk to distributors, so he decided to distribute his own milk. It was an immediate success and it was not long before he had to supplement his supply by buying from other farmers . Then a group of South Saanich farmers under his leadership formed a private company under the name of Registered Jersey Dairies.

The business prospered and outgrew the limited capital at their disposal and in 1942 they sold out to a group of Vancouver business men who incorporated it under the name of Island Farms Ltd. This put the dairy farmers back to the producer price basis again and contrary to George Malcolm's idea of eliminating the middleman. The farmers again decided to gain control of this business so they re-purchased it and on January 4th, 1944, it became incorporated as a producer co-operative under the title of the Island Farms Co-operative Association. It was later changed to its present name and is entirely owned by the farmers themselves and operated by them. Their peak membership was eightyseven. This has shrunk to fifty-six yet they are receiving 25 o/a more milk. They own a completely modern plant on Blanshard Street, Victoria, plus $150,000 worth of the latest equipment. Some of the descendants of the old pioneers of Saanich also pioneered this venture.

THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. Just what year this Society started functioning is hard to determine. At first it would seem that a Mrs. Oates, who lived on the corner of East Road and Tanner Road, held meetings at different places in an endeavour to lure the young people from the vice of intoxicants and the evils attending its indulgence. From these meetings evolved the idea of building a hall where people of temperate habits could meet for social intercourse. A piece of land was secured at the corner of Central Saanich Road and the East Road and a hall was built thereon by volunteer labour. In 1894 an Indenture was made and Harry Tanner, Alfred Gale, William Michell and Andrew Stewart were the trustees named. Anyone wishing to rent the hall could only do so under the stipulation that no intoxicating drinks could be consumed either in or on the premises. As the years went by other societies were formed in the district, causing a diversion and the membership dropped. William Michell was the last surviving trustee. Before death he gave the executors of his estate instructions to transfer the Temperance Hall to the South Saanich Farmers Institute and the South Saanich Womens Institute as joint owners. For years the Womens Institute had an interest in the building due to the fact that they contributed in 1919, $450 towards the cost of building an Annex.

In 1917 the ornamental trees on the lot were planted by Messrs. Prof. Stephenson, H. Tanner, W. D. Michell, Cruse, F. Young and Lemon. This was to mark the 25th anniversary of the Society as a constituted group. In 1949 in accordance with the wishes of the late and last trustee W. D. Michell, the Hall became the property of those mentioned and is now called the Institute Hall but it is still the Temperance Hall to the old timers still living.

ROYAL ORANGE LODGE. This lodge or fraternity obtained its warrant on the 24th of July, 1890, which makes it the oldest fraternal society in North and South Saanich. Their first Worshipful Master was Julius Brethour. Today this post is held by A. H. Hemstreet and Norman Foster is Secretary. They built a hall at Saanichton which is usually referred to by the name "Orange Hall." The membership is not as large today as in earlier years but they are an active group and have recently renovated the old hall. An interesting feature of this hall is the supporting beams. They are hand hewn and about fifteen inches square and about thirty feet long. They were hewn by John Otto mentioned elsewhere. One wonders at the craftsmanship but it is said that this man hewed a spar 180 feet long true to a line.

SAANICH PIONEER SOCIETY. The forerunner of this Society was called the Pioneer Club and was formed in 1870. For some reason it became inactive for quite a few years then in 1923 under the stimulus of R.E. Nimmo who was married to a grand daughter of W. Thomson, it was decided to reorganize, which it did on March 11th of that year at a meeting held at the home of Fred Turgoose. It was decided to take in members who had lived in Saanich prior to 1886. The first President was Alex Thomson with E. John as Secretary and R. Thompson as Treasurer. On account of the cut off date R. E. Nimmo was not able to join. It was later changed to twenty-five year residence and after two years R. E. 66 Nimmo became Secretary, a post he has held ever since.

Currently W. W. Michell is President and Mrs. Priscilla Bethel, Treasurer. Their first objective, apart from their social aims of promoting sociability and contact, cherishing memories and preserving records was to build a log cabin reminiscent of the log cabin homes of the early settlers. The site chosen was on the grounds of the Agricultural Society. The first log was laid by Dr. S. F. Tolmie, one time premier of British Columbia, February 8th, 1933. It was formally opened on July 1st of the same year with a pageant. A dream or objective of ten years was finally realized. The Society is still very active and this work is an example showing that the present members are fulfilling their obligations.

It is interesting to note that Alexander Thomson, the first President of this re-formed group was the first white child born in Saanich. Inside the Pioneer Cabin the walls are lined with photos of the old pioneers together with many of the tools, guns and other mementos of the pioneer days. The 1958 Centennial Year has spurred the executive and membership of this Society to a more vigorous effort to obtain more detail and relics of the past so that they may be handed on still further to posterity.

MOUNT NEWTON LODGE No. 89 A.F.A.M. This Lodge obtained its Charter on June 17th, 1920, and the first regular communication was held on August 12th, 1920. They used the Orange Hall for their meetings for some years then on February 23rd, 1929, they laid the cornerstone of the new Temple. This building is situated on a piece of land given by Mrs. N. Derrinberg and close to Saanichton. It is one of the most imposing halls in the district. J . Munroe Miller was the first Master of this Lodge and F. F. Forneri was the Secretary. The latter at one time was publisher of the Sidney Review. William Ibbetson was Master when the new temple was dedicated. At present it is presided over by Harry Peard. Claude Jeffery is and has been Secretary for many years.

SAANICH BRANCH CANADIAN LEGION No. 37. When in 1926 Earl Haig who had been Commander of the British and Empire Forces in the First World War came to Canada and integrated the many veteran organizations into a national body and affiliated with the British Empire Service 67 League, the veterans of Saanich immediately formed a branch of their own. They held their first meetings in the barber shop of J. Gilman on Second Street, Sidney. Later they held their meetings for many years in the Orange Hall at Saanichton. During the Second World War the old school house on Mills Road was used by the Canadian Legion War Services as a Club. After the cessation of hostilities this Club was turned over to the local Legion Branch and meetings were held alternately between here and Saanichton. Finally the meetings at Saanichton discontinued and the old schoolhouse on Mills Road is now their headquarters. Here perhaps some descendant of an old timer is pleasantly sipping a beer where his antecedents learned to read and write.

The first President was Alan Calvert and the first Secretary R. McAulay. As the years have passed and Saanich became more densely populated and villages such as Brentwood have sprung up, many and varied organizations have come into being such as Community Clubs, Parent-Teacher Organizations and the like. There are also two Chambers of Commerce, South and North Saanich. At Sidney there is a Rotary Club, Knights of Pythias, Kinsman Club and also a Masonic Lodge. They are all contributing to the good and welfare of the community and enhancing still more the community which the old timers carved out of the wilderness.

MUNICIPALITIES

SAANICH MUNICIPALITY was founded on 1st March, 1906. Mr. F. Turgoose was returning officer and at a meeting called on March 8th, the nomination of seven men was secured, thus no election was needed. On March 10th they were sworn in and Thos. Brydon was selected to act as Reeve. The first clerk was H.O. Case. In 1908 the Municipality was divided into six wards, later a seventh was added. At first there was strong opposition to its formation and during the debate it was suggested that the Lake and South Saanich Districts be left out. In the light of later day events it would have been wise had this proposal been acceded to. It is today a thriving, thickly settled municipality and ere long will outnumber Victoria in population and completely dwarf it. As we shall see, Ward Six later seceded from Saanich. 68 NOR

THE SAANICH MUNICIPALITY. The agitation for this corporation approximated that of their southern neighbours. Had they been a little sooner then perhaps South Saanich would not have been grabbed by the other and a real Saanich Municipality would have been formed on the traditional lines. The history of this Municipality is a short-lived one. Formed in 1906 it collapsed in 1911 . The first Reeve was Geo. Sangster, with F . C. Norris the first Secretary. The last Reeve was W. R. Armstrong. The Councillors we have mentioned elsewhere.

CENTRAL SAANICH MUNICIPALITY. For some years an agitation had been conducted, against the ills real and imagined, by the residents of Ward Six and Five of the Saanich Municipality. This agitation was led by a farmer on Mt. Newton Cross Road named Sydney Pickles. The other Ward dropped out, but Ward Six was finally successful and granted leave to form a separate corporation, and the date of the incorporation was December 12th, 1950, and it was gazetted December 14th, 1950. It met as a Council January 16th, 195l.

Sydney Pickles was the first Reeve and Mrs. P. Warren the Secretary. On the first Council were Lorne Thomson and W. W. Michell (sons of old pioneers) , H. Andrew and R. Lamont. The present Reeve is Rupert H. Brown and Secretary, W. Woods.

VILLAGE OF SIDNEY. As we have seen the village of Sidney was built on the farms of the Brethour family. It was they who first conceived the idea of a village or townsite in that area and by insuring that the terminus of the railway would be there, their idea became a reality. By 1951 the residents had become civic-minded, as Sidney had grown to the proportions of a good sized town. There was not much opposition to its incorporation as a village, consequently this was consummated on the 26th of September, 1952. Appropriately enough, J. J . White, who as we have noted, was married to a Brethour and who had, down through the years, been such a prominent person in the business and community life of the village, became the first Chairman of the Village of Sidney Commissioners. The Secretary was Allen Hymers and the other Commissioners were Harold Fox, A. G. Gardner, George Baal, H. Tobin. The present Chairman is Dr. C.H. Hemmings and the Secretary, A. W. Sharp.

SIDNEY VOLUNTARY FIRE DEPARTMENT. While the sawmill was in operation, the firefighting equipment of this company was used in the near vicinity of Sidney Village. The outlying district had no protection. After the mill ceased operating, a volunteer fire brigade was formed. It has been performing this duty for twenty-three years, not only for the village of Sidney, but also for the surrounding unorganized area. For nineteen years a Sidney businessman, G. A. Gardner, has been the Fire Chief and under his guidance it has become a highly-efficient unit.

CENTRAL SAANICH FIRE DEPARTMENT. Like its neighbour at Sidney, this is also a voluntary unit. It was formed almost immediately Central Saanich came into being. The first year H. McNichol and A. Bolster were the Fire Chiefs in that order. Then a grandson of an original settler of the Lake District, Vic. Heal, became Chief and it is largely due to his interest and ability that it has become also a highly-efficient unit. Of course, neither of these units would be of any value or asset to the services of the community without the willing co-operation of the volunteers who make up the brigades. Too much praise cannot be given these organizations for freely devoting their time, labour and, perhaps, at some risk. for the benefit of us all.

HOSPITAL RESTHAVEN HOSPITAL This hospital is aptly named. It is built on an island ( or at least it is at high tide) , in the middle, almost, of Shoal Harbour, near Sidney. The structure was erected in 1912-1913. At first it was intended to use it as a club, some say· a hunting lodge. Then a Dr. Cummings used it as a mental sanitarium. Neither of these original purposes was successful. During the First World War it was taken over by the Government and used as a convalescent hospital. After this it came into the possession of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In the last four or five years they have completely remodelled the interior of the building, with the result that today it is a modern and highly up-to-date general hospital. with a normal capacity of fifty ' beds. The majority of the patients who have gone there for treatment are high in their praise of this worthy institution and there is no question it is a boon to the district of North and South Saanich.

COMMUNICATIONS and TRANSPORTATION THE PRESS DAILY COLONIST. Ever since this paper was published under its different titles by that old time bellicose editor and publisher Amor De Cosmos, it has been part of the daily lives of the settlers of Saanich. For years it was their chief contact with the outside world. Other papers have come and gone but this one still commands their chief interest. THE DAILY TIMES came later and now vies with it for leadership.

SAANICH PENINSULA AND GULF ISLANDS REVIEW. This paper was first published under the title of the "Sidney and Islands Review." It is more commonly referred to as the "Sidney Review" but its coverage is the district we have been writing about and the adjacent islands. It is a weekly and covers all local items and happenings of the community. It has a high rating as a member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association. The first publisher and editor was W. H. Bohannon and the price $150 a year. The first issue appeared December 13th, 1912, so ere long the publisher and staff will have to start growing whiskers for its semi-centenary. Many and varied are the sentiments expressed when a newspaper or periodical is launched but those expresed by Bohannon are, we think, unique. Among other expressions he avers that "This paper is sent out in a Spirit of Friendship and Brotherly Love." This is a high ideal for the present Editor and President, J . S. Rivers, to follow.

THE MAIL Early transportation on the peninsula was by horse-drawn stage. Henry Simpson was the first to operate such a stage. In addition he had the mail carrier contract. He was paid $250 a vear for performing this service. The district had more post offices in those days than there are today. There was the Turgoose P. 0 .. at what is now Saanichton, then the YoungP. O. in the Keating District. On the west side was the Sluggett P.O. Further north there was a Hagen P.O. at Mt. Newton Cr'oss Road, and farther on again a Wain's P .O., then across the Shoal Bay, one at the Brackman Mill, then one in Sidney. With the inauguration of the Rural Mail Delivery, these have now dwindled to three-one at Sidney, Saanichton 71 and Brentwood. Some of these post offices were adjuncts of a store or tavern business, the one at Shoal Bay in particular being part of a store adjacent to the mill.

TELEPHONES This service was introduced to the public in general in January, 1910, by the B.C. Telephone Co. The first exchange was in the home of F. Young at Keating. A few months later an exchange was installed at Sidney. There were eightyeight subscribers on the two switchboards at the start. At the time of writing both exchanges are being switched to an automatic dial system and the original eighty-eight telephones have now grown to 2,618. Miss Enos of the Sidney Exchange has been chief operator for many years. She started with the company in 1920 and took command at Sidney in 1926. Miss McNally has been chief operator at Keating since 1942, but her career as an operator commenced in 1929. Permanent offices and exchanges were set up in 1912 at Sidney and in 1917 at Keating. Two new automatic control stations have recently been built for both places.

ELECTRICAL SERVICES Electricity as a public utility was introduced to the Saanich Peninsula in conjunction with the building of the Inter-Urban Railroad in 1912 and it gradually became accessible to all residents of North and South Saanich. Street illumination was introduced in the village of Sidney, August 29th, 1913. This power was and is still being supplied by the B.C. Electric Co. This company bought out the old Gas Company in Victoria, as well as the Victoria Electric Illuminating Co. in 1897.

TRANSPORTATION VICTORIA and SIDNEY RAILWAY. There was great excitement in Saanich when the proposal to build the railway was mooted and there is no questioning the fact that the completion of it gave the district a big boost; but first we must mention another business adventure that started because of it and one might say for it: A man by the name of White was asked by an eastern firm, who styled themselves the Toronto and British Columbia Lumber Co., to look into the possibility of establishing sawmills in British Columbia. He sent his nephew, J. J. White, over to Vancouver Island to scout the possibilities over here. This young man went out to Sidney 72 and became acquainted and friendly with the Brethours and, by the way, struck up an amorous friendship with Miss Brethour and eventually married her. The Brethours encouraged this company by giving them five acres on the sea front and in turn young White persuaded his uncle to start the sawmill. This mill secured the contract for lumber supplies needed by the proposed railway.

The Brethours not only gave land for the sawmill, they also gave land on the sea front for the railway terminus. These two gifts of land took in a greater part of today's Sidney waterfront. There was an ulterior motive in their generosity. A strong agitation by some of the other settlers was put forward for the terminus of this railway to be located at Shoal Bay near the Brackman Mill. Beside the mill a store and post office was located there and a nearby blacksmith named Ryan and a shoemaker by the name of Reed, but the Brethours, who were prominent in the promotion of the railroad won the day. The railway was incorporated on the 23rd of April, 1892, and the Provisional Directors were Julius and Henry Brethour and Robert Irving.

The first train was run May 12th, 1894, and according to the British Colonist of that date it took a number of pleasure loving citizens out to the Annual Ball of the North and South Saanich Agricultural Society. The formal opening took place June 3rd, 1894, by Messrs. Paterson and Riley (later a senator). The engine used firewood to generate steam. This was supplied by settlers along the tracks and because of this was dubbed the "Cordwood Limited." The old timers who remember the old V. 8 S. recall with nostalgic tales of this old railway. Well they might for it literally changed them from a pioneer to a modern community and eliminated the long and tedious journey to Victoria. In 1919 through lack of business, competition and such, the line was abandoned and its affairs were wound up in 1922. J . J. White was the first agent in Sidney and Samuel Brethour Jr. the first agent in Victoria.

INTERURBAN. The B.C. Electric Co. built a line out into Saanich with the terminus at Deep Cove. It was opened June 18th, 1913. While it could be said that it induced other or more settlers out to Saanich it was not a success and ceased to operate in 1924.

CANADIAN NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY. In 1915 this company took a notion to make an extension out to Sidney. This line lasted till 1935 then it also was abandoned. A part of this track is still used as far as Lake Hill. By this time motor buses and cars and trucks were operating and with better roads the passing of these modes of transportation was not so sorely missed. Much of the road beds of these railways became roads such as the Interurban Road, Wallace Drive, Veyaness and Lockside Drive. The Vancouver Island Coach Lines now take care of the passenger transportation and Saanich Freight and Sidney Freight Companies of the freight carrying.

BUSINESS BRACKMAN-KER MILL. This mill was built by Henry Brackman in 1878. As we have seen earlier, he had bought eighty acres of land from Roberts. He did not seem to take kindly to farming, so he sold his farm to George Menagh, and it is claimed he went to Canoe Cove and planted some oyster beds. Here he met up with James Bryden, a miller by trade. It is quite possible it was Bryden who persuaded Brackman to build the mill. Henry Brackman had been fairly successful in his Cariboo mining ventures. He had the money, Bryden the know-how. The mill was built on a piece of land on the McDonald farm at Shoal Harbour and near a cliff, from which a wharf could easily be anchored, and a deep sea basin. The mill was an immediate su~cess. Soon after a young man by the name of Ker was taken into the business. He soon became a partner, and it was largely through his ability that the business grew into the huge Brackman-Ker Milling Co., with other mills in Victoria, Vancouver and New Westminster. It is now amalgamated with Western Canada Flour Mills Ltd., one of the main milling companies of Canada. The Brackman Mill was possibly the first steam Grist mill in B.C.

THE SIDNEY ROOFING COMPANY, makers of asphalt roofing and other products commenced its operations in the village of Sidney, whence its name. As its business grew the company moved to Victoria and again to Vancouver. 74 THE BAZAN BAY BRICK AND TILE COMPANY is another industry of the Saanich district. It commenced operations in 1911 and is now under the ownership of the DeeksMcBride Company, a Vancouver firm. Actually the making of clay products in Saanich was commenced by the farmers themselves chiefly to make tile for their drainage purposes. They used horse powered machinery for the different jobs.

This was not an entirely successful venture. In 1909 a Mr. James T. Reading who was skilled in the business started an independent clay products business on McTavish Road, taking over the equipment of the farmer group. Then in 1911 two men by the name of Wise and Warner formed a partnership at the present site and engaged James Reading as manager by contract. Later Mr. Reading again became sole owner then again it passed to others already mentioned. This venture like most building businesses, or those engaged in the various lines, had its ups and downs but today or at time of this publication it is doing a thriving business. Other smaller sawmills and other companies have come into existence from time to time and passed on. For instance there was once a Canning Company in Sidney. J. J. White with one of the Brethours ran this until they sold to a Mainland company. The most outstanding business enterprise in Saanich today is that operated by the Butler Brothers. These boys are grandsons of pioneer Butler. In the space of twenty years they have grown from a small logging and gravel pit concern to a million dollar business with a large fleet of ready mix concrete trucks, a complete line of builders' supplies, a machine agency, extensive logging operations at Sooke and stores in various parts of the Province.

POLITICS. In the early days politics in North and South Saanich were taken far more seriously than they are today. The elections, as can be seen, were rather crude affairs in the light of present-day proceedings, yet the bait offered the electors was more forthright and not so subtle as in these days. The boundary lines have been altered from time to time. At first party politics did not enter into the provincial elections, but gradually they crept in and Saanich was looked upon as Conservative, yet for a time it was represented by a Liberal, while today's representative is Mr. W. J . Tisdalle, a Social Credit adherent. In federal politics Saanich is now linked with Esquimalt-Saanich as a riding. Our federal parliamentary member is Major-General G. R. Pearkes, V.C. , who has represented the riding since 1944. At present he holds the Cabinet position of Minister of Defence in the Conservative (Diefenbaker) Government. 

PURCHASE OF SOUTll SAANICH AND NORTH SAANICH FRO:M: THE INDIANS by .TAMES DOUGLAS - 1852 NUMBER 1 - NOR TH SAANICH SAANICH TRIBE - NORTH SAANICH Know all men that we, the chiefs and people of the Saanich Tribe, who have signed our name and made our marks to this deed on the eleventh day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, do consent to surrender entirely and forever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor and Committee for the same, the whole of the lands situate and lying as follows, viz.: commencing at Cowichan Head and following the coast of the Canal de Haro northwest nearly to Saanich Point, or Qua-na-sung; from thence following the course of the Saanich Arm to the point where it terminates; and from thence by a straight line across country to said Cowichan Head, the point of commencement, so as to include all the country and land with the exceptions hereafter named, within those boundaries. The condition of or understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow after us; and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly.

We have received as payment ( amount not stated) . Witness to signatures: (signed) JOSEPH WILLIAM McKAY, Clerk, H.B. Co's Service R. GOLLEDGE, Clerk. HOTUTSTUN ( meaning Rainbow.) his x mark and 11 7 others. (Information from Martin Cooper). 77 APPENDIX II NUMBER I - SOUTH SAANICH SAANICH TRIBE - SOUTH SAANICH Know all men that we, the chiefs and people of the Saanich Tribe, who have signed our name and made our marks to this deed on the sixth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, do consent to surrender entirely and forever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor and Committee of the same, the whole of the lands situate and lying between Mount Douglas and Cowichan Head, on the Canal de Haro, and extending thence to the line running through the centre of Vancouver Island, North and South. The condition of or understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields, are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow after us; and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly. We have received, as payment, Forty-one pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence. In token whereof, we have signed our names and made our marks, at Fort Victoria, on the 7th day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two. Witness to signatures: (signed) JOSEPH WILLIAM McKAY,