Heritage Register
Rockland

1471 Rockland Avenue (ex-1401A Rockland Av)

Built 1908
Heritage-Registered

For: Government of British Columbia

ARCHITECTURE:

This simple single-storey Edwardian cottage has a hipped roof and front hip-roofed extension with a triangular window in a small gable. The porch to the left has simple Tuscan columns and a solid balustrade. There is a pair of 1-over-1 double-hung sash windows on each side of the central entrance door. Each side of the house has a corbelled brick chimney, as well as one at the rear. The left side has a porch which is enclosed with multi-pane sash. Double-bevelled siding is used throughout.

ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:

The BC Government built this house for the Government House head gardener. John Harper (1871-1961) and Irene Mabel (Dandridge) Randall were the first residents. John Randall, a landscape gardener, came to Victoria from England in 1910. He retired in 1939. Percy E. Lamb lived here in 1914, and by 1917, John Shiner (1884-1924) was the occupant. He came to Canada from Somerset, England, with wife Sybilla Henrietta (Boothby, 1886-1957) in 1913-14. He lived here until 1918, then moved to Tod Inlet as head gardener for Jennie Butchart (906 St Charles St, Rockland) until his death.

OTHER OCCUPANTS:

Ernest and Elizabeth Barlow lived here 1920-21. The first long-term occupants, William Gray (1886-1975) and Jessie (Bailey, 1880-1960) Darling, lived here from about 1924 to 1950. William was born in Scotland and Jessie in Lancashire, England. They came to Canada in 1910, to Victoria in 1917. William retired after being Head Gardener of Government House for about 30 years.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & IMAGES:

• Rockland History

• Rockland Heritage Register

• Hallmark Heritage Society Archives

• This Old House, Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods,
Volume Three: Rockland, Burnside, Harris Green,
Hillside-Quadra, North Park & Oaklands