Kingston Street School (part two)

Then and Now

By Ted Ross

Image G-03118 courtesy of the Royal BC Museum, BC Archives

Let us pick up the tale of that pioneer James Bay educational institution, Kingston Street School.

Camas Chronicles, a marvellous collection of reminiscences of James Bay old-timers, put together by the Camas Group of New Horizons Society in 1978, has an entry on the school. Louise Iverson writes, "Public schooling had its beginning in James Bay when Kingston Street School opened in 1884. It was a seven-roomed frame building and its history is almost synonymous with Miss Ellen G. Lawson. Miss Lawson, who spent most of her fifty years in education at Kingston Street School, was the daughter of a former editor of the Colonist. She came from Prince Edward Island in 1890 and continued ... until she retired in 1933."

In describing school day opening ceremonies, L. I. relates, "At the sound of the hand-bell, children lined up in the space between the rooms of the U-shaped building, and marched into their rooms to the strains of 'Marching Through Georgia' played on the organ by senior teacher Miss Henry...."

Another teacher who visited frequently was, "...Capt. Ian St. Clair, (who) came regularly to the school to lead in physical education. Although deaf and almost blind, he commanded the respect of the children who would vie for the privilege of assisting him across the road to the streetcar on Superior Street."

"When South Park School was built (1894), Kingston School carried on as a primary school, until it was demolished to be replaced by offices of the Provincial Highways Department," Ms Iverson relates.

Image A09174 courtesy of the Royal BC Museum, BC Archives

Kingston Street School had some mention in the Daily Colonist early in the last Century.

On May 11, 1910 we read, "Pupils of Kingston Street school Spend Recreation Hours on Streets Through Lack of Playground," the following article relating, "The urgent necessity of providing playground accommodation for the children who attend the Kingston street school will engage the attention of the board of school trustees at tonight's meeting. There are...250 pupils... with no space provided by the authorities for the children's recreation. The matter will be brought up tonight...for the inclusion in the school loan bylaw of a sum of $4000 for which two lots adjoining the school can be purchased...."

On Friday, December 18, 1908 we find, "The boys and girls of Miss Jesse's class, Kingston Street School, are a very busy and a very generous lot of little people. Yesterday they had a fine Christmas tree loaded with presents, nearly all of which were made by their own clever fingers. ...the closing exercises for South Park and Kingston Street Schools (for Christmas holidays) will both be held this forenoon."

^*****

The Victoria City Directory for 1955, and all its previous editions, list Kingston Street School at 326 Kingston, but that is the last directory available on-line. Vancouver Public Library's outstanding collection ends with that year.

Demolition of the school, according to Victoria City Archives, took place in 1956. The new James Bay School had been built, a little further south on Oswego, making Kingston Street School redundant. As Louise Iverson related, it became Department of Highways property, was demolished, and replaced by offices and shops for the Department.

A September 1957 fire insurance map shows 'Provincial Government (offices)' running over half the distance from Oswego to Pendray along Kingston Street. To the northwest of that building are vehicle shops. The whole encompassed the old school site. 

Victoria City Directories were located in the City Archives, beginning with the 1964 edition. That edition, and following ones until 1970, show the Department of Highways on the site, but beginning in 1972 it is the Ministry of Lands at the location for several years. Then the Ministry of Highways reappears in 1989.

In 1996, the Provincial Government was gone from the location. 1999 saw the land vacant.

Now

The Oswego, on the corner of Kingston and Oswego. Photo taken by Bob Tuomi

But what of the property today?

By 2007, an 80-suite boutique hotel had been constructed and opened at 500 Oswego Street, the same corner property occupied by Kingston Street School for seven decades. The Times-Colonist, September 1, 2007 reported, "Victoria's newest boutique hotel had its grand opening today in James Bay. The hotel, which features the O Bistro, expects to cater to a higher-end clientele looking for personalized services."

The hotel continues in service today at its quiet location on the corner of Oswego and Kingston, short blocks from the Parliament Buildings. But the ghosts of classes past must still haunt this area, where the first school in James Bay stood for so many years.

Bibliography

"Pioneer School Soon To Be Gone," James K. Nesbitt, Daily Colonist, May 19, 1955; "Old Class Picture Stirs Memories," James K. Nesbitt, Daily Colonist, May 29, 1955; "Kingston Street School," p. 33-4, Camas Chronicles, Camas Historical Group, 1978; "Goodbye to Old Victoria School," Victoria Times, June 23, 1955; "School Properties - Victoria City," Mayor's Annual Report, City of Victoria, BC, 1924-26; Victoria Daily Colonist, September 17, 1906; "Kingston Street School Gets Two-Room Addition," Daily Colonist, June 25, 1908; "Children's Lives Are Endangered," Daily Colonist, May 11, 1910; "Kingston Street School Prepares For Christmas," Daily Colonist, December 18, 1908; "Then and Now - The Pendray Family," Ted Ross, James Bay Beacon, September, 2014; "Fire Insurance Maps, 1957," Victoria City Archives; "Victoria City Directories," Vancouver Public Library, 1860-1955; "Victoria City Directories," Victoria City Archives, 1964-1999; "Hotel Debut," Times-Colonist, September 1, 2007.