by Valerie Green –
The Francis Verdier house on West Saanich Road is a well-known landmark on the Saanich Peninsula, but things in that area will soon be changing.
Built in 1911 in the popular Arts & Crafts style, this large one-and-a-half-storey residence, with gabled roof, front gabled dormer, full-length open front veranda and decorative piers, will soon experience another event in its evolution by moving to a new location.
The house was originally built as a symbol of success for Francis (Frank) Verdier. Frank was the son of Etienne Verdier who, together with his brother Alphonse, was among the first settlers on the Saanich Peninsula.
Their story began in 1849 when, in their 20s, they left Toulouse, France, to head for California and the gold rush. Having no luck in the gold fields, they headed north in 1852 to Fort Victoria. Etienne found work driving a water cart for George Stelly, another Peninsula pioneer. Two years later he owned the business, supplying water to city residents. He married Honora Kilroy, an Irish girl who had arrived on the famous Bride Ship, the SS Tynemouth, in 1862. Eventually Etienne and Honora moved out to the Peninsula and settled on land near Alphonse who was also living there with his first wife, Anna, daughter of pioneer Angus McPhail.
Etienne and Honora lived on the George Stelly Farm where eldest son, Frank, was born in 1865. Frank grew up with First Nations children, learning their skills with bows and arrows as he hunted deer or trapped bears.
Later Frank Verdier (nicknamed “Big Frank”) was able to buy the Stelly Farm, renamed it Verdier Farm and eventually sub-divided this 60-hectare land into over 100 parcels. Frank became successful in many such real estate deals through the years and played a large role in the forestry industry of Vancouver Island. With a team of 12 oxen, he helped clear the Sooke Road and cut the first trail from Forbes Landing to Campbell Lake. He was most well-known for the part he played in mapping out the original route for the Malahat Highway. He also ran for Saanich Council in 1913.
By 1931, he was the oldest timber cruiser on the B.C. coast, and he and his second wife were still living in their prestigious West Saanich Road house. Now another episode in the life of that house is about to happen.
Matt Peulen, President of Stride Properties in North Saanich, is developing the .99 of an acre Verdier property in three phases: the Greater Victoria Housing Society will own and operate a 40-unit rental building; six townhomes will be built and sold; and the Verdier residence itself will be relocated.
“The developers will enter into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with Central Saanich to create eight rental units within the house,” notes Matt. He is particularly sensitive to the heritage importance of this residence and aware of the original apprehension concerning privacy and height of the new buildings. The biggest opposition to his plan had been the relocation of the house. Local residents preferred that it stay on the property. “And fortunately, we were able to make some changes to the design and relocate the house within the property. It will now face Stelly’s Cross Road,” Matt adds.
These changes will begin in April with the current tenants of the house relocating within Central Saanich. Contractors will then be hired to do the reconstruction and restoration of the house and the Verdier residence will live on.
Verdier Avenue in Brentwood Bay is yet another memorial to this pioneering family on the Peninsula.
Valerie Green is an author/historian and can be reached
at valgee@shaw.ca.
