MRS. EDWIN DONALD, HON. WYMOND HAMLEY, HON. G. A. WALKEM.
Mrs. Edwin Donald.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith."--Timothy 4:7, 8. Never was there one to whom these words
could be applied with greater truth than to the subject of this
sketch. A faithful servant of her Lord, she was always ready to say a
good word for Him, and took advantage of any and all opportunities to
bring back to Him some friend whom she thought had become careless,
thoughtless, or indifferent in His service.
I am sure my old friend admonished me many a time during our
forty-six years of close friendship, but always in the most kindly
manner, that could not help impressing me, knowing it was well meant,
and knowing also that she considered it her duty to say what she did.
It was in February, 1859, as a boy of twelve, just arrived from San
Francisco, that I first met her. She and her husband had lately
arrived from Wisconsin, U.S., where they had been living some years,
and, having a sister here already, she had been induced to come to
her. Her sister, herself and their husbands had all come from
Cornwall. The elder sister and her husband (Trounce) had emigrated to
Van Diemen's Land, as Tasmania was then called; the Trounces
later on went to San Francisco, and from there came to Victoria, in
the same steamer as my father, in 1858.
The Trounces and Donalds lived in tents on Douglas Street in 1858,
and when our family arrived in 1859 they had just moved into what was
then considered a very handsome house. It now stands on Kane Street,
between Douglas and Blanchard.
Like Dorcas of Joppa, "she was full of good works and alms deeds."
The two sisters, with their husbands, were Wesleyan Methodists, and
Mrs. Donald, although eighty-eight years of age, attended church
twice on Sunday, and always walked both ways, to the Metropolitan
Church on Pandora Street. This she did to the end, having gone twice
the last Sunday. She did not believe in Sunday cars, and would not
use them, although they would have been such a help to her; but no,
she thought it wrong, so took the course she thought was right. My
wife and I called on her about ten days before her death, and on
asking her how she was she replied, "I am as well as can be expected,
for I am an old woman, you know." She was as cheerful as usual. She
never complained; everything was for the best, she thought.
And so it was in her case, for she was near her end, "having fought a
good fight and finished her course." She died literally in harness,
for an hour or so before she breathed her last, she was working for
the church, propped up in bed sewing. Towards the end, being
conscious, she said, "I think my Lord wants me," and so passed away
to a better life. She was attended at her death by an affectionate
niece, Miss Carrie Thomas; her other relatives being Mrs. Thomas and
Mrs. Morall.
Hon. Wymond Hamley.
[Portrait: Wymond Hamley.]
The late collector of customs, under whom I was privileged to serve
from 1882 to 1900, was appointed by Sir Edward B. Lytton as collector
of customs of New Westminster, and arrived by sailing vessel in 1859.
After the union of the mainland and island in 1867, the collector,
with his staff, came down to Victoria and established the customs
house on Government Street in a wooden structure near the post-office
of that day, and it was a very unpretentious affair.
His staff of that time, and who were with him at New Westminster, was
composed of Mr. Macrae, who in 1872 was pensioned on account of
defective eyesight, and is now living in Ireland, chief clerk;
Charles S. Finlaison (afterwards chief clerk), George Frye, C. S.
Wylde and Richard Hunter. All of these, except Mr. Macrae, are dead.
Mr. Hamley was the last of three brothers, and all of us have heard
of the youngest, Sir Edward, the hero of Tel el Kebir, who, with his
eldest brother, were generals in the British army. Sir Edward was a
noted tactician, and it was through this he became the hero of Tel el
Kebir. He was prominent in the Imperial Parliament also as a speaker.
The elder brother I heard little of from him, but I know he was very
proud of his younger brother.
The late collector was in early life in the British civil service,
and subsequently joined the navy, and served on the China station. I
shall always have a kindly feeling for my late chief, as he was a
good friend to me, and felt kindly disposed to me, by the many
conversations we had together. He was a just man in all his dealings
with the public, and treated all alike without fear or favor, and his
decisions were, as a rule, always upheld at Ottawa. There also
could not have been a more popular man with his staff.
So one by one the good old stock of the early pioneers passes away,
and their places will be hard to fill, so I say "_Requiescat in pace_."
Hon. G. A. Walkem.
As a friend of over forty years, I should like to add a few lines to
what has been said of the late Mr. Walkem. Some forty-two years ago I
was going up Yates Street, past Wells Fargo's bank and express, which
then occupied the brick building on the south side just above the
American Hotel and next Pierson's tinware store. It was steamer day,
and Yates Street was full of life, as it always was when the San
Francisco steamer had just arrived with passengers, freight, mails
and express.
The latter was the more important in those days. The chief business
was done with San Francisco, and the most of the letters came by
express, costing twenty-five cents each, from San Francisco. As I
said before, I was passing Wells Fargo's. The large front office was
open to the street and was full of business men and others. The staff
of the express consisted of Colonel Pendergast, Major Gillingham (who
introduced quail from California), and a colored man named Miller, as
messenger.
What attracted my attention was "George Anthony Walkem," called in a
loud voice. I stopped and squeezed inside, where there was a scene
that never will be enacted again in this city, I think, in the way of
business. Major Gillingham was unlocking express bags and cutting
open bundles of letters, which he handed to Colonel Pendergast,
who was mounted on a chair and calling out the addresses on the
letters. If the addressee was there he called out "Here," and the
letter was handed across the room to where he stood, or if not there,
was taken by a friend. After all the letters had been called, the
audience trooped out and went to their offices to peruse their
correspondence.
"George Anthony Walkem" on this occasion was not there and did not
answer to his name, but the letter was put in the letter-rack to be
delivered by Miller, the messenger. This occasion is vivid in my
memory, as if of yesterday, and is the first time I remember Mr.
Walkem.
It was a couple of years after that I met him at a dance, and we
became friends, and met at many home dances and parties. He was a
young lawyer and fond of the society of young people, although older
than they were. In those days dancing was one of our chief
amusements, classes being formed under the direction of some lady.
They were very enjoyable, being kept select. The ladies having the
two principal classes were Mrs. Digby Palmer and Mrs. J. H.
Carmichael. I belonged to each, and met Mr. Walkem often. The
principal thing I wished to speak of with respect to my friend was
his gift of animal drawing, he being no mean follower of Sir Edwin
Landseer.
This I found out as a great surprise one day while visiting him at
his rooms over Hibben & Co.'s store. The walls were plastered, and
white, and all over were covered with animals and portraits of noted
characters of the day done with a crayon pencil. These portraits were
of such men as Judge Begbie, the Governor, an admiral of the station,
or some noted politician.
But what took my fancy most of all were his lions, male and
female and cubs, and in all positions. It was a sight well worth
seeing, and would so be considered to-day.
Long after Mr. Walkem left these rooms these walls were left intact,
and many schemes were devised to remove the pictures with the walls.
A prominent man, I think Admiral Farquhar, asked my brother if it
were possible to cut the plaster off the studding in blocks and so
preserve these beautiful pictures. I am sorry to say it proved to be
impossible.
To-day there are reproductions of these pictures in the judge's
residence. They were framed in gilt by us, and it is only a year or
so since I saw them in Sommer's being reframed. I recognized them
immediately.
He was pleased to compliment me some time ago on one of my sketches
of early Victoria, a subject we compared notes on frequently, when I
suggested that he give to his friends some of his early experiences
in Cariboo, which he recited to me, telling of those days when he
started off from Victoria a young man, with a good profession, lots
of energy, a fund of good humor, and not a very heavy purse. He had
his experiences, and valuable experiences they were, and in Cariboo
he entered into politics, and for years represented that constituency
in the Local House. He was a good friend, and I shall miss his visits
to my office, when he came in to chat for a few minutes, always to
wind up with a "reminiscence." Well, as I said before, I shall miss
him and shall remember him with the most kindly feelings.