Then and Now

Then...

By the 1880s Victoria's population was quickly approaching 6000. Proximity to the commercial core and access by a new bridge across the mud-flats made James Bay a natural choice for settlement. The new suburb became a mix of housing for both the affluent and the working classes. Most newcomers were of British ancestry and claimed religious affiliation to the Church of England. To serve them, the St. James Anglican church, at the corner of Quebec and Pendray streets, was built and consecrated in 1885. In time the congregation moved to other Church of England churches in Victoria. Financial difficulties prompted closure in 1919 and demolition in 1922.

“Image H-03149 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives”

...Now

Prior to 1912, Pendray Street was called St. John Street. The southern side of Quebec Street between Oswego and Pendray is now home for the Harbour Towers Hotel. What was once the Church site is shared by a small Harbour Towers parking lot and Harbour Lane, a Capital Region Housing Corporation initiative for family and seniors.