THE BEGINNING OF THE ROYAL HOSPITAL AND PROTESTANT ORPHANS' HOME.
In Mallandaine's "first directory" of Victoria, I note the following:
"We have an hospital started by Rev. Edward Cridge, and now sadly
overburdened with debt."
In course of conversation with Bishop Cridge one day I learned the
history of this--the first public hospital of Victoria--which, in due
course, became the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
It was in 1858 that one day a sick man was found lying on a mattress
in Mr. Cridge's garden. The man admitted he had been brought there by
certain parties, their names being known to Mr. Cridge. I asked Mr.
Cridge why they had brought the man to him, and clandestinely, too?
"Oh, they thought I was the proper man, and I suppose I was under the
circumstances." He continued: "We set to work at once to meet the
case, and temporarily rented a cottage owned by Mr. Blinkhorn, on the
corner of Yates and Broad Streets, now occupied by the B. C. Hardware
Company (the first patient's name was Braithwaite), and placed W. S.
Seeley, afterwards of the Australian House, at the north end of James
Bay bridge, in charge as steward, and Dr. Trimble being appointed as
medical officer in charge." This was the beginning. Afterwards
there was a wooden building erected on the Songhees Reserve, on the
site of the Marine Hospital. Later on the hospital was again moved
to Pandora Hill, and by the exertions of Mrs. (Senator) Macdonald,
Mrs. Harris (wife of Mayor Harris) and Mrs. Cridge, a female
infirmary was built there, but afterwards merged into a general
hospital. It will be seen from this that my dear old friend, Bishop
Cridge, as also Mrs. Cridge, were first in this most important
work for the relief of the suffering humanity of Victoria. Nor
was this all.
I might state that Mrs. (Senator) Macdonald, with Mrs. Cridge, were
the founders of the Protestant Orphans' Home, through Mrs. Macdonald
having a family of orphan children brought to her notice by some
friend. She first of all found homes for the individual children;
then as other cases were brought to her notice she, with Mrs. Cridge,
took the matter up and rented a cottage, putting a Miss Todd in
charge of the children. In course of time, the children increased, so
that a larger building was rented on the corner of Blanchard and Rae
Streets. Even these premises in time became too small, and another
and final move was made through the munificence of the late John
George Taylor, a member of Bishop Cridge's congregation, who left all
his property, some thirty thousand dollars, to the founding of the
present home.
Mr. Taylor, whom I had known for many years, told me of the great
interest he took in these orphans. He paid daily visits to the home,
and assisted in many ways to help it along. Bishop Cridge and Mrs.
Macdonald have seen these institutions grow from the smallest
beginnings to their present state of usefulness, which must be a
source of congratulation to both.
Craigflower School House.
With respect to what has appeared in the paper lately _re_
"Craigflower School House," the following may be interesting:
In early days (1856) Rev. Edward Cridge held services at stated times
in the school house, and later on services were held regularly by the
chaplains of H.M. ships stationed in Esquimalt harbor, and later on
by Rev. (now Bishop) Garrett and Rev. C. T. Woods.
I quote from Mr. Cridge's diary, which is mentioned in his Christmas
story of "Early Christmas in Victoria," that on August 24th, 1856, he
held a religious service in the school house with Mr. Cook, the
gunner, and Mr. Price, midshipman of H. M. S. _Trincomalee_.
In the Victoria _Gazette_ of August, 1858, Rev. Edward Cridge,
acting for the Governor, examined the pupils and presented the prizes
to the following: Jessie McKenzie, William Lidgate, Christine Veitch
and Dorothea McKenzie.
The first master of the school was J. Grant; the second Claypole, and
afterwards Pottinger, Newbury and Pope.
With respect to the building itself, I might say that it was built
under the direction of Mr. McKenzie, of Craigflower. The lumber used
in its construction was manufactured from fir trees on the ground in
a mill built by mechanics sent out from England.
The residence of the late Mr. McKenzie, which stands to the west of
the Craigflower bridge, was also built of lumber sawn in this mill,
and not of redwood imported from California, as stated lately. There
are several men and women living to-day who attended this school in
the early sixties.
[Illustration: Craigflower School.]