James Bay detective

By Doreen Marion Gee

The origins of words, phrases and names has always fascinated me. When learning about the origins of popular phrases, I feel like a detective on an unpredictable scavenger hunt. One of my favourite treasure hunts was trying to find out why on earth we use the phrase "red herring" for any deliberate diversion tactic in avoiding the real core of a contentious issue. What does a stinky fish have to do with anything? A little bit of research turned up the answer: In the 15^th century, smoked (red) herring was used by escaped fugitives to entice bloodhounds onto a false trail - away from the convict. Over the centuries, "red herring" in its literal sense became symbolic of any attempt to keep attention off of the real crux of an issue. Now my word-origin fetish has turned to the genesis of names given to landmarks in James Bay.

To start off, why do we call it the "Empress" Hotel? Up until the last brick was laid, it was simply named "Victoria hotel" or the "CPR tourist hotel." Before Rattenbury's masterpiece was unveiled on January 20, 1908, many other choices for names were considered: the "Douglas Arms," the "Royal Oak," the "Camosun," the "Carnavon," the "Dufferin," the "Lytton" and  "Lotbiniere" - in honour of the then lieutenant governor Sir Henri Joli de Lotbiniere. But it was "Empress" that captured the majesty of the regal structure and the hearts of early Victoria society. The glossy title resonated with stately images of Queen Victoria, the Empress of India and the CPR's Empress liners. Unfortunately, the term "Empress" also came with its own shadows of Victoria's imperialist roots and the oppressive colonial presence on First Nations' lands. 

Many poignant childhood memories surround Harrison Pond on Dallas Road, that iconic meeting place for tiny yacht enthusiasts and ducks. My mind is full of bizarre but happy reminiscences of Christmases long past, risking life and limb skating over jagged ice on a frozen 'yacht pond.' When I was four years old, Harrison Yacht Pond was constructed at Holland Point (1955). It derives its name from Claude Harrison, a former Mayor of Victoria, who spearheaded the building of the beloved pond. It was created with free-sailing model sailboats in mind. The memory plays tricks on us after a while: I would swear on any Bible that I spent hundreds of hours on that icy pond beside lush grasses, trees and ocean waves. But according to the annual reports of the Parks Administrator at that time, W. H. Warren, there were only two days of skating in December 1956 and three days of skating in January 1959.

The words on the Interpretive Plaque installed in Beacon Hill Park sound the drums of wind, fury and glory over rolling hills and the Strait of Juan de Fuca: "BEACON HILL: Death, life and happiness are in the story of Beacon Hill. On these headlands, where an ancient race once buried their dead, early settlers erected beacons to guide marines past dangerous Brotchie Ledge." The treacherous hidden reef a half a mile out in the water had claimed a number of ships. Our venerable park was originally named Meeacan (Salish for belly) by the First Nations peoples - from a distance, the natives thought that it looked like the belly of a huge man lying on his back. In 1843, the park was renamed Beacon Hill Park by the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, after they placed two beacons on the grassy hill that were strategically placed so that when they lined up, mariners could navigate around the notorious underwater reef and safely into Victoria Harbour.

The history of Holland Point is an interesting ride back in time. The site is named after George Holland, a seaman on the Beaver who arrived in Fort Victoria in 1846. George was obviously a colourful character: "well educated, hard to get along with and often changed jobs - from seaman to teacher to postmaster and Hudson's Bay trader." (victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca) But long before the white colonists, the area was used as a defensive site in the intense warfare between First Nations tribes "on the edge of a steep bluff with a semi circular trench extending in from the sea bluff." It is believed that the first inhabitants lived there from 750 to 950 A.D.

Exploring the genesis of names of popular fixtures in James Bay takes us on a journey back in time, opening up a virtual treasure chest. This enlightening exercise reveals facts and events about our early colony and helps us understand our roots and the colourful tapestry of history that permeates every nuance, activity and corner of James Bay. Please stay tuned for my next instalment!

Sources:

• "Welcome to Victoria 1907", UVic, Meleisa Ono-George and Oriane Fort, 2008.
• wikimapia.org - "Harrison-Yacht-Pond"
• www.beaconhillpark.com
• Province of B.C. "BC Geographical Names"
• http://victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca