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Books and other historical sources for Victoria; advice, please.


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#1 godihatethiscity

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Posted 30 December 2008 - 11:40 PM

Hi,
I've been following this board off and on for awhile. I'm not native to Victoria but have lived here for over ten years. Please disregard the member name I chose on here-- I signed up at a, uh, rather negative time in my life. I no longer 'hate' Victoria (I think). :rolleyes:

Basically I'm hoping someone can direct me to very good 'introductory' (as it were) books or other sources on Victoria's history, and in particular its local legends and lore. I'm aware of the archives and the like, but I'm looking for general coverage, more of a starting point. I'm a writer, in the early stages of planning a couple of sci-fi stories which will be set here. My research skills are rusty and free time is limited, thought I check here first and see what I could come up with.

I'm particularly interested in works covering: history of the Chinese in Victoria, especially the leper colony at D'Arcy Island and the story about the Chinese graveyard (the one that got washed out by a huge storm); ghost stories; local archaeology (for ex., the Native village that used to be at Dallas Rd. Waterfront/Beacon Hill); anything covering the weirder side of Victoria's history. Note, it doesn't necessarily have to be 'true' history-- I'm just as interested in urban lore, etc., maybe more so.

Thank you for any help. This board is a great resource, btw, I'm glad it exists.

Edit: I also wonder what would be the best resource to go to for general photography of Victoria circa 1960-1970. BC archives? I've found some stuff through their website, but thought perhaps there's a more immediate source of info (book form, someone's doctoral thesis, whatever...) Also anything regarding Victoria's supposed reputation as a world center of 'Satanism' (I'm aware of Michelle Remembers, haven't got hold of a copy; anything similar out there?); and the disappearance of that kid, can't remember the name at the moment, from that park near where University Canada West is now located. Thanks.

#2 Jacques Cadé

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 12:27 AM

Ah, well, you could always start here: unknownvictoria.blogspot.com.

The blog is a supplement to a book called Victoria: The Unknown City. There are stories about Michael Dunahee (the disappeared child) and many of the other things you ask about inside the book itself.

#3 Holden West

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 01:38 AM

Danda Humphries' books are a good start. The library has lots of them.

Unknown Victoria mentioned above is great. There's tons of stuff there that isn't found in the usual histories.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#4 godihatethiscity

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 04:16 AM

Great, thank you; I'd heard of Danda Humphreys, had not yet come across the Unknown Victoria blog. These are exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for though. Thanks.

#5 G-Man

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 07:27 AM

On the satan end... well ghosts, there is "A Gathering of Ghosts" which is all about real Victoria ghosts and ghost hunters.

#6 amor de cosmos

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 10:23 AM

the Victoria Heritage Foundation has published 3 books filled with all the heritage buildings in the city, by neighbourhood. It's not just buildings though, it describes the buildings, who designed them, who lived there, what they did in Victoria, etc, the whole backstory.
http://www.victoriah...osterSept07.pdf

#7 Caramia

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 10:27 AM

The Forbidden City within Victoria by Dr David Chen-yen Lai. It is out of print but is the best source on Chinatown around. You can still find copies online or in second hand bookstores.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#8 victorian fan

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 01:12 PM

Also anything regarding Victoria's supposed reputation as a world center of 'Satanism' (I'm aware of Michelle Remembers, haven't got hold of a copy;


I read that book when it first came out. Well, not all of it. To me, an obvious work of fiction. Because I've lived in Victoria all my life, I knew the impossibility of it all. It helped to start the " "Satanic Ritual Abuse" and "repressed memories" panic of the 80s. The myth was persistent, persuasive, but totally unrealistic.

#9 Sue Woods

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 03:26 PM

Hi,
Basically I'm hoping someone can direct me to very good 'introductory' (as it were) books or other sources on Victoria's history, and in particular its local legends and lore.


I have interviewed hundreds on my local history show (Remember When, CFAX radio) and would be happy to refer you to a number of my guests who have written books - or teach history - or have made history. Lots of local resources. Feel free to write to me at susanwoods@chumradio.com

Happy New Year!
Sue

#10 godihatethiscity

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 03:27 PM

This board is a great resource. Thank you again. I heard about an archaeology walk held by the museum every year on Camas Day (first Saturday in May, I think) that I'll be going on in 2009-- covers much of the Native archaeology in Victoria. Anyway the above posts have given me lots to start with.

I read that book when it first came out. Well, not all of it. To me, an obvious work of fiction. Because I've lived in Victoria all my life, I knew the impossibility of it all. It helped to start the " "Satanic Ritual Abuse" and "repressed memories" panic of the 80s. The myth was persistent, persuasive, but totally unrealistic.


Yeah, I grew up in Colorado and actually remember when the whole "Satanic ritual abuse" craze was, uh, popular, as a kid. A friend of my sister's took advantage of it; she was really just from a really bad family and wanted attention. I firmly regard it as utter nonsense, the important thing to me is the social "urban myth" aspect... the supposed tunnels under the city, Ross Bay cemetery (I heard the women who wrote Michelle Remembers claims to have taken part in a series of rituals there), etc.

#11 godihatethiscity

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Posted 31 December 2008 - 03:29 PM

I have interviewed hundreds on my local history show (Remember When, CFAX radio) and would be happy to refer you to a number of my guests who have written books - or teach history - or have made history. Lots of local resources. Feel free to write to me at susanwoods@chumradio.com

Happy New Year!
Sue


Great! I'll email you later today or tomorrow for sure once I've narrowed down what I want to pursue. Thank you!

#12 Lover Fighter

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Posted 09 January 2009 - 01:20 PM

On a sort of related note, I have a book called A History of Victoria 1842-1970 by Harry Gregson, published in 1970, and I have yet to read it. Has anyone here heard of it? Is it worth the read? I'm really bad at plunging into books if there is a chance I won't finish it (I hate the idea of unfinished books, and this one looks daunting).

#13 Caramia

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Posted 09 January 2009 - 01:33 PM

Haha the repressed satantic abuse memories thing. I remember. I was a witness in a trial back around that time, and my story wasn't lining up with what the defense wanted to hear... so the lawyer asked me if it wasn't possible I was just repressing memories. I looked at him like he'd gone mad, luckily so did the Jurors.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#14 KublaKhan

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Posted 10 January 2009 - 07:25 PM

Secret tunnels, anyone...?

#15 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 January 2009 - 10:17 PM

Three fine books add to local history record

By Dave Obee, Times Colonist
January 11, 2009

First, Chris Arnett. He compiled and edited Two Houses Half Buried in Sand, a collection of columns written by Beryl Mildred Cryer in the 1930s.
Cryer would have been an unlikely candidate to become one of the most important figures in the anthropology of Vancouver Island. She was a Chemainus housewife who wrote social items for the Victoria Daily Colonist on a part-time basis. She also had an interest in the stories of the Coast Salish elders.
...
Debbie Marchand and Linda Picciotto produced South Park School: Memories Through the Decades. It tells the story of South Park School, on Douglas Street opposite Beacon Hill Park, the oldest school in continuous use in Western Canada and a landmark in its own right. Its first principal was the legendary Agnes Deans Cameron, whose toughness was matched by her determination to win equal rights for women. Cameron was the first female principal in the province and with the help of eight teachers ran a school with 500 students.
...
Lynn Starter's contribution is Tales of Rathtrevor Beach: Legacy of a Family.



#16 Jacques Cadé

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 11:38 AM

If you're interested in mondo local history, there's a new post on Unknown Victoria about the Native Sons of British Columbia, a secret society that got started here (link). Bonus: you can download a PDF of their actual ritual book.

#17 Holden West

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 12:21 PM

^Another brilliant piece of research.

“A sign of recognition at night or distress call is given by utterance of the words ‘Beaver, Ahoy’ which if heard by a Native Son will be answered ‘I am here, Native Son’.”


I hereby declare that this secret distress call be appropriated by Vibrant Victorians in order to identify ourselves to each other in public with discretion.
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"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#18 G-Man

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 12:55 PM

I'm in.

#19 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 08:59 PM

Well, "Beaver, Ahoy" will surely draw the interest of a couple of longtime VVers....

Hmm, actually, come to think of it, taken together with the reply ("I am here, Native Son"), there's a lot of room for double entendre here...
When you buy a game, you buy the rules. Play happens in the space between the rules.

#20 G-Man

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 09:04 PM

^ MS. B I am SHOCKED!

 



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