Notice of the Annual General Meeting

Please take notice that the 139th Annual General Meeting of The Union Club of British Columbia will be held in the Centennial Ballroom of the Union Club, on June 7, 2018, at 4:30pm for the purpose of transacting the following business:

1) To receive the report of the General Committee for the past year and the Audited Financial Statements of the Club for the year ending March 31st, 2018, together with the report of the auditors thereon.

2) To appoint an auditor.

3) To elect a President, Vice-President and three Members of the General Committee.

4) Generally to take into consideration the position and the prospects of the Club.

5) To consider and resolve any special business of which due notice has been given.

By the General Committee
Dated at Victoria, BC, May 1st, 2018

Notes: Members in default as defined in the By-Laws shall be disqualified from attending or voting at any meeting of the Members. The following categories are entitled to vote: Life, Senior, Resident, Resident-Intermediate, Intermediate, Firm & Privileged.

Victoria’s-Own Cliff Thorburn Triumphs in Seniors Masters

Cliff Thorburn (center) with the John Spencer Trophy.

Cliff Thorburn rolled back the years to claim the inaugural Seniors Masters title at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

The Canadian, who memorably won the prestigious Masters three times in four years between 1983 and 1986, dramatically overcame Jonathan Bagley 2-1 in the final after potting the re-spotted black in the decider.

Thorburn had earlier in the day received a bye in the quarter-finals after the late withdrawal of 1986 world champion Joe Johnson, who was taken ill on Wednesday and had to be admitted to hospital.

The 70 year-old faced John Parrott in the last four and a break of 51 helped him to a 2-0 victory over the Liverpudlian.

Bagley, who also lost in the final of the Irish Seniors Mastersearlier this season, had reached the final thanks to victories over Dennis Taylor and Michael Judge, the latter having previously accounted for favourite Stephen Hendry in a tense last eight clash that was settled after the Scot went in-off with the cueball on the final black.

Bagley took the lead in the showdown for glory but Thorburn managed to level and, after a long and tense safety battle, the “Grinder” completed a routine pot to complete the triumph to the delight of the crowd.

With the greatest of respects to the likes of Bagley, who has taken to the World Seniors Tour like a duck to water, or Jersey’s Aaron Canavan, who emerged as a surprise candidate to brilliantly lift the World Seniors Championship trophy aloft last month, Thorburn’s glory will go down as one of the most popular of the entire campaign and is a just reward for the fans who forked out in the hope of seeing some of the legends of yesteryear performing on centre stage again.

Thorburn certainly enjoyed his winning moment as, upon seeing the black disappear, raised his arms over his head akin to how he celebrated his famous maiden 147 break at the Crucible more than three decades ago.

The 1980 world champion said: “It’s very meaningful for me being back here at the Crucible. Jonathan actually beat me the last few times but I just felt good being here – there are lots of good memories here.”

“I’m 70 now and I get a little nervy but I’m just so proud to win the first John Spencer Trophy. John helped me to turn pro and he was a great friend for all of my life, he was a classy individual.”

It brings to a conclusion the inaugural season in the World Seniors Tour and, barring a few unfortunate withdrawals from some of the legends that couldn’t be helped, it has appeared to have been a roaring success.

Snooker Legends promoter Jason Francis has worked wonderfully at getting this initiative off the ground and there’s a foundation there now from which to build on and grow the tour into a long-term project.

With triumphs during this campaign for Thorburn in the Seniors Masters, Steve Davis in the Irish Seniors Masters, and Jimmy White in the UK Seniors Championship, it just goes to show that there’s plenty of competitive spirit left in the old dogs yet.

Past President – In Memoriam…

ALDERMAN OF VICTORIA…

John Lytton Mara, known as Lytton to his friends and family, was born in Lytton, British Columbia, in 1888.

He was the son of the Union Club’s 8th President, Mr. John Andrew Mara, a Victoria pioneer. His mother was Alice Barnard, daughter of Sir Frank Barnard, of Barnard Express fame.

When the Second World War broke out Mr. Mara enlisted with the Royal Navy and returned to Victoria as a Lieutenant. He co-founded Mara, Bates Real Estate and Financial, a company that prospered in Victoria for many years.

In 1925 he entered politics and was elected as a Victoria City Alderman, and served in this capacity until 1931. Mr. Mara was a keen yachtsman and for many years was involved with the Victoria Yacht Club.

John Lytton Mara died on April 25, 1979, at the age of 92.

Who’s on the Guest List for Harry and Meghan’s Wedding?

Club members are reminded of the exclusive Royal Wedding Breakfast being held at the Club on Saturday, May 19, 2018.  Large screen wedding broadcast begins at 3:00am.  Royal Wedding Breakfast Buffet will be served from 3:00am to 5:00am.  Reservations required.

An invitation to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has to be one of the most coveted of the year. But so far, little has been revealed about who their 600 guests in Windsor will be.

The May 19 wedding is a private, not state occasion, paid for by the royal family. This means political leaders don’t have to be invited, so Harry and Meghan can pack St. George’s Chapel with close friends and family.
Many of the faces will be familiar — including the UK royals, celebrities and actors. But others will be less well known, including Markle’s family and people who’ve become friends with the couple through their charitable work.
PRINCE HARRY’S LIKELY GUESTS

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the 2017 Braemar Highland Gathering in Braemar, Scotland.

The royal family will be among the most closely watched guests on the day. Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, will be accompanied by Prince Philip, who has recently undergone a hip operation.
Also there will be Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The occasion may bring back some memories — a wedding blessing was held for them at St. George’s Chapel following their civil marriage ceremony in 2005.

Princess Charlotte and Prince George with their parents in Warsaw, Poland, on 19 July 2017.

It’s not yet known if Prince William will act as best man — a role Harry fulfilled for his brother at his wedding in 2011. He and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, are expected to welcome a new addition to the family this month. Will their newborn be the youngest guest at the wedding? Their older children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, may well play a part as a cute page boy and flower girl for the couple.
Harry’s uncle, Prince Andrew, is sure to be there but a question mark hangs over his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, known as Fergie, who was not invited to Prince William’s wedding. Their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie — who will herself marry fiance Jack Brooksbank in St. George’s Chapel on October 12 — are expected to attend.

Charles, Earl Spencer, and Lady Sarah McCorquodale are greeted by Harry after the 10th anniversary memorial service for Diana in 2007.

Relatives from his late mother Diana’s side of the family are also likely to be present. They include his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer, and Diana’s two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Baroness Jane Fellowes.
Harry is not expected to invite European royals as William did in 2011, when he and Kate packed Westminster Abbey with some 1,900 guests.

Prince Harry talks with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho at a fundraising polo match for their Sentebale charity in 2006 in Surrey, England.

But one member of royalty who will almost certainly be there is Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso. He and Harry founded the Sentebale charity together more than a decade ago to help some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana.
Other friends of Harry’s will also make up a chunk of the guest list:

Godfather James Meade arrives for the christening of Princess Charlotte in July 2015.

Among his and Prince William’s closest companions are James Meade, Thomas van Straubenzee, Tom Inskip and Guy Pelly, a nightclub owner. Over the years they have been pictured carousing together in party spots in London and around the world.

Prince Harry chats with singer James Blunt as he rehearses for the Invictus Games closing ceremony in London in 2014.

Harry may also invite comrades from his days in the military, including at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and in Afghanistan. One of those is singer James Blunt, with whom Harry served in the British Army.

Soul singer Joss Stone performs in the Dutch city of Rotterdam last November.

British soul singer Joss Stone is a longtime friend and likely invitee. She is an ambassador for Harry’s Sentebale charity and has taken part in benefit performances for it in the past, including a 2016 concert at Kensington Palace.
Adding to the celebrity count, Harry could invite British model and actress Cara Delevingne, who has reportedly been a good friend for years.

Nacho Figueras, seen at a polo match in New Jersey in 2017, is an ambassador for Sentebale.

Another Sentebale ambassador who may well have received an invitation is Argentine polo player Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras. Figueras, who is also an author and the global face of Polo Ralph Lauren, has played in several Sentebale charity matches with Prince Harry around the world.

Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry attend his Army Air Corps pilots’ course graduation ceremony in May 2010 in Andover, England.

Prince Harry may well invite two of his exes: Chelsy Davy, his on-off girlfriend of several years from 2004, and aristocratic actress and model Cressida Bonas, his girlfriend from 2012 to 2014.
Singer Ellie Goulding — whom Harry was also at one time rumored to be dating — has been named in the media as another possible invitee. Goulding performed at William and Kate’s evening reception at Buckingham Palace, including the song for their first dance, she told Vanity Fair.

Ellie Goulding poses for photographers upon arrival at the Brit Awards in London, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018.

It’s possible that singer Sir Elton John will also make an appearance. He was a friend of Diana and famously performed a rewritten version of his song “Candle in the Wind” at her funeral in 1997. He was invited to William and Kate’s wedding 14 years later.
Celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham were also at William and Kate’s wedding and could score an invitation to Harry and Meghan’s big day too. Asked by James Corden on “The Late Late Show” if she was going, Victoria stumbled over an answer before saying, “I don’t know.”
MEGHAN MARKLE’S LIKELY GUESTS

Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland are seen at a UN women’s event in New York City in 2015.

Markle’s family is less accustomed to the spotlight than her fiance’s. Her mother Doria Ragland, to whom Meghan has said she is very close, is expected to be at the ceremony, as is her father, Thomas Markle Sr.
Her parents met at a Hollywood studio in the late 1970s where he was working as a lighting director and she was a temp. They split when Meghan was young, but she told Vanity Fair last year that they remained on good terms as she grew up and even took vacations together as a family.
Meghan included her mother in a list of 10 women who had changed her life for Glamour magazine last year, when she described Ragland as both a free spirit and a nurturer. “We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I’ll still find so much solace in her support. That duality coexists the same way it would in a best friend,” she wrote.
The bride-to-be has a number of close friends who are very likely to have received one of the precious gilded invitations.

Meghan Markle and Jessica Mulroney attend the Instagram Dinner in Toronto, Canada, in 2016.

One of those is Canadian stylist Jessica Mulroney, a longtime friend of Markle who, according to Vanity Fair, is helping her to plan the big event and may also be chosen as her matron of honor.
Markle’s friend from her days studying at Northwestern University, Lindsay Roth, is another likely invitee, especially since Markle was her maid of honor, according to People magazine. Roth told the magazine last year: “We’re the kind of friends who can be 3,000 miles away and still be talking about or thinking the same thing, and even texting each other the same thing at the same time miles away.”

Markle and Misha Nonoo attend the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards in New York City in 2015.

Another friend, Bahrain-born, London-raised fashion designer Misha Nonoo, is rumored by UK and US media to have been the matchmaker who brought Harry and Meghan together on their first date. She and Markle have reportedly holidayed together in the past and Meghan wore a shirt from her collection on her first public appearance with Harry at the Invictus Games last year.

Meghan Markle and Markus Anderson attend an event in 2014 in Toronto, Canada.

Other media rumors point to Markus Anderson, a consultant for the Soho House Group, which has private members’ clubs around the world, as having made the all-important introduction between his good friend Meghan and Harry.
Tennis superstar Serena Williams has been firm friends with Meghan for several years. “Her personality just shines,” Williams told Vanity Fair for a cover story on Markle last year, adding that the actress had asked her for advice on dealing with aspects of life in the spotlight.

Markle as Rachel Zane and Patrick J. Adams as Michael Ross in an episode of “Suits.”

Of course, long before she met her prince, Meghan gained fame as an actress, playing ambitious paralegal Rachel Zane in the hit TV series “Suits” — and she has good friends from the long-running show who may well be at the wedding.
Among them is Patrick J. Adams, who plays her love interest Mike Ross on the show. After the engagement was announced last November, Adams posted a touching message on Instagram.

Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson, Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen, and Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter in “Suits.”

Other friends and former co-stars who may share the big day include Abigail Spencer, Sarah Rafferty, Gina Torres, Amanda Schull and Gabriel Macht. Asked why Harry was attracted to Markle, Spencer told Vanity Fair: “She’s got warm elegance, though her style is hard to pin down. It’s classy and timeless. When you’re talking to her, you feel like you’re the only person on the planet. And it’s just wonderful to see her so in love.”
Another likely invitee is actress Janina Gavankar, perhaps best known for her roles in “True Blood” or “The Vampire Diaries.” According to a post by Markle last year on her now-deleted Instagram account, they have been friends for over 15 years. Indian actress and Unicef Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra hasn’t known Markle for as long but Instagram posts of the pair having fun together suggest she may make the guest list.

Priyanka Chopra is pictured on TV show “Sunday Today with Willie Geist” in February.

UK media reports say British heiress and former “Made in Chelsea” star Millie Mackintosh has also become a good friend of Markle’s while she’s been based in London.
Markle also previously posted pictures on Instagram of her hanging out with French fashion designer Roland Mouret. There’s been speculation that he might be involved in designing her wedding dress, something that would surely earn him an invitation to the do.
Of course, we now know some of those who won’t be coming — including US President Donald Trump, Barack and Michelle Obama and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. But there are sure to be some surprises in store when the guests arrive on the day.

Past President – In Memoriam…

CITY COUNCILLOR, KILLED IN ACTION…

James H. McGregor was a well known and highly respected provincial land surveyor. He lived in Oak Bay and was actively involved with the decision to separate from Victoria City, when a petition requesting incorporation was filed with the Provincial Secretary, Hon. F.J. Fulton on May 19th, 1906.

The petition of incorporation was granted on June 13th, of that year. James H. McGregor chaired the first meeting of 35 residents held at the old Oak Bay school on Foul Bay Road.

Among the prominent citizens who attended were W.E. Oliver, F.M. Rattenbury, William Noble, Frank Burrell and John Virtue. Some of these Gentlemen were very involved with The Union Club of BC.

Oliver was chosen Oak Bay’s first reeve. James McGregor served as an Oak Bay City Councillor from 1909 to 1914, when he enlisted in the Army to fight for Canada in the First World War. Captain James Herrick McGregor served with the 16th Battalion of the Canadian Scottish, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

He enlisted in 1914 and was killed in action during the battle of St. Julien, April 24, 1915.

The Union Club’s McGregor Lounge is proudly named after him…

Past President – In Memoriam…

PAST PRESIDENT – IN MEMORIAM…

M. Tyrwhitt-Drake – President 1884-1889

MAYOR OF VICTORIA & LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Hon. Montague William Tyrwhitt-Drake, born in Hertfordshire, England, on January 20, 1830. He descended originally from a brother of Sir Richard Drake, the famous seaman of the days of Queen Elizabeth. He was educated at Charter house School in London, and, in 1851, admitted as solicitor and attorney-at-law to the Superior Courts of England. He came to Victoria in the middle fifties, to become a member of the legislative council, Mayor of Victoria and Justice of the Supreme Court.

It was in 1868 that Justice Drake first began paying attention to politics; he served as a member of the legislative council for Victoria City from 1868-1870. British Columbia was then embroiled in a great argument – whether the province should join confederation, become annexed to the United States or remain a British Colony. Mr. Drake was a leader in the anti-confederation movement. Historians Scholefield and Howay say of Tyrwhitt-Drake: “One of the most memorable figures in the political, professional and general public life of this province, who, from 1859 to the time of his death, left the impress of his ability upon provincial history – proving himself a capable, progressive and far-sighted statesman – a man whose career forms an important chapter in legislative, judicial and professional history of the province.”

Judge Tyrwhitt-Drake passed away on April 19th, 1908 at the age of 78.

36 Hours in Victoria, British Columbia

The following article recently appeared in The New York Times:

On lush Vancouver Island, this urban jewel offers innovative restaurants, gorgeous parks and gardens, and museums that celebrate the area’s many cultures.

The Inner Harbour, with the majestic Parliament buildings in the background. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times

This compact, eminently walkable city, set amid the breathtaking beauty and bounty of Vancouver Island, is lauded as one of the world’s top smallurban destinations. Beyond the picture-perfect downtown waterfront, British Columbia’s capital is an exhilarating blend of cultures, from Canadian and First Nations to Chinese and European (especially British). There are three universities, thriving arts and cultural institutions, significant historic preservation, a celebrated local food scene and Canada’s mildest climate: That means year-round forest visits, biking and golf; gardens galore (daffodils in February); even beehives downtown (at the Fairmont Empress hotel; atop the Harbour Air floating terminal). There is wildness too: “bear jams” disrupting traffic, cougar sightings and soaring eagles, towering ancient trees, log-strewn beaches and distant snowy peaks.

Friday

1) 3 p.m. EARLY DAYS

The blocks north of the Empress and west of Douglas Street, including Chinatown, comprise the Old Town. Start at Bastion Square and Wharf Street, overlooking the harbor, where James Douglas founded Fort Victoria in 1843 as an outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company. This area became the heart of commerce, industry and government, swelling in size after the 1858 Fraser Gold Rush drew thousands of immigrants. Next to the Old Victoria Customs House is a grassy overlook with a display telling the history of British settlement and the indigenous Lekwungen people. Check out the lively Bastion Square pedestrian area of shops, restaurants and cafes, music and markets; then, on Government Street, browse through Munro’s Books, situated in a century-old bank, and founded in 1963 by the Nobel Prize-winning Canadian writer Alice Munro and her then-husband. Detour through Trounce Alley (note the 125-year-old gaslights), then walk east on Fort Street to La Taqueria to snack on Mexican tacos amid festive music and colorful tiles. A juicy carnitas taco with pickled red onions and salsa is 3 Canadian dollars, or about $2.35, and a Baja fish taco with cabbage, salsa and chipotle mayonnaise is 6 dollars; wash it down with Mexican fruit soda or local beer.

Munro’s Books, situated in a century-old bank, is a book lover’s paradise. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times.

2) 6 p.m. ON THE WATERFRONT

The Inner Harbour is where seaplanes, water taxis, kayak outfitters, whale-watching tours, restaurants and festivals can all be found. Sit under the trees and watch the boats and passers-by; then head to the chateau-style Fairmont Empress, one of several luxury hotels built across Canada by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company at the turn of the century. Don’t miss the Q restaurant and bar, with its coffered ceiling, gold and purple accents and portraits of Queen Victoria. An elaborate British tea is served daily in the spacious lobby. The nearby majestic Parliament buildings were erected in 1898 to boost the capital’s profile after Vancouver became the railway’s western terminus. Open daily for touring, they are spectacularly illuminated at night. Thunderbird Park on Belleville Street is a quiet spot among the trees, where a regional First Nations house and totem poles were recreated by the Kwakwaka’wakw master carver Mungo Martin in the 1950s.

3) 8 p.m. THE ART OF DINING

Stepping inside Little Jumbo feels like a warm embrace: The exposed brick, aged wood and glowing copper ceiling take you back in time. The restaurant, which has received accolades for everything from design to food and drinks, is a homage to two New York City saloon owners in the 1860s who championed the art of dining and mixology. Dinner for two — try the warm Halloumi cheese salad, spicy Fernet-roasted nuts and grilled lingcod — including choice British Columbian wines, costs about 131 dollars.

The 19th-century Old Victoria Customs House exemplifies the Second Empire architectural style. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times

Saturday

4) 9 a.m. URBAN OASIS

Fol Epi bakery is known for its wild-yeast breads, made from milled-on-site organic flours and baked in brick ovens. Choose from an array of loaves, pastries and quiches, then think ahead to a packable lunch of sandwiches. Walk down Douglas Street to Beacon Hill Park: This 200-acre oasis is to Victoria what Central Park is to New York City. The landscape varies from manicured and natural gardens to forest, swampland, lakes, Garry oaks and camas fields (originally planted by the Lekwungen, who harvested the edible bulbs), and includes a children’s farm and a 127-foot totem pole. Great blue herons nest in the towering firs and peacocks strut; relax and listen to birds fussing and fountains gurgling. Make time to tour the nearby Emily Carr House (6.75 dollars); the Victoria-born painter of forests and First Nations scenes spent her childhood gamboling in the park.

5) Noon. ALONG DALLAS ROAD

This scenic stretch on the southern shore of the city, from Fisherman’s Wharf to beyond Ross Bay Cemetery, draws walkers, joggers, bikers and dogs. Have a picnic, clamber down to the beach or simply marvel at the water views and roadside homes. Start at Ogden Point, where interpretive kiosks tell about the Breakwater and the Unity Wall murals painted on both sides, depicting Coast Salish First Nations culture. Walk out to the lighthouse, watching for sea otters and seals. Farther east, past Clover Point, cross the road to Ross Bay Cemetery. This rambling, peaceful resting place of many of Victoria’s notable citizens is also where you’ll find some of the city’s oldest heritage trees, cuttings from which were planted all over the young city (see treesofvictoria.com). Look for deer lying on the spongy grass among the weathered obelisks, statuary and stones in this wondrous place.

Seven modern gallery spaces adjoin an 1889 mansion to form the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times

6) 2 p.m. TO THE GARDEN

From the cemetery, head to the exquisite Abkhazi Garden, tucked away on a quiet block behind rhododendrons and Garry oaks. The tranquil gardens, with their several distinct outdoor “rooms,” were designed to harmonize with the rocky glacial outcroppings and native trees on the hilly property, which includes rock ponds (with mallards and turtles) and the 1950s Modernist summerhouse and former home (now teahouse) of the couple whose love story started it all. Suggested fee: 10 dollars (includes guide).

7) 4 p.m. AFTERNOON ART

At the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, seven modern gallery spaces adjoin an 1889 mansion that once served as the museum. On permanent display are works by Emily Carr and an impressive Asian collection and garden — second only to that of the Royal Ontario Museum. There are amber and ivory carvings, a Japanese Shinto shrine, and a Chinese Ming dynasty bell presented to Victoria in 1903. Admission is 13 dollars.

The Bastion Square pedestrian area is filled with shops, restaurants and cafes. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times

8) 6 p.m. CHINATOWN

The 19th-century gold rushes and Canadian Pacific Railway construction drew thousands of Chinese immigrants to Victoria, where they settled above Johnson Street. Today, Canada’s oldest Chinatown is a National Historic Site, a small, colorful (especially red, for luck), vibrant community of narrow streets and alleyways, shops and restaurants, beyond the resplendent Gates of Harmonious Interest. The Victoria Chinese Public School, built in 1909, is still used to teach Chinese language classes. Climb the stairs to the top floor of the Yen Wo Society building to see the oldest active Chinese temple in Canada, honoring the sea deity Tam Kung.

9) 8 p.m. DOWN TO EARTH DINNER

Olo (meaning hungry in Chinook) serves up serious farm-to-table fare with a nod to the region’s cultural diversity. The space is comfortable and rustic, with warm light emanating from hanging spheres of loosely wound wooden strips. A recent meal included crisp Hakurei turnip salad, garganelli pasta with a meaty sauce, and a dreamy dessert (rhubarb, salmonberries, elderberry ice cream, fennel macaron), with local wine (about 140 dollars for two).

Agrius, which opened in 2016, is known for its organic, local menu. Credit Ema Peter for The New York Times

Sunday

10) 9 a.m. BRUNCH FOR BREAKFAST

When it opened in 2016, Agrius garnered rave reviews for its organic, local menu. Now the restaurant serves brunch, with hearty buckwheat and rye pancakes, egg dishes (cured salmon scramble with fennel, capers and cream cheese), house-made lamb sausage and pork belly, kale and mushroom Benedict, vegetable pâté, even fried oysters (9 to 21 dollars). In fine weather there is pleasant outdoor seating along a pedestrian way.

11) 11 a.m. ROYAL BC MUSEUM

You could spend hours in this stellar repository of natural and human history, with its singular collection of British Columbia First Nations archaeological materials, as well as provincial archives. The First Peoples gallery includes a totem hall and ceremonial house, an interactive language display and a collection of Argillite (black shale) carvings from Haida Gwaii, while the Old Town recreates period streetscapes and trades — a cannery, hotel, sawmill — even the 1790s ship quarters of George Vancouver. Admission: 17 dollars.

12) 1 p.m. DRIVE UP THE COAST

Beyond the cemetery, Dallas Road takes other names but continues along the dramatic rocky coast through neighborhoods such as upscale Oak Bay, where you’ll find art galleries and British-style pubs and teahouses. Stop at Willows Beach for a walk or a swim, then continue north past the University of Victoria to Mount Douglas Park. You can hike or drive up; either way, the panoramic view is remarkable: across Haro Strait to the San Juan Islands, toward downtown, or across rural Saanich. Hungry again? Head back to town for Foo Asian Street Food, where a hearty, steaming bowl of curried noodle stir fry with pork and shrimp, prepared while you watch, costs 14 dollars. Alternatively, the charming Venus Sophia Tea Room serves organic teas and sweets — Cream Earl Grey with scones, cream and jam costs 14 dollars — and vegetarian lunch items.

Victoria, British Columbia’s Quaint Capital, Finds a New Cool

The following article recently appeared in The Wall Street Journal:

Hipness has infiltrated picturesque Victoria, where wine bars and pot now mingle with Edwardian manors.

HOMECOMING QUEEN – Q Bar at Victoria’s revamped Fairmont Empress Hotel.

By Taras Grescoe

THE VIEW of Victoria’s Inner Harbour hasn’t changed much since Rudyard Kipling described it as a mix of Sorrento, Hong Kong and the Isle of Wight “with some Himalayas for the background,” during his lengthy sojourn at the grand Empress Hotel in 1908. Ships still dock beneath the massive columns of the Canadian Pacific Railway terminal, though the steamships have been replaced by high-speed ferries on the three-hour run to Seattle.

For years, mainlanders dismissed the city on Vancouver Island’s south coast as a picturesque haven for honeymooners and retirees, “the newlywed and the nearly dead.” But lately, Victoria has developed a hipper side. Tech companies now occupy brick warehouses, craft distilleries share streetfronts with traditional tea rooms, and marijuana dispensaries are popping up among the old Edwardian mansions. At times it feels like a Portland North, set amid the architectural glories of a one-time imperial outpost: a mashup of traditional and alternative, with a sneak-up-sideways charm.

The historic heart of Victoria’s walkable downtown is Bastion Square, where the city was born as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post in 1843. Now lined with pubs and home to a popular Sunday farmers market, the square’s oldest buildings date to the 1860s, after the discovery of gold on the Fraser River transformed little Fort Victoria into a boomtown thronged by American miners and outfitters.

Prepping at Agrius. PHOTO: RUSH JAGOE

The Cantonese migrants who followed them from San Francisco founded Canada’s first Chinatown, and on Fisgard Street, the neon signs of the Don Mee Restaurant and the Fantan Café continue to lure patrons to old-school feasts of Szechuan seafood and sweet-and-sour pork. Fan Tan Alley, whose three-foot-wide entrance forced the local constabulary to enter single file when raiding its louche gambling and opium dens, now houses vendors of used records, handmade chocolates and Dr. Martens boots.

The streets around Lower Johnson, a strip where prospectors once spent their gold in saloons, brothels, and outfitters’ shops, have undergone a similar transformation. In the district, redubbed LoJo, brick facades are now home to chic boutiques and specialty shops like Silk Road Tea, a mix of day spa and high-end tea room. Off Yates Street, Little Jumbo restaurant channels the district’s past with a down-the-hall entrance and speakeasy vibe, where an aperol-and-absinthe cocktail makes a bracing prelude to delicate local oysters and lightly grilled lingcod.

Change has come even to the venerable Fairmont Empress hotel. After a two-year, $40-million-plus renovation, the trademark ivy has been stripped from the facade—the family of raccoons who called it home had to be relocated—transforming its former flag deck into a terrace with a privileged harbor view. A rooftop garden now yields the herbs and edible flowers on the menu at Q at the Empress, and four beehives on the grounds hone the honey served with scones and clotted cream at high tea.

There is still plenty of old Victoria to savor. The hotel’s unapologetically colonialist Bengal Lounge has been left untouched: punkah fans still sway from the mahogany-inlaid ceiling over murals of dhows and elephant-borne rajahs on the Ganges. And the corridors of the sixth floor—where guests continue to report sightings of the ghost of a chambermaid who plunged to her death in the 1930s—are still as crooked and atmospheric as ever.

The Milkman’s Daughter, a décor shop in Victoria’s Chinatown. PHOTO: JANIS NICOLAY

By contrast, Victoria’s alternative side thrives in the funky Fernwood neighborhood east of downtown. In the last decade, neighborhood associations have spearheaded the transformation of the buildings around Fernwood Square. An old Methodist church became the multi-staged Belfry Theatre; the Fernwood Inn, a former dive bar, was reborn as a pub serving local ales and ciders. The once-rundown building across from the Inn now houses the Crossroads, an espresso bar that has become an unofficial community meeting place, and the relaxed Stage Wine Bar, where one can dine on small plates of cauliflower pakora, Salt Spring Island mussels, and gnocchi.

A stroll in the surrounding streets takes visitors past book exchange boxes outside century-old Arts-and-Crafts bungalows, a community garden on the former grounds of a schoolhouse, and an ice cream parlor called Cold Comfort offering “Hoyne’s Dark Matter,” an improbable but successful combination of vanilla ice cream and brown ale.

A 10-minute walk south of downtown is the tranquil James Bay neighborhood, site of the childhood home of Emily Carr. It has been turned into a museum commemorating the life of the author and painter, who returned from a trip to France to create striking, Post-Impressionist takes on northern Pacific landscapes. View Carr’s deeply Canadian canvases of listing Haida and Gitxsan totem poles in the nearby Royal B.C. Museum.

In the Rockland neighborhood, perched on the highest point within the city limits is Craigdarroch, a late-19th-century castle built for Scottish railway-and-coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. The Downton Abbey-style splendor of its parlors, paneled with Spanish mahogany and Hawaiian koa, give way on upper floors to unadorned walls and bare floor boards. Dubbed “King Grab” by a local newspaper, which cast him as more robber baron than genuine royalty, Mr. Dunsmuir died a few months before the castle was completed, and never lived there.

The fifth-floor turret, with a view of ocean breakers and snow-capped Mount Baker, looks out onto what is probably Victoria’s greatest urban asset: the tip of Vancouver Island on which it perches. Its location in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains means sunny and dry summers (windmill palm trees grow in local front yards), and access to spectacular north Pacific ecosystems start right from downtown.

Victoria Distillers’s gin-based Empress & Tonic.

An excellent way to explore those outdoor wonders is by rented bicycle. Heading west out of downtown on the Galloping Goose and the Lochside Trail, well-marked and level bike routes follow old railway right-of-ways. Along the way the outdoor terrace of Sea Cider provides a stop for a light lunch, with high-octane ciders produced from the 50 kinds of heirloom apples that grow in the surrounding orchards. Farther down the end of the trail is Victoria Distillers, a craft distillery in Sidney, 15 miles north of downtown. A tasting of Empress 1908 gin, infused with dried flowers from Thailand that make it turn from deep indigo to pink when tonic is added, is a welcome reward for a long afternoon of pedaling.

Past President – In Memoriam…

PAST PRESIDENT – IN MEMORIAM…

J. Alastair Cousland – President 2004-2005

Alastair Cousland was born in Victoria and educated at Glenlyon School, Brentwood College, Victoria College and the University of British Columbia. He is a fourth generation Victorian, and third generation member of the Union Club.

After graduation he held several sales positions with major companies, ultimately being appointed Manager, Retail Market with a division of Westinghouse Canada in Montreal. He returned to British Columbia in 1974 as Manager of a wholesale gift and stationary company.

Returning to Victoria he formed a sales agency covering Vancouver Island until his retirement in 1991. His business and Community activities included Director of the Canadian Retail Grocers Association, Vice President of the Kerrisdale Community Centre and Chairman of the Kerrisdale Arena Committee. He became a Member of the Union Club in 1997 was elected to General Committee in 1999 and was responsible for Buildings and Grounds when the Fitness Centre, Roof Top Garden and ladies washroom were added during the Presidency of Walter Donald.

Progress but respect for tradition was the credo for Mr. Cousland resulting in new stained glass window and chandelier over the main stair case, opening up and refurbishing the lower north passage way, complete upgrade to the Club’s computer system and publication of the Club’s 125 Year History Book.

Alastair Cousland passed away April 12, 2017 at the age of 85.

The Union Club Renovations & Eclectic Art Collections…. a Visit Recorded By One Happy Participant

The following article appeared in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s April/May newsletter “Happenings”, written by one of the participants from the tour:

It was the morning after that scary tsunami warning, and the rain was still lashing, the wind was howling, and it was frigid by Victoria’s weather standards. Despite it all an intrepid group of Associates had accepted an invitation to visit Victoria’s iconic Union Club to see some of its extensive art collection, and learn a little of the history.

Entering through the heavy brass-studded front doors, our world was transformed – thick carpet underfoot, rich mahogany paneling, a log fire exuding the comforting smell of pine, percolating coffee wafting in the air – we had made the right decision to emerge from the comfort of our homes that morning. Having shed our dripping coats and discarded our turned-inside-out umbrellas, we made our way to the Ballroom to meet our host and guide Martin Segger.

As Yvonne McKenzie in introducing Mr.Segger related his many accomplishments and experiences, we knew we were in for an interesting visit. He holds degrees from UVic (English plus Education Diploma) and the University of London (Renaissance Cultural Studies), had an extensive administrative and academic career at UVic in the areas of Galleries Collections and History of Art, served as President of the Pacific NW Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians and President of the Commonwealth Association of Museums, and consulted and taught historic preservation planning in South America and Africa. Detailing his fascinating career would require a whole article. And now here he was, a good friend of the Art Gallery, the Honorary Art Curator of the Union Club, playing a major role in the restoration of the Club’s iconic building and care and nurturing of the art collection – and he was prepared to share some of this with us.

So, to a little of the Club’s history. Founded in 1879 by a group of prominent gentlemen in the city, it soon outgrew the first two buildings it had occupied as those early members canvassed friends they considered “congenial as members” to join. Building of the current structure started in 1910 and the first celebratory event, a Grand Ball, took place in 1913. Designed by Francis Rattenbury, it followed very much the beaux arts style popular in San Francisco at the time with a terra cotta exterior and curved stone window and door frames. The interior is a reflection of the colonial era in which it was built, as was the early collection of art. The Club was to be open to all – men that is; ladies had their Alexandra Club elsewhere and it was to be many years before they could join the Union Club as bona fide members. Mr. Segger noted that no Chinese names appear on the membership lists of that time. Early members were professionals, interested in the arts, and often their entrance fee was the gift of a piece of art, sometimes their own work, sometimes purchased pieces they thought appropriate.  Unfortunately, there is no record of when early items in this Legacy Collection were donated or purchased but as they reflect the times and interests of those founding members, so do more recent and current acquisitions reflect changes over the past 100 years.

Extensive renovations to both the exterior and interior of the building have been underway for the past five years. The exterior terra cotta cladding and seismic upgrading of the cornices is complete, and a photographic exhibition of all this work is exhibited in the McKenzie Room. The building’s interior is also now almost complete, and we were aware of how much had been done in the Ballroom since our AGM held there some months ago. Two recently acquired Toni Onley paintings, his 1968 Fort Rodd Hill and 1991 Flowers in a Window, have been hung over the fireplaces at either end of the room, pleasingly modern and complementary.

As we toured through the building our knowledgeable guide pointed out interesting details. The sparkling chandeliers in the Ballroom were original, having been dismantled, painstakingly cleaned, and reassembled by a local Victoria company. In a foyer a display of Chinese ceramics and Stephen Lowe’s watercolour, Serene Chinese Landscape, indicate emerging Asian participation in the Club’s interests and activities. In the McKenzie Lounge hangs a life-size painting by Jack Wilkinson of Henry de Zwager, a Club member who successfully ran a restaurant in an adjacent building. In the Reading Room there’s an eclectic collection; on the walls hang two sketches by Myfanwy Pavelic and three works by indigenous artist Arthur Vickers; over the fireplace is a reminder of the history of the building, a painting of a stern Judge Matthew Baillie Begbie.

Continuing our walkabout, in the McGregor Bar we saw the collection of animal trophy heads, much admired at the time for the taxidermy skills used to preserve these creatures from far-off lands, and an indication of members’ widening travels. On the walls of the staircase leading to the lower floor a full-length portrait of J. A. Mara, President of the Club from 1909-1913, appeared to be watching us intently. Later going upstairs to the third floor some in our group used the elevator which we learned is the oldest still in use in Victoria (the staircase, steep and narrow, seemed more stable to this writer!). On the third floor level we were shown a charming outdoor patio overlooking Humboldt Street with great views of the harbour, and then off a long corridor extensively lined with a great variety of art work including a watercolour by Robert Amos depicting the front of the Club’s building, we took the opportunity to peek into one of the 21 bedroom suites, an unoccupied one I would hasten to add.

Our tour had been a fascinating glimpse at the Club’s many treasures but time was of the essence, and we returned to the Reading Room where they had set up a table in a secluded corner for us where we enjoyed a delicious lunch. Mr. Segger joined us briefly for lunch, and Yvonne took the opportunity to thank him for our fascinating morning and gave him – you guessed it – a copy of The Book of Days.